Girl Chat – Being Lucky
Today I’m joining the girls for the Girl Chat series with Danielle, Emily, Lindsay, Lizzie & Sierra to share a time when I was lucky. Lucky you showing up to read this little gem!
In 2008 Keith and I had been married for about 6 years and added two healthy babies to the family. We both had great jobs, our children were flourishing and we had lots of friends. We were “lucky” in many peoples eyes I’m sure. Lucky, but feeling a little cramped in our 2200 square foot house with four bedrooms. It was the summer before Jordan’s senior year in high school and Carly Jo was almost three and still in a crib in our master bedroom.
My eyes were looking towards my friends who were all moving on to bigger and better homes with nicer things, the more “popular” elementary schools and neighborhoods with lots of friends. A new house was all I could think of and I convinced Keith it was time for us to move on up in the world. Our house was listed and so began the search for the perfect home. You know, the one with enough bedrooms, an office, extra living space and big garage and laundry room.
We found the most perfect house with a layout perfect for our family and as “luck” would have it about the same time an offer was made on our house. There were offers and counters on both deals and things were getting so exciting!
On the side I was creating a budget and running numbers over an over in an excel worksheet to make sure we could really afford the new house. If you don’t know already, the mortgage calculator almost always thinks you can afford about 2X more home than you really can; that is if you still want to do anything else in your life. I was doing everything possible to convince myself we definitely could afford this house but I was not paying attention to the uneasiness my husband was feeling.
After the house inspections the buyer requested we replace the outside unit for our air conditioner. We were a little reluctant but our realtor agreed to split it with us so we agreed. That night I finally consulted with the one resource I had failed to ever run any of this by. As I laid down to sleep I prayed to God to give me a certain sign if we were making a mistake. The next morning my realtor called to let me know the buyers backed out. I should have been disappointed but I was immediately relieved.
This was not the first time in my life when I moved forward with a big decision without seeking advice from the one who knows my plan better than I do. I got “lucky” this time. You see, flash forward six months and the construction economy in Texas was not so hot. Keith’s job headed south and our annual income took at $30K+ hit. Jordan was graduating high school and heading to college and we suddenly had an extra bedroom available. Had I not finally turned over a prayer request for a true sign to guide me we would have continued working towards selling our house and moving into a home we could not afford.
Do I still think about a larger house? We have been tossing around the idea lately of moving on but this time I’m looking at my motives, respecting my husbands voice and looking to God for a clear answer. Today I’m feeling so lucky to have strengthened my faith over the years. Learning how to ask God for direction is not an easy choice as sometimes you have to accept the answer is no. This experience taught me in so many ways that no is not always a negative.
How are you feeling lucky today?
Love this post. And things always work out the way they are supposed to
Powerful testimony here, I love it and completely agree. Been there, done that with the house thing!
LOVE this so much Shelly. I love that you used " " around luck. I really don't believe in luck but I do believe in blessings big and small straight from God. This post gave me ALL the feelings too. I have had so many of these thoughts lately and I am terrified wondering if we are doing the right thing with this land and building a house. Russ seems pretty focused on on keeping banks out of it though, which is good. The unknown expenses are what freaks me out the most.
Oh Shelly, you always know exactly what a girl needs. I have been wanting more. As in a bigger home. Not for the sake of having something big but I'd love more space for us as our current home is tiny and in a horrible school district. We have a lot to pray about over the next 18 months in hopes of moving or getting C into a good school, outside of our district. I know that many think we will get lucky, I think God with bless us with what He knows is best.
Yes sometimes what you have is just what you need 🙂 Lucky lady in many ways.
I love this story! God is good!
Thank you so much for linking up with us! I love this story. We are in a sticky situation with a potential property and relying on prayer and God to lead us has been our main focus right now. My husband and I are also into real estate investment and I can't tell you how many times when a deal falls through that it's been for the right reason and we are usually thankful that it hasn't worked out. I also dream about the big home but what I've also come to learn is a home is all what you make of it and as long as there is love and happiness that's more important than size. Beautifully Candid
This is such a great post! Things definitely happen for a reason and it sounds like yours was exactly that case! This is really resonating with me, as I would like a different place, but not sure about the timing and how to handle it. Thanks so much for linking up with us!
