For Sale by Owner

For Sale by Owner. This is not first time we've used this phrase. We also have an account with the same phrase but with the contemporary "dot com" suffix.

We have our house, our home, up for sale. The goal here is an exercise in faith. In many ways we are looking for our God to bring us a buyer and to send us into a new place. We don't have an idea of where we would go. We do believe that we should (or have to) get out from under this mortgage.

The house is perfect for us, but not necessarily the place. We love the house, but who wouldn't love it! It's a 4000+ square foot cottage across from a 5 acre park and soccer field. It's basically the American Dream.

That's the problem though. Who is supposed to achieve the American Dream? Why do we desire to have the big house in the country across from the park- complete with granite countertops- who would settle for anything less! After all, that's what everyone's doing now!

There is an inner drive to search for comfort. I understand that. But what are we missing? We are giving up in our pursuit of the American Dream? That's what I'm hoping to find out.

Piano

I am so glad that God blessed us with a piano. I was great to see how God worked and continues to work in through our piano.

Although we were not a "musical family" we saw the benefit of our children learning to play. We had seen our friends play and how they would play for singing hymns with the family or filling in at church. Nancy began to pray and God orchestrated a wonderful chain of events that has given us hours upon hours of music and "joyful noise"!

A young lady at our church had a good piano but then received an even better piano. Not desiring to sell the family heirloom, she loaned that piano to a friend for their family. That family, then in turn, traded their current piano to us! We rented a truck a brought it home through the worst hale storm I have ever been in but that's another story.

We gathered around the upright piano and rolled it in. Now our children, even down to the 5 year old, play virtually all the time. (Was that "play without ceasing?) We are planning a family Christmas recital. Each of the older children are practicing their favorite Christmas song to play. After the recital they will be ready to provide accompaniment for our family singing.

Thank you God for answering our prayers.

Pictures

I thought that I should share a picture or two. Let's see..... How about me trying to repair our field lines. When I crushed more than I repaired! I ultimately had to have someone come in and fix what I had repaired!


Here's one of my beautiful wife and number 8! (Numero ocho!) I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family. We have so much fun every day.

First Thoughts

My children asked me to start a blog, "So I did!" (As Erin just suggested.)

I am a son of the Father, the husband of one wife, the father of eight children,(and the patriarch of four cats and four dogs - Erin again)

We live in a small town right outside of Birmingham, Alabama. We would like to be further out still, but my career holds me closer to the city then I would wish.

We are looking to sell and buy a small farm. More than that, it's time to get out of debt and have a chicken. I always have loved the outdoors and my wife and I grew up on farms. Perhaps God will be so gracious as to get us in this area.

My children love the outdoors as well and they long to run free with their dogs. ("At their sides through the long grass" - Erin again.)

They love animals and are looking forward to the chickens, puppies and goats, etc, etc, etc. You name it and they want it!