Non-profit motive and pay cuts?

I've been growing increasingly frustrated in recent years with the lust for profit and growth that has become an insatiable urge in the corporate world these days. So, I've toyed with the idea of going into the non-profit sector (foundation, religious organization, schools, etc.) which I've mentioned in previous posts. As noted before, the pay scale is decidedly different, and although I'd enjoy the career change, could I afford it?

Just did a little modeling to see what we could realistically live on if I were offered a lower-paying non-profit job that would allow me to stay in town. Assuming we downsized into a smaller, older home that would allow us to cut our mortgage payments in half, and our charitable giving dropped proportionately with our income, and Deb went to work full time at her (currently seasonal) job, it looks like I could survive a 40% pay cut and still make it work out. That doesn't include college expenses, but it might bring the needed salary within range of the kind of job I could get here without using my professional credentialing, based only on experience and skills.

So the question is, what's it worth to stay here? Even if we moved, we would downsize anyway, given that we are empty nesting soon, but maybe not do a step down in quality like this would have to be. I didn't model change in lifestyle, either, but just expenses that would change to reflect a smaller house. I suppose there could be additional savings there, but enough to handle college payments? I doubt it. So there's an impact on J & J as well. Is it fair of me to cut support out from under them to soothe my injured feelings about working in the corporate world? Sounds pretty selfish to me. Or is that just an excuse to avoid sacrificing, scrimping, saving, making do on a lower salary? That sounds cowardly and self-indulgent.

I recall something from the Old Testament book of Jeremish that says "the human heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked - who can know it?" Boy, that's the truth. I don't even know my own heart or understand my own motives. How do I make a decision that affects others if I don't even know what I want?