One fine December 26th day, God moved
my husband and me from pastoring Bonita Springs First Baptist Church in Florida
to Valier First Baptist Church in Illinois.
In the ensuing weeks we proceeded
to get moved in to the new parsonage; change banks, addresses and insurance
companies; and to get a new tag for our van and driver's licenses for each of
us.
Since most of our mail is sent in
my husband's name, I had a bit of trouble proving my new address. Once I jumped
that hurdle, I went to the driver's office again and discovered that the copy
of my birth certificate that I used all my life was no longer valid.
Therefore, I came home and sent
an envelope stuffed full of paperwork proving that I am me, along with a check
to pay for the new birth certificate, to the New Jersey office of birth records.
An envelope came in the mail a
few weeks later, with no birth certificate and a request for a copy of my driver's
license. Too funny, right? Since I could not get an Illinois driver's license
without a valid New Jersey birth certificate.
I took a chance and remailed all
of the paper work along with a copy of my Florida driver's license; and a few
weeks later, my crisp new birth certificate, sporting the raised seal that the driver's
license office wanted to see, came in the mail.
Grabbing my briefcase, we headed
down to the office to discover that there were 25 people ahead of me and the
estimated wait time was 2.5 hours.
We left the office for the third
time in seven months and my husband recommended that we leave my paperwork in
the glove compartment of the car, so we could drop in to the office when there
were fewer people in line, which I did.
Over the next few days, we drove
by the office on the way to nursing home and hospital visits to see our church
family members.
One day, there were very few cars
in the parking lot, so we took a chance. There were only five people ahead of
me and we giggled in delight.
When the clerk called my number,
I proudly proceeded to the counter and showed off my starched new birth
certificate and all my other paperwork to the smiling emissary of the
government.
She said, "This is all good.
Now I just need your current Florida driver's license." I hung my head and
started to cackle. She stared at me in shock, and I had to admit that I left
home without my purse that morning and I did not have my current license.
Well, of course, she could not
help me, and I had to leave the office yet again without my new license; with
the promise of returning another day when I had all my little ducks lined up in
a straighter row.
We shared a good laugh as we
proceeded to the closest nursing home on our rounds. I'm beginning to wonder
why I even need a driver's license since I rarely drive…but it's that rare day for
which I am planning ahead. I live to try again another day.
God is so funny sometimes,
thwarting our human efforts to supply our own needs, so that we will rely
solely on Him to work out everything in His perfect timing and for our ultimate good.
Stay tuned for … the rest of the
story!!! …kat
