What I Have and What I Don't ... and ... Should We Homestead?

Last time I mentioned in passing a few things that make us different, or rather, makes our situation different.

As I've spoken with people about the Catholic Land Movement, many of them desire to go but are in some situation or another that prevent them.  This is fine.  It is either something you can overcome or something you can't.  But maybe you are not suppose to go.  For us, some of the things we have make us more able to go than others.  Here are some of the haves and have nots or our family:

We no longer have any desire to live a suburban life.

We have a strong marriage and we communicate very well.

We have faith, may it please God, and we want to live it fully.

We do not have a good credit score (due to Florida housing market).

We do have debt.

We (I) have experience in the country, working with my hands and with plants.

We do have a plan out of dept.  It is a good one. 

We do not have family where we are currently.

We do have income from work that can be done anywhere.

We do not have any capital (i.e. not a dang dime).

We do have a place to stay in exchange for work.

Due to the last three, we do have a serious plan to save serious money in the coming year.  Seriously. 

We do have a car.

We do not have a car that is paid off.

We do have 3 kids.

As you can see, there's a lot of factors here that are different from yours.  I propose that, if you are serious, you list out things that effect a potential move.  Like the last post, you simply have to start taking action if you're interested in stepping out.

But, the point of this post is to say with confidence that my wife and I feel strongly called by the good Lord to this.  We have been praying, studying and talking for quite a while and we are both on the same page, in all ways.  I listed this communication up top, and really its one of the first considerations to make.  If this just your dream and is really unrealistic for your spouse?  A dear friend of mine was considering a big move like this a while back.  He talked about it constantly and was really excited.  I was excited too.  I urged him to it and gave him quite the proverbial shove.

He did not go.  He did not go because his wife was not so much against it, as not at all feeling the same urge as him.  Not even a little.  In that case, as he will tell you now, it was his itch and excitability that got him.  He looks at that time with a bit of blushing now, because he is confident it was just a phase of cabin fever.  Sometimes our dreams are just that.  I've never thought "follow you dreams" was an adequate plan for life.  I like powerful three word sentences.  I really do.  But that just doesn't always make sense.  Sometimes they are just intemperate passions being aroused for anything that is not the ordinary daily life we live in.  If you think that might be the case, I recommend St. Josemaria's The Way. Ordinary life has extraordinary opportunities for grace. 

However, if you and your spouse are on the same page.  If the itch feels more like a call, continue praying.  Talk it through together and with the Friend of Sinners.  For Pete's sake, please talk with real people about it.  Get connected.  Pray for guidance and open doors.  Without prayer something like this is very difficult to discern.  We are at peace right now, even though it is very hard to leave our community.  We love it here.  But its not home.  We're going home.  I think.