I had the opportunity to take a short vacation trip last week.  The mountains of Tennessee were beautiful and the time spent with friends and family was fun.  However, the cost of this annual trip was greater this year than in the past.  Why?

Earlier this year I decided to attend a ministry college in which classes meet three days per week.  Since the trip was planned before I applied for the school, the days missed were excused.  Sessions were recorded so I was able to watch all the videos.

The sessions were wonderful and I learned a lot from watching the videos.  I greatly enjoyed the trip and am grateful that I was able to go.  No regrets here.

I did recognize, though, that there are definitely advantages to living in the moment and experiencing life first-hand.

For one thing, you get the full experience.  When I attend class in person, I am sitting with friends and feeling the camaraderie as we learn together.  Sharing during breaks enhances the process.  The atmosphere is amazing!

Secondly, when I attend three sessions per day I have the afternoon and evening to process them before receiving new material the next day.  I have squeezed watching the makeup videos into a short period of time.  Since a lot of material is covered, it can feel like an overload.

Then, adding hours of makeup work to the task of laundry and getting things back in place at home can give you that feeling of being behind. That is not a feeling I enjoy.

I am grateful for the trip and the opportunity to make up what I missed in school.  The lesson I learned is to be more aware and appreciative as I live my life.

Living in the moment helps you to live . . . your life to the fullest.