The house I grew up in is for sale. In fact, it's under foreclosure and being sold for $7900. (Is this possible?)
Some people are pretty connected to their childhood home - their parents still live there, or they at least live in the same town. For me, the neighborhood where I grew up is sealed off by a wall of distance and crime. The neighborhood became increasingly unsafe until my parents moved out when I was 16 or 17 years old.
It is amazing to me, though, how God has blessed our family. Two parents and five kids grew up in this house that is under 900 square feet (plus a rather important basement). And God blessed us with a knowledge of Him, our Lord and Savior, and also with such diversity of talents and experiences. Now my mom has 14 talented grandkids and even 2 great-grandkids!
Oh look, there's grandkid #14 now (with child #5):
It was also amazing to find out (
Shomo family, are you listening?) that you can go to Google Maps and actually
walk around our neighborhood! Go to www.google.com/maps, type in our old address, and then click "street view." You can see all the houses in the neighborhood and even walk to the corner store.
You won't see Mark and Tara's house though - it's a vacant lot now.
God is gracious. If our lives were merely time and chance, this would all be very depressing. But instead, I'm able to look at the sobering sight of boarded windows and vacant lots and rejoice that God had a plan for even me.
