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| Boardwalk through a Georgia swamp |
This week we finally received our settlement for our motorhome. It wasn't what we wanted, but it was what God has given us, so we are duly grateful.
Mark has been hunting the RV Trader website for a replacement home since the day after our crash. We have seen a few dream motorhomes come and go-- many of which were sold moments after they were posted for sale and before we could make our initial inquiry. Currently we are looking at a couple possibilities, both of which are in Florida. Mark will be checking them out this coming week.
After having lived a year and a half in our thirty-eight foot Alfa, we came to a few conclusions about our next coach.
First, Mark was adamant about sticking to the Alfa brand, now that he's familiar with how it runs, how to fix potential problems, and (not least of all) having a network of owners and repair shops to help us along the way.
Secondly, we've decided to move up to the forty foot version. Every choice has both benefits and drawbacks. The benefits of the longer coach are that the washer/dryer is next to the refrigerator instead of in the bathroom; there is space to put in a dishwasher if we want one; it has an additional table space for use as a desk or for extra diners; and it has more storage in the bedroom. One little drawback is that there is no dividing door between the bedroom and the bathroom. But the shower is a bit larger and there's more bathroom storage. The only other real drawback is that it is longer and therefore more cumbersome to drive and park.
As before, we have a budget to work with, which makes everything more difficult. After all, if money was no issue, we could get the motorhome of our dreams. Instead, we have to evaluate each unit based on the purchase price plus how much it will cost us to fix all the problems (there are always problems) and make any important updates. Our most important updates at the moment are non-carpet floors and a residential refrigerator. Most of the motorhomes we've looked at still have carpet, which traps dust and dirt, and that awful RV refrigerator, which is impossible to keep at a steady temperature.
On the bright side, the insurance company has agreed to pay all our hotel costs up until the day we move into our new motorhome. With that assurance, we are not pressured to buy the first thing we see just because of the cost of hotel lodging.
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| The Hoffman family, with Olive in the lead |
Our car will finally be ready to go this coming week. Mark will drive our borrowed SUV down to Key Largo and pick up our tow dolly, then back to Miami to get the car. On the way, he will check out those two motorhomes and (God willing) make an offer on one of them. I'm not going along, but then I've seen all the pictures and trust Mark to make the right decision based on what he sees when he looks at them close up.
If neither unit passes muster, we'll keep looking.
We've enjoyed our stay in Valdosta. Mark has had lots of time to bond with little Olive (she's still a bit wary of me). Last week, we took a family walk through a Georgia swamp. This week, Melanie and I were privileged to get a tour of Options Now, one of Valdosta's God-centered crisis pregnancy centers. What a wonderful and inspiring ministry they have, doing the work of the Lord by saving lives and teaching young women that God has a wonderful plan for each of us when we submit our will to His.
Also last week, Mark received a call from a staffing agency with a potential six-month contract at Target in Minneapolis. I suppose anything can happen this year. God is teaching us to trust Him. Sometimes its hard to hold back and wait on the Lord. But if we succeed in doing it, we know there are blessings in store...
"Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
This "downtime" has given us pause to consider the path God has for us. I wish determining God's will were less murky. It would be nice if The Path looked a little more like the one through the Georgia swamp-- with wire mesh and handrails. Clarity is not guaranteed. All we can do is be patient, hang on tight to the Hand of God instead of running ahead on our own power, and pray for guidance.
... We're still working on patience.
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| Pitcher Plant ... stay clear -- it's carnivorous! |
