The Mimosa Tree

by Marcie Elliott-Smith

When I was a little girl, there was a lovely mimosa tree towards the front of our property.

About half-way up the tree, there was a fork in a large branch which was the perfect place to sit and read.

It was my sanctuary for reflection and solitude.


Thursday, January 12, 2017

Looking back... (the ranch story)

A lot of people would tell you not to look back. But, today--I need to.

Let me back up...while I'm looking back.


In the fall of 2015, Dudley INSISTED that I go with him to look at a small ranch that was for sale just down the road from his cousin's house.

I had a headache. It was raining. The only two things I need to say “No.”

But how do you refuse Dudley? (Well, more on that in another post…)

We go to the ranch and when we are in sight of the house, I can only tell you it was like the house 'went inside of me'. It charmed me. Little 2-story shack with no utilities, no septic; cows coming out from under it. Wild hogs scattering.

The house went into my heart...and I said the words, “If you fix this up (hahaha) I could live here!”


Dudley was shocked. --Well, so was I!


Then, Practical Marcie began thinking, “Wait. We can't have two houses. We can't have two mortgages. We...” But I was so charmed. Shocking. Didn't make sense. 

How can we have 2 houses? We are not “2 houses; city house/country house” people. (Love y'all...but cash challenged here...)

Then the journey began. (How corny is that?) Turns out Dudley can retire in 1.5 years. Here we GOOOO!!!!

"Ohhhh it is for sale...along with 297 acres." (Crap. We can't afford that.) Well, would they sell the house and the tract it is on? "Oh, that is 80 acres and the house." WHO NEEDS 80 ACRES? Ridiculous.

The realtor didn't want to even TALK to us. We hunted her down (Dudley Style) and insisted she present an offer on the house and 80 acres, only. Maybe she did. Maybe she didn't. We don't know. She wouldn't give us a written offer to sign for her to present. She said she had several and we were 'in a stack of offers'. We offered over listing price (which was like kicking Dudley in the gut—if you know him!) and waited.

I told Dudley, “I think we have the right property but the wrong seller!?”

The owner had just inherited the 297 acres with the 'cabin' and he—perhaps at the realtor's advice—wanted to sell the whole thing; not in parts.

As months crawled on, we were told an investor bought the whole thing and might divide it—with a profit, of course. We were worried he would do 'improvements' we wouldn't want and the price would triple...

Next realtor. Next SELLER.

Next REALTOR! She didn't want to talk to us, either! Again, we offered over listing price and actually got a written offer to submit that time! (We were like "We like you, lady!!")

It was countered. “Buy it all or no thank you.”

Now, what kind of sick cosmic joke is this? Get this dang house out of my heart, then!!!


Somehow, by prayer, by grace, and probably by offering over listing price to begin with—this realtor began to want us to have this property.


Nice.


Shortening this—for any of you still reading—the realtor said, “Well, if you purchase the 80 acres, the house and an adjoining 30 acres of the hay field, we might have a deal!”

(Sure. Let me just get my checkbook and change that amount to your gazillion number.) Thirty more acres ...of HAY? Sure. That's in my future and my WALLET.  (I want to be a hay farmer??)

We looked at it. Same thing happened. “Dudley. We need to sell something, move something or SOMEthing to get this whole thing.” We submit an offer. (again)

We wait.


At church, the following Sunday, I had a little vision. (Rare for me…) I saw the throne of God coming down and taking the place of the house on the land. I couldn't see the house anymore...just a bright seat of government descending and landing. I began 'ugly crying' in church. I tell Dudley about it.

The next day, we have the news our offer is accepted and we are under contract with a house and 109 acres. Happy. Terrified. Happy. Terrified.

From sight to contract was ONE YEAR. A year!!!


That is a long time in Marcie Years. Like 20 or so. (I don't like to wait…)


I also don't like to give up!

Something Dudley had never considered was to sell one of his rental properties...but now that was necessary to have money to go forward. (Dudley collects people...and houses...) The house we decided to sell, was the first house Dudley and his first wife bought in the 80s. (Good Lawd.) #bye

Dudley was a broker/agent in the 80s, has a degree in Real Estate, we know a LOT of realtors that we love...and even have a family member who is a local realtor. But, #blessit, we need to net as much as possible from this sale to go for the dream. Finally, one of our rentals--as for sale by owner, the little house with the cracked foundation--sold in time to meet the closing deadline for the ranch. (I was the office manager for a real estate brokerage for 3 years and FSBO was like a bad word...but, life can humble you!)
Remember the BLUE BATHTUB in the bedroom??


Then, we close. Enter JULIO!!!! July 21, 2016!!!


Here we are: January 2017. Our primary residence is on the market for sale. It's only been 2 weeks and we've had some activity but I feel antsy. We were in the business enough and bought/sold enough property over the last 40 years to know all the questions… Primarily: Is the price too high? Is the market slow? Etc. Both of those may be true—but we had enough research data and faith to get us to this current phase. We'll see where it goes!

Would you pray that our house sells to the right person and the right price? And, by the way, we love paying realtors for buyers…

A couple of months ago, I had another one of those rare little visions. I was facing a snowy, rugged terrain, looked down at the snow in front of me, and noted that there were no footprints in the snow. I looked up a little bit and saw jagged places in the ground – just not a pleasant, easy landscape. I heard the words “You will go through this and I will be with you.” (Gulp.)
 




This photo is EXACTLY what the vision looked like. (Can't believe I found this....!!!) >>>>

I believe we are in that now. No footprints, just the Voice. And a rugged land ahead.

Would you pray for us? (Really??!!)


“Suddenly” is one of my favorite words in scripture. “Wait”--not so much. But...

If any of you are between Promise and Promise, I want to tell you—you are not alone. You have the voice of the Lord to guide you.


And… You might need to remind me of that. :)


BONUS: For those of you who appreciate real estate humor...this is for you:

 






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