Letting Go

In early September, my wife and I moved into a much bigger house. We prayed about it and thought long and hard about the numbers associated with the purchase and the financing. The price was spectacular (a really God deal) so we did our best to make it happen. And with a lot of time and effort, the financing worked out and we were able to purchase it. That being said, there was one big variable that still has yet to be resolved - selling our old house.

Yes, we still own our previous house as well as the new one. So now we have expensive California-sized mortgage payments on both houses. We have some money set aside to help with the transition, but it's a finite amount, and with every passing month more of it gets thrown away to the mortgages and the sale price ticks lower and lower in an attempt to keep up with the downward moving market. Right now, after the realtor's fees we will get exactly what we originally paid for it. The situation is serious enough that we could end up in great financial difficulty or even ruin if too much time passes without selling it. In addition, I'm doing all I can to keep up, fix up, and even spruce up the old house while it's still on the market, which adds more stress because of the additional time that it requires of my already busy schedule.

All of that to say that it has (obviously) been a great stress to me, and for the last couple of months it has been always present in the back of my mind. I have been praying about it regularly, but still no sale and therefore no less stress. But recently (this weekend?), I finally feel somewhat at ease about it. Here's why:

1. Amanda and I made this choice based on all of the data we had at the time, and I still think that based on that information it was a good decision. To confirm it, everyone whom we told the price and details of the new house purchase to agreed that it was a spectacular deal and said that they would take it if we didn't already. So even though it was a risky move, I don't believe it was foolish.
2. God is in control. Even if we end up completely screwed, I will have peace knowing that we did the best we could, but ultimately it's in God's hands.
   

I could end up like Job, with nothing left to my name and sores all over my body, but as long as I did the best that I could to prevent it through my actions and my prayers, then I did my part. The rest is up to God and His will. If the worst case scenario materializes then I will obviously be unhappy about it, but I will still do my best to have as good an attitude as I can muster and to be as content (see previous post) as I can.