Over the past few months, my wife and I have been seeking full time employment while working several part time gigs in an effort to keep the family expenses covered. Through out this struggle, we have continued to be blessed and amazed by how each month every bill is paid and our five 'always-hungry' children are fed and sleep safely and comfortable. Help has come from family, friends, and even complete strangers from the other side of the the country. God is good!
But why is it we have to struggle? My wife and I have often contemplated why is it that society deems us to work all our lives when we are trying to instill life lessons to our next generation. Then when we are old and frail and the kids are gone do we get to relax? Even if one of us gets a good paying job, we will need to work 40-60 hours a week to pay the mortgage, gas, electric, insurance, etc. The list goes on and on. We work or go to school for 33% of our week, sleep for 30%, leaving a measly 37% for family time. Do the math with our living costs. Mortgage+bills+food+misc expenses adds up to over $3500 per month (a liberal configuration). I personally struggle with the fact that our 5 kids are growing faster than weeds as any parent would. Our oldest is getting her driving permit! She was JUST born!
My wife Shirley is a collector of unique quotes on plagues and magnets around the house. These always seem to bring a chuckle to every guest that visits us. One we've had up on our refrigerator for a while says; 'Leap and the net will appear.' This was a weird one, but it spoke to us for months. Slowly as a whisper, then recently as a shout. For the past year as we struggled to pay the mortgage every month, we considered a home sale. Long story short, we sold the home by ourselves without advertising, a Realtor or a front yard sign. In fact, the buyer came to us and within a month we closed on the house and were on our way. A complete GOD THING!
Over the summer we traveled up to Pennsylvania for a surprise 50th anniversary party for my folks. During our trip, we dotted the map visiting friends and family while taking in interesting history locations and lessons. An interesting comment our daughter Anna made in Philly: "...I learned more in two hours here than I did all last year in history!" If you know Anna, she's a difficult one to keep seated in a classroom... With her comment, we knew where our 'net' had appeared.
Soooo, the Redanz family shopped and shopped and bought an 31' Class C Winnebago RV and are heading west to discover and explore this awesome country we live in. Each day will be a new location with a new adventure. Our story will continue... if WiFi exists.
Soooo, the Redanz family shopped and shopped and bought an 31' Class C Winnebago RV and are heading west to discover and explore this awesome country we live in. Each day will be a new location with a new adventure. Our story will continue... if WiFi exists.