I have overcome the World

It happened. I knew it would eventually, in one form or another, but I wasn't quite expecting it to be this way, about something so vital to my getting to India. I messed up horribly, laughably.

I know very well that something always goes wrong when you travel. You never know when or where the trouble will strike, but you know it will. Why? Well, that's simple. We plan too much. We like to have all of our ducks in a neat little row. No one wants one of the ducks to stray, to forget something or come accross an issue without being completely ready to tackle it. In my case, I definitely forgot something and wasn't ready to tackle the problem, certainly not so close to leaving!

This all happened this past Monday. I actually debated even bringing it up on here, partly because I'm embarrassed and partly because I wanted this blog to be about all of the best parts of my trip. But that would be doing all of you a great disservice. It's even more important that I talk about all parts of my trip. Like everyone else, I make mistakes. Sometimes they're funny, sometimes they're causal mistakes that lead to huge roadblocks, but I can't deny you those tasty morsels of fail and adventure. This is a learning experience for all of us, and I want you to learn right along with me, so here we go.

I filled out the application for my visa on Monday. It may seem really late to have done that, but the Indian visa is only good for six months and goes into effect on date of issue. Since I'm going to be there for five months, I wanted to make sure I was within that time frame that would allow the visa to get me back into the U.S. at the end of my trip, so I was good on that end. Everything went swimmingly, and I printed it off and read the directions for sending it in the mail... and my stomach plummeted. I'm required to send in a copy of my driver's license. No big deal, right? For anyone else, you are so correct. I, however, neglected to change the address on my driver's license back to my home address after I moved from my apt... back in April. Because it takes the mail-in application 7 to 10 days to process, I didn't want to run the risk that they'd send it back because the addresses didn't correlate, and run out of time. "No big deal", I thought to myself, and ran over to the DOT to get my license updated over the lunch period. One very, very long wait later (seriously: they need to delegate separate lines according to reason for visit there, because their current method is time-appropriate for NO one... anyone feel me on this?), I received... a temporary, paper license. My real license, I found out, would be sent to me in the mail. "Ok, don't worry. Not a big deal", I thought to myself. Upon returning to work, I called the Indian consulate in Chicago to find out if a copy of the temporary license would suffice. "Absolutely not." was the reply. Crap. How long would it take my license to get here? I called the DOT to find out. Correct answer: 20 TO 30 DAYS.

Heart attack.

In case you don't remember, I leave on the third of February. This happened on the third of January. That's 31 days. I admit I got just a little worried at that point. There is little chance I will receive the license in time to send the visa application in the mail. I have one choice left to me: make an appointment and go to the Indian consulate in Chicago to apply for my visa in person. I have to make sure I get there right when it opens so I have a better chance of receiving it that day, thought it's not guaranteed. It might make two days.

The prayers started falling like waterfalls out of my lips.

So, here's what I'm going to do. When I get within the timeframe of being able to make a reservation for an appointment, I'm going to make one for the Monday before I leave, which is on a Friday (unless, of course, I magically receive my license much sooner, in which case I'll go sooner). The weekend before I leave I plan on going to see my brother Martin in Michigan, as I haven't been able to make it out there since he moved. On the way back, I can stop in Chicago and get this all completed and be good to go.

And now, I'm pretty calm. I think there was a great propensity for me to freak out and handle this wrongly, but I really believe I did the best I could. I've looked at all aspects of the problem I created, went through it step by step and came up with a viable solution that will still get me to India on time. I have no doubt that I will be able to get my visa and get on that plane on the third. I've found this whole situation highly ironic, as I talked heavily in my last post about how circumstances change on us and how we must have a great reliance upon God when we can't understand or control happenings in our lives. It's almost like God saw that and said, "Ok, let's test you out on this."

Even though I'm still in this current hiccup, I've found peace and understanding with my situation and am affecting an even greater foundation on the one who is my Rock. This whole situation has turned out to be a blessing, as they are often wont to do, because of that. Now, I actually feel even more prepared for my trip because even though I don't have it all worked out and will make mistakes, I stand firm in the power of God's hand in my life and over my journey. This has been a great re-centering exercise for me. I pray that you've been able to identify with an area of struggle like this in your own life, and that you find yourself willing and able (btw: you are always able, but not always willing) to let God take control of the things you've messed up, or can't control yourself. Grasp onto that reliance and don't let go. Somehow, fantastically, things will start to get better and your situation won't seem quite so bad anymore. You find yourself capable of doing what you need to do when you weren't able to just a little bit ago and then (and this is the best part!), you get to bring the joy you feel back around and praise God for his steadfast faithfulness. We're all going to fall down, mess things up and make life more difficult, but no one ever said life was easy to begin with. That doesn't change the fact that your whole life is an opportunity to get back up and serve others, love, forgive and grow, and to rely on God when you can't do it yourself.

John 16:33 - "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Peace,

Aaron