Whose idea was this anyway?

After realizing that Erich wasn’t completely insane for thinking we could travel and live in a fifth wheeler with four kids and a dog… I began to contemplate the idea. A lot. Most of you are still thinking we are crazy, but I really wanted my kids to experience my family, my home state with the hiking, camping and snowboarding I loved growing up, I longed for adventure.  I had three choices: continue to visit every summer for the rest of my life, do the travel nursing thing living in unfurnished apartments for two years (with no backyard and noise restrictions), or have less living space and the world as our backyard with new adventures at every turn. Hmmm, choice #1, not my favorite. So, it was unfurnished apartments or full time camping. Camping of course! Funny how life works though, or maybe I should say how God works. This whole idea started out as a compromise. Both of us giving up something in order to get something. I just wanted to live within a days drive of my family, Erich didn’t want to get stuck in a mortgage we couldn’t afford. Win, win right? But the idea evolved over time. Little by little, we got more and more excited about this crazy idea and what it could mean for our family. Less projects, less bills, less responsibilities. More time with our kids and with each other, more adventure. Time to focus on showing the kids the world, teaching them how to love people more than things, building stronger relationships with them and each other. Now it doesn’t feel like the means to an end, a sacrifice or a compromise to get where I want to be… it IS where I want to be. And I think where Father wants us to be, unattached to the things that distract us from our real assignment; to love Him and love people. So what started out as a selfish sacrifice on my part, has turned into the beginning of an amazing journey that I am beyond excited about. How good is the Father!? We ran with our crazy idea not realizing that he was gently nudging us and guiding us with His still small voice until our idea merged with His great plan for us. How thrilling to serve a King who loves to love us! If you find yourself at an impasse with someone, and it feels impossible, as though there is no solution… don’t lose hope, remember that we serve a good, good Father who wants what’s best for you AND that other person. He can make a way when no one else can.