Sunday, March 03, 2013

Ninevah Revisited


If Jonah had just gone to Ninevah, instead of....

Some will remember our last PCS: our dog died, our van was stolen, our passports and luggage were stolen...Michael arrived in Japan a month before the children and I could get new birth certificates and passports to fly....base housing wouldn't offer us a home as our "minimum requirements" were more rooms than they had...we were in TLF for three months....You can read more about that if you click the "musing" tab and scroll down to the links under "PCS of a career". We LOVE Japan. We love our home. We love our neighborhood. We do not want to leave Japan. 

As another PCS approached we began to pray about the upcoming changes - as we always do and did last time. ::snort::  We've prayed we'll all LEAVE Japan TOGETHER, we'll all ARRIVE at our new assignment TOGETHER, the trip will be UNEVENTFUL, God would go before us and we would NOT have to spend three months in TLF....and could find a home for our BAH (housing allowance) and/or get base housing. We  are in downsizing, saving mode as we near retirement.  We have a 50th Wedding Anniversary to celebrate in OR on the 20th and a wedding to celebrate in TX on Aug 8th. We prayed we'd be able to find a home and maybe even unpack the week of the 22nd of July - before heading for TX. 

We wondered what in the world God was up to when our orders to Beale dropped.  Within hours we settled in our hearts God had a reason..... In fact, we've determined to Choose Joy - and have been posting one positive thing about the area each day which we're thankful for on Facebook. This week's reasons to Choose Joy on our way to CA. 

  1. 21 degrees in Misawa this a.m. - 66 degrees at Beale AFB
  2. Redwoods!
  3. Closet possible Air Force base to Mom G.
  4. Lots of Farmer's Markets with fresh produce. 
  5. Sounds like there is a fairly large Japanese community in the area. 
  6. Strawberry fields outside the base gates. Rumors of strawberries year round. 
  7. A home - God has provided a home for us in CA...we will not be spending 3 months in the TLF this move while the Air Force determines what to do with our family. 

Did you catch number seven? 

Do I have a story for YOU!

 When Michael talked with the chaplain he will be replacing, Ch. B mentioned we may be interested in renting his home. He said it was the,  "perfect place to raise a family." Obviously, this piqued our interest. If you don't get base housing - most places are a 45 min drive away. Beale appears to be in the middle of nowhere.  Ch. B gave us a link to see the listing for their home. It is 18 miles from base. It is 3100 SF, sits on nearly six acres, has two zip lines, a creek you can swim in, trees galore, three car garage, 90 miles from Tahoe, huge garden spot...We dreamed....until Michael got home and we checked the listing. It is lovely. It was over our BAH and we were committed to staying at the monthly  BAH. We began to contemplate the drive, pricing in the area, and our budget. 

In the meantime Michael talked to another source and was told base housing most likely wouldn't be a good option for us. This source knew Ch. B and his home and said it was as close as we could find, and was a great home. Michael talked with Ch. B again. And.....God is so amazing! Ch. B was willing to lower the price to BAH or a little lower for us....we settled on BAH and we'll handle minor repairs.  Amazing.....at a time when our goal has been to "downsize enough to fit into a 2 room Japanese apartment" (and we are and will continue to downsize), God stepped in and plopped a dream home in our laps. It has all the things we'd each love, but never DREAM of putting on a prayer list...zip lines, WINDOWS, breakfast nook....we hadn't even begun to look for a home. Base housing would be 1700 SF and as it is privatized they would have taken our full BAH.....for the same buck we'll have nearly twice the house and a zillion times more the yard (and privacy). 

Who finds a rental like this? We had one week between Mom and Dad T's 50th wedding anniversary and leaving for Josiah and Shelby's wedding in TX to find a home and receive our household goods....this home will be available for us when we drive down to CA. 

I won't give the address, or town of 1700, because we realize we ARE moving back to the states....but ...here are some photos I've found from times the home has previously been listed.  We've had fun trying to figure out how they all go together...and we've not found four bedrooms yet. ::snort::  And even NOW, I asked Michael, "Are you sure this is the right house?" ::snort:: 
Front and side view 
Back view - deck wraps around the side 
  
Kitchen - TWO OVENS & a dishwasher! 

Family Room  or Living Room 

Entry and dining room 

Living room or Family Room - breakfast nook through arch 

Arielle says the laundry room is bigger than
their current room - I agree. 
 Speaking of big rooms - check out the master bath - it's nearly an onsen.....leading to many jokes about putting a tub outside and sitting nekkid ala onsen style...would the neighbors mind? It IS CA. ::snort:: 

Master Bedroom - sitting room on other side of fireplace


Deck off master bedroom 
Seriously, we've not a clue what we'll do with all this space. We'll have fun figuring it out! ::snort::  God simply amazed us! And to think we tried to book a ticket to Tarshish...

I really can't fathom living in this spot for two years! 
And guess where Ch. B and his homeschooling family of five children are moving? San Angelo, TX...what a small Air Force!

Ah - and as we've processed I am convinced Zander prayed us into this house. You can read about that here.

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

15 comments:

Renee said...

What a great house. Glad it's a bit under BAH that way you'll have some $$ to put toward utilities. I'm sure the kids will LOVE the zip lines

Deja said...

WOW. Just wow. If only Jonah had just gone straight to Ninevah...

And San Angelo?! I know people there ;-) I also hear that many military folks go BACK to San Angelo when they retire...but I don't know if you could leave that house...maybe you'll need to stay there and have a ministry to the Japanese subculture there...hmmmm.

Linda said...

Wow! I see a lot of entertaining in your future. :)

Laura said...

What a beautiful story of God's provision and what a LOVELY home! So happy for all of you!

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Oh, Renee - it is really just about $40 under BAH BUT the water, sewer and garbage are included. We'll have electric which runs $250-350 a month and we can handle that fine. We are debt free and the rent will be covered with BAH.

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Yes, Deja. I will need to put them in touch with you and "the network."

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Linda...I've been doing a lot of studying and praying on hospitality and telling God it would be easier with a home that had a bit of space....I had the same thought you did.....in fact one of my first was "Wow - we can have some awesome bunco here."

Laura - totally blown away....

Wild Homeschool Family said...

Wow this is so perfect for you and your family, even an almost onsen for you :-).

Anonymous said...

HI: Tell Alexander to learn the bow real good.......... he can teach us what to and how to when we get down to visit. (often we hope)
love/prayers - mom t.

Debbie said...

Gorgeous house! Feeling just a touch jealous as the 7 of us are still squished into a 1500 SF home, but thanking God for our very small mortgage. God is so good...all the time.

Kelly said...

What a gorgeous home! I love when God answers really, really big. This makes me happy for you guys.

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Thanks all. I know, Debbie...we are stunned. We actually planned to move to something much smaller than what we have NOW.....

Unknown said...

Wow, De'Etta! God has blessed abundantly and your cup is definitely "flowing over!" This house is gorgeous!!! I think I may need to drive down :::cough::: to help you unpack when you arrive and I can house sit while you tootle off to OR. You'll find me in the master bathtub!

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Wouldn't that be fun, Ginger? And you can teach me more plant based cooking tips in person. LOL

Kim said...

What good good news! Always an amazing story with the Goeckers!!! So glad that this one looks like an enjoyable one from the start! Hope we get to visit you there!!!