No Explanation Necessary

One of you sweet readers mentioned in a comment on the last post that we don't "owe anyone an explanation" for how we paid for our trip to Puerto Rico.  And, I certainly agree.  I could just as easily have said (or not said), "Jim is a hard working man and he deserves to take a vacation if that's how he wants to spend his hard earned money."  Period.

However, because we see this trip as a wonderful GIFT straight from the LORD, we want to share how it came about . . . in order to give HIM all of the glory!



Our 30th Anniversary was in August.  Jim was working 3 jobs . . . regularly putting in 14-15 hour days.  We knew that August was not the time for any type of big celebration vacation.  We didn't have any plans, nor any big dreams of a trip.

By the end of August, we knew that we were coming up on the date by which we would have to book a trip with our Jet Blue Credit, or lose the credit.  I phoned Jet Blue and found out that we had until Sept. 9th to book a trip.  We hadn't really even talked about when or where we would take a trip, but I suggested that maybe we would want to take a trip in October (after Jim's crazy August / September painting days were over), and that this would be a good way to celebrate our anniversary.  Jim agreed, and my internet research began immediately.

Even though we had purchased 3 tickets to Boston last September, our credit could only get us 2 tickets to Boston this year (due to higher ticket prices due to higher gas prices).  We began talking about a trip to see the Fall Colors in New England.  I emailed a Bloggy Friend in the area, asking for any trip suggestions.  Neither Jim nor I have ever been to New England, and we do really want to go.  But . . . I just was not at peace with this plan.

In my heart, I just kept sensing that Jim and I needed a "Sunshine & Beaches" vacation . . . but our tickets could not get us anywhere near Sunshine & Beaches (not even to Florida).  Oh . . . yes . . . we could have used part of the credit to fly to Southern California, but since we regularly drive there, we didn't want to use the credit to get to Los Angeles.

I tried to get excited about New England.  I really did.  But, "Sunshine & Beaches" was so clearly imprinted on my heart and mind.  After working so hard for the past 2 months, I knew that Jim needed to be able to just RELAX on vacation, rather than to do a historical driving tour of the New England States (which we would love to do at a later time).  Jim loves to go to the beach.  He loves to play in the waves . . . he loves to sit in the sun . . . he loves to walk on the beach.  I knew that this was what he needed in order to really relax after such a busy season.

We had to purchase our tickets by September 9th, but I kept holding off . . . sensing that the Lord was going to do something BIG for us.  (smile)

On September 2nd, I got an advertising email from Jet Blue which said, "Fall Travel Prices slashed for 3 days only.  Book now."  I quickly discovered that we could now use our credit to fly to the Caribbean.  Seriously?!?!

We did not "get lucky".

It did not "just so happen".

No.

I knew . . . that I knew . . . that I knew . . . that the LORD had just BLESSED us with the trip of a lifetime.  HE knew the desires of our hearts (Sunshine & Beaches) and HE chose to give us above and beyond our wildest dreams.

Yes.

Our 30th Anniversary Trip was a GIFT from GOD, 

and we give HIM all of the GLORY!!!

No.

No need for a "financial explanation".

But.

Yes.

I do need to shout HIS PRAISE 

for ALL that HE has done for us!

We didn't do anything to "earn" this trip.

We didn't do anything to "deserve" this trip.

No.

The LORD gave us this

Trip-of-a-Lifetime . . . 

because He LOVES us . . . 

and He chose to BLESS us.

Period.

No explanation necessary.