The Old Homestead


So….Here is the story of our house and my parents’ move here to Texas. My husband and I and our three children moved to Texas from Upstate New York in 1982. We found two beautiful acres on a little dirt road about twenty miles outside of the city. The only neighbors were three ranchers, one other house and a trailer. Our closest neighbors were the cows. The only trouble we ever had with said neighbors was when they found a hole in the fence and decided to ramble on out into the road. A quick telephone call to the rancher usually took care of the runaway problem in no time.

Several years later the changes began. The Christian School our kids attended was given twenty five acres just a short distance up the road from us. That seemed fine. However the increased traffic on our little dirt road created a dust storm you could see for miles. Eventually the road was paved. Then the rancher across from us had to go into a nursing home, and since no one in his family was interested in ranching, the land was sold to a developer. Before we knew it there was a subdivision here. The land was sold in five acre portions – so it wasn’t too bad. But it changed things dramatically.

We reluctantly adjusted to those changes. Little did we know they were just the tip of the iceberg. To make a long, sad story short – we now have another school up the street from us, an HEB shopping center one house down and a Home Depot right across the street (with more developing in the works). We (most of our neighbors and us) fought hard to keep Home Depot out of our neighborhood. However the old saying “You can’t fight City Hall” proved to be all too true. I think the bottom line was money however. Our little city saw the tax revenue from the big box store and simply couldn’t resist.

Before we knew that Home Depot was lurking in the background, my parents moved from Pennsylvania to live with us. They had lost a lot of money on a retirement home they thought would be a good idea for them but turned out to be just another one of those deals that suddenly costs a whole lot more than they promised. My husband built a little four room apartment on the back of our house for them. They were just settling in when Home Depot descended on us.

We endured all the other “progress” with resignation, but this was pretty much the last straw. The country was no longer country, and we just wanted out. The most economical way to do it is for us to build and my parents to buy a little home. They have found a church they love and would like to move closer to it. I feel terrible that they have to make yet another move (they are both in their eighties). I think my Dad is looking forward to having a little place of his own again though. I’m praying all of this will work out for all of us.

The blessing in all of this is that for some reason the city changed our zoning to Commercial, so we can sell to a commercial developer. The people living next to us have already done so. We are going to be surrounded if we don’t get a buyer. Our property has been for sale for almost two years now. There is a great deal of developing going on out here. Everyone and everything is moving out from the city. So we are praying that our land will sell.

It’s been a difficult time. My husband’s health isn’t the best, and he desperately wants out of here. We found five acres in an old subdivision which we bought in hopes of selling soon. And so we wait.

I’m not very good at waiting, but the Lord is using this and a number of other things to teach me the things He would have me know. Above all I am learning to trust. I know He will take care of us and provide exactly what we and my parents will need.

That’s the story. I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, if you think about it you could pray the Lord will send us a buyer. We sure would appreciate it.

Blessings,
Linda