Thank you for sharing! I'm a firm believer in everything happens for a reason. Even when it an be hard at times.
Life works out in mysterious ways and I am so glad that you didn't sell your house and suffer from the tax issue in Texas. Everything works out for a reason! Thanks for linking up!
Gotta love how God works! I'm hopping over from the link up today and while I should have blogged about my adoption story HE orchestrated, I did link it at the end of my post. It's amazing to look back and see his handiwork through it all. 🙂
I am feeling lucky today knowing that my youngest and most recent college grad DID NOT get the job up in Idaho back in May! She has now come into the family business, is a Supervisor in training and working so hard but she is SO HAPPY! She never pictured herself staying in the Central Valley, but her dad and I are thrilled and she has such a fabulous opportunity to work in the family business. God is Good!
I definitely believe that everything happens for a reason, and what a great God we have! This gave me chills just reading it. Thank you for linking up with us.
I just love this, and that you were able to listen to God's quiet voice whispering to you. It is so hard not to get caught up in wanting newer, better, fancier in all aspects of life when we are surrounded by the American lifestyle. Great post today!
I love this story! How awesome you were able to get the answers you needed and it all worked out. You're right, no is not always a negative! Thanks for linking up with us!
Wow, I love this story. Sometimes He has a plan that we didn't even know and we forgot to listen for it. So glad that it worked out for you!
I often wonder Sarah, how much goodness did I miss out on from NOT listening!! Sometimes I need him to literally knock me down before I see his plan. Hope you have a super weekend!
Thanks for hosting Lizzie! Have a super weekend.
Tanya this has been one of my biggest struggles over the years for so many reasons…wanting more/bigger, wanting my kids to be close to their friends but in the end the thing that makes the most sense is waiting…waiting a short 7 1/2 more years until we can build our dream house in any location we want and not be restricted by school zones or even College Station. It's so hard being patient when I see others homes and sometimes….and this is so ridiculous….but I'm embarrassed by our little house. It all comes back to thinking about what others think of me instead of worrying about what God thinks of me.
Thanks for hosting Lindsay!
I love when things work out and bring smiles to all around. It's hard with adult children letting them find their own way.
Sometimes I wish it were easier to see his hand in my story during the trials but I'm always amazed to look back and see how he worked everything out and always way better than I would have on my own!
I love that – no is not always a negative. Something I need to remember as I don't always listen to him either. We had a very similar situation, also in 2008. We're in construction too, and were looking to purchase a building to add a retail space for customers. Luckily we kept hearing "no", and when the economy dropped out, we didn't have that huge debt. It allowed us to stay in business. Such a great post Shelly!
Even when I do my best to hijack the plans Kimm. 🙂 Happy Friday!
Hopefully we keep learning and getting wiser with age right Kellyann? Happy Friday!
You guys are great at budgeting Beth and I know this was not a quick decision. I can't wait to follow your journey.
That always makes me so happy Stephanie to hear my words might have helped a bit. I wish I was better at opening my heart to Gods will instead of trying to justify my way around the signs.
Happy Friday Brittany, I hope you have a super weekend.
Me too Mary, thanks for reading. Happy Friday!
Thanks for hosting Sierra and allowing me an opportunity to share this story!
Sometimes I really have to step back and reevaluate my motives. Just because we could afford something doesn't necessarily mean it's the right time for us. Thanks for hosting and allowing me to share this story!
I wish it were easier sometimes to see God's hand in things as I'm walking through. I can look back on so many things that have happened and see his hands all over it but so many times I've been too stubborn to actually see him at the time .
Thanks so much for hosting!
I'm feeling lucky to have read your post and just feeling the inspiration! I needed this little picker-upper! You are so right about no not always being a bad thing. I'm so glad you turned to the Lord when you did and he answered you right away!