Cooking is so enjoyable. My favorite part is knowing others enjoy what I have made. Now if I make food for only myself I do enjoy it but it is quite different. It's more like a chore that I don't mind doing than something to plan for and get excited about.

Writing is similar for me. I do enjoy writing for myself but when I know others will read and find pleasure in some of my random thoughts I get excited and want to write more.

The problem with this scenario is that my enjoyment is not in the art so much as others enjoying the art. But writing is not like cooking where you actually see others getting pleasures out of what you have created. It is private and quiet. Others enjoying it often do so in their own quiet moments.

So, I want to learn to take pleasure in the art of writing itself. I will still always enjoy knowing I have brought some joy to someone else's life but if that is not my goal then I will be able to write so much better. I do believe I have some silly stories in my future. You may or may not get to read them. But I will definitely have fun writing them.

A short time ago the Lord gave me such a precious picture to help me through a difficult situation. The situation was mostly mental but sometimes those are the most difficult to overcome, this was such. It was because I have often struggled with it, overcome, struggled, and overcome. I was tired of the cycle.

As I was heading for bed I was praying through it and asking for God's help and He gave me the most beautiful vision that I wanted to share.

Picture a field, filled with flowers, all different kinds and colors of flowers. I was standing in the midst of the field and Jesus gave me a painting, in that painting was a close up of a particular flower. It allowed me to see in detail the beauty of that particular flower. All the intricacies could be appreciated in this picture. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw another girl with a painting and I started to catch a glimpse that her flower was a different color so I realized that her picture was different. I was jealous, I wanted to see her flower. I no longer wanted the painting that I originally was so amazed by.

That's when God showed me, He has given me gifts and talents, He has placed me in particular situations in life specifically to show me the particular beauties of that particular flower in the way that He wants me to see it. I cannot be jealous of someone else's painting because they don't have my painting. So if I had her painting I wouldn't learn to appreciate God in the way that He had chosen. He gave me my painting specifically for me. It's personal. So if I am jealous of someone's ability to do something, their affluence, their popularity, I am literally saying, "I don't want this painting, I want that one." And God says, but you are all standing in this field, you all have the same view, I am just giving you a specific close up that that was created personally for you.

I don't want to exchange my painting. Now when I feel the same battles rising in my mind I imagine myself, in that field, hugging that painting to my heart and saying, "this is my painting Lord, I love it, I will appreciate it."

The whole book craze drove me crazy. I am naturally critical so I never believed the truth of the stories. I can't help it. They are either cheesy or unbelievable. But don't worry, this is not a post about a story that I know to be true or how my mind was changed. I am just stating this because of the title I picked.

I picked this title because I made chicken rice soup from scratch today and I am very proud of myself. I used what I had on hand and some fabulous spices and it turned out pretty good.

I actually used the giblets to make a kind of soup for Calvary. Cooked them in some water, chopped them up and put a little of it in her food. She loved it!

My soul was not affected by this chicken soup but my stomach sure was!!!

If you do not believe this story then you are a skeptic like me.

You are at a crossroads, your thoughts are scrambled, jumbled. How do you decide? There are clear reasons not to make this decision hastily or emotionally but you cannot disconnect from the choices. What do you do? You see the pros and cons of each branch in the road but neither obviously outweighs the other. So you pray.

You are still at a crossroads, your thoughts are more peaceful, trusting God will show you, but there are still no clear options. Each option is equally weighed on the balance of pros and cons. Those around you have opinions and guidance but nothing outweighing the other. So you keep praying.

You are still at a crossroads, your thoughts are much more anxious. Will God ever make this path clear? Will He show you what He wants? How am I ever going to make this choice? I have to move forward sometime! So you keep praying.

Sometimes I wonder if God places us at the crossroads without clear direction just so we will seek Him. There we learn to be on our faces before Him. There we learn to listen and be still and hear His voice. There we learn to be patient and wait. There we learn that it truly is best not to make a move until His guidance is clear. There we learn to depend on God.

I am at a crossroads.

