That was the advice I received yesterday and I was very grateful for it.

In a month and a half we have to move out of the house we’ve lived in since 1988. Three of our six children have spent their entire life living in this house. One moved in at 2 ½ months. The older two were four and six years old.

Through no fault of my children we have been foreclosed and have a redemption date of August 26. That means that if we can raise $112,000 and give it to the attorneys by that date we can stay here. Of course when I see pigs fly, I’ll be more likely to believe it.

It sucks.

It sucks because we have grown attached to this place.

It sucks because it was self inflicted. I can’t blame the evil bankers or the rotten government or even the bad economy. None of them made us extend our credit so far. None of them made me overestimate income and underestimate expenses. No we did it to ourselves. Of course if it only included me it wouldn’t suck nearly as bad. Guilt isn’t much fun either.

It sucks because it is a loss. There is grief involved. It’s as if someone died. The stages of grief have all been there. Sorrow, anger, denial, disbelief, numbness, they are all there.

Maybe it was the American dream that died. Maybe it was my dreams of success. Maybe it was the dream of giving back. Maybe it was all a pipe dream. It has become a gut wrenching nightmare.

What doesn’t suck is the grace God has given us. God is in control. In the past I have not trusted Him in situations like this. Maybe He appointed this to us so that I would learn to trust Him. If indeed we do move, we know that He will plant us in our new mission field. Besides, this world is not our home and neither is this house. Maybe our roots are too deep and this is a part of the pruning.

What earned the free advice I got yesterday was when I told a friend about our situation and told him it was no big deal. He pointed out that it was a big deal. It sucks. And it’s OK to say so.

You know, I think the Lord will allow my honesty and agree with me, although He just might use different words to express it.

Don.

Bonus question: Anyone know how to spell suck in Hebrew? I think it would be sucketh in the KJV.