Ten years and still married!

 

       Ten years and we are STILL married. I know. I AM crazy. How the roller coaster has rolled in my marriage. I wont pretend its been an easy ride, or that I didnt want to jump off many times. I wont even pretend its ALL his fault, I now know that maybe some of it was mine too ( Jesus showed me that... in case you were wondering... totally missed that by myself). But through God's grace we have met the ten year mark. I am so grateful for His mercy to my family and I. This is the best year of my marriage yet and I hope for many even better ones to come. I am so glad God gave me the strength to love when I didnt feel like it, stay when I wanted to go, and comfort in all the tears in between. He is working in my husband and I all the time and bringing my marriage to a place of love and commitment I never could have dreamed when I said my vows at 16. David is the love of my life and I am happy to have shared all my best and worst with him.

        Through birth and death, in times of plenty and times of scarcity, we have been together. He knows my strengths and my weaknesses. And I know his. Sometimes I want to throw a mug at him. Or a shoe. And sometimes he deserves it. And sometimes I look in his eyes and think I could forgive him everything and anything, and the confidence of his love fills my heart to overflowing.

     So for our ten year anniversary he announces to me that he has decided to do it. That we are moving to Kaua'i! WHAT?! I mean... I have been dreaming about this for more than a year now. Always with the thought of  "Someday..". And maybe a little winter nagging ( like during the snow storm in May!). After a long talk about lifestyle change, slowing down, minimalizing (yes I just made that word up), and changing the direction and focus of our lives, the decision is official. In less than 1 year we plan on renting out our home and moving to Kaua'i. There are a few job and finance variables that we have to wait and see about, the timeline could be next June or as early as this October!

  Best anniversary gift EVER. Seriously I dont even want a Christmas present. If he forgets my birthday for the rest of our lives he is covered. Its like a "get out of jail free" card for every future date/holiday. And that he is so on board with a complete lifestyle change! He is going to quit smoking, and Im pretty sure he will sell his xbox. We are going to take almost nothing with us. A few boxes of memorabilia, a few suitcases, and a box of school stuff and a few stuffed animals. Amazing. He even suggested we look at houseboats! YA. Houseboat. I'm not so sure about that. But I am open to adventure and I definitely have a "lets try it out" attitude.

   If you're wondering how we can afford to move to Kaua'i, since most of you know we are certainly not rich or even wealthy, we DO have a financial plan. Don't worry. We are not moving with just our paychecks in our pocket and stars in our eyes! Cost of living there is high. But lets not forget where I live now. Its not cheaper here in Alaska. A few things like gas are higher, but other things like utilities and produce are less. Plus, I am pretty good at living frugally. Maybe Ill be one of those extreme couponers! I have always admired them! (Ok... that seems like alot of work actually and would really cut into my beach time).

     So this weekend I am having a BIG yard sale. The first of a few. I am not sure when we are moving, really, well know more in a few weeks. But I do know that we both want lifestyle change. And that can start right now. So the first purge is underway. How many pairs of sheets do I need to live? One. How many purses? One. How many toys? okay.. 5. The kids have shed their tears. But almost all the toys are going. Because I am not going to take all this to Kaua'i. I want less stuff remember? The less stuff I have the more time I have. My time is more valuable than my things. I dont want to love my stuff. I want to love my life. What freedom I will enjoy once I am liberated from all my things! I already feel happier and freeer :) I will use the money I make to pay off a few small debts and start our moving fund.We are selling our second vehicle as well. So its not just a move. Its a lifestyle Re-Do. Its a change in focus. No more materialism, no more consumer lifestyle. Good bye HGTV. Good bye 5th Ave mall. Good bye commercials. Good bye Adds. Good bye big box stores. Dont send me a postcard. Really... dont call me, Ill call you!

    What is it really? Its singing a Good Bye song to the American Dream. The biggest Idol in our country. Maybe the world. I am so done worshiping at the alter of the American Dream, chasing my castles in the sky, and using my time to serve myself. I am convinced that there is a much better way. That I could be richer than I ever imagined if only Im able to give it all away. Its the same concept of dying to self so that I can truly live.

Rom_8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 

Luke 12:15-21  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.  And he spake a parable unto them, saying,
  The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:   And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?   
  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 
  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 
  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 

And so our journey begins.