The Gap - And Coveting...
It seems like several people we know are selling and
moving, and they are “upgrading” their homes, or moving to a home much closer
to our school. This makes me a bit
covetous, jealous, envious, desirous, and a little greedy. I sure would like to upgrade out of our
house! I would LOVE to live close enough
to school and church that the kids could walk home and attending sporting
events or church functions wouldn’t be such a drain on our time and
resources! Plus, it would provide the
kids with more HOURS to do homework each day.
When talking with my friends, they say, “oh, there’s lots of homes for
sale up here right now” and “so and so’s place is for sale!”
It is hard to explain why we hesitate to move and
extend our mortgage. Although my closest
friends understand. This would simply be
an extremely poor choice to make with an unknown future. We will be done paying on our current
mortgage in 10-12 years. I am hoping Hubby
can work that long or come close to it, although I am doubtful at times that he
will be able to work half that long.
Sure, we have life insurance that can cover the mortgage…but I wonder about the “gap.” There is a gap that exists between being unable to work due to his illness, and when I will be able to collect life insurance. During that gap, there will be limited income, and increased medical expenses.
It is the gap that always concerns me – mainly because of the mortgage. I do not want to lose the house. Without his income – it will not get paid. Therefore, it would be foolish to add years onto our mortgage…and therefore, I must be content with what I have and not long after what others have.
Sure, we have life insurance that can cover the mortgage…but I wonder about the “gap.” There is a gap that exists between being unable to work due to his illness, and when I will be able to collect life insurance. During that gap, there will be limited income, and increased medical expenses.
It is the gap that always concerns me – mainly because of the mortgage. I do not want to lose the house. Without his income – it will not get paid. Therefore, it would be foolish to add years onto our mortgage…and therefore, I must be content with what I have and not long after what others have.
Granted, I trust that the Lord will provide for our
every need. I also know we have
retirement accounts that we might be able to cash in and disability should be available. But I also want to be wise with our
resources, and moving does not seem a wise decision. I must fight the urge to feed my
jealousy. I stop looking at houses that
are for sale. I
thank God for the home He has provided for us.
Since Hubby spent a portion of his childhood living in
a 12x14 shack cabled down to the mountain to keep it from blowing over – he thinks
our little 1100 square foot house is a mansion.
I am very grateful to my Lord and Savior for providing
us with a warm and safe home. How sinful
it is to complain and covet more? What a shameful, worldly, heathen! We have been extremely
blessed.
“You shall not covet
your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet
your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or
anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall
not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female
servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Philippians 4:11-12
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to
be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to
be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of
being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether
living in plenty or in want.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because
God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
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