Blogger!

I gave up FB, for various reasons. And, I've given up xanga, too. I am tired of seeing the ads displayed on their site everytime I log in. Ick. Who really needs to see an animated pic of a girl dressed in slutty clothing? Not me. Thanks.

So, I shall try this blogger site. Hopefully, it does not have the trashy ads that xanga did.

Now that I got that out of the way, I'll update all my readers (if there are any) on the Mitchell family.

We've been settled into our new home since April 30th. Well, maybe settled isn't quite the word. But, for the most part we are out of boxes. It's been really neat to learn more about the lady who we bought the house from so I thought I'd shared some of it here.

Her name is Elsie. Her husband is now with the Lord, but his name, I believe was John. He was actually pastor of a church in nearby Terre Hill. Anyhow, they had quite a ministry to their neighbors. Everyone keeps saying how kind they were and how sweet they were. It's really been neat to hear the neighbors give testimony after testimony of the loving, Godly couple and the impact they had on those around them.

I've developed a relationship with Elsie and have come to hear her side of the story about the sale of this house. Again and again, I see the hand of God in placing us here. It's been humbling and extraordinary, too.

The house was on the market for almost a year. After speaking w/one of our neighbors, I found out that Elsie didn't want to sell to just anybody b/c of how nice the neighborhood was. I found it very humbling that she accepted our offer!

While we were praying for God to put us in the house He wanted us in, she was praying that God would sell her house. I think I should type out the letter she wrote to me, in response to a letter that I had written to her. First though, I'll share some of the things that I shared with her.

I had told her that one day I was praying to God about all the things I'd dreamed about in a home. I told Him that I didn't' know if He'd give us those things and I wasn't really asking for them, but was just dreaming. I told Him that we'd be happy with wherever He put us because I was trusting in Him to know what we needed and what plan was best for us. Yet, I did tell Him that I dreamed of a house that had gardens and flowers that you could see from every window of the house. I told him that I thought it'd be so neat to have a house that had a deck w/flower boxes on it and a swing on it. I told Him that I wish it would have 4 bedrooms but we'd be happy just for three. I told Him I wish the house would have trees and a big yard for the kids to play in.

Well, we came to see this house. As soon as we walked in, I knew it. I knew this was the house. I felt like I just came home. It does have 4 bdrms. And, when I looked out from the windows, there were garden beds all around the house. I stepped out onto the deck and it had garden boxes on it. After we walked in the backyard, I saw that there was a bench swing hanging off of the deck. And, there were trees. I couldn't tell for sure what type they were b/c Spring was still, uh, springing. It turns out that one is a dogwood. One is a maple. Which, just so happens to be my favorite type. One is a red maple, or Japanese Maple, not sure which. One is a smoke tree. And, one is a flowering plum. When I realized (and we'd already moved in at this point) that the one tree was a Maple Tree, I almost cried. It was like God had all my favorite things here, waiting for me. Another thing was the color of the upstairs bathroom. The mats, etc that Eddie had bought for me at Christmas time were a perfect match. God keeps showing me time after time after time, all the things that He had waiting here for us and it keeps blowing me away and confirming to me again and again, that He wants us here.

Now, for Elsie's side of the story. It is taken from a letter that she had mailed out to friends and family. She sent me a copy of it w/a few added lines. It goes as follows:

Mar. '09
"Our house on Scenic Drive has been on the market since last April and I have been carrying a bridge loan on it for all this time. An apartment on the fourth floor of our building, facing South with a view of beautiful farmland opened up in November for occupancy in March so I applied for it, without the money to pay for it; over $12,213.20 more than my old apartment. I reminded the Lord to sell the house.
The down payment of $600. was due in mid-November, and I didn't have the money, so I reminded the Lord to sell the house.
A few days before it needed to be paid, our bank, holding all out assets sent me a check for $600. I called and asked what it was for. They checked and said it was their mistake but was from my IRA so to just use it.

The balance due on the apt was due mid-Feb and I knew that if the house were not sold by early Jan 2009, the closing wouldn't be done in time, so I reminded the Lord to sell the house.

At the end of Dec. I got a year end statement from and annuity that I had bought in 1988 and forgot about until each year-end statement. It was for a little over $12,000, just about $20 less than what I needed. So, I called the agent and asked to cash it in.
(I digress here. A close neighbor said one day, let's go furniture shopping. She knew I needed a sofa or something for a guest to sleep on. The first "Re-location" sale was still much too expensive. But on the way home we stopped at a used furniture store and she found a nice sofa, clean, light colored, nice pattern for $149 plus $9 tax. I didn't have the money, but by then I had a little more faith, so I put some money down to hold it.
When I got home, there was the check from the annuity for $12,371.68; the EXACT AMOUNT of the apartment price PLUS $158.48. The sofa plus tax was $158! He hasn't told me yet what to do with the $.40.

On Friday, the 13th, with much help from friends and family I moved up to the fourth floor apartment.

Then God said to me, not out loud of course, "Now Elsie, I think you've learned to trust ME to do things in MY time, not yours."
On Saturday morning, the realtor called and said we have an offer at full price, and I signed the contract."

So, there's her side of the story. While she was waiting on God to sell her house, we were waiting on God to sell our trailer. I don't know why the wait was so long for both of us, but I do know that He has provided for Elsie. He has provided for us. We most likely could not have afforded this house a year ago. In fact, we definitely would not have. Eddie had just started working at CNH at that point. God is good.

I wanted to give you the background of how we came to be here and some of the things God has done to show us that He wanted us here. It's not the entire picture, just a glimpse of it. But, I hope I shared enough to show you the hand of God.

Blessing to you, reader.