240 Square Feet

For the last fourteen days I have been living in a RV trailer that has 240 sq feet of living space. That is large for an RV trailer, not so large for a house. For example, our house in Cheyenne is 1,400 sq feet with a full basement, where I have an office. It also has a large backyard

and a gate which is often open so the dogs can run between our house and the neighbor’s house. Our neighbors have a goldendoodle as well, and our three dogs love playing together.  

Debbie and I plan on living in this trailer for the next six months as we travel the entire country seeing friends and visiting supporting churches. Before we started on this trip, I was curious about what it would be like to be in such close quarters: Debbie, me and our two large dogs (Willy Nelson is 75 lbs. and Waylon is 55 lbs). It seemed like a lot of life forms in a small space. For the last several months, as we have prepared for this journey, we have read books (RVs and Campers for Dummies was helpful), watched YouTube videos, (some helpful and others really scary), and we have talked with friends who have spent time in an RV trailer. But we agreed that we would never know what it was like until we did it.

GETTING INTO A RHYTHM

After fourteen days I can report I love it. It took us a couple of days to get into a rhythm. It was difficult to know where we had put things and how we were going to get some of our chores done.  There were also some details about the trailer that we had to figure out with the help of YouTube and Google, but we have a nice rhythm now. This week we had six inches of snow which provided us with some challenges, all of which we were able to overcome. 

There are two things I really like about this lifestyle. One is the closeness I experience. Debbie and the dogs are always “right here.” I never need to call Debbie on the intercom (which I do at home when I am in the office and she is upstairs). We are doing almost everything together. For example, we are going to the gym together and reading our Bibles together. We tried to do this when we were first married because we thought this is what good married couples did. But when we were first married, doing these things together just brought conflict. Not anymore. Now we encourage each other, cheer each other on and have deep conversations about our observations in scripture.  I watch the dogs sleeping in between long walks, and in the morning they both jump up on the bed and enjoy time with us, as we have our first cup of coffee together. Rather than just letting the dogs out in the backyard we are talking long, off-leash, walks (they have a dog park where we are staying that must be at least 10 sq miles). I feel like I am connecting in new ways with Debbie, my dogs, and with God and His creation.  I think living in a small space is helping that. Maybe it is just in my head, but I am feeling a closeness which is hard to describe but feels new and wonderful.

GETTING  A REST

I am also enjoying the simplicity of trailer life. There isn’t as much to do or worry about. Although we stay busy during the day, there is always time for a walk, reading, writing, and a nap. When we began this adventure, I didn’t feel tired or burned out. I was enjoying our ministry and living in Cheyenne. But since we began living in 240 sq feet of trailer I am sleeping better, thinking with more clarity, and enjoying life more, which I didn’t think was possible.

I think I was wrong about myself. I think I was tired even though I was enjoying our ministry and the Airmen. Extended time alone with Debbie and the dogs has not just been enjoyable, but good for my soul. 

One of the ten commandments is to honor the sabbath. Work only six days a week and take the seventh off. The nation of Israel was also commanded to give the land a year’s rest after six years of work. Because of the nature of my work as a minister I have been uncomfortable calling what I do work. My “work” has been to read the Bible, pray, teach, talk, listen, and develop programs that help others develop a deeper relationship with God. None of this has ever felt like work to me. I have done things which have felt like work; being a seaman in the Navy, laying brick in Phoenix, and I have definitely worked as a teacher in the public high school. But being a minister has felt more like a lifestyle than work, and I never felt like I needed a sabbath rest.

However, I was wrong. In some strange sense which I don’t really understand, I was working, and I am tired. This sabbatical feels like a much-needed gift that I am grateful for.

I pray that you would find time to rest. To slow down and take time to enjoy the people who are closest to you. And if you have dogs that are in your life that you love, take them for a long walk in an off-leash park; you’ll never regret it.