I've got some more resources for those who are facing losing their homes. In addition to HASP, I've found some sites that are filled with useful information and contacts that can help you through this time.
Loan Safe has a lot of useful information for homeowners facing hardship. I found a ton of information in their discussion forums, too. I found some direct phone numbers for Countrywide in the forum they started specifically for Countrywide customers. There you can talk to people just like you and get ideas and advice on what to do next.
I also found NACA, a non-profit advocacy HUD certified counseling agency. They help homeowners to modify their loans and all their services are free.
You can still find the information I've gathered about loan modification and HASP with my articles here. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me. I will do my best to help, or find someone who can.
On this note, I want to talk more about what is happening as a result of our economy. More and more people are at risk of losing their homes as layoffs and paycuts continue. Families are struggling to make ends meat and many of them are turning to their governments and churches for assistance.
It's definitely a humbling experience and can be difficult for many of us to reach out for help, for fear of having our hands slapped away--or even being ridiculed, criticized and scoffed at. I suppose this fear, or even the reality of the fear, is what makes some people come to the decision of ending their own lives and often the lives of their entire family.
This is becoming more commonplace in the news and it makes my heart sick. I cry for those people because they believed they lost everything and had only one option left to them. I don't know what makes a person come to that conclusion, besides the desperation they feel in their circumstances. I only wish they would reach out to anyone and everyone, instead of setting on the course of ending lives.
I know this is a hard time. I know that so many people are losing everything. But that's just it--they're things. They give us comfort, shelter, entertainment, transportation, convenience...But they aren't even close to being the most important part of life. We're here for a reason. We're here to learn, to love, to grow and to be strengthened. The only way we can do that is by facing adversity.
Some people may feel alone in this. Some might believe they have no one to turn to. I want those people to know that they are not alone. Even a person who believes they have no one, has someone. For those of you who believe in God, remember that He will take care of you. You just have to remember that it's His plan we need to trust in, not our own.
For those of you who don't believe, I wish you did, as it would fill you with a comfort like no other. I don't know how my family would have come as far as we have without His help in our own lives.
There are many people out there (some you may have met, and some you may not have yet) who care what happens to you. They want your happiness and your well-being. They believe you can succeed even after what seems like a succession of failures. Don't give up.
I have a saying on my wall: "There is always something to be thankful for..." Even in these hard times, I believe that. One of the biggest blessings in my life is the gift of my children. I take on the responsibility for them gladly. They are looking to their father and me for guidance. They are watching closely and learning how to overcome the trials they'll face in their own lives. I will not teach them to give up.
Anyway, I'll leave you for now with that. I pray that you will find the strength to get through hard times--and then perhaps help others to do the same.
Being a stay-at-home Mom often means you have to know how to do it all for your family and get it done yesterday. Add being a writer to the mix and you've got some extra full hands! I've learned a few tricks either through personal experience or through my love of researching. Looking for ways to help your family in hard times? I'm here to help. Follow me on my journey through this economy. I'll let you see my mistakes as well as my triumphs and share useful information along the way.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Reach out and Improve Your Outlook
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What a wonderful post! I will be seeking some of that information as my husband and I have a CountryWide Loan about to be modified. It's scary as if we don't have enough to worry about. I feel at least comforted there is help and we have a wonderful President who is at least willing to help the people rather than the executives and the Wealthiest in the nation as our country is in shambles. Things are just getting worse, but I feel they will get better!)
ReplyDeleteOn a lighter note; I feel your blog is worthy of recognition and of the Kreative Blog Award:
http://shoppingkharma.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-won-award.html
Thank you! I'm always happy to hear when something I've written helps someone. You'll have to keep me updated on what happens:)
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks, too for the award. What is it? LOL