Monday, January 19, 2009

What will life be like in 10 years?

These are rough times we are living in. Did you read about Conoco Philips? Both my husband and father-in-law work in oil related fields and this hits close to home. Maybe you read about California being broke and not paying out refund checks this year, or worse not being able to pay for some recipients of welfare. I mean, what are they going to do???? Scary stuff.

In light of the current state of our economy (reading my husbands blog will instill to anyone our point of view on these matters) we are downsizing.

More than downsizing. We are crazy downsizing.

Everyone says, get rid of clutter, don't buy more than you can pay for, blah blah blah.

We are going farther than that.

We are selling our home and paying cash for land and whatever we can afford after that.

Now that's downsizing.

Hopefully we can afford a decent size trailer and not live in a fifth wheel. But we'll do what we have to do, to be where God wants us.

We are stepping out in complete and utter faith with this. We have no idea what we are doing, just that God wants us to.

We know he is leading us to sell and get out of ALL debt. We just don't know more than that. While our plan is to buy land and a trailer, who knows what God will do.

So pray for us, if you think about us. Pray, most importantly, that we could listen to God's urgings for us in this manner.

And let us know how we can pray for you. Maybe you want to sell and start a compound with us. I'll be the doula. Or maybe you want our house. It's big and roomy and nice and I love it and will miss it very much. But I love knowing I'm smack dab in the middle of God's will. There is no better place to be.

7 comments:

Kelly said...

The only thing that we have that we owe is our house. I think I have come to the place where if we lose it, then it must be Gods will. We have no other debt, we're driving a car with almost 200,000 miles and not very much left in it, but it's ours and paid for, so that's ok with me. I will pray fo ryou and hope that it all goes according to Gods will.

Anonymous said...

Ten years? Well, our house will be paid off in 6 years (we owe less than $90k on a house worth more than $400k). We only have one vehicle payment but are not upside down on the loan. We do not have any other debt, credit cards included. We live simply now - in a smaller home without a lot of material stuff. In ten years, we may have a small cabin in the mountains but don't really see anything any different than that.

Are you planning on staying in the same area when you sell your house? Can you not continue to save for a house while you're still in the one now? I've only been following your blog for a few months (and I really enjoy it) and don't know alot about your current situation (except that your kids are so darn cute!). Is your current house a large home?

Karen

Unknown said...

i am with you with this one me and chad have made a goal to save its really hard cause we are both spenders!! but we are gonna first get out of debt (his truck and 1 credit card) and then its non stop saving we are thinking about north Dakota sure its really cold but man its affordable and if we stick to saving we could possible afford to pay cash for a lot of land which would be AWESOME! here's a link to check some of the ones we were looking at http://www.prairieroserealty.com/

Unknown said...

oh yeah when chad goes shore duty again we are gonna live in a camper and save a lot fast with him being sea duty it would not cause i am to afraid to pull the trailer if a storm comes and he has to go out to sea! where are you planing to buy?

Unknown said...

http://www.prairieroserealty.com/crystal_springs_land_for_sale.htm

check this one out!

Michelle said...

OH, Kelly, that is the way to think. No worries that way! Give it all to God.

Karen, that is great!

We are staying in this area, our family is here as is Jeff's job, so we don't want to move unless God moves us.

As far as saving up, we thought and prayed and talked about so many alternatives, but we really just felt God leading us to radical debt-free-ness. (Yea, I made that one up.)

Our house is large. I LOVE it and will miss it greatly. We actually HAD one of our childen IN our house. We also have an investment property we are selling. (We certainly think are kids are so cute. Thanks.)

Christy, good plan. I too wouldnt want to live in an RV without Jeff.

Unknown said...

Hi Michelle!

Thanks so much for sending me to this post...I can't believe that it sounds so much like the one I just wrote! I promise that I did not read yours first! LOL

So, have you listed your home yet? I'll go read more of your blog in a minute, maybe you've answered this already.

You are in my prayers. I love that the Lord is speaking so directly to so many Americans...it's time we all woke up a little, huh?! We thought we were already living pretty simply, and most people probably think we're crazy already, but it turns out God has even simpler plans for us...

Blessings!
Brandi