"THE LAND BETWEEN"

 ...WHERE LIFE IS NOT AS IT ONCE WAS, WHERE THE FUTURE IS IN QUESTION ...

Sometimes it really takes all I have to try to see the glass as half full.  I try, honestly I do, to not have such a negative attitude about the things that happen in my life.  After two babies in the NICU, it became clear to me rather quickly that there are more important things in my life than what seems so stressful at any given time.  But, I am not going to lie.  This house has tested my religion on more than one occasion.  It seems like we just cant catch a break....  Everything goes wrong.  And when I say EVERYTHING.  I dont just mean a few things.  I mean everything.  Literally.  If it can happen while you are building, trust me, it has happened to us.  I think back at everything Mark and I have been BLESSED with - 3 healthy kids, great jobs, land, the ability to build a nice house, family (I still have ALL FOUR of my grandparents still alive, and I will be 32 in a few weeks - who has that luxury??), sunshine, we live in a first world country, opportunities of a lifetime at our fingertips... I mean seriously My Cup Runneth Over.... One year ago, It felt as if we had the world by the tail.  Independent, stable, twins on the way, just started framing up our forever home, planning a huge 5 year anniversary trip, the list goes on an on.  Then.... well, Life happens - and you enter into The Land Between. 

If you have never read the book "The Land Between" then you really are missing out on a great inspirational / self-help book.  I recommend 100%.  Basically, in a nut shell, the book explains why Christians have trials in their life.  It compares the journey of the Isrealites to the Holy Land and their 40 years in the desert to the common everyday journey of finding God in the Holy Land of today.  Even after 40 years of being taught Discipline, Patience, Mercy, Grace, Strength, Total Dependence, Faith, Trust, and Love - they still doubt the Creator.  Still.  They still roll their eyes and get mad when things do not go their way.  They still attempt to live their own life the way they want to.  They still sin and justify it.  They still suffer and place blame, only to receive blessings they are not grateful for.  They live in what is called "The Land Between" - between 'Life is Great' and Depression.  The more I read it, the more I relate.

I recently heard the best response (because I am Dentist) to the Question "If there really is such a God, then why do so many terrible things happen to wonderful undeserving people?"  The response was this:  "If there are so many dentist in the world, then why do people still get cavities?"  I mean.....  EXACTLY.

So back to my house.  It is not the Holy Land.  Its actually closer to an eternal Hell than the Land of Milk and Honey.  I have been spending my "40 years" learning to be patient and have Grace and Mercy and Forgiveness and Strength.  The hardest part is watching everyone else's house pop up in 6 months and here we are.... going on 15 months.  (oh yea and all that money....) THE LAND BETWEEN. 

Here is a "small" list of just a few of the things that we have been dealing with while building this house.

1. Theft of copper wires and electrical wires
2. Theft... well in general.
3. Busted gas lines while trying to run electricity
4. Breaking of Windows
5. Frozen pipes in the winter ... that busted
6. Water leak in the master which lead to re-doing the floors
7. Installation of the wrong doors (which meant that the toilet kept the bathroom door from opening and the light switches were in turn in the wrong place)
8. Refrigerator leaked causing water under our hard wood and that had to be ripped up and re-done
9. Roof leaking upstairs
10. AC/Heat piping framed in the wrong direction (bigger deal than it sounds)
11. Our Plumber passed away
12. Air Conditioning unit drain pipe not connected to the plumbing so we had water in the walls which let to a big bout of mold and mildew... which led to removing sheet rock and repairing the wall and baseboards and crown moulding
13. Wrong brick in the kitchen backsplash (it looks horrible... I am going to white wash it)
14. The house was made for 5" brick freeze and all my stone was only 2 1/2" wide (bigger deal than it sounds)
15. Mortar got rained on and got hard (lots of $$$ down the drain)
16. The toilets are not in the center of the bathroom and it drives me tee-totally ape crazy
17. We are currently on our 3rd insurance claim
18. I have filed numerous police reports - if its not yours.... DONT TOUCH IT

There are quite a few more things that have gone incredibly wrong, and prayers are always appreciated.  I just like to think that this is our Land Between.  I have recently had a "Come to Jesus" with Jesus himself and I plan on not only having the house blessed by the Pope (or Brother Sparks - whichever is easier to get in touch with) with Olive Oil and some left over Baptismal water from the Jordan River, but a complete exorcism will be performed as well.  All are welcome to attend.  Wine will be served.  A few Hail Marys might be thrown (even tho we are not Catholic - It can not hurt at this point).  

So in summary.... One day....  We will be in our house.  One day....  we will be out of this between land / hell hole.  But until then - I guess we will remain poor, humble, and living on top of each other.  3 kids and a dog in a two bedroom house - Lord please have mercy on our souls.