And so it goes...

We got our county assessment in the mail yesterday. Our house dropped in value, again! Not a surprise but not encouraging either. We've now "lost" $90,000+.

Ryan and I sometimes wonder if we did the right thing buying four years ago. Obviously, if we could have seen into the future we would have waited, but hind sight is 20/20 or something like that.

I simply have to rest on the Truth that God has a plan, he's been involved up to this point and won't be leaving me anytime soon (or ever, really). He has a purpose for us to be in this house. He has, is and will use it for his good.

But we didn't plan on living here forever. In fact, we were hoping to be able to sell in 3-5 years and make enough to buy a house with a bigger yard closer to Ryan's school. A great dream really.

So now we adjust the dream. Ryan works in a great school in a great district. His commute is longer than we would like but there is never any traffic. Our neighborhood is fantastic. We live in a cul-de-sac for Griffin to ride bikes in. The local schools are fabulous and Griffin will attend an elementary school within walking distance.

But I still wonder. At what point do you walk away from a sinking ship? Would God ever move us to walk away from a commitment/contract like our mortgage? Would the short term gain be worth it in the end?

I "guess" I'll just have to keep trusting God and my husband to lead our family in the right direction. The two of them do a pretty darn good job and this mommy has nothing to complain about.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”" Jeremiah 29:11-17

I love this passage. Verse 11 is the most popular and often cited. It's so full of hope. God, the Lord of the universe, has plans for us. And they are for our good! But I think verses 12-17 are even more amazing. It's the why behind the promise offered in 11. God is involved in our lives, SO THAT we will call on Him, pray to Him, seek Him, find Him and He can bring us from captivity to HOME. Ahhhh, now isn't that a promise!

Take that county assessor.