If you recall, back in March I published an article about your personal economy. Within that, I explained that we had a big decision to make ourselves. That decision was to decide where we are going to settle down and call, “Home.” We had two states in mind, Montana and Tennessee…
You see, my family and I have been living on the road for six years now. It’s been quite the adventure to say the least, an adventure that created a lifetime of memories.
I thank God for that.
Yet, it’s time to end our travels — for now — and choose a state to call home. Originally, we planned to make that decision, as a family, in October of 2023…
Well, we kicked the can down the road numerous times. Then my Mom became very ill, so our living situation took a backseat. Thankfully, we were there with Mom and my family during the whole frightful situation.
I’m happy to report, my Mom is doing much better. She is still under hospice care, but she made such a turn around. It’s been like a miracle watching her improve. So thank you for all the prayers, I know they helped! So with Mom improving, we turned our attention back to our living situation.
Yep, no more can kicking!
So back in February, we made a firm commitment to select a state to call home by my birthday in April.
Would it be Montana or Tennessee?
So there we are, it’s April 2nd, and we decided to go for a drive to a waterfall with a packed lunch. From there, each person was going to vote for their state and provide some good reasons why they chose their state.
Well, we never found that waterfall, just the burned down town of Feather Falls. We must have made a wrong turn, who cares, we kept driving until we found a beautiful peak in the mountains, parked, took our lunch, and began to walk and talk.
My son took these photos with his drone. He worked and saved up for it, proud of the kid.
As we overlooked the beautiful mountains in the Sierras, each person began to choose their state and provide reasons why they wanted to live there.
My oldest son choose Montana, he had cast his vote early.
My youngest son was a Tennessee vote, but a few days prior he swapped to Montana.
My daughter choose Tennessee prior, and she stuck with her guns.
My wife also choose Tennessee prior, I thought she might swing her vote last minute, but nope.
So that left me, the tie breaker…
Being the guy I am, I kept the suspense going for another five minutes or so. I provided reasons why I liked and disliked both states as we looked across the serene mountain tops of the Sierras.
Finally, I cast my vote for…
Montana.
My wife thought I was going to say, Tennessee. We absolutely loved that place, the East side was our favorite. We met fantastic people and visited lovely small towns all over the state. Nevertheless, I decided I preferred the raw and rugged nature of Montana.
So, us men folk had the little women folk out voted and out gunned.
Okay, perhaps that’s a slight exaggeration, but we did have them out voted.
As we made our way back to the truck, we talked some more. That was about the time my wife said,
“So it’s settled, we’re moving to Montana!”
We all looked back and said,
“What?!”
The kids and I figured we might talk about it a bit more, but the wife said,
“What’s there to talk about, it’s been settled.”
We all laughed.
I honestly think she was a closet Montana voter. She did say, she could have gone either way. In her mind, it was Tennessee 51% and Montana 49%. I’m not sure I believe her, but she was excited no less. In fact, we all said,
“Is anyone upset with the decision?”
There wasn’t a sad face to be found.
Everyone was excited!
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So, when do we start our new life?
Previously, we decided as long as Mom was doing okay, we were going to leave California in June.
Now, that was back in April, and here we are in July.
So where are we now?
Would you believe, we pulled into Montana last night!
It actually felt like home.
I always wondered where our journey would take us, now I know. When we first set out on this adventure, uncertainty abounded. I mean, the very definition of a traveling life is uncertain.
Where are we going next, and what will we encounter?
That’s also the fun of it!
Nevertheless, one verse always remained, and will forever be at the front of my mind.
Let me share it with you…
Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
That verse, and those faithful words have been our comfort for six fantastic years.
Thank you Father.
Where do we go from here?
That’s right, we’re not out of the decision making business just yet…
I don’t need to tell you the housing market has lost all sense of reality. Hey, we’re going to look at homes, but the costs are beyond insane. So we have a lot to figure out right now. I also plan to spend time learning about how home auctions and foreclosures work, (Have a tip, let me know). So we have a lot on our plate.
Oh, and we have to decide specifically where in Montana we’re going to live. Thankfully we have that narrowed down to a few towns. In fact, we’re going to spend a good portion of the summer in one of the towns we really didn’t get to explore, and that my friends, will bring us into fall and winter…
For that, we plan to either rent a home for the winter or hunker down in the RV.
Ohh yeah, me and my family are crazy people in case you didn’t figure that one out just yet.
Believe it or not, people do it!
So the last eight months have been wild and crazy. Not just the world, but my life. Hey, it’s been great, it’s been good, and prayers have been answered. Thank you Father.
As I look back on the last six years, I recall what my best friend told me before we ever started our journey…
He said,
“If you sell your home, leave your job, and travel the country, it will change you in ways you cannot even imagine. You will be forever changed.”
He was right, and I miss my friend.
This adventure provided my family with an opportunity to grow and see things we never would have imagined. It provided us with an opportunity to meet people from all over our nation, and experience their culture. It provided me with an opportunity to share that knowledge with you, and it’s evident in my work here.
