I took a (very) mini  vaca a couple weekends ago and had sooooo much fun!  There was nothing epic or super spectacular about the trip, but I did get to catch up with old friends, meet new people and not concern myself with the worries of normal life. Usually by the end of any trip I’m ready and eager to get home & back to my life.  But this time was different.  I found myself sad about returning back to cold weather, papers, presentations, bills, homework, work and more stress.  The majority of the stresses like the bills, papers, homework (because I chose to return to school)  I created because I have a tendency to take on more than one person should attempt to handle in a life time.  And the time spent not having to deal with or think about cleaning up the mess I made was freeing.  Without the busyness of life, I had a chance to actually enjoy it.

I can remember about ten years ago asking God to make my life like a vacation.  By this I meant worry free, fun and enjoyable, and there are times that I feel this way.  But lately I have found myself in a situation where being bogged down with the things of this world made it quite difficult to lighten up.   I don’t know if you’ve every had this feeling, but there are times when I just want to run away and start a brand new, shiny life and this was one of those times.  But ultimately, while it may seem like a plausible solution I knew that running away is rarely if ever the solution to a problem.   The bills would most likely track me down anyway, I would have to find another job,  and troubles would always rear their ugly heads, as it is a part of life no matter what part of globe we call home.  James tells us that ‘when we fall into divers temptations’, not if. 

If you have similar experiences, feelings or urgings to take flight and jet off to a new fabulous life then congrats as it might be in the cards for you to do so.  But if you truly know that you are to grow where you’re planted, I would encourage you to do one of three things, map out solid goals to make your life more enjoyable, take inventory of the blessings you have at home and know that running from problems solves nothing because they always find you.  You may have momentary happiness, but it will be short lived if you are leaving for all the wrong reasons. 

For me, the plus is that I know I can solve a lot of the things I don’t like about my life, I can choose to spend money wisely and pay down my debt quickly, I can purposely make time to truly enjoy my friendships, take less classes and not take on so much work.  Plus, without a doubt I would miss so much if I moved right now, my home, my job and ultimately my family which since they are here, my heart truly is as well.  Although I am planning a move years down the line, I know jumping up and moving now wouldn’t serve me well, so in the end I readied myself for the two hour flight to the tune of an obviously equally unhappy little boy with the vocal expertise of a banshee behind me, wiped away the could’ve beens from my mental rolodex and headed home, where at this point in my life at least is where I know I belong.

God bless
Court