Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Immigration is a strange and confusing world

So a few weeks ago I got confirmation that the first of our four immigration files had been approved. Naturally I assumed that the others would be following in the next day or so.
So I waited
And waited
A week went by
I called immigration
"Your call is very important to us, your file is within normal processing times, please be patient."
Patience is not one of MY virtues.
God is teaching it to me, with a big stick, again and again.

Two weeks later we got the remaining three confirmations, along with a notice that the first of the four files, the one that had originally been the only approved file, was now back in "decision pending" status.  Now we had three files approved and one not approved.

I can't make this stuff up.

So I waited
And waited
A week went by
I called immigration
"Your call is very import...."  I hung up.  I knew the drill.
Did I mention I am still learning patience?

Yesterday all four files were back in the "decision pending" status.  Yet, I have an email confirming that all four of them were, at one point in the past week or two, all in the "post decision: approved" phase.

Immigration is a strange and confusing world to navigate.
What does it all mean?
No one can tell me.
What they can tell me is "be patient"

I've been patient for 7 months.

Can we please get our immigration system fixed?!

For all I know they are still all approved and moving forward and I have simply experienced a glitch in the matrix.  Or not.  Or I'll get a letter in a week telling me what the next steps are.  Or not.  Or I'll get an email telling me when and where to appear with my family to pick up their green cards.  Or not.

The one thing I do know is this:  My call is very important to them.  Our files are within normal processing times.  Please be patient.

(This post contains no foul language.  This is me being patient and calm)

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Getting Away

After preaching this past weekend I realized that I, like many pastors, am great at giving advice but not so good at taking my own advice.
In the busyness of life it is often difficult to take time out of our lives; to meditate on the great mysteries of God.  Often when we face difficult decisions, are going through trial, or are feeling overwhelmed, rather than seeking solitude with God, we tend to push things aside, work longer, and fill up our days with worry and stress over whatever the situation is, rather than spending time seeking God.  Even when there is no apparent or imminent stressful situations in our lives, we still need to spend time with God, and so often we do not.
At our church we are supposed to take one day a month as a spiritual retreat day.  At previous churches I have pastored we have done this, but since coming back to Vegas I have not seemed to be able to find the time to do this with any consistency.
So yesterday I cut out of work early, booked a hotel room outside of town, threw my bible and an extra change of clothes in a bag and set off.
I must admit that in my current state of semi-singleness, it is easier for me to do this than it is for those who are living with their spouses and children.  Often in that situation, a spouse has to plan these days well in advance, but currently I am a little bit freer to do this, so I did.
I spent several hours wandering the desert, hiking to a rocky outcropping, sitting in silence watching the highway far in the distance, just letting God speak into my soul.
Later that night after it was too dark to be out in the desert alone (without a gun) I sat in my hotel room and began to read through Romans and then Galatians.
It is amazing how much clearer the Bible becomes when you read it after spending time in solitude, when your mind is clearer, when you are not constantly focused on the next "thing" to be done.
I slept well that night, was up early this a.m., and back at my desk feeling much better and far more focused than I have for a few weeks.

Don't disengage with the spiritual disciplines of solitude, silence, meditation, and Bible reading.  Do whatever you need to do to create the physical, emotional, and mental space for God to reveal His Word and His plans to you.

This is one of the first steps to deeper discipleship.