Troubled Waters Ahead...

I cringe as I write the post title above. After all, being such a good Christian and responsible citizen, surely I should have smooth sailing. However, today it just doesn't seem that way. In all honestly, we expected a few areas of rough water. I somehow just thought perhaps this one time, we would get through unscathed. I know that when you try to take new ground, there is always opposition. It happens every time we try to go forward.

Where to start? Today I got hit by three major setbacks and I am trying very hard right now to depend on the wisdom of the Lord. I am sure all three issues have a way to be solved. I am just unsure of what equation will bring me to the solution.

The underwriters are insisting that we sell our house before buying a new one. Then they say once we sell, we will have too much assets (cash) and don't qualify for this loan. We can qualify for other loans, but now we have to bring a lot more cash to the table. It's winter and we are seasonally employed. That is not going to happen. We need into the farm before we close on this house and move our stuff because we need to paint, clean and shampoo the carpets. The buyers to the little cottage want in before the first of the month. We'd have to close on our current house, rent for a few days from the  new owners and also rent from the farmers... and this would cut my days to paint, shampoo, clean, move my household, clean the old house & shampoo down to 5 days. I have a baby. I'm old. I need a miracle.

So, here I am waiting for my mortgage guy to shoot me an email on options for a new loan and reflecting on some scripture I was asked to read by the Lumberjack. In 1 Corinthians 14:1 it says: So in everything strive to love. I haven't been doing that these last few weeks. In fact I have been doing the opposite. I have been tired, crabby, moody, fast to anger and no fun to be around. When I started this process back in June, the Lord gave me a clear direction. Count it ALL joy! I'm thinking this might be the very moment in which I received that word for!

I've struggled writing this blog post today for a few reasons. I hate admitting to the world that I too have problems. Who want's to hear about more problems in the world? Also, I'm pretty scatterbrained right now and still trying to comprehend what exactly is happening next. I can't seem to wrap my brain around it.

On a side note, I asked for today to be a mental health day. One day where I could just slip away and take some time not packing, cleaning, sorting, purging or dealing with moving in one capacity or another. I am going on record here to say that my mental health day has been postponed to next Tuesday, God willing!

I'm off to pray, pack, purge, sort and pray some more!
17 days to go! (I'll just keep using this date until I hear otherwise)

Underwriting conditions...

It's pretty typical to have some bumps in the road when dealing with financing a loan. Today I feel like I hit potholes. Since the majority of the loan progression has happened over the Christmas and New Years Holiday, we haven't had much communication with underwriting. We have been through the loan underwriting from company number one, now it's time to go to USDA underwriting for Rural loans.

Silly me thought this was going to be a walk in the park. Even more so since I have filled out all kinds of information and given every document just short of a blood sample.

I was emailed a list of 10 more hoops to jump through. Some are pretty in depth and some should be relatively simple. All of it takes time. I was given one big curve ball I didn't expect. Hopefully, I don't have to write about it in the future. I should know by the end of next week. Just another difficulty owning a business causes.

The process of buying and selling a house is really stressful. Even though our current mortgage is virtually paid off, it doesn't matter. We are just another consumer on paper. Good news though! I am not just somebody. I am the daughter of a God who loves and cares for me. HE really is compassionate about the desires of my heart. He will help if only I will cast my cares on Him. Sometimes that isn't as easy as one might think. The doorbell rings, the dog barks, the baby wakes, chaos ensues and somehow you just never get back to that point you were at a few moments before. Pouring your heart out and listening in the quiet for His voice takes time. I need peace that passes all understanding.

They really should make this process easier for people who have excellent credit, never miss payments and have proven themselves over the years to be trustworthy.

Just like in spring, when the city crews get out the big equipment and work diligently to fill in the holes created by weather, I too will get to work on these bumps so things might progress smoothly.
Until tomorrow I will be packing, taping, labeling and praying.

22 more days till close!