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Saturday, June 12, 2010

Time to get real


5:12 p.m. Today's project was to drive to San Dimas to listen to a vacation ownership--timeshare-- presentation and return with vouchers for the two of us to fly free anywhere in the continental United States, and also have the free 7-day use of a rental car. Those prizes are always welcome, but the third "bonus," 2 days and nights in Las Vegas, we can take or leave, because we neither drink nor gamble! Of course, a couple of days away anywhere are welcome.

We once owned a timeshare with the same RCI network, but it was a different company, back when we were both at the peak of our incomes. Even though we had kids in college and in the last most expensive years of high school, we managed it fine. But, we ended up selling it because we only used it about 4 times--our work schedules and the kids' school demands had us pretty tied up. Doesn't it seem like when you have money, you have no time, and when you have time, you have no money? One of the ironies of life! Makes me glad to know that this world is not our home!! In heaven, we will have no shortage of time to do what we love best: staying in the presence of God, loving and praising Him in fellowship with all of the saints, "out of every tribe, and tongue and nation" (Revelation 5:9).

As the salesman reviewed our travel experiences and preferences, Steve and I acknowledged how grateful we are to be well-traveled, whether as part of school board conventions around California and the country, long road-trips with our kids, anniversary trips to Hawaii and Alaska, mission trips to Wales and England, or most recently, camping in the western states in our RV. We fully know the advantages of ready-to-enjoy timeshare suites, too. We had a very frank discussion of the expense of taking the RV, gas especially, and KOA campground fees. Not to mention the monthly payment!

When we got to the point of looking at numbers, and Steve and I saw the very reasonable "today only" figures, including one-time or annual fees, we realized that it would be about 1/4 of our monthly RV payment! In all fairness, the RV does give us a mortgage interest refund at tax time, no small figure. But I guess the timeshare would too, now that I'm looking back on our past ownership. What to do?
When Steve and I sat alone for awhile to talk it over, some more issues came to light that really don't concern money. Steve can no longer drive because his Alzheimers has robbed him of logic and judgment along with his memory. I enjoy driving, but I physically dread even the 7 1/2 hour drive up to Fresno and Shaver Lake that we took last summer and are semi-committed to for this August. That is a Ford F-450 V-10 truck, plus the motorhome! And unfortunately, Steve tends to disrupt my concentration with irrelevant remarks and directives that are the complete opposite of the moves I need to make on the road, often mistaking the number of a freeway we need to go on and yelling, "Take that offramp!" or some such. I have actually asked him to sit in one of the other seats in the RV, just for the sake of my concentration. And I don't share directions with him any more, even in the Jeep, because the information gets jumbled.
Not much companionship, is it? Companionship is the reason we bought the RV in the first place. I took over the driving after our last trip with our grandsons to Yellowstone and through the Rockies, because we had so many brake-slammings, u-turns, missed offramps and generally dangerous driving that I as "co-pilot" was exhausted! Steve literally was just mechanically operating the vehicle, not driving. "Driving" calls for a huge number of skills, like planning ahead, knowing your next exit, safe lane-changes, pacing your distances between stops, reading the movements of other drivers, and total awareness of surroundings. The skill-set, extensive though it may be, is automatic for experienced drivers.
We also enjoyed the "moving workshop" aspect of the RV, with Steve's 40 year maintenance background making it a perfect fit as a retirement hobby. The confusion is now setting in for fairly simple tasks, or it takes several weeks to solve a problem. Not usually an issue, because we don't take it out but every few months. However, he gets very stressed -out, bummed, and I can't be of any help other thatn to drive us to Giant RV for parts. Maybe it's time to sell the RV, a heartbreak for Steve, even though he is thinking the same way. I'll miss it too.
Steve and I didn't buy the vacation package today, but the Lord used the appointment to expand our thinking to other changes we need to make now that we have a clearer picture of our fixed retirement income. The timeshare offer was good, very good, but the RV would have to be sold fast, and that didn't happen last year when we had it on the market.
With God, every day is new and fresh as we bring our concerns to Him. We will wait on Him in this matter, as with all others.
We will be "casting all our care upon Him, for He cares for us." (I Peter 5:7, paraphrased )


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