vernonia’s
voice home
october
2007
15
The Home of Our Dreams: A True Story about Faith, Prayer, and Consequences
By Theresa Marie Morris
Once again, the search began to find the home
of our dreams. We had been here before. We
had looked and hunted and searched some more.
Nothing ever became of our search. Nothing ever
happened. This time was just like the others. We
simply figured it wasn’t the right time, again!
After back-to-back family reunions; first mine
in Oregon and then my husbands in Washington;
he flew back to California for work and I stayed
behind to continue our quest. I did my research. I
sought the help of an agent and got pre-approved.
I picked up real estate magazines. I surfed the
web. I drove over one thousand miles, in four
different counties, within three weeks of time, all
the while praying that God would not only give
us the home of our dreams but also the absolute
clarity of knowing that the house we chose was
the one He had planned for us to have all along.
A bold and enormous request!
Then it happened! I drove into Vernonia! I
picked up a flyer for a house we could not afford.
Yet, I felt led to attend the open house the follow-
ing day. I walked through the front door and was
told that the price had been lowered. My interest
peaked!
After touring the house and walking the
grounds, I fell in love! This was the house, “the
one”, the home of our dreams! This was the only
house that made me cry!
So, we stepped out in faith and put in a very
modest offer, hoping to begin negotiations. Due
to some unexplained circumstances, the deal was
dropped. I found the home of our dreams but it
was snatched out of my grasp! I was heartbro- fer!” were the words on the other end.
ken! Again I cried, only this time the tears were
“How can that be, they still have time, our of-
of regret and confusion.
fer was so low, don’t they want to wait?” was my
frantic reply.
Then, I remembered something I’d heard long
ago about how when God closes one door, he
Our agent repeated the seller’s words, “Some
opens another. I decided not to give up! I dried things are just meant to be!”
my eyes, put my sneakers back on and continued
to search for the home of our dreams. Besides,
I dropped to my knees. I could barely speak.
I must have been wrong. This house obviously My tears started choking me and then I think I
was not “the one”!
screamed! Is this actually happening? Do I re-
ally get to keep the home of our dreams?
The phone rang.
My mind was racing and then it hit me! What
Somehow, the house I found but then lost was was my prayer? What had I asked for? Yes! The
now available for us to pursue again! I was in home of our dreams but also the “absolute clar-
shock, excited but cautious. I didn’t want to be ity that the house we chose was the one God had
disappointed again.
planned for us to have all along.” I then realized
that God had answered both of my prayers!
I wrote in my journal that I didn’t under-
stand how God could bring us the home of our
I understood! If God had given us the house
dreams and then take it away only to set it before when first we tried to purchase it, we would have
us again. What purpose could this serve? What been excited, yes! Sure? No! He had to take
reason could God have for doing things this way? it away, change the circumstances of the situa-
I would never understand!
tion and then offer it back to us, speaking through
both the voices of our agent and the seller. Only
Again, we stepped out in faith with the words after these events did I know, with absolute clar-
from our new agent ringing in our ears, “Every- ity that this was the house God had planned for us
thing happens for a reason.” We put in another to have all along!
offer hoping for a miracle though humanly real-
istic that our offer was low and the sellers on the
The home of our dreams in Vernonia, Oregon!
house still had two more open houses planned.
Theresa and David Morris purchased a home on
Tick, tock, tick, tock. I knew I’d have to keep five acres in Vernonia in September 2007.
busy while I waited the two days for an answer.
I didn’t have to wait that long. Just hours later
the phone rang again. “They’ve accepted your of-
Opening this October
Congratulations Bill and Family!
Cafe
47
854 Bridge Street
Vernonia, Oregon
VARSITY FOOTBALL
DATE
5-Oct
12-Oct
19-Oct
26-Oct
OPPONENT
Neh-Kah-Nie
Riverdale
Warrenton
Rainier
JUNIOR VARSITY FOOTBALL
LOCATION
Vernonia
Riverdale
Vernonia
Vernonia
TIME
7:00PM
7:00PM
7:00PM
7:00PM
DATE
1-Oct
8-Oct
15-Oct
22-Oct
29-Oct
OPPONENT LOCATION
Neah-Kah-Nie Neah-Kah-Nie
Portland
Warrenton
Rainier
Clatskanie
VOLLEYBALL
DATE
2-Oct
4-Oct
9-Oct
11-Oct
13-Oct
16-Oct
18-Oct
25-Oct
27-Oct
29-Oct
30-Oct
OPPONENT
LOCATION
Rainier
Rainier
OES
Vernonia
Catlin Gabel
Catlin Gabel
Damascus
Damascus
Rainier Tourn. Rainier
Clatskanie
Vernonia
Warrenton
Warrenton
Neah-Kah-Nie Vernonia
League Playoffs
League Playoffs
League Playoffs
JV I
5:00PM
5:00PM
5:00PM
4:00PM
---
5:00PM
5:00PM
5:00PM
VARSITY
6:00PM
6:00PM
6:00PM
---
TBD
6:00PM
6:00PM
6:00PM
TBD
TBD
TBD
Vernonia
Warrenton
Rainier
Vernonia
TIME
5:00PM
5:00PM
6:00PM
5:00PM
5:00PM