Waiting...

We are waiting.  Patiently at times.  Less-than-patiently at others.

We still know nothing concrete about our transfer request.  We know that things are in progress.  It seems as though things are headed towards Mark being approved for the transfer.  We have had good feedback from people involved in the situation. 

What we haven't had is confirmation. 

What we haven't had is a "yes" or a "no."

What we haven't had is any kind of information that tells us if we should unpack (the toys that the kids have been begging for) or start re-packing (everything).

What we HAVE had, however, is peace.  We know that whatever decision is made, we will adapt and make the best of it.

It is tough to be in a waiting game.  We feel like we've been in one after another after another after another over the past several years.  Obviously, during Cassie's pregnancy, I was waiting anxiously to meet my baby girl.  However, that was nothing compared to what was to come starting with waiting for Conrey's birth. His pregnancy was so hard and such a drain to me that it was just trying to get to that point.  Then, we waited for jobs in Wichita.  We waited for our house in KC to sell while living at my parents' house with a 2-y-o and baby, we waited to find a house.  We waited for 15 months while Mark was laid off...waited and waited for God to prepare the right job for him.  We waited in 2 separate states for Keaton to be born.  We waited for recovery from delivery and for Mark to find us a place before we moved here.  We've waited for 7.5 months for our house back home to sell (still waiting...).  Now, we're waiting to find out about this.

We've learned a LOT throughout our waiting games.  We've learned to be content with little (compared to what we had previously...we're still incomparibly rich to most of the world).  We've learned to be better stewards of our money (though we have a loooong way to go on that one).  We've learned to rely on each other.  We've learned that it is OK to let people help you out in your time of need.  We've learned that God will provide in ways that you never dreamed possible.  {I'm not sure if I ever mentioned this on here or not, but one day during our struggle, completely out of the blue, my aunt and uncle sent us some much needed money...at just the right time.  They knew that things were tough, but they had no idea what we were going through in that week.  God uses people for His work to His glory and they were open to His prompting.}  We've learned that we can help other people even in our times of need.  We've learned that when you give from your heart, what you sow far surpasses what you reaped.  We've learned to be thankful for what we have.  We've learned that we need far less entertainment than we thought.  We've learned that "stuff" is more of a hassle than not.  {Have you ever tried to fit 2400 sq ft of stuff into 1500 sq ft?  It really teaches you that you have TOO MUCH JUNK and that it is sinful in some ways!}

I could continue with my list, but I won't.  I am rather rambly (as usual), so I will just end with this thought:

Every day is an opportunity for learning how to be more like Christ.  Every situation that you go through is for teaching and/or showing you where you need to improve.  God doesn't let things happen "just because."  He has known every situation that you'll go through since time began.  He knows the choices you'll make and the paths you'll take.  Therefore, He has already planned out how HE will use that situation for growth.  He is 100 steps ahead of us and has prepared the way for the lessons we must learn from the events in our lives. 

So, my questions are these:  What situation(s) have you come through recently that you need to find the lesson that God needed you to learn?  What situation(s) have you come through that have taught you valuable lessons and what did you learn?

Those are more rhetorical, but if you'd like to share, feel free!  Learning from each other is a valuable way to grow, as well!  Let's be sure we're all growing together!

My dad has always said a little phrase that I believe applies:

We need to be here after what we are here after so that we're not here after He's gone!