Sinking or Singing??

The real estate world is unsettling as we all know, right now. Last night an agent came over to talk with us about renting the place out where we are living. We have come to a point where we really should not be renting here because it is above what our housing expense should be. Lord willing, we WILL be able to find someone. I have been thinking too much about where our money is going because lately, every month another big expense comes up and we end up saving nothing. So I realized the solution is we are above where we should be with our housing expenses if that could go down, we would have something to put in savings each month.

Greg and I have been searching for houses, something small, that is downtown, with a great front porch to spend our evenings on, or something in the country, with land, so we can grow as many things as we can get our hands on. Neither of these have produced much in the town we live in, especially in our price range... a one income household makes buying a home in California, nearly impossible. So recently, we have decided maybe this is the time to give up on our dreams right now and start saving. So the first necessity is to find a place to rent that is cheaper than what we have now.

Another factore that comes in is the fact that it is pretty rough out there right now in the financial world, with the economy wavering. So many people are really uneasy about life, what we have always depended on is now not so dependable, which is a good reality to be in I think. In the midst of these uncertainties, last night I found myself in despair too. Our circumstances with being in a construction business do not have a positive outlook as far as foreseen work in the future goes. This is maybe not such a bad thing, especially for big construction businesses, who have developed so fast and big (and cheap probably)that we feel overtaken by some of the developments in our towns. But also because building does not help the fact that our resources are being depleted quickly. Our family business is wrestling with what is next, and what other options are out there to help the community be built up and also to keep work. I think Christian builders are always grappling with the fact that they build houses, sometimes large beautiful homes for people who do not need them. Next door, our neighbor is building a 10,000 sq.ft. home, if you can believe that. It is just a hard reality to come to when we think about what other countries have, or maybe better spoken, do not have.

Today at my ladies Bible study, we sang the song 'Give Me Jesus.' What a beautiful song, and it spoke directly to my heart about the need to live in the sight of Jesus, only Him. God knows what is ahead, and we have to be the ones to show the world, there is nothing to fear in our hearts. He is coming back to get us. There is no need for despair and worry. A woman shared in my class about how she has had pain for 27 years of her life. Her friend told the whole class that for everyday she's known this woman, she has had something physically wrong with her and never complained about it. She is instead the most positive and inspiring example for a woman living in Christ's assurances. What a example that is for us all to see someone who does not complain about the little things, or the big things. They just live everyday telling others how great God is.

In the morning when I rise, In the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, give me Jesus ...
When I am alone, when I am alone, when I am alone, give me Jesus ...
When I come to die, when I come to die, when I come to die, give me Jesus ...
Give me Jesus, give me Jesus, you can have all this world, but give me Jesus.