Decisions, decisions

Hm...I had a few people over to view my present house on Friday and Saturday. These were contacts from a couple of real estate people I had been in touch with earlier. They had been waiting a long time for me to be ready for the viewing. So I decided I should give them an opportunity to bring their clients before the other private prospective buyer came again. I have not 'touched up' the not so good part in my house. There are signs of the concrete under the bathroom floor being waterlogged.......and a part of a wall that is damp because of a leaking air cond pipe. So, of course these 'negative' points give people more reasons to 'bargain'. Anyway, I have yet to hear from any of them. But the private buyer came yesterday and is definitely interested. We just have not come to an agreed price. Of course he offered something lower than I would like and I guess my price is higher than he would like. It will be interesting since we have to 'negotiate' without the help of any real estate person. Well, we've left it for a couple of days and he will get back to me for a further round of negotiations. They are a young couple - just tying the knot next year, and the man's father is actually the same age as myself....... the others who came to view were also young people. I guess at that age the steps do not worry them at all. Reminds me that I was also there once.

I had some 'advice' from a close relative yesterday when I said I would place a 'water feature' at the patio of my new house. He believes in 'feng shui' and it seems that it is not advisable to place any 'water' at certain spots in a house...... it's all about the 'activity' of water and the fact that it will attract either good or bad 'energy' depending on where it is placed. This seems to be the age old need for 'security' in a world that is now so uncertain. We humans want to have some control over life in this world. And the many happenings around remind us of how fragile life really is. How much we want to be able to 'control' our lives. And anything that seems to promise 'security' 'sells'. Even religion will 'sell' if we tell people they will always be 'blessed' and 'secure'. As I reflected over this in my prayer today, I remembered Jesus' words "In this world you will have trouble..." but "...I have overcome the world". Following Christ is a most 'dangerous' thing if we really understand the gospel well. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wisely said, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him to come and die."