When You're the Only One-- NOT on Vacation

We often hear late night owls, laughter, or loud music during these warm, longer days. But these noises always reverberate more harshly after we've just dealt with a sick child or disciplined a sibling spat. Everyone else seems to walk the campgrounds with an air of freshness, embracing their vacation, while we are sitting down for yet another family chat about proper communication or practicing self-control.

There are so many more travelers during the summer, and we love it! Everyone enjoys seeing more people and meeting more friends. But it feels lonely when we are the only ones NOT on vacation. Everyone is happily getting out their best gear, grilling their favorite masterpieces, or calculating their itineraries for the week, the month or maybe even their entire summer vacation.

We, on the other hand, scrap together leftovers when pulling into a new campsite late in the day. We are ready to stretch out but not necessarily near each other. We do love our adventures, and once settled, we embrace the thrill of our new surroundings, but we must tackle everyday life, while the majority around us are letting loose their daily lives.

It's hard to know where to separate "vacation time" from "life time" when you travel 24/7. On more than one occasion, the boys will ask us to purchase marshmallows at the front desk, and after shaking our heads, the office manager will say something to the effect of, "Oh you're on vacation let the kids eat s'mores!" I have to politely inform them that we live in an our RV full-time, and we eat a lot of s'mores.

Going against the grain is part of counter-cultural living. It's the desire of our hearts, but packing up when everyone else is moving in, or dealing with laundry loads when everyone else is paddle-boarding can leave a feeling of indigestion in our bellies. The antacid: comparison correction.

"We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise." (2 Cor. 10:12)

Why are we comparing ourselves with others just like us? There's zero benefit to this unless you enjoy an upset stomach. Instead, we should compare our lives to the area God has called us. "We will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us" (2 Cor. 10:13). In other words, we should contrast our lives with designated areas of service.

If you are called to the pastorate, examine how Jesus or Peter preached. If you are called to live in one town, carrying out one profession, read what Lydia or Rahab did with their resources. If you are called to travel from town to town, compare it with how how the disciples and apostles moved around. These examples demonstrate counter-cultural living, not constant comparisons.

Instead of refraining to eat on Sunday or refusing to engage with those who lived with opposing beliefs, Jesus taught that comparing daily-rituals was prideful and sinful. It would be equally as hypocritical if I compared our family dynamics with those we see traveling. Our Wednesday might feel like Saturday, and our vacation may occur when school starts.

Regardless, we should carry out our business in a way that pleases the Lord where He's called us, not compare our callings. No matter how lonely it feels in the moment, we all receive reprieve and enjoy times of vacation, not comparatively speaking, but when the Lord provides.

In the meantime, we are learning to let go of the norms around us, and embrace our callings. Sometimes that's the calling to divide and conquer, sometimes it's the calling to teach life lessons (like emptying the sewer water), and other times it's the calling to stoke a fire and roast marshmallows.

This week didn't feel much like a vacay what with a drive to pharmacies and another to urgent care---strep throat and a fractured wrist. We also have more appointments next week to specialists, but we can't always be eating marshmallows now can we. :) Real life happens on the road too.

~Not vacationing Carefully or Carelessly