House hunting

Must be that time of year (feeling my age catching up!) because I have been house hunting again. It started last week when I browsed through the adverts section of the newspaper. I feel the years catching up and somehow, it seems like - do it soon or it may never materialise. With my growing sons, the place that has been our home for the past 19 years (my first son was born just a month after I moved here!) has grown too 'small' and we can feel the lack of personal space for each of us.On the other hand, I would want a single storey place to last me right into the golden years and beyond. Last year, I almost got a place but there was a hitch on the seller's side, causing a long delay, so I finally decided not to continue with the purchase. This year, even my sons are more eager to have more room and they are more willing to say goodbye to the only home they have ever known.

It is not easy to make a decision. I have been to see at least a dozen places over the past week. Of course not all the places strike us as possibilities. This is always something that attracts you or not to a certain house.

It is also important to check out things like 'is there a termite problem?' especially in the older houses. There's the question of whether the pipes and wiring need to be changed or can we trust the existing systems. There's also the thought of changing many things like tiles, cabinets etc to suit one's own tastes - yet, all that will add to the cost.......It is a learning experience to think and pray through all this. At the back of the discernment are the values we hold about how to live well, yet as simply as possible. When is enough, enough? When would we be moving into excesses or luxury that would only be a selfish one?

At this time, I have been praying through the birth of Christ - and recalling how utterly simple his birthplace was. That has set me thinking about what it means to follow Christ - to make choices consistent with his values and standards. I need to be consistent myself, if I wish to truly follow him. It is not that we cannot enjoy God given 'blessings' - but that we should not take them for granted; neither should they become attachments and distractions to a life of God centeredness. I am glad these thoughts cut through all my more practical ruminations about the issues. They remind me that it is not just a simple choice, but one that helps me find God in all things.