Van vs. SUV........

I still remember the day that my parents bought a van.  To me it looked like a box on wheels with one exception.  Boxes don't usually come in a funky blue color.  Oh my gosh it was a dork-mobile and I swore right then and there that I would NEVER buy a van.

Years later I find myself at a point in life where I will have two kids under the age of two very soon.  Our family makes two 13 hour drives every year to Illinois, and several other trips to locations that are 6 hours away.  I have a small SUV but with two carseats in the back there isn't enough room for me to sit back there with the kiddos.  Translation.....we needed a bigger car.  So the search began......

I made a list of the larger SUV's that I liked and slowly started to weed through all the different information.  Vans weren't even an option.  I ended up really liking the Nissan Armada.  So that was it.....I had made up my mind and that was what I wanted!  It was bigger then what I had but it wasn't as expensive as some of the other large SUV's.  YES....no "soccer mom" van for me!

But then I was hit with this strong feeling of conviction.  In the depths of my heart I was too prideful and greedy to drive a van and this was a major problem.  God hates pride and greed!  Deep down I knew that a van was the more practical choice for our family.  I mean no matter how you play it vans get better fuel mileage....and they're way less expensive!  There is no arguing that case no matter how hard you want to!  

Ephesians 5:5 says, " For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person-such a person is an idolater- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Proverbs 11:2 says, "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes grace.

Case closed!  SO....SUV completely off the table.... new Webermobile is a van.

But we still had to decide which car we would be getting ride of.  Would it be my SUV or Jake's truck?

SUV: Better gas mileage, FEWER miles, better condition, newest
Truck: Horrible gas mileage, TONS of miles, older, smashed dash, cracked windshield

To me the decision was obvious!  Not easy, but obvious.  So I lovingly laid my stats down at Jake's feet and let the depths of his heart and his accountant mind work through his own pride.  When he finally came to the decision to let his beloved truck go I was so overcome with love for my husband.  I knew how hard the end decision was for him.  Just as hard as driving a van was for me!  But I also know that every single choice we make has eternal consequences, so that we had better choose wisely.

What I mean by this is that God wants us to grow.  He wants us to mature and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ.  To do this He uses our circumstances, and there is a purpose behind every one.  There was a reason that I all of the sudden was thinking.....we should get a van instead of an SUV.  It was a test.....Jennifer can you humble yourself right now ? Can you admit that you are conforming to the pattern of this world?  Can you admit that you care more about looking cool in your rugged, gas guzzling, expensive, SUV then you care about abiding in MY Word?  Romans 12:2 says " Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.  Instead, fix your attention on God.  You'll be changed from the inside out.....Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."  Jennifer Jesus did not die on the cross so you could live a comfortable life.  


OKAY OKAY I hear ya God!  So we have a van now.  It wasn't the most exciting purchase that I have ever made but the process challenged me and in that challenging my character developed good fruit.  I will say that I for sure don't idolize my new ride!

Though I will admit that as we were driving the van this past weekend Jake and I BOTH LOVED it!  It may be dorksville on the outside but yall on the inside we are living in class!  I mean...I don't even have to open doors anymore...I just push buttons and the doors magically begin to part.  Now you tell me....what SUV does that?  :)

Saying good bye to the ole Dodge Ram!

Gotta get an inside view too!

The New (used) Dodge Caravan...all tucked into the garage!  Can you tell I use the treadmill a lot?  haha

See what I mean about class! You wouldn't even KNOW this was a van if I just showed you this picture!

Kylie Jo LOVES all the room,the sweet new view from the low windows, and she is pretty impressed with the doors!