Hope for What Would Be

It was a lovely Saturday morning they experienced as Mary and Robin traversed the old side roads of Essex County. Much of the landscape in that area is on a grid with roads running parallel through this flat land. The side roads are all numerically (and boringly) named “concessions”. They just passed Concession Three. The GPS that Robin had purchased as a gift for Mary had become very useful on this day as they were on their way to look at a cottage on the lake. Mary had noticed it on the MLS listings on the web. It excited her not only because of the price and the waterfront location but because the pictures of the cottage itself just made her heart flutter! It was like the feeling when she first saw Hector for the first time. It was heart warming and familiar all at once. Hector was a gift from God and had been such a blessing when she finally saw her dream come true.
There was no prior vision of the cottage, however. When they finally got there it was Robin who remarked that it reminded him of the old English cottages. Though Mary had never been to England she had visited Ireland for two weeks. She had always wanted a home there. Perhaps that would never be. Instead maybe this quaint seaside retreat would be God’s answer to that desire.
They drove up into the driveway where an unpainted picket fence provided a cute barrier from the road. Already Mary envisioned the fence painted all white with some rose bushes pushing through its wood slats. They walked up the path to the white house with rose coloured shingles and brick fireplace. The real estate agent had not arrived yet so Robin and Mary bravely took advantage of the situation to take a look at the beach front. What they viewed was not a beach but a wall of huge stones with what must have been at one time a tiny garden on its slope. It was all over grown now with Yucca plants and chicks and hens peeking through weeds. The rocky surface itself was about five feet high and was built to protect against any flooding. The neighbours on either side had built decks right on top the stones. The deck to the house was to the side of the house and not right on the water’s edge.
Mary once again could see the flower garden brought to life and planter boxes installed on the windows of the house overflowing with petunias and impatients. They had a good look around by the time the agent arrived.
Paul was an older bald man who was very kind and wise in his dealings. Without insulting his new clients or the sellers he managed to be honest and open to Mary and Robin. That is not an easy feat to accomplish; Mary knew that! He took them through the house slowly but surely. Through the front doors they came on a long kitchen which ran the width of the house. It was nothing fancy and the cupboards were homemade! Mary could see herself painting the old cupboards until such time that they could tear out and start fresh. The wood panelled living room had a huge grey stone fireplace with a gas insert which didn’t thrill Mary.
Once again Mary realized the fireplace could be restored to its wood burning capacities once the house got a furnace. The one installed in the house wasn’t working. Mary supposed the fireplace was being used now to heat the cabin on cold days. Mary couldn’t imagine people sleeping in here all winter and it must have been seasonal as there was no insulation in the walls! So the gas insert could stay and provide heat until the house had been properly prepared for winter living! Beyond the living room there was a nice size sunroom with quaint windows running its length. The sunroom was built on a new cement pad and seemed solid enough.
But upstairs there were other problems. Someone had put a toilet and sink in one of the rooms but there was nothing else in this so called bedroom! It was possibly 8 feet by 6 feet. Mary realized the creaky old wood floors would have to be reinforced to support a bathtub to make it into a bathroom. It was way too small to be separated into a bathroom and bedroom or to be termed an "ensuite".
There were three other tiny bedrooms all done in darkly stained tongue and groove but with little support in the walls but 2 by 1 strapping! The walls creaked and heaved in complaint when Robin put his hands up against them. As well as this problem there were electric wires tacked up around the door rather than hidden behind the walls! That would have to be checked! The wood floors were all covered with different cheap, thin carpeting which took away from the place. Mary could see the carpet removed and nice wide planks put in. As well, she could envision the walls pushed back to their studs to create a chalet setting rather than the boxy look it had now had. The view from the south bedroom was breathtaking and Mary could imagine arising in the morning to the sounds of the surf and the smells of Lake Erie.
Robin and the agent left the house discussing all the work that needed to be done. Mary could only visualize how pretty it could be once her creative juices started flowing. This sad house needing so much work appealed to Mary because of her view of heaven. She imagined Her Heavenly Father's house which had many mansions as all being dilapidated and needing repair. Mary could see herself blissfully spending the rest of eternity making them beautiful using all of heaven’s available labour and the limitless provisions her Abba Daddy could provide. “This would be a bit of paradise right here to bring this house into its former glory”, thought Mary. Mary smiled as a passage from scripture came to mind that she would “restore the ancient ruins”!
The rest of the trip back home was discussing these ancient ruins. Robin had been excited about the cottage as much as Mary had. Mary was happy at his excitement because it had been like pulling teeth to even get him to go and look at the cottage because Robin said he didn’t want to get his hopes up.
Mary told Robin that was only the second time in their life together that he had surprised her. The other time was when he asked her to marry him! This time Mary was taken aback because she presumed his reluctance to go and look at the cottage was because he loved his house in Amherstburg so much that he didn’t want to give it up. Not so. Robin was more afraid of having his hopes dashed. Mary couldn’t believe it and went into a preachy spiel about the need to hope in God. She finally figured out why Robin didn’t have any dreams: he needed to have hope and he didn’t have that!
So now that the trip was over and they were safe at home the next obstacle faced them: the fear of taking the next step of putting in an offer. They slept on it over night and nothing was said the next day, Sunday. Monday morning as Mary was doing her 5km walk singing and praising God she felt God encourage her to take this step of faith. She must lay a fleece out before God and see what He did.
All filled up with new resolve Mary shared with Robin her desire to take a first step to the bank and see what their adviser said. They would lay a fleece. If the banker gave them good news then they would see it as God’s favour on the decision to buy.
Later that morning, after numerous unsuccessful responses to her phone calls to the bank, Mary took a ride down to see what was happening. The tellers at the counter were apologetic and indicated that the tornado- like storms on Friday had messed up their communication systems. Luckily for Mary her advisor was in but very busy. Mary felt disappointed when she was told Corrine couldn’t possibly see her now and the teller would have her phone Mary. Mary was about to leave when the office door to her financier’s office opened and her clients left. Mary peaked her nose in the door and was greeted with a welcome smile.
Not only did the woman make time to see Mary but listened to her concerns and took down all Mary’s financial information. She indicated she would get back to Mary possibly the next day if not sooner. In the meantime she told Mary if she was afraid of losing this opportunity to buy the cottage then she could put in an offer conditional on financing and an inspection of it. She would have to share this with Robin.
Mary would go home and wait. She was so excited though because the door did not close in her face. She couldn’t wait to tell Robin who couldn’t see past their financial lack and the houses construction needs! Mary had encouraged Robin that morning that what they both needed was faith. It was without faith impossible to please God and looking at the obstacles was fear based and not faith.
Now all she could do was trust God was at work. She would share with Robin what the financier said, that they could put in an offer even now and make it conditional on financing! If it was meant to be then God would provide what was necessary. Mary sat back in her chair looking at the pictures of the cottage. No matter what happened Mary knew the important thing was to take steps of faith. Faith meant moving forward and trusting God; if He closed the door that was fine. However, to do nothing was no faith at all! She had taken the first step of faith. What would be would be!