Time is not necessarily my friend. When I don't have enough it is stressful and life is full of frustrations stealing more of it from me. When I have extra then things like this happen, I start writing. Who in their right mind would allow me to share the nonsense in my head with the rest of the world? Who in their right mind would read this nonsense? (My apologies to anyone who might be reading this right now).

Regardless I have decided to start blogging again. Giving the writer in me a chance to giggle as I tickle its fancy and the fanciful in me a chance to stretch and yawn and say, "its about time!"

So, perhaps, its not that I have extra time, or not enough time, but just the right amount. Perhaps, this will turn out to be the beginning of an amazing journey.

Or it will just be another blog of nonsense.

Many of you are wondering (at least my facebookfriends) why in the world I am switching lenders. Here's the story:

In 1996...can you believe I am starting my story with those two words? But actually something did happen in 1996 that messed up my loan today, 14 years later. Back to the story:

In 1996, when I was only 16, my parents had a credit card that was in their account but under my name for convenience sake when I would run errands for them and such. Someone stole their identity so they did what everyone should do when your identity is stolen, they disputed the charges and fixed it all.

Fast forward to 14 years later, today...

So on my credit report it shows that I had a disputed charge...let me say it again...FOURTEEN YEARS AGO!!!

This flagged underwriting and they went from doing an automatic underwriting to a manual underwriting. Apparently once you do that you can't go back. So for some reason this made them want me to show 3 months of reserves in my bank account. The problem with that is that it can't be a gift, it has to be my own money reserves. So, needless to say I don't have 3 months reserves of my own money and I can't get it anytime soon.

The good news is that this is totally not normal and I already have a new lender lined up.

The bad news is that I may close a week later (at least I will still close!).

The good news is that I get the same rate of interest which was a good rate.

The other good news is that my previous lender is very cool and told me not to give up pursuing this and said, "you are very lendable." Apparently my credit is very good and other than this still hiccup I should be good to go. Praise the Lord!

So keep praying!

This first list are the things that bless me because it allows me to afford this house which was at the top of my price range. It is what makes this whole thing worth it or even cheaper than I thought!

Top 10 House Blessings (in no particular order):
1. Neighborhood out of my price range
2. House out of my price range (everything is redone and updated)
3. Low interest rate
4. Low home owners insurance as well as car insurance
5. Cheaper taxes equaling more money monthly
6. Internet costs of moving is $0 plus I get a rebate!!!
7. Parents who will let me live with them to save 1/2 month's rent
8. All appliances are included or donated
9. The house is move in ready
10. Money from the government for buying a house

This second list are the icing on the cake so to speak (dairy free icing of course):

10 Little Bonus Blessings:
1. Laminate flooring
2. Granite bathroom countertop
3. Slate kitchen/dining/entry tile
4. Real tile in the bathroom
5. Remodeled bathroom
6. Dining table and chairs I can borrow until I buy my own set
7. Extra rooms!!!
8. 5 Closets!!!
9. Christian Lender and Realtor
10. Packing and Escrow is on schedule with the potential of ending early (that was 2 blessings packaged to look like 1!!!)

I cannot even begin to explain how much my parents, my brother and sister, my grandparents, my pastor, my mentors, and my friends, have helped and supported me through this. I could write all day about each of you. I love you guys!

So, my last post was about how blessed I was to have my brother's advice and this post is focusing on my parents. I can't even imagine going through this process on my own. It would have been very scary and I would not have had a clue how to go about everything.

From day 1 when my mom went with me to look at houses it has been a fabulous time of learning and adventure. In fact, I would never have even begun looking if it weren't for my mom. She found out about a few programs that made me realize I could buy a house! Then my dad couldn't make it with use the first day we went to look but my mom went. There was a house I was interested in so my dad came and looked at that one house and helped me see all the little things that I would never have noticed.

As I looked and looked they were my reality check and my surge of hope. If I got too idealistic they helped me come down to earth. But if I was too discouraged they would help me gain hope to find what I wanted.

