A beautiful day in the neighborhood...

It is absolutely GORGEOUS outside here in Ulster County. I just hope that Mother Nature isn't trying to fool us into thinking that our frigid, icy days are over. That just wouldn't be right.

Well, today, I thought that I would share some thoughts that I had today while driving to an appointment with the director of a local church mission. The town that this mission is located in has long been my favorite little town in Ulster County. It is seriously a picture perfect, all-American town. As I tend to do my deepest thinking while driving, I began to wonder if all the lucky families who live in this town are as happy as I imagine they should be. I know I would be if I were living in such a beautiful neighborhood. But then again....

Just because a neighborhood is pretty and perfect on the outside doesn't necessarily mean that everything and everyone is happy go lucky on the inside. The thought of owning your own home typically instills feelings of joy and hope in most people who don't already own their own home. This is as it should be. But what people often don't consider are the woes that can come up once you own your own home. For example, the hot water heater is malfunctioning, the lawnmower needs its blade sharpened, the porch needs new steps, the taxes have gone up, etc. When you're a homeowner, you no longer have a landlord to call when things stop working, it all comes down to you. And that's ok! That's why going through the process of homeownership with Habitat for Humanity is so valuable. We make sure that homeowners are educated on how to prepare for and tackle these woes when they arise. What bank can say that?