Trips or Not! And a BUNCH of randomness....

Since we started adopting the Dave Ramsey gazelle-like attitude towards paying off debt, we haven't taken vacations. We've gone apple picking and places for a night, but generally that was with extra money and a special treat. When we didn't head anywhere last year for longer than a day or two, I begged and pleaded with Hubbie to give me a vacation. We agreed that we would find a beach house and stay somewhere for a week....then we found out we were pregnant. That kinda kicked us back into reality. Our main focus and priority right now should be paying off debt in order to be DEBT FREE! So, once Hubbie and I found out what our tax return would be and then figured out how much extra we'd be getting from Hubbie's raise, we figured that one of our last two credit cards could be paid off before the baby came.....if we didn't take any vacations! I agreed....begrudgingly....but willingly following my husband's lead.... that card was the one that was maxed out when Hubbie lost his job. It was our high limit card and it was maxed and THEN some during those bad days. To be able to pay this off would free up a good bit of money monthly. It would definitely ease the cost of adding another child to our family.

So, no big week long vacation for Lu's family this year. Its sad and disappointing...but I will live, and Hubbie usually gets opportunities to make extra money and if we get the card paid off and get the deductible for baby no 3 saved up in time, maybe we'll still have the opportunity to go on a short family trip.

Making these decision are tough. We've been told my "loving family" that we are in a cult. Our next door neighbor even thinks that he is somehow obliged to offer his two cents and give criticism on how we do not own a home yet in this fantastic buyers market. We know that we are doing the right thing. We know we are changing our family tree. We know that this will be a story that the boys will be able to look back on and realize that there parents didn't yield under temptation. We owned up to our mistakes and began to fix them. Like so much of society, we, as humans, are always looking for the easy way out. Bankruptcy, to us, is the easy way. Its a way to throw up your hands and have the rest of society pay for YOUR mistakes. When people file bankruptcy that amount that was owed doesn't just dissolve. People pay. You pay. That company that didn't get its payment loses money. It gave you the goods at one time and when you signed that credit card receipt...it says you promise to pay the credit card company back. Therefore the company increases prices and passes it on to other consumers....i.e. YOU! So, bankruptcy in this society hasn't helped anyone. The majority of people don't learn from there mistakes and habits and continue to make the same poor choices with their money.

Society has somehow told us that we deserve vacations and happiness and all of our wants and desires NOW. We deserve gratification NOW. Whether putting that vacation on the credit cards and worrying about it later or whatever. Christ never said that our life with be full of warm and fuzzy things. He wants us to have peace in Him and to focus on how HE can make us happy. I don't think vacations and nice things are bad. I want them just like everyone else, but my focus doesn't need to be on material things. I need to be more aware of what message I am sending my child. I heard not too long ago, from an older woman, that we give our children so many treats. It really convicted me. I eagerly give candy and fruit chewies to my children. I let them watch t.v. and buy a toy. I do it, not because they earned it, but because we have the money and I want them to be happy. Somehow I think I am setting my children up for a difficult adult life. Yes, now its only fruit chewies, but my children shouldn't assume they will always get the good stuff. Maybe I should make my kids go without every once in a while. I hope this makes sense. These thoughts are flowing and I am not sure what is being typed... I'd better do spell check and go back through and edit...but anyway.... So much of what I do affects my children. I don't think that me yelling or spanking is going to send them to the counselors office 20 yrs from now, but I do need to take a daily look at how I am parenting and what messages I am sending. I get so lazy and especially these past few weeks...and I just float through the day. No purpose of teaching or instilling virtues...just living and getting through. My day shouldn't be like this. It should be full of valuable lessons and ways to teach my children the things that I want them to know....

So, I have a lot to work on. I have a lot to be in prayer about. I am constantly thinking of how my life affects my kids. One of my greatest worries is that my mistakes affect my children negatively. I know we all make mistakes and there is no right or wrong way to parent our kids, but if I continue to lean on Him and ask Him for guidance...I'll make it and Lord willing, my kids will too! I have to remind myself...that today is not the day I am parenting for...


We are living today like no one else...so that one day we will live like no one else.