Sunday

Work and Money? OR Dreams and Risk?

Many of you know we've been here since July of last year. We left behind a life of relative security, for a belief in a calling to something different.

So, it was interesting to get this truly amazing question from one of my good friends...

'Do you think that it's good living "on the edge" instead of doing the daily grind and having more "security" financially???'


And so I thought I'd share some of my deepest thoughts on this one...

If you're interested?


The funny thing is - I've thought about this concept a tremendous amount lately. And I'm not sure I have the correct answer.


In Oregon - we had a lot more money coming in through work, but we weren't living within our means as well as we should have. So we never 'felt' caught up or secure.

Here - we are using up our money. But, the way I figure it, we are only one good job away from doing much better financially. No other debts holding us down. Now, the house is a big one, BUT we were paying this much for the apartment anyhow (LITERALLY), so it's no big deal.

HOWEVER - I can't seem to come up with that one good job yet.

If you would have told me 10 months ago that I would still be looking for a full time job in Florida, I'm not sure I would have been as gung-ho to do it. But I still have to believe that this is going to end up somewhere good.


Probably the very hardest part for me has been this... I have literally felt that God wanted us to come here. I believe it in my heart. But, to my natural eyes, nothing has worked out right here - the way I thought it should. So, it has forced me to question whether my belief in what I thought God was saying even matters anymore. Does that make sense? i.e. - should I have done what I felt I thought God wanted us to do? OR should I have done what I personally would have liked to do more? That is my biggest question right now. And I think it's still up in the air for me right now. But, sometimes, you can't look at things just with your eyes. You have to have a dream, and a belief, that things will work out.

We never came here with the expectation to stay that long. We have felt it would be 3-5 years maybe, but never permanently.

Sure... not having enough money coming in is hard, and stressful. But I really feel like if you think it'll go somewhere good in the end, then you'll make it work and struggle through it. However - if you do it all, and then you realize that it isn't going to work out to your benefit after all, then what? Have I chased after a dream and a hope, only to have my entire efforts come crashing down? That would SUCK!

Anyhow, it's a tough choice, and one that I'm not sure I'd do the same way now that I'm on this side of it. But I still think it might work out okay, even with the struggles. I DO think, if I had already had a job lined up here in Florida, I would probably have NEVER pursued the teaching thing. And I would have never known if it was a good fit for me personally.

Living on the edge isn't as easy as I would have thought. All things said and done - I want a full-time job. I will continue to run my side businesses even when I get a full time job. I want the higher income that I feel like I'm worth from a job. I definitely want the health benefits for my family (that has been another HUGE issue for us here). I will still pack up and leave here when I think our time is done, BUT I think I might have a more definite strategy planned for what will happen when I get to the other end of the move - i.e. I will probably have a job already lined up, and I may not move until I do.


Anyhow...

Just some thoughts from someone who's tried something that a lot of people have thought about, maybe even dreamed about doing, but maybe aren't ready, or able, to take those risks.


What do you think?

Al


P.S. - on a similar note - I read this interesting article at yahoo tonight, and thought I'd share it with you....

It talks about strategies for working into your dream job - no matter if you're in your 20's, or your 50's.
6 Tips to Getting YOUR Dream Job

4 comments:

Jason V said...

I thought that you'd get more comments on this...

I have a book that I want you to check out from the library and read or listen to. (We have it on book on CD, easily enough converted to mp3)
"Sackett’s Land" by Louis L'amour.

Unknown said...

Louis L'amour huh? I've NEVER read any of his stuff, although I've seen his name all over the planet.

I guess I'll have to give it a go. Does it deal with thoughts on this topic? I think Christy's read a few of his books, maybe.

Catch you soon - Al

Jason V said...

Louis is known for his "Westerns", but this one is about immigration.
Follows one guy finding his way to America, and his adventures and dreams. :)

So... Yes, I think it does a bit. :P

Carla said...

I appreciate your insights Al! I think you probably know that this is also very similar to the experience that we have had here in South Africa..and the question that i have pondered is... what was this all about anyway? There were external things that we wanted to benefit from and such, but really, deep down, it was about moving out in faith, and learning something about the God that we love and follow, that we would have never known by staying in a place of surety. So, while it's been nothing like we thought, there has been value, and hopefully in the end, we will come out at the end knowing God more intimately, as well as having gained a bit of wisdom and life experience along the way.