A long Wait

I arrived at the passport office today at 7:00AM! The office opened at 7:30 and it was a cold Monday morning. I thought that this would be a perfect time to go and take care of my passport. I headed down there with as much information as I could. I had some expectations about what I could and couldn't get done and the timeframes.

Recently, the US changed their rules about flying and you now need a passport, therefor there is a backlog.

As I came around the corner I was faced with a lineup....... a HUGE lineup.

When they opened the doors at 7:30 there were about 250 people in line in FRONT of me!!!! I couldn't believe it.

We did what any Canadian would do... banded together comrades in arms who had braved the cold to be in this place, laughed chatted, read our books and held in our frustration. I had a book (hardcover is a bad choice), a Magazine, my laptop and an empty bladder! I had prayed and given this time to God.

I am not a fan of lineups at the best of times, but this was nightmarish! Finally, at about 10:30 (that's right folks- 3.5 hours) I got IN THE DOOR. Then you go and wait.

This was a VERY trying time for me. There are a few things I don't like: wrong information, lineups, changes in a plan for really important stuff, and not being able to influence or find a creative way to get things done- I have learned that there is almost always another way!

I had done a lot of research on the website about requirements and options and expediting things along. My travel agent had told me not to book anything until I had my passport- which totally makes sense.

Here's what happened: first I had to call work and take 1/2 day emergency time-because I was this far I wasn't going to give up now!

As i get into the office and I am standing at the pre-screeners, she asks when I am planning to travel, when I told her she asked if I had proof I was travelling at that time. When I told her "No" she said that given the fact that I didn't have a ticket bought there would be no way to guarantee I would get my passport on time.

My response "WHO BUYS A TICKET FOR A FLIGHT THEY NEED A PASSPORT FOR WHEN THERE IS A BACKLOG AND NO GUARANTEES THAT THEY WILL HAVE A PASSPORT????" (I didn't yell- I just wanted to make my point in print!!!)

So I go and wait, and wait, and wait some more.

When I am finally served the officer at the wicket tells me a LONGER time frame than the pre-screener and we go through the same conversation.

At this point I am thinking "If I had known that, I would have spent the last 5 HOURS finding a trip and would have bought it online while I was waiting!!!!!!"

I tell her I want to pay the extra and expedite the passport- she says that they are not offering that anymore. I tell her I want to not have it mailed but go and pick it up (as I had seen 500 people do) , she said that they don't do that anymore!!!!!

The director decided last week that they couldn't handle the volume!!!

There was no sympathy, no empathy no NOTHING!!!!
She gave me a 1-800 # to track the status of my application. That would be great except I stood in line with a lady who had just stood in line BECAUSE SHE HAD CALLED 50 times last week and couldn't get through, but couldn't bear the thought of leaving her 6 year old son behind when they travelled to Disney THIS SATURDAY!!!!


So based on USELESS information, I have a USELESS ph# to track a passport that I might or might not get before I need it, but if I do happen to get it, there might not be space on the trip I want to take.

SUPER!!!!

Here's the kicker....... the ONLY reason I am even in need of a passport is because I am exhausted and STRESSED out!!!! This isn't helping.

So I have submitted my application and all I can do is wait-not my best quality :-)

As the day has gone by, I am beginning to wind down from the emotion... I am beginning to see how God is using this extreme SANDBLASTING moment to refine me... I am not gonna lie to you... it hurts and I hate it!

So now I reset my expectations, put on my thinking cap and come up with a contingency plan.

What is God going to do in this? He can-and will cause good to come out of this.

I was struck again at how often we do what we think is the "right" thing, and we step out in faith and perseverance. Occasionally though, things are not waht we expect. And honestly, if this is the worst I have to deal with this week, month, or year... really.

The scripture came to mind this evening.. "when you have done all that you can, stand"