While I couldn’t give a clear, concise theological statement on spiritual warfare…
nor do I claim to have any understanding of how it works …
I know it’s real, and it’s been a significant challenge.

Ever since we’ve entered this journey to purchase Evergreen …
both good and bad things have come our way.
In a split moment, our circumstances can shift – and our attitude right along with it.

We close on the property.
Then, a couple days later, the Suburban strands me, costing us $1,000 in repairs.

We get 4 contact forms in one day and 6 tours in one weekend.
Then, on the way home, we pick up a bookshelf …
only to get stopped by the police, b/c our tail lights weren’t working.
While sitting in the rain, trying to fix the lights,
the police checks the tags … and finds that we are driving illegally.
AND we can’t prove the trailer even belongs to us.
Just like that, we have no trailer, and Steve is scheduled to go to court in July.

We are cruising along with the remodel.
Then, the county puts a stop on our permit, as they want more information.
Two trips to the county … thankfully, they finally agreed to give us the permit.

We find out Christina will give us some furniture and another friend will give us 2 beds.
Then, we enter a battle with Victoria over the playground equipment.
She is refusing to give it to us, saying it’s worth far too much to let us have it.
Although it was not excluded in the contract, and should remain on the property.

We come to an agreement re: inspections with the buyers of our house.
Then, we find out that it will cost $800 to have the gas fireplace installed correctly!
And that permit we never pulled … yea, well, we need to get it pulled!

So many other good things have happened …
and still …
Steve’s car cost us $1,800 in repairs.
We had to fix a window that Sawyer broke, which cost $200.
We came home to standing water under all 3 upstairs sinks … and a stack of wet linens.
Steve’s computer screen stopped working, so we had to buy a computer screen.
We waited too long to reserve a moving truck and could only find ONE, but we found one.

And the list goes on … and on … and on.
Highs and lows.
But isn’t that life?
When the lows come, it’s hard to stay positive.
But there are so many good things … too many to count.
The challenge becomes focusing on the good things
and not letting the bad things get the best of me.