My One Word Revisited....(and pics of the new place)

If you have time, you should read this older post to understand what myoneword is all about.  

I had chosen "Secure" as my word. And it has been perfect...in not always an easy feeling way. Who am I kidding saying "not always"? Actually, it's hasn't been an easy feeling At.All. 

A few months ago began the worst of it so far.  Apartment hunting had started. It seemed that everything we looked at was either out of our price range, too far, or way too small for our family of five.  It was getting crazy.

Then a couple of things happened that encouraged us.

1. Huge donation was given to us to help cover rent. It allowed us to look at housing a bit more expensive, which opened up more possibilities.

2. Financial help was given to help with tuition for two of our kids to be able to attend the Christian school.

3. Gege asked to be baptized.

So, Uwe ended his last day at Bethany. Gege was baptized the following day. And we began to search for housing. We had three weeks before move out day.

Again, our search led us to nothing. We looked online, we walked streets and called numbers, we talked to agents and friends....but there just seemed to be NOTHING.  

Deadline creeping up...15 days left.  We found a housing complex that seemed perfect. There was a park across the street where the kids could play. It was near the subway station and bus station. It was also close to the school.  But, we couldn't move in until 15 days after we were suppose to move out. We considered storing our belongings in one place and living at friend's apartments, but that just didn't seem reasonable.

We were feeling quite depressed. Feeling like maybe we should consider moving to another country or live with our parents for a bit and try to figure out what we were suppose to be doing next.

But...

9 days before moving day we went to a different area of the city to have a look. Our friend had heard of a few places in the area that might work.  It also was near a park. Transportation wouldn't be as easy, but it was near the school as well.  We met a lady that showed us a 3-bedroom apartment. We really liked it, but felt that we needed a 4 bedroom.  We called the real estate agent for this complex about a 4 bedroom. She told us she'd get back to us.

5 days before moving day. Still hadn't heard from the Realtor. The next morning we decided that we needed to call the lady with the 3-bedroom and make an offer. 

I was so sure that God had forgotten us, yet fighting to believe that my security was in HIM alone. That inner battle was at a point of climax as I came to the conclusion that I just needed to accept the smaller place and learn to live in a tiny space. That maybe God wanted to teach me something through that.

But, right after lunch the Realtor called and told us that she had found a 4-bedroom that we could look at that afternoon.  

So, I prayed 2 tiny prayers.

1. That the kitchen would be a bit bigger than the 3-bedroom place. 

2. The view might be a little better as well since the 3-bedroom looked across the street to another building.

We got there and as soon as we walked in we knew that this was it. I almost cried. You see, the view was mountains, river, and grass....as well as buildings, but not so close. Also, the kitchen space was larger. My two prayers were answered.  God did want to teach me something...that HE is my security...and that HE loves me dearly enough to answer my two selfish prayers. He didn't have to, but he did.

This place was from God, there is no other explanation. 

Just look...

One of our views from our balcony.

Another view on a hazy day.

The complex we live in.

The playground inside the complex.

Our "backyard"...Qing Nian Park

Love how the sun glows on the buildings in late afternoons.

Taipei 101

For those of you that I've talked to about this place...now do you understand why I've sounded like a high school girl who just got asked to prom by the best looking guy in school?