So far Steve and I have both celebrated our birthdays abroad. While we did miss our friends and families with the regular birthday celebration of cupcakes, cards and small gifts, we were still able to celebrate in a more intimate fashion at our temporary home.
We both looked back over the year and calculated our successes and failures. While we were able to meet some of our lifelong goals already, we are just getting started on our bucket list!
We are not martyrs, but we gave up most of our worldly items to be able to be debt free and travel. This was the most important first step in the process. The weight of all the material stuff prevented us from moving forward.
Anyone who knows us, knows that we didn't have a lot of stuff anyway. So, It really wasn't that hard to get rid of what was left.
We do have a small storage, 10x5. That is it.
We downsized from a 3000 sq ft house to just a few things we carry in our jeep.
The three of us travel with 1 rolling carry on, a duffle and a backpack.
2 cats with 2 kennels.
and a few tools, pillows, bedding, computer, ipad, cell phones, medicine, and food.
Wow! but, that's all we really need since we receive furnished housing through Steve's work.
We don't look successful. As a matter of fact, we look poor by most standards.
Financially speaking... we have been poor and we don't ever want to go back to that life. We may have appeared to be well off, but honestly we were broke most of the time.
It's hard to redefine success when the world says "get more stuff".
Success for us has come by "releasing our stuff"
So, are we successful? by America's standards... No.
By God's standards...I think so.
Was I always on this bandwagon? No.
Do I still love starbucks? Yes.
We have successfully become debt free. We successfully work at serving others. We remember that this life is temporary and Heaven is forever, so we stay the course and live by our decision to keep working at Plan A.
And we celebrate every success along the way, no matter how small it may seem.
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