Praying for buying a house? Are you about to embark on home ownership? Keep this in mind:
Are you praying for buying a house or to become home owners? Home buying can be such a blessing in your family's life but can also be a challenging, emotional and stressful time.
The most important thing to remember is this; don't let the stress take over the miracle and the blessing of buying your own home.
The Jewish Home Blessing (or Birkat Habayit) is a blessing for a new home that focuses on filling a home with joy and peace. It can be such a helpful reminder of what you searching for when looking to buy a home and what it is you want to fill your new home with. Keep this in mind while in the new home buying time period and let it guide you, your emotions and your focus.
Let's break down the prayer to the main focus points of the negatives we want to avoid and the positives we want to create:
- avoid sadness, trouble, fear or conflict
- encourage joy & peace
These two ideas of what emotions to avoid and what emotions to encourage can be your cheat sheet for the new home buying process. Think of all the conflict and sadness that can come between a couple while they are looking at homes. Instead focus on making the experience one of joy and peace between you.
A rule that my husband and I have always stuck to that, Thank God, has worked so well for us over the past 13 years (we've lived in 11 different homes in that time!) is we keep going until there is a reason to stop and when that reason is apparent you stop. Even if you really wanted it or some parts of the home looked sooo good. If there is ever a reason to stop, you stop and move on - at peace with the decision.
For example, if the house was great but the location wasn't perfect. Stop and move on. Or if the location is great but the house is not the right size for your family or in your budget. Stop and move on. Especially in the house buying process, don't try to squeeze and maneuver a square block into a round hole. The decision is just to important to compromise when you are in the thick of the emotions and feelings around buying and creating a home. Know that God has something specific in store for you and flow with that knowledge.
Keep the words and the lesson behind this home blessing in mind during the home buying process and I wish you a wonderful and meaningful experience. (And Ps - invite me over once you move in!)
The Jewish Blessing for the Home