My friends, as I close this out, I just want to tell you… Never stop living your life, and never be afraid to take a new adventure, you just never know where it may lead you.
Heavenly Father, thank you for your blessings, and for everything you’ve taught me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Readers, We’re Moving To…
Well folks, we finally made that big decision…
If you recall, back in March I published an article about your personal economy. Within that, I explained that we had a big decision to make ourselves. That decision was to decide where we are going to settle down and call, “Home.” We had two states in mind, Montana and Tennessee…
You see, my family and I have been living on the road for six years now. It’s been quite the adventure to say the least, an adventure that created a lifetime of memories.
I thank God for that.
Yet, it’s time to end our travels — for now — and choose a state to call home. Originally, we planned to make that decision, as a family, in October of 2023…
Well, we kicked the can down the road numerous times. Then my Mom became very ill, so our living situation took a backseat. Thankfully, we were there with Mom and my family during the whole frightful situation.
I’m happy to report, my Mom is doing much better. She is still under hospice care, but she made such a turn around. It’s been like a miracle watching her improve. So thank you for all the prayers, I know they helped! So with Mom improving, we turned our attention back to our living situation.
Yep, no more can kicking!
So back in February, we made a firm commitment to select a state to call home by my birthday in April.
Would it be Montana or Tennessee?
So there we are, it’s April 2nd, and we decided to go for a drive to a waterfall with a packed lunch. From there, each person was going to vote for their state and provide some good reasons why they chose their state.
Well, we never found that waterfall, just the burned down town of Feather Falls. We must have made a wrong turn, who cares, we kept driving until we found a beautiful peak in the mountains, parked, took our lunch, and began to walk and talk.
As we overlooked the beautiful mountains in the Sierras, each person began to choose their state and provide reasons why they wanted to live there.
So that left me, the tie breaker…
Being the guy I am, I kept the suspense going for another five minutes or so. I provided reasons why I liked and disliked both states as we looked across the serene mountain tops of the Sierras.
Finally, I cast my vote for…
Montana.
My wife thought I was going to say, Tennessee. We absolutely loved that place, the East side was our favorite. We met fantastic people and visited lovely small towns all over the state. Nevertheless, I decided I preferred the raw and rugged nature of Montana.
So, us men folk had the little women folk out voted and out gunned.
Okay, perhaps that’s a slight exaggeration, but we did have them out voted.
As we made our way back to the truck, we talked some more. That was about the time my wife said,
We all looked back and said,
The kids and I figured we might talk about it a bit more, but the wife said,
We all laughed.
I honestly think she was a closet Montana voter. She did say, she could have gone either way. In her mind, it was Tennessee 51% and Montana 49%. I’m not sure I believe her, but she was excited no less. In fact, we all said,
There wasn’t a sad face to be found.
Everyone was excited!
Study and news with a fresh Christian perspective in your inbox.
So, when do we start our new life?
Previously, we decided as long as Mom was doing okay, we were going to leave California in June.
Now, that was back in April, and here we are in July.
So where are we now?
Would you believe, we pulled into Montana last night!
It actually felt like home.
I always wondered where our journey would take us, now I know. When we first set out on this adventure, uncertainty abounded. I mean, the very definition of a traveling life is uncertain.
Where are we going next, and what will we encounter?
That’s also the fun of it!
Nevertheless, one verse always remained, and will forever be at the front of my mind.
Let me share it with you…
That verse, and those faithful words have been our comfort for six fantastic years.
Thank you Father.
Where do we go from here?
That’s right, we’re not out of the decision making business just yet…
I don’t need to tell you the housing market has lost all sense of reality. Hey, we’re going to look at homes, but the costs are beyond insane. So we have a lot to figure out right now. I also plan to spend time learning about how home auctions and foreclosures work, (Have a tip, let me know). So we have a lot on our plate.
Oh, and we have to decide specifically where in Montana we’re going to live. Thankfully we have that narrowed down to a few towns. In fact, we’re going to spend a good portion of the summer in one of the towns we really didn’t get to explore, and that my friends, will bring us into fall and winter…
For that, we plan to either rent a home for the winter or hunker down in the RV.
Ohh yeah, me and my family are crazy people in case you didn’t figure that one out just yet.
Believe it or not, people do it!
So the last eight months have been wild and crazy. Not just the world, but my life. Hey, it’s been great, it’s been good, and prayers have been answered. Thank you Father.
As I look back on the last six years, I recall what my best friend told me before we ever started our journey…
He said,
He was right, and I miss my friend.
This adventure provided my family with an opportunity to grow and see things we never would have imagined. It provided us with an opportunity to meet people from all over our nation, and experience their culture. It provided me with an opportunity to share that knowledge with you, and it’s evident in my work here.
My friends, as I close this out, I just want to tell you… Never stop living your life, and never be afraid to take a new adventure, you just never know where it may lead you.