Slower Boat to China

Yesterday we received another email from our agency, saying that now the referral time for China adoptions is 21 months. Meaning this: Our LID (Log In Date = the day our paperwork was registered in China) is January 12, 2006. Referral time = the time from the LID date to the day we get a phone call, email, etc.. saying “here’s your daughter’s name, birthdate, info, etc…” So, a 21-month referral time now means the earliest we can expect our referral is October. Yep. (Oh, and the referral times are expected to lengthen more….) After receiving referrals, families normally travel within 6-8 weeks to China.

But, things could change. That’s what we’re told… it’s remotely possible that in the next couple of months, things could speed up. Remotely possible. Remotely.

So here are the scenarios.
1. “Remotely” happens. Referrals speed up, and we travel to China in 2007 still…
2. Referrals remains at 21 months, but travel approval comes quickly and we travel in 2007.
3. Referrals remains at 21 months, but travel approval takes 8 or more weeks (Christmas is in there), and we travel at the beginning of 2008.
3. Referrals continue to lengthen and we travel sometime in 2008.

If the slow boat to China shipwrecks and we need further scenarios… then we’ll have to get creative.

In His Time?

In His Time. I don’t like that phrase. God’s time, of course, is what I’m talking about here. In God’s Time.. In His Time. There are songs about it. There are platitudes about it. People say it to me on occasion, when trying to reassure me that I’m learning my patience lessons during this time of waiting for a child… it’s all God’s timing. The implication, of course, is that everything that goes wrong or right is because of God’s time. It’s not about life happening…. people messing up, choices made by us or others that negatively affect us or others…it’s not about the fact that sometimes life just sucks. It’s all about God’s timing. That’s my struggle with God’s Timing Theology.

I am a firm believer in God working in bad situations. I believe that God can create order out of chaos, good out of bad, and that we can find the positive in the negative. But is everything God’s timing? Hurricane Katrina, the homeless man who just can’t get a job to pay consistent rent, the tsunami, tragic and sudden deaths that leave kids mother-less, the friend who can’t get a break, the woman who’s had repeated surgeries on her legs and hips because of rheumatoid arthiritis and because of some surgeries not working well the first time… years of waiting for a child….. I have seen (you probably have to) too many situations where those involved question what the heck God is doing, allowing bad stuff to happen over and over and over and over again. God’s timing? I hope not.

And yet, I’ve seen and experienced situations which have prompted me to say, “God’s timing was perfect…” So how do I reconcile this? I don’t know.

What I do know is this: God is present in our lives. How? Not so sure. Sometimes it’s obvious, other times we have to really look. But I believe in God’s faithful presence, in good times and bad. I believe that God does work good out of tough situations. And I believe that God cringes with us when others tell us “In God’s timing, you’ll see, everything will turn out fine.”

from the dogs

Cathy is way too busy these days. She hasn’t spent nearly as much time on the floor with us as we’d like. Luckily Grandma and Grandpa Erickson were here this weekend, so we got some good attention. And our friend Jen was over a bit this past week.

Today Cathy volunteered at Art Fair on the Square; yesterday she volunteered at Art Fair Off the Square, though she didn’t do much, apparently. (yesterday) Today she reported seeing some friends at the Fair, so that was fun. We wish she had taken us. We overheard her telling Jim that there were other dogs there, even though they’re supposedly not allowed. Hengh. She could have hid us under her information table.

Ok, that’s all for now, except the above photo of us dogs having some recent fun.

And Steve, Cathy said this one’s for you..

Abby (the golden) and Entropy (the anatolian)

blog burst

Preached at Covenant Harbor. Love Harbor. Saw Laurel. Was on staff with Laurel eons ago. Thanks, Kar, for the invite. Thanks, those who came and listened. Thanks, to those who encouraged me afterwards. Saw Emily. I was her first camp counselor. Pretty fun. Saw friends from Sweden. Hung with the Hinz/Boring/Norman/Deasy group for afternoon. Loved it.

Last week, Devil’s Lake: 4 kids, 8 adults, 3 dogs, 3 cars. Awesome time. Abby swam to point of exhaustion. Kaya swam a bit. Entropy–cinnamon bun tail popping out of the water, so cute. Jen fished. Kids played. Good food. Hiked to see the sunset over the lake. Loads o’ fun.

Cubs doing slightly better. Lost yesterday. Oh well. My man Carlos Marmol might be the new closer?

Church is good. Lots to do. Everyone has lots to do. No news there.

Friends from Jamestown came over for lunch/afternoon on Tuesday. Lots of fun. Jo Ann came Tuesday afternoon… still here. Also lots of fun.

M&M movie night, we watched “Return to Me“. Good movie. Hysterical old men. Interesting plot, and somewhat thought-provoking. Then Jo Ann and I watched “The Pursuit of Happyness“. Also interesting, though slow-moving. Interesting afterwards to compare (online) the movie version with the real-life version.

Concerts on the Square last night. Blankets down by 4:15 pm.. good spot. Walked to Memorial Union for ice cream. Back to the square by 6:30 for our Asian salad picnic, iced coffee, talking… listen to the music. Good time.

Nice day today. Cooler. Not too hot. Gotta go write sermon. Trying to make my links appear brighter. Not working so well. Oh well.

And, Happy 10th anniversary to Jim and me. Today.