For the past several months I have been house hunting. Not to rent but to buy. Rosedale has been sold. My stuff is in storage. I’m living out of a suitcase at friends to avoid signing a lease so that I can continue to search for a house to buy. After a few months of house hunting, I have been very discouraged more often than not lately. Until I bought a bike.
For the past several months I have also been actively looking for a bike so that I could stop driving everywhere.
I’ve never really had my own bike before. Even growing up I always had hand me down bikes. (Have I ever mentioned how rough life is as the youngest child?) Needless to say at the beginning of this process I had no idea what I was looking for. So I researched and asked people who knew about bikes a lot of questions. I’d show them pictures of potential bikes I’d found on Craigslist and they would tell me all the reasons the bikes didn’t suit Me. The bike was too tall, the tires were too big. Even though I thought all these bikes were great, everyone told me to wait for the right bike that was the perfect size with the perfect frame. Even though I just really wanted a bike, I took their advice and waited. And I’m so glad I did.
A couple days ago when I went to go check out yet another bike, I knew from the moment the guy rolled the bike out that this was it. This was the bike. This was my bike. But I still gave her a test ride around the parking deck and it was like riding on clouds. I could hardly listen to the guy telling me the history of Sally (the bike) because all I wanted to do was ride off into the sunset with her.
All those months of desperately wanting a bike, any bike really, yet holding out for that one perfect bike was so frustrating. But in the end, there’s no question about it. From the moment I saw Sally, I knew she was the bike I’d been waiting for.
Now that I have the perfect bike for me, I know finding a house will be the same way. I’m following God’s lead in this house search but I’ve looked at so many houses that it’s very tempting just to pick one because it would make my life so much easier. So much more convenient right now.
But of course the purpose of the house is a dream that will take years to come to fruition. But it begins with finding the perfect house today. I don’t want to frustrate God’s plan and vision for this house by taking shortcuts or by taking over. This is and always will be God’s house. And that one house is the only house I need to find.
One of my friends told me to look at house hunting like a treasure hunt. God is already there waiting. I just have to find the house with him in it. And as soon ask find him, just like with Sally, I’ll know that’s the house.
And in the process, the frustration, the doubt, the anger (yes I’ve had my moments with God) will make finding that one house-the only house that matters, that much sweeter.