Do you ever look at your life and wonder what the heck you’re up to? 

I’ve been doing that a lot lately. 

I mean, overall I think life is good – but every so often reality raises its ugly head and looks you in the eye, and then what are you supposed to do?  These last few weeks have been a little introspective for me; perhaps Grandpa’s passing spurred it, or maybe it was just time.

What is the point?  Of life, I mean?  We’ve definitely made some interesting choices.  Choices that in a lot of ways have cost us a lot, and in other ways have given us much.  But sometimes I wonder where we would be if different choices had been made.

If we didn’t own the store, would we still be working over 100 hours a week, barely meeting our own bills, dealing with each emergency expense by the seat of our pants?  Would we (one or both) have a “real” job, a steady income, benefits, a less insane work schedule – or would we now be laid off with nothing?

Sometimes I feel like I’m swimming backwards.  When do we start to stand on our own two feet?  Right now, without parents to help with the bills, we’d be screwed.  That’s not a cool place to be.  How will this affect our retirement, and our lives down the road?  What would God have us do, if indeed there is a path we are to walk?  When does life on the edge become obscene instead of adventure, irresponsible instead of hopeful?  How can we possibly make a valiant effort to live within our means when our means are almost non-existent and change every month?  When do we look at life and say “it’s not working, we have to figure something else out?” 

Why do I care all of a sudden?  Are we doing what we’re supposed to do, or are we just doing because we don’t know what else to do?