Counting The Cost

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Trip Start Apr 02, 2008 Trip End Jun 28, 2008 Next
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  Portland, Oregon, United States
Tuesday, April 1, 2008

  About  a year ago when we first starting planning for this trip, we had to decide what our purpose was in taking this trip.  It was our hope that our purpose would dictate our plan.  As home school parents we wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to visit as many early American history sites.  We also wanted to visit extended family along the way and vacation too.  Those three purposes have dictated our route and to some extent, the cost of the trip.
 
Every good plan should have a budget.  After doing our spending plan, we were surprised that the cost was less than we expected.  Although we have now changed the price per gallon of gas three times from $3.50 to $3.75 and now to $4.00, we hope to not go over that amount.  Getting new front tires were not in the budget, after all the tires only had 10,000 miles on them.  Some sidewall cracking was observed so as an insurance measure we gave into Murphy and purchase new front tires.  Other things, like getting setup to go wireless on the computer, forwarding all phones to cell phones, and forwarding the mail was essential to stay on the road so long and do business.  In the 6 months leading up to our departure a new camera that does photos and videos and a GPS were purchased,  RV reservations made,  entrances fees to all the sites tallied up, and estimated food and fun cost guestimated, laundry cost on the road, oil changes for the RV,  add 10% for overage and presto out comes a budget that you hope is sufficient.  If it's not would you be willing to wire us some funds?  :-)
 
THE STORY ABOUT THE RV....in February of 2007 we decided that if we were going to do a long American history road trip we would need an RV.  We decided to place a listing on craigslist (www.craigslist.com), it read something like this....trade your RV for real estate....we received one response.  To make a long story short, we traded one of our old rental houses for a 2004 31.5' Fleetwood Jamboree GT with only 7,000 miles on it.  It still had the plastic on the carpet! And to put all my fellow Financial Peace University (FPU) students and Crown students at ease, it's paid for.  They really do drive differently when they are paid for.
 
So what is the cost of our trip?  I'm not talking about money here I'm talking about relationships, opportunities, continuity and time.  We will all miss our friends and to our kids three months is an eternity.  Our 5 year old, Caden, said that he didn't want to leave all his friends and wondered if we could take them with us.  In one sense, the cost of lost relationships will be offset with new relationships along the way.  We will lose opportunities by not being at home.  Opportunities to love new neighbors that are moving in, opportunities at church to serve, opportunities to build stronger relationships, opportunities missed in business, and an opportunity to plant a garden this year.  Home brings continuity that traveling on the road may not provide.  One of our most treasured assets is the 24 hours a day we have every day except for the first and last day of our life.  Having a structured life can make time stewardship effective at home.  Traveling may require a different type of structure to make the best of our time.  It's a learning curve that may take some time.
 
We would like to have said that we had altruistic conversations about our trip and say that we thought about not going on the trip and giving the money to help the poor or to further the Kingdom of God somehow, but honestly I don't think we had that conversation.  As Christ followers, we would say that we have had many conversations and intentions to further the Kingdom of God on this trip not only in our lives but those we meet.  So after counting the cost, we are excited to begin this once in a life time adventure not just to a great time, but ultimately (as in everything) bring glory to Jesus Christ.
 
TJ
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Madison

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Caden

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