bora bora life lessons

If you happen to follow me on Instagram, then you might already be aware of my recent “surprise” getaway to Bora Bora with my man for our ten year wedding anniversary (11 years together!).

Here’s the pretty amazing and romantic (short!) story of how he pulled that off (click link!):

The Making of Bora Bora

I have to say, I was truly ecstatic to actually be going to the place I had only ever dreamed of visiting one day. I never thought we’d be the couple jetting off to a place like this.

{And after experiencing the prices of this beautiful island, it’s safe to say the likelihood of us ever being able to go back are slim to none, as I still can’t recover from $5-7 for one can of soda!!!}

With that said, and that known, I tried my best to truly take every single moment in.

I slept in, ate nutella and french bread for breakfast, napped, and sunbathed on my deck in a bikini that makes me feel all kinds of awkward and yucky because I am nowhere near bikini body ready.

Not that I wear bikinis anyway, as I’m truly trying to bring modesty back with the ever so chic skirted swimsuit.
No, but really.

Yet there I was, alone with my husband…and since nobody else could see this bikini but him and God, I busted it out like it was nobodys business. {because honestly, me in a bathing suit, would not be exciting business….}

But, here’s the truth:
The first day…. I cried.

I cried because….
I forgot my contact solution and case ($14 for a travel size in Tahiti, expensive mistake!), my face was breaking out from traveling (not cute!), my flat iron blew up when the convertor rebelled against it (do you know how expensive flat irons are???), the food and water and ferry prices were shocking my D.R. missions obssesed brain (do you know how many kids can go to school with that money???), and I was nowhere near ready to bust out the bikini I had so desperately wanted to wear.

I cried.
No seriously.
I really really cried.
{Remember, I’m a middle child.}

There I was, in paradise, and I was crying.

And then, here’s the dumb but hopefully totally relatable part…
I started crying even more because I was completely annoyed that I had been crying over such silly little things.

And to answer your next obvious question, no, I was NOT about to have my monthly.
{actually…ooops. ok, maybe I was….}
{hormones are NOT our fault!!!}

Moving on.

But, then I realized this:
Even in the midst of “perfection,” I was still totally imperfect.
Well, duh.
{and Jimmy got a good dose of this reality…poor guy.}

I couldn’t go there and expect Jimmy, or me, or any of our circumstances to suddenly change and become as perfect as the scenery seemed to be around us.

As messed up people, we all come with baggage, and despite WHERE we are, there our issues will remain.

We don’t change simply because of our surroundings or circumstances.
We change when we stop, for the LOVE OF GOD (seriously, you gotta LOVE GOD), looking at ourselves or to the people around us and instead LOOK ONLY AT HIM.

 

I did this a few months ago, and it changed my life.
I did it again there, and it changed my perspective.

Instead of looking to all the events that were seemingly being sent to humble me, I make the decision to look up.
And in doing that, my petty little issues faded and I was better able to see His beauty and perfection.

I saw a majestically beautiful lush green mountain, where there were dark and heavy rain clouds surrounding the top.

The mountain was amazing.
The clouds imperfect.
But the vision was art.
A genuine masterpiece.

We will never be enough for ourselves.
Others will at some point let us down.
But when we focus on the Lord, and look up and away… we will finally be able to capture the true beauty He intended us to see.

It isn’t about us.
It isn’t about others.
It isn’t about changing our circumstances or locations…

It is and always will be, about choosing Him.

The lesson remains the same, both here and in Bora Bora.

Well, that and…
*Eat a whole lot at the included breakfast buffet, because it’s a long time till dinner, which may the only meal you’re afford for the day…

 

It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!