So What Do You Do When You’re Living In Limbo?
Our current listing agreement for selling our house ends today. It has now been two years since we first put our home on the market and, like most things in life, I could not have foreseen it taking this long. (For those who are new here, we are selling our home to get out of debt, then to pursue a ministry opportunity in Israel.) It is a weird place of limbo we are in - trying to purge and downsize to be ready for a move, but still having to function in the life we are in now. I have regretted several things that have succumbed to our purging while other things bought for our new life are collecting dust. My home does not even look homey to me, as I have gotten rid of anything extra that I could, and it looks lonely and bare.
Our tax assessment lost $40K in this last year, tempting us to freak out because we will only purchase with cash from here on out. Assuming the selling price is affected, that $40K just cost us greatly. I said tempted because we have not freaked out yet, but you cannot trust that ol’ flesh, you know. It simply means that we will end up living in the bus longer than planned and likely be able to afford only an earth bag house when all is said and done. Mr. Visionary and the children are thrilled about this option and go around calling us the Dirt Bag Family. Me? I flip-flop between terror and adventurous enthusiasm about living in the bus with eleven of us and I still cannot figure out how the earth bag house won’t be full of mildew. (I don’t get how wool diaper covers work, either, but I love them, so we’ll see.)
Our future plans seem very far away and I spend a lot of time asking Father about what we should be doing now. It appears to be a season for preparation in some way, but in what way? We have the last of our cows sold or in the freezer, the goats and chickens have been gone for some time now and I cut off the electricity at the barn. Lots of closure.
Our home fellowship has all but disbanded, so we have our Shabbats free to spend praying and studying as a family, which is good and bad. The busyness of hosting the group kept us from having time to think about our future too much, but our newly quiet Shabbats have stirred the questions awake again.
Do we list the house again, or wait until Spring? Is YHWH limited to the “good season for selling”? Do we make it For Sale By Owner, or find another realtor? Our old realtor marketed it as a gentleman’s estate, but we think it should be marketed as a home for a large family. (How else do you show a house with eleven people living in it?)
What do we do, Father?
How many, many times we have repented and grieved over ever getting a mortgage! We truly are in bondage - not free to go where He calls when He calls. He will redeem even this situation to grow us and to bring glory to Himself, for sure…but the regret is painful. Praise YHWH that His mercies are new every morning.
I’m just sayin’…I don’t have any answers for what to do while living in limbo, except to continue to seek His face and thank Him for this season. The While I’m Waiting song from Fireproof has been on our lips during this season, but even that is a partial answer. “I will worship while I’m waiting, I will serve You while I’m waiting”…can still be personalized into specific answers to specific questions, but I suspect that the answers to what we should do during this season will only be apparent after the season is over and we’re looking back. Hindsight, you know.
Posted: November 30th, 2009 under Let's Think About That..., Walking Humbly With My God, Thankfulness On Purpose, Homestead Happenings.
Comments: 8
Comments
Comment from Lisa W
Time: November 30, 2009, 8:51 pm
We have been in a quiet season too, limbo seems like a very good word for it. It’s frustrating to sit and wait, and wonder. I feel like I haven’t redeemed my time very well at all but I honestly don’t know what to do at this moment. So we wait…
He has a plan, a grand plan, and we’re in a preparation stage. I know that when it’s time, it will be more than we can think, ask or imagine. :)
It sounds as if your life and ours is still somewhat parallel. You’re just busier than I am, my youngest is 14 now…
Comment from oldpathsfamilyfarm
Time: November 30, 2009, 9:08 pm
Wow…the same age as my oldest.
It’s comforting to be waiting together, My Friend.
Comment from Julie
Time: December 1, 2009, 9:26 am
Praying for you friend!
While you know and understand that God’s timeline is not your own, don’t forget that he is conforming you into His image while you wait. Be faithful in where He has you now, He is finishing His good work in you!
Comment from Gail Heaton
Time: December 5, 2009, 12:12 am
been poking around your bog a bit. Looks great! Just wanted to say Hi and that your life in limbo was an encouragement to me. (only another one in limbo would understand that, lol!)
Comment from Michelle
Time: December 7, 2009, 2:48 am
Take a step. Yah will show you what to do. He may keep you in limbo and not reveal His plan until the last minute, but He will show you. I think you should relist the house. I like your idea of listing it as a house for a large family and pray that He will show you whether to go with another agent or by owner. Our testing of faith came not in the waiting for the house to sell, but in not knowing where we were going once we left. We didn’t know until 4 days before we closed on the house and were prepared to live in our motorhome. Just remember that Yah is faithful and He will show you. *Ü*
Comment from Lynne
Time: December 7, 2009, 8:58 am
Julie,
If your house isn’t selling, it is priced too high. I realize that sounds cold, but it is the truth.
I would suggest you interview 10 realtors, have them give their assessment of what it will realistically sell for, and their track records: have any of them recently sold property similar to yours?
We are in a terrible economy, and many people think real estate prices will continue to drop, so why buy now?
I wish you and your family well. Just get the facts and make a business decision based on those facts. Don’t beat yourself up with regret over past decisions. It was the best decision for your family at that time; now things have changed.
We have a nephew who bought in AZ in 2006 for $265, he now has that home listed for $165. I think he will try to get any offer possible and ask his lender to accept a short sale. If they won’t accept a short sale, I think he will intentionally default.
My previous boss bought in DC around 2005. He now lives in NC, has been renting the DC house at an $800/month loss, and I think he is going to intentionally default, too.
It sounds like you have some equity in your property, so your situation is a lot better than theirs.
Unfortunately, right now, the only people selling their homes are those who continue to lower their price until they get a buyer.
You will get through this!
Comment from Sara
Time: December 15, 2009, 11:58 am
So glad you’re back in blogland! Your perspective is refreshing. We are also in a waiting season with some of the same questions on our lips.
Comment from Shoshana
Time: January 3, 2010, 5:40 pm
I love your comment on the song from Fireproof. Waiting and serving….Great blog too.
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