Saturday, March 10, 2012

Just Ahead: Tuesday

It is not often that I push the PLAY button on the answering machine that sits upon my desk.

There is a good reason for this.

Friends, family, and VIPs call my cell phone.

Nine times out of ten, the answering machine is just a collection of messages from telemarketers, nothing more, nothing less.

But every once in a while, a pearl is hidden amidst the ordinary news of great refinancing rates, better banking opportunities, and offers to receive the daily newspaper.

On Friday there was a pearl, a definite pearl amidst the ordinary...
a message from the Hague Adoptions Officer at USCIS whom had been assigned to our case!

She was in the process of reviewing our file for immigration approval just thirty-two days after receiving it.  (For those of you on the Adoption Highway, you can appreciate how incredible this is when the average wait time for approval is sixty days.)

She had discovered a problem with our application.  One of the pages had been filled out incorrectly.  She was calling to request that I fill out a new page and fax it to her so that she could complete the approval process.

I proceeded with great enthusiasm to fulfill her request.

Unfortunately, the file containing the I800A application on my computer refused to open.
PROGRAM NOT RESPONDING flashed across the top of the screen.
I shut the computer down and rebooted three times before the file successfully loaded.

Once the file loaded and I made the necessary corrections to the requested page, my computer would not connect to the printer.
NO CONNECTION DETECTED flashed across the screen.
Please understand that just the day before I was printing papers with no problem!

I attempted one quick fix after another until finally the connection was made and the needed page of the I800A application printed.

Next on my agenda, create and print a cover page for the fax transmission.

Clicking on my Microsoft Word button availed nothing.  The program was frozen and would NOT open.

Are you getting the picture?  Can you see the smile on my face?

Solution...in this age of incredible, unsurpassed technology, I would hand write a cover page.  Slick!

Now, another hurdle.

The officer was not answering her direct line and she forgot to leave her fax number on my answering machine.  Several communication attempts later including an email to our agency's intake manager (an ordinary angel in this story who once again responded promptly), I had the needed number.

Time to fax.

Two fax machines.  I have two fax machines.  TWO fax machines.
 
(This is the point in the story where I would ask my second grader to make a prediction.  I would ask her what she thought was going to happen next.  Then I would say, "OK!  Let's keep reading to see if you're right.")

So go ahead...make a prediction, I'll wait.


Did you guess that neither fax machine would receive a dial tone?
Did you predict that neither machine was working?

If you did, congratulations.  You are right.

Neither fax machine, not one, was working!

With only thirty minutes to spare before I needed to be in the carpool line at Fair Maiden L.K.'s school for pick up, I was on my way to the local Fed Ex store to send a fax.

One minute after walking in the door and three dollars later the mission was complete.  I left with a confirmation of transmission receipt in my hand.

I called John, a Hague Officer at USCIS, again.  We were on a first name basis at this point.  It must have been the sixth or seventh time we had spoken by now.  I asked him if he would please ring our assigned officers line one more time.

He said, "I'd be glad to, but she has left for the day and will not be back until Tuesday."

I swallowed hard as his words resonated in my ears..."I'd be glad to, but she has left for the day and will not be back until Tuesday"... "I'd be glad to, but she has left for the day and will not be back until Tuesday."

After all of this..Tuesday.

Tuesday.



I am able to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine.  Come to me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish.  Ask my spirit to control your mind so that you can think great thoughts of Me.  Do not be discouraged by the fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered.  Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust in the dark.  The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My power and glory at work in the situation.  Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention.  Keep your eyes and your mind wide open to all that I am doing in your life.
Sarah Young from Jesus Calling


Ephesians 3:20, Romans 8:6, Isaiah 40:30-31

2 comments:

  1. I know it seems like ages way.. But Tuesday is just around the corner! Hang in there! xx from Iceland

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