Can I Really Believe It?

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
James 1:2-4 (ESV)


Today was supposed to have been a day of finality for me and my wife and our youngest son. It was suppose to be the day we got our visas for China. That would mean we all had passports, visas and plane tickets to go see our son David and his family. That's what today was suppose to be. But that is not what today turned out to be.

I was up at 4:45am, at the train station in Windsor Locks, CT at 5:45am, on my way to NYC aboard an Amtrak train at 6:02am, and on my way walking to the Chinese consulate on 12th Avenue at 9:30am.

I arrived at the consulate 10:10am and found a line out the door. Here is the view looking down 42nd Street outside the Chinese consulate.


When I got inside I had to go through a screening not unlike an airport. That's when I found out the consuate didn't like me carrying a pocket knife (oops!). Following that little misunderstand-ing I got inside and found a long and winding line that led to the seats. They wouldn't let me take a picture to show you (they were really no fun in the consulate). I spent an hour waiting to see a consulate officer who would look over my three visa applications. When it was my turn she took one look at my visa application and told me I needed the names and numbers of the hotels I would be staying at. I tried to explain we didn't know those yet since we haven't made reservations yet (our son is taking care of that for us since he speaks Chinese and knows Beijing better than we do) but she didn't want to talk with me about it. The form asked for the information and no explanation would suffice. Never mind I had traveled 3 and 1/2 hours by train, walked for 40 minutes to get there, then stood and sat in line for another hour to speak with her. I was offically out the door and should return when I had the required information, then get back in the line all over again. I left and called my wife back in Windsor Locks. I asked her to call the kids in China and see if she could get the hotel information. After four attempts to reach them (it was about 11:30pm their time in China and we were calling on Skype on the computer) we decided I should return to Windsor Locks and try again tomorrow. While I was waiting I did walk over to the Hudson River, sight of the recent US Airways plane crash, and saw the USS Intrepid, shown below.

When I found out Barb couldn't reach the kids, I walked back to Penn Station, which is located under Madison Square Garden in NYC, and bought a return ticket to Windsor Locks. The earliest train I could catch was a 3:30pm departure arriving back in Windsor Locks at 6:22pm.
I then went out and got some lunch and made some calls to family and friends (Goose, Barb and Josh).

Once lunch was over I returned to Penn Station and did some people watching and reading until it was time to get back on the train for home.

Tomorrow I will make the $100 commute all over again with new visa applications. I spoke with the kids on Skype and got the required information to fill out new Visa applications. But I am left wondering exactly what James and the Lord had in mind for me to learn today. It wasn't a fun lesson, I can tell you that. I sure hope I can use what I learned when I return tomorrow? Check back and find out!