The Adventure Continues

The device I rigged up to buy groceries between vehicles!

Proudly displaying our new vehicle fund!

Introducing Miracle Mobile #2, or as we like to call it, MM2.

It’s often late at night, after I’m done journaling that Rachel and I will look at each other and wonder aloud if we would trade this life for anything. If you catch us on a bad day when all the kids have ganged up against us or simply on a day where we can’t see the sun through the clouds, we will undoubtedly say, “YES!” But more often than not, we sort through the various choices we’ve made, the forks in the road where we’ve gone left when it would have been so much easier to go right, and we realize that we wouldn’t trade this grand adventure we’re on for anything.

After leaving the somewhat stable financial security of working for HP for many years, I made a brief foray into the world of stocks and bonds working as a Financial Advisor. If I would have had the nerve to stick with it, our lives would be totally different at this point.

As it is, we live month-to-month, week-to-week, sometimes even day-to-day. Before we left for Mexico, we got ourselves to a point of being debt-free, a not so minor miracle in this day and age. Since returning to the states about a year ago, we have made it a goal as a family to keep it that way. It’s an effort to stay totally available and flexible to whatever and wherever the Lord calls us to next.

It hurts sometimes. Upon crossing the border the last time, our van the “Miracle Mobile” has given us nothing but pain and heartbreak. The blood and tears I’ve shed over that machine, and the countless hours spent on my back as I’ve taught myself how to rebuild the fuel system and most of the electrical system, sometimes all seem to have been spent in vain. It now sits in our driveway, sometimes starting, sometimes not. Frustrating.

The Lord is faithful and He sees us. Through a variety of somewhat funky jobs and the generous support of friends and family that unbelievably still believe in us, every month all of our needs are provided for. He is a good Father.

Recently we got a visit from one of our pastors. An anonymous donor in our church had become aware of our transportation situation and wanted to give us $5,000 to help out. When you hold the answer to your prayers in your hands, and have confirmation once again that you are on the right path, it’s hard to contain your emotions. You want to shout…you want to cry…you want to dance. I think I did it all that night.

Rachel and I clearly recognize that we are undeserving of all the gifts the Lord has given us. We continue to breathe in each day as if it were our first and our last. We are committed to riding this adventure out. What will happen next in Nagelland is anyone’s guess, but whatever it is, it’s bound to be FUN!