Took the road less traveled and found this cave

We just got back from a week in California. My home state. I am, in fact, a 4th generation Californian and take a great deal of pride in the history, landscape and beauty of a state that I love (yes, that was schmaltzy, I know).

Yes, the traffic is horrible and the taxes are high, but that’s what’s great about visiting instead of living there (although I would still love to come back permanently some day. Scott and I have our eye on a sweet little 3 bedroom in San Luis Obispo but I digress;).

Hiking near Morro Bay

But on our week long road tour from Newport Beach all the way to Hearst Castle, what impressed me most was not the amazing landscape, the coast line, not even the mansions in Malibu, but the time spent with the 4 other people on the planet that God has given me as my family.

Taken from the bus ride up to Hearst Castle. It’s such an amazing place!

We lead very busy lives. And we lead expensive lives. There always seems to be more important things on which to spend our money and our time.

We had 10 years with no vacations. They were what I refer to as our “lean years”. Sometimes, we had just enough money to feed our kids and keep the lights on. And every time we scraped enough money together to go somewhere, an A/C unit would break or a kid would break his arm and, well, just like in that scene in Up where they keep breaking into the Paradise Falls jar, our vacations would vanish. Responsibly, impossibly vanish . . .

In recent years our finances have improved and our kids have grown. If the finances would improve as fast as the boys are growing, I would be writing this on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean but instead, it’s been just enough. And we’ve made vacations, at least one a year, a main priority only behind paying for our basic needs, saving for retirement and giving to the church and to missionaries we support. We’ve not done a lot of other things. I don’t have expensive jewelry.We don’t drive fancy cars. We haven’t upgraded to a bigger, more impressive house (just more to clean anyway;).

What we have done instead is used our money in a way that doesn’t yield much you can hold in your hands, but instead things that will live forever in our minds and in our hearts. And seriously how can you put a price on a conversation like this one (swear to you, this is almost word for word) just outside of Montecito, CA:

Me: Wow, Montecito! Did you know the Montecito Inn is the place that old song “There’s a Small Hotel” was written about? (yes, I sing it, they roll their eyes).
Scott: Sylvestor Stalone lives in Montencito.
Me: It was also Charlie Chaplin’s favorite hotel.
Jack: Did you know that Charlie Chaplin once wrote an entire book while waiting for his wife to come out of the bathroom?
pause . . pause . . pause . .
Wil: Wait, was she sick or something?

Folks, you can’t buy this kind of entertainment at any price.

With our oldest entering college and the twins entering high school, I know it’s going to be even more challenging to figure out these trips moving forward. But as a wise friend once told me, “if you pay, they will come.”

So Scott and I will continue to devote a big chunk of change every year to vacationing with our brood. And as it grows to include (Lord willing!) their spouses and our grandchildren, we will set aside other priorities to honor that one.

I don’t know how long God has me here. And in my time so far, I’ve spent money on a lot of things that will burn up and won’t exist in 100 years, much of which I can’t even remember. But the money I spend with these people – the quiet moments, the walks on the beach, and yes, even the fights and the inevitable travel mishaps? I will NEVER regret the money I’ve spent on that.

“Every good thing given, and every perfect gift is from above, from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” James 1:17

Thank you, God, for the gift of traveling with these miraculous people. They are from you. And I am grateful.

Happy Running (and traveling),

Jen