Simple

The time is fast approaching that every school child older than kindergarten/1st grade looks forward to and every parent scurries to arrange childcare (or in our case cat-care) for - Spring Break. I honestly think my children have taken it a bit too easy this year with their classwork to actually warrant a break, but the teacher's insist that spring break must happen, so it goes.

I have had numerous people ask me if I am ready, as in looking forward to and/or actually packed and ready to go. And to be honest, I am not - on either count. Don't get me wrong, I will thoroughly enjoy the mid-80 temperatures and sunshine that our destination is sure to bring. It will also be nice to not have the carpool lines twice a day for a week that are inter-mixed with sports practices of varying forms and varying locations. But, I am actually pretty content right now with where I am. House is relatively clean - love my job - children don't fight constantly when they are in school...

I am guessing that my ambivalence actually stems from one of two things:

Serbia. I am very much looking foward to boarding the plane for two weeks in Serbia later this summer God has brought together an awesome team of people that I am looking forward to getting to know better and working with during our trip. He has already started to prepare me both financially and emotionally for the trip. I can't wait to see what He does and how He uses us during our trip.

Finances. I started reading The Total Money Makeover this weekend. (I know...really stupid before a vacation. Don't judge me.) It's not life-shattering, mind-blowing, new information. It's just info that I already knew to be true presented at the right time to make a difference in my perspective. Unfortunately, it also means that thanks to Uncle Sam, and a certain President who shall remain nameless, our vacation budget is several hundred dollars short of where I would like it to be.

I know that we will have fun as a family, but compared to our last family vacation, this one is going to be very simple. Simple is not bad, but I have to admit that I have a little bit of grieving to do because what I had secretly hoped would happen, just cannot - not if I want to be faithful to staying on budget. So, it is what it is.

God has actually been speaking to me a lot about simplicity lately. He doesn't call us to the life of chaos that I have been living. He calls us to live for Him. He doesn't call us to keep up with the Jones'. He calls us to do the best we can with what we have been given. He doesn't call us to a life spent caring for "stuff." He calls us to a life of caring for people. It's when I learn to follow in the footsteps that He has left me, that I learn what it is to be content and at peace.

So I guess, all that said, it is kind of a good thing that I am a little ambivalent about our upcoming break. I think that I am currently experiencing a peace that I have not known in a VERY long time, and I am blessed. It reminds me of a simple phrase that I have often heard repeated:

God is good - all the time! All the time - God is good! :)