"Before" Photos

Beginnings

     On May 8th 2010, 2 days before our 4th child was born, my husband and I closed on this home. This was our dream home.  A 100 year old farm house on 5 acres of land sandwiched by hayfields and cow pasture.  The 3 bedroom farmhouse had been abandoned for years. Raccoons had doug their way in, and birds had nested in every corner.  Squatters had even taken up residence once upon a time, but must have moved out when the winter winds blew right through the walls.

     Why? Why would anyone want to take on such a project? Why are you not wiring the home? Why put yourselves through all this trouble for a home?  Why do you want to be in the country? Why, why why?

     Ever since the day nearly 6 years ago when we signed the hundred or so papers for a mortgage we have felt the weight of indebtedness.  What would hinder us from one day becoming missionaries? The debt of an unpaid mortgage. What keeps my husband tied to making a certain amount of money? The debt of mortgage. On it goes. Our names were on the deed of a home we did not own.  So for 3 years we sought to rid of ourselves of this burden and then, by God's magnificent, gracious hand, He sold our home in His perfect time, the perfect way.

     So now we own a home without a mortgage. That is why we bought an abandoned house.

     But why not wire it? One thing is cost. That's a few thousand we don't have to spend.  But within us both is the adventuresome spirit that longs to simply try something different. To live without the things that have become so common to us. For thousands of years people survived without electricity - how did they do it? Do we really need loads of technology running through our homes to live? Is there a simpler way to do things? We will soon find out. We may be wrong. We may hate it. You may tell us a year from now "I told you you should have wired the place." But we're stubborn.

     So we are about to move into our "Be'it Toshav" - House of the Sojourner. The twofold meaning is first of all a reminder to us of the temporary nature of life. We are sojourning here on earth for a little while. May we use each day for the Glory of our Saviour. Secondly, our home is a place for visitors. Come to try living without electricity, come to visit, come to stay. We did not expect to own such a large home, but feel it is a blessing from God, giving us the ability to open our homes to the stranger  and friend alike.

   So return here from time to time to check on the improvements at our place.

   Thanks for stopping by.