Bittersweet Graduation

We spent a year in California...and as many know we enjoyed our time here.  However, the main goal of this move was for Michael to complete a language course for the military.  He worked so hard all year in his Farsi course.  We just assumed his hard work would end with a graduation from the course with flying colors.  No one involved in his coursework was more surprised to find out that he was not able to complete the test with proficiency!

I suppose we could just ignore the elephant in the closet and not talk about our disappointment in our last hours in California; however, this blog is an important witness to our faith in God...our trust that HE knows what is best for us.  We might not understand why things happen and I will be the first to admit that God did not make this happen...BUT we DO know that God is here for us...even in our disappointment.

I truly think that it was a combination of events that happened that could have town down anyone...especially some one not rooted in their trust in God.  SO...I thought I should go back and tell the story.

The week before graduation...with all the moving and plans when we returned home...their was a tension in the air.  Everyone was on pins and needles to find out the final results of the tests.  We had been warned that even someone who did well in the course could struggle with the final tests for proficiency.  In a crazy turn of events...the test date was changed...this added more stress to the end.

Then on the day our brave leader found out his results several other things happened as well.  Within an hour of each other...we found out he would not have his job when we returned (his company had lost their contract and had not procured another one!)...he failed to meet proficiency requirements...he would not be able to stay an additional six weeks to obtain proficiency (money had ran out for military unit back home) and the closing date for our new house was pushed back to the following week!

We went from worry about our move...to worry about where we were going in seconds!

And to add to this...I was at our house with the children...and he was at school and could not talk to me more than the few seconds to tell me about this downward spiral!  Just a few miles from each other but it felt like a widening abyss!  He would not answer his phone or texts for hours!

So...I prayed!  I gathered the children and we prayed more!  And while I was worried for his emotions, he was actually at school praying also!

And then a peace came over us and we knew that God had this entire situation under control!

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10

I sent out a post to family and friends and asked them to pray for us.  No one (other than my mom) what was happening.  Maybe if you are reading this now, and remember that we asked for prayers, you thought it was just for the stress of the move.  But we felt God in our lives and we knew it would all be OK in the end.

Casting the whole of your care on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 1 Peter 5:7

Michael came home and we took the time to go out for our planned family pictures at the beach.  What we thought was going to be a celebration for him was a little more subdued but we were given a special gift that night in the beautiful surroundings of the beach and the glorious sunset with the extra large moon coming up over the mountains!  Again, we felt a peace...we knew that a God who could create such an amazing landscape...set the oceans in a cycle of tides and waves...create a universe so magnificent...would help us through our struggles!

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.  So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.  Let the oceans roar and foam.  Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!” - Psalm 46: 1-3

We went through the next week trying to decide what to do...

We signed on our house a week late...no job in sight but with savings in the bank, we knew we could do this.  We felt blessed to have the savings to keep afloat until a new job presented itself.  Looking forward...the job did come...not until the end of July but we were able to make it work.

I suppose we could have bowed out of the graduation ceremony...walk away with our tails tucked between our