Putting an offer in would have been horrible without them. Especially going into the bidding war situation. Thankfully I am blessed with parents that are very wise and give me the best advice!!! Lastly going through escrow and all the things that happen there plus some of the programs that I possibly doing, I could not have done this without them.

I love my parents!!!

I need to document my amazing story of the house hunt and how the Lord has blessed me in SO many ways.

I began looking at houses the first weekend in January. My Realtor, Patty, is a Christian and was recommended by a retired Realtor friend of mine from church. Patty recommended my lender who is also a Christian. My lender and my mom both had a lot of info on a lot of programs that I could qualify for that would help me get a house. Then, to top it off, a friend of mine also worked for a place where I could get 100% financing if need be. All this was what led to me actually looking and getting excited.

Our first weekend we found a house that I loved and was ready to put an offer on. However, I had not yet spoke with my lender and it was a Saturday. So I waited until Monday, trusting that God would keep the door open if He chose. Well He did not. The door closed. Another offer was accepted prior to me being able to even get my offer in.

After that houses seemed to stop moving for a while. Anything new was in the neighborhoods that I didn't want and the stuff that was there I was not interested in. I have nothing against manufactured housing but a lot of the manufactureds here are either in shady neighborhoods or are very typical Manufactureds. I was not ready to settle for the typical when I could do that any time. I just kind of felt like settling so soon was...well...settling.

I was heading out on vacation on January 14th. Just before I did I went and saw a bunch more houses and there were 2 that stood out. The Applegate house and the Garson house. Neither were on the side of town that I wanted. The Applegate house needed some work and for a lower offer than what they were asking might have been a contender. The Garson house was a manufactured but in a NICE neighborhood and had the feel of a real house inside with real walls, granite countertops, gorgeous tiling etc. But I wasn't impressed enough with either to put an offer in before I left.

Once on my trip I was in agony wondering if I should have placed an offer and if I should go back and rethink one of those two. I struggled a lot with this.

This is where my brother came in. He recently bought a house with his wife and they went through an agonizing LONG time looking and bidding and waiting and looking and bidding and waiting. So I started asking him for advice. Specifically I was wondering how I knew what was God's will in moving forward vs. what is settling. How did I know if my ideals were too high vs. waiting for God's best?

I will explain his answers in a minute but the rest of the timeline is that I came back on the 24th, Sunday. On Tuesday night my Realtor had emailed me the listing to the house I am now in escrow on. Wednesday we went and saw it and put an offer in. On Monday, February 1st, we heard that I got it.

My brother specifically said several things and, for the sake of time and your attention span I will list each thing and how God proved it true in my case.

1. He said when him and his wife walked into their house they knew right away it was theirs. He said that I cannot try to search for this feeling and it may not happen that way for me but God will still make it clear for me.

On that Tuesday when I received the email, I looked at the pictures and I specifically remember pushing my chair back and praying out loud, "Oh Lord...this is my house!" It wasn't me telling God, it was just acknowledging what I just knew.

2. He said that the process will keep you safe. You put and offer in, you are rejected, you know its not God's will.

On Wednesday when we were deciding what price to put in my dad was helping me and we decided my best move was to make a full priced offer. Not knowing that there were other offers in. We did and then later found out about the other offers. The bank offered for us to raise our offer and I prayed and considered and eventually realized I was protected from a bidding war simply because I could not afford to do any more than I had. This was hugely relieving as if I had not gotten the house I would have known it was God! But I got it and I know that God helped me not to always wonder if I did too much or extended myself too much.

3. He said the things that seem so important to you when you are looking are not a big deal once you have the house (he had a few examples of his own with this).

I wanted at least 1 and 1/2 bath, this is 1 bath and I am not at all concerned. I wanted an open floorplan from the kitchen to the dining and living rooms. The kitchen only opens up into the dining and I still love it!

