Waiting In Line

I've still got "moving" on my brain. 
I was thinking about it some more, and came up 
with another analogy. 

I'm standing in line. It's a very long line. I am waiting patiently.
Waiting for my turn. And, all the while, I'm waiting for God 
to move us to a new and wonderful location. I pray. I wait. 
I pray some more. Nothing happens. I pray some more. 
I wait some more. 

Well, then, after waiting a while, one person I know, gets to 
move up ahead of me to the front of the line. They relocate
to another place. Then, pretty soon, another person moves 
out of state. I'm still waiting in line. Waiting for our turn to move.
We've already done all that we can do. We've got ourselves an agent.
We have a good sized sign in the yard. We have some nice pictures
of the property online. So, now we must wait. 

But, you see, each time another friend, or another acquaintance 
gets to move, it feels like they're jumping the line. They haven't 
been waiting in line as long as we have. They have not been praying, 
waiting, and praying some more for a move as we have. One person
is moving practically spur of the moment. 

Don't get me wrong. I am happy for all of those folks who want
to move, and get to fulfill their dream. Truly, I am. But, I also 
cannot help wondering, "What about us? When will it be our turn?
When will we finally make it to the front of the line?" 

It is hard to keep our spirits up. It feels that we've been forgotten
by God. I know that we have not. But, sometimes, that is how it feels.
And, it is hard to watch others go ahead in line, while I'm still waiting 
for my own turn. Frustrating even. But, there is nothing I can do 
because it is their turn. 

So, while I wait in line, I'll continue praying to God, praising Him,  
and pining for the chance to rent a U-haul. 

The Business of Waiting

You know, it seems that we human beings sure wait an awful lot.
We wait in line. Wait in traffic. We wait for our turn. 
We wait for a phone call. We wait to hear back from the doctor. 
From the plumber. From our teenager. 
We're waiting. Always waiting for something. 

Waiting is hard business. And, most recently, we're waiting
to sell our house. Waiting for God to bring us the right buyer 
for our home. We've been waiting for nearly a year without 
much success. And, at times, I find it discouraging, heartbreaking, 
and sometimes, just down right annoying. 

I imagine that waiting while trying to sell our home is similar to a couple
who are trying to conceive a child. They want to have a child, they are
trying to have a child. Everyone around them are getting pregnant, 
having children. More then one, even. Yet, the childless couple still wait.
And............................. wait. 

That is how I feel. We want to move. We are trying to move. 
But, "trying" to move really means to wait. Because, after we contact an agent, 
throw up a sign in our yard, and post pictures online, what more can we do?
Not a whole lot. So, we wait. Everyone around us are moving. They're even 
moving more then once. Yet, here we are. Waiting.............

In Jeremiah 29:11, the Lord tells us: 
                                         "For I know the plans I have for you,"
                                         declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you
                                         and not to harm you, plans to give you 
                                         hope and a future." 

Sometimes, I wish the Lord would put those plans into action now, 
especially if they involve selling our house. But, He tends to do things
in His time. In the meantime, we can only continue to pray, 
and............wait. 

The Homeschool Show

"It's the most wonderful time of the year....
with moms laughing and squealing....
With new books that bring promise of noooooo new tears....
It's the most wonderful time of the year...."

Ok, so it's that time of year... again.
Time to "Oooh" and "Aaaah" over all the books online, 
trying to figure out which ones will be best for 
each of the children. Trying to remember that the books
are for them, and not for me. (Just because I think that it
would be cool to study the great composers of music, doesn't
mean that they will. So unfair!)

So, when I do this each year, I go into, what I call, 
"The Zone". It's that space I enter in time that lasts for
anywhere from a few days, up to a month. I generally have 
several browsers going at once, searching for just the right 
curriculum at just the right price. I suffer extreme mood swings
during this period of time. Moods ranging anywhere from 
extreme delight and happiness, to the extreme opposite....
ripping my hair out because I just cannot seem to nail down
that one book that would be just the perfect addition to our
homeschool book collection. 

I search. I browse. I take notes. I search again. 
I think about each item. I browse some more. 
Searching and purchasing books for homeschool can be
comparable to being on a dating show. 
Here, let me show you.....

"WELCOME TO THE HOMESCHOOL SHOW!!!"
"I'll be your host for today!"
"Let's get started right away."
"Today, we have a mother of three looking for the 
perfect math curriculum for her teenage son. Let's see
if any of our curriculums will win her heart today!" 
"Let's introduce you to our three contestants."
"Curriculum Number 1 is old fashioned, and enjoys simplicity". 
"Curriculum Number 2 enjoys art, and will "wow" you with color."
"Curriculum Number 3 loves high tech, and is self sufficient." 
"Now, lets get on with the show.... here is our contestant....
give her a warm welcome, ladies and gentleman!" 

"Hello, curriculums."
"Hello."  
"Hi-ya." 
"Hey."

"Curriculum Number 1, I'm looking for a curriculum that
is well within my price range. Would you be able to meet that need?" 
"Why, yes Mam. I offer a solid, no frills curriculum that is well
within your price range. I'm simple, but cover all that your 
child will need."
"That sounds nice, Curriculum Number 1. Thank-you."

"Curriculum Number 2, in addition to low cost, the Curriculum I'm 
looking for will also have good graphics and bright colors. Can you
offer this to me, Curriculum Number 2? 
"I sure can! Each page has wonderful graphics and bright colors. 
But it isn't over stimulating either. I can also offer the low price 
as well, Mam." 
"Oooh! I like the sound of that."

"Curriculum Number 3, I'm looking for a Curriculum that will 
be pretty self explanatory, as I have other children to teach as well.
Is this something you would be able to do for me?" 
"Mam, I can explain each new concept to the child, 
I can read each problem verbally, and your child can 
follow along by reading each problem as we go. 
I have the bright colors you're looking for, I won't be 
over stimulating, I promise I am just what you need. 
"Hmmm. Number 3, are you within my price range?"
"Uh, no mam, I'm afraid I am not. But, I do believe you will 
be happy if you chose me."

"Well, what will it be? Curriculum Number 1? Curriculum Number 2?
Or, Curriculum Number 3?" 
"Hmm, I think that I'm leaning towards Curriculum Number 2.
Curriculums, is there anything else that you can tell me about yourselves
that may be helpful in aiding my decision?" 

"Curriculum Number 1?"  "No, mam."
"Curriculum Number 2?" "No, none that I can think of."
"Ok, Curriculum Number 3?" 
"Yes, mam, I can offer something else that may aid your
decision making. I can also correct your child's work, keep 
track of his scores, and at the end of the year, when he's finished
with me, all you need to do is print out his scores for the year. 
No need to sit correcting pages and pages of problems. I can save
you lots of time. So, what do you say?" 

*Squeals with delight*
"I know what I want!" 
"Well then, will you choose Number 1? Number 2? Or Number 3?
"I want........ CURRICULUM NUMBER THREE! 
It's the curriculum of my dreams!" 
"Well, there you have it, folks! We'll see you again next time!"

So, this is kind of what it seems like when I'm ordering
curriculum for the new school year. Crazy? Yes.
But I wouldn't trade it for anything.