...Husband Pete & I had always talked about traveling, and how we really wanted to spend much more time doing it. The thought of Full-Timing in an RV never occurred to us. And when it did, it seemed to be something that would be WAY out of our reach, financially as well as physically - our parrot cages do take up a huge amount of living space, after all.
Meanwhile, I've long had a fascination with the tiny home movement, living off the grid, self-sufficiency, and similar ideas. We'd planned to move to Marquette, MI when Pete retires in 2016, and I'd been using the internet to look into potentially putting these ideas into practice at that time.
Then one day it struck us: Why can't we travel AND live self-sufficiently after retirement? Hmmm...why not indeed? So I started researching - something I can do endlessly about any topic! - and I found out that not only was our idea entirely possible, but it is VERY doable! In fact it is as inexpensive, if not moreso, to "travelive" than either of us had thought!
This discussion started months ago - sometime last year - and since that time it has evolved from a dream into a plan. Now comes the start of working toward that goal: deciding which type of RV will be best suited to our purpose...reducing the sheer quantity of our belongings...figuring out how to manage this with our pets...and so much more, that will be discussed in these posts.
Right now, the goal is to be on the road soon after Pete's retirement. But that can change, as our circumstances may change to enable us to move forward sooner. I have a few possibilities rolling around in my head that may allow this to happen, but for now, we're planning on retiring into the lifestyle.
There are lots of blogs out there about RVing, RV Living, Traveliving, whatever, and I am subscribed to them all - or at least the ones I know about - which I will put into a blog roll here. (Please let me know if I missed any, so I can review it!) I also spend my evenings watching endless videos about the subject, as well as about various kinds of RVs; I'm everso thankful that so many dealers and individuals are using YouTube to show the details of their inventory! This really is helpful to me in learning which features we will need, and which we can do without, as well as for general knowledge purposes.
Spiritual application:
Anytime we are considering a change or undertaking, prayer to seek and confirm God's will is essential. Many people are familiar with, and claim, Ps. 37:4 (He will give you the desires of your heart), but there is much more to it than this. The first part of this verse (delight yourself in the Lord) is just as important as the second. Perhaps moreso.
Truly delighting ourselves in the Lord is more than just being tickled pink that he'll grant our desires. No, when we turn our lives and our spirits over to Christ, and when His very Spirit abides in us, our own desires change. (A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you...Without Me ye can do nothing. Ezekiel 36:26; John 15:5.) We choose to seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and THEN these things will be added unto us (Mt. 6:33).
It is when our will aligns with God's will, and our desires align with God's desires, that God grants us these desires of our hearts. For we're not seeking our own will, but God's. For where our treasure is, our hearts will also be (Mt.6:21). For it is God who works in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Phil.2:13).
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart. Ps. 40:8
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