Basically my conversation with my brother was hugely helpful in giving me a peace that God would guide. I came home with the plan to look at the two houses I had been reconsidering and prior to being able to do that God opened the doors for me to get a house in a neighborhood that is out of my price range (this was the first and only house I have seen within my price range), a house that is updated in every room, and so many other little things that it would take me all night to list them! He has provided on every front. Up to and including the fact that I gave notice to my landlord that I would be out by the 1st of March and I don't close escrow until the 12. However, my Pastor and his wife need me to house sit March 2-12. Plus my parents were going to let me stay with them for a couple weeks if I needed it. God is good! I needed boxes to pack and have had enough every day for that day. I.e. I started with 5 from the church, filled 3 and got 9 more from Karen, filled those and have some from my mom and more coming from Karen.

Plus the financial side of things is working out very nicely. I am buying a house on the high side of my budget and God is working it out that I will be able to afford it and my food and gas still. I will need to budget and watch myself but I am blessed that He has provided every step of the way.

Ok, I have to go to bed now. This has been such a blessing and a huge humbling process. Jesus I was completely happy with just You. I am so blessed that You have chosen to give me a house. I only pray that it is used completely to glorify You and that I never lose sight of the fact that I don't deserve it and I only need You.

In October I began a new blog called Habitual Impracticality. This blog is currently dedicated to my goal of becoming organized. I read books and articles and implement them and blog to keep myself accountable.

This has helped me a lot as I cleared through the clutter. The worst area was my bedroom closet. In October, when I began, my closet was a catchall for anything I didn't know what to do with.

I finally cleared through that clutter. The box that was the most embarrassing to me was where this gets ironic. A year and half after moving in I finally packed the one box that you always have when you move, the final "just throw the rest in this open box and we will deal with it after we move." I never dealt with it. I knew of some important papers and grabbed those out. I knew I had some pens in there. But when I cleared it out I found all kinds of things I had forgotten about. Plus old (paid) bills from WAY before the move.

And now I am moving again. Go figure.

The real estate world is quite fascinating. It is amazing how many things have to happen and in what order. Tomorrow is the inspection. My grandfather is going to be doing it for me, which is nice because it makes me really comfortable. Then Monday is the appraisal where they come and make sure the house is worth what it is supposed to be worth. Pray that my roof is ok. Thats the one area I'm not sure about. My prayer is that the roof is in great shape or if the roof needs replacing or repairing the sellers would be willing to pay for it.

I have packed 3 boxes and I am going to do one more tonight. Then its bathtime and resting. I still can't believe this is happening.

Tomorrow I will take pictures while I am there! YAY!

Dear my precious friends and family,
As many of you may have heard, I have a house. It is my dream house. It is a complete blessing from God. it is one of those stories that you often hear of "we should not have been able to afford it," and I am completely overwhelmed.

Tonight I packed my first box and then I bawled like a baby. Ok, maybe I just teared up but I felt like bawling like a baby. I am so blessed that as I type this my mascara is threatening to run down my cheeks. I cannot begin to tell you how blessed I am by God.

Escrow is scheduled to close on March 12. Can you believe it? Thats 38 days. 38!!!

I must go now. Mascara is burning my eyes.

Bri

Ok, updates! I was on vacation so I was not able to go looking until today. HOWEVER, on Tuesday evening I got an email from my Realtor for this house that I absolutely LOVE!!! I went and saw it on Wednesday and put an offer in. There were some other factors so I might not know until Tuesday.

So, today we went and looked at some more houses. My dad came with us for this one. There were some settling type ones but nothing that popped. So we will wait until Tuesday and see if I need to keep looking.

You may think this hobby unique, you may call me strange for it, perhaps you will just wonder what compels me to enjoy it, but when you look at the member list of 20,000 names perhaps your point of view will shift a little. Instead you will wonder how you have not heard of this before, you will begin to ponder if you might enjoy it since so many others do, and you might just step into this strange world of mine and become addicted as well.

For me it began with the word 'free'. I was allured to that. I forget what first caused me to stumble across the site. At first it started with just listening. As I listened to the intro of each chapter I started to think, "I could do that." Then it shifted to curiosity, "I wonder what its like to do that." I started browsing the forums wondering if I dared enter this world that seemed so different and so alluring.

So I went and bought the cheapest mic I could, I set it up, signed up for 1 chapter and I was hooked. A year and a half later and I am already considering how I can get a better mic as I sign up for my second solo project.

Perhaps you will find yourself, one day, writing a similar story. Perhaps you will find your place in the community of volunteers who enjoy seeing the public domain library grow and expand for unexplainable reasons. Perhaps you will know the sense of pride and accomplishment when you finish an entire book on your own. Or perhaps you will join the more silent but completely necessary community of PLs and MCs. Perhaps you will understand what these terms mean. Perhaps you will simply be a dedicated listener, enjoying the wonderful classics that are out there, listening to a world of forgotten but wonderful stories.

Regardless you won't know until you try. You may surprise yourself and find yourself immersed into a new wonderful world.

Or you may continue to think that this is a unique hobby that makes me a little strange and wonder why I enjoy it.

I have not much to post here. There was no house that stood out to me. I am beginning to get discouraged and then I realize that I have only been looking for a week. I need patience. I think its good that I will be leaving town and not have the chance to look for a bit. I need some time to let things come out and see what happens. Perhaps February will be my month.

On the upside I went and started the pre-approval process with the lender so that will be one step closer when we do find the place.

Pray for the right place in the right location. There were a few potentials but they were on the whole other side of town and not exciting enough for me to be ready to settle for that side of town just yet. I may do that closer to April but not quite yet.

Weekend 2 begins tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. I am not sure how many places we will be looking at but I am excited. There are quite a few houses that are still within my range if I am willing to be a little further from church. There is a manufactured house across the street from one of the elders that is in pretty good shape in a nice neighborhood. I will keep you posted!

Briana

Update, the house had another offer on it and it was accepted prior to me getting to put in an offer. But I am cool with it. God has given me such a peace through all of this. Praise God.

There is a cool thing that has come out of all of this though, that is the Nevada Rural Housing program called MCC. It is a tax credit of up to 30% of all the interest paid on the mortgage. That is an annual thing that would happen every year for the life of the loan as long as I am in the house. AMAZING!

We will go house hunting on Friday. I will keep you posted!!!

Perhaps you do not know, perhaps you do, but I am looking to buy a house. I have been considering this for a little bit now but today began the first of the househunting weekends. Possibly the last, possibly the first. Who knows but God?

We looked at a few and this one was my favorite for today:
http://www.trulia.com/property/1093207362-902-Peridot-Ct-Carson-City-NV-89705

It needs some maintenance and there may be an issue that will rule it out altogether but we will see. I will be praying about it over the weekend and look at it again Monday and then decide if I will make an offer.

Pray for me please!

What would be the opposite of Writer's block? Writer's Free Flowing? Writer's Open Box? I suggest to you Writer's Ball, for two reasons. The opposite of square is round, so the opposite of a block would be a ball. Plus it means you are on a roll. Either that or you have so many ideas that they are all bouncing around very fast. Either way it works. It is not like a block that just sits there doing nothing, like a lump in a bog.

Every Christmas it is my tradition to get a new CD, an ornament and a Nativity. This year I was able to get my ornament very early. It is very pretty, a cross. The CD I got pretty early too, some instrumental that we used for our ladies tea and our Christmas dinner. But the Nativity, well that, that one was difficult. Last year I found a paper pop up that you put together yourself on clearance. I wasn't able to keep it but it was precious. This year I could not even find something like that.

I was pretty discouraged but resigned. I figured I would pick up the tradition next year but this would be my first year on my own that I had not gotten one. To top it off I always put a Nativity under my tree and this year I had my tree on a new stand and could not fit any on it.

On Sunday Tonya gave me a present and told me to open it immediately. It was a Teddy Bear with a sash that said, "Jesus is the light of the world" which is our theme for this year's Christmas program. He is SO cute! I adore him!!! There was another little package and I asked her if I shoudl open it and she said yes. And, yes, as you probably guessed, it was a Nativity! It is so precious! This morning I saw it and realized it was small enough to fit under my tree!!! It is precious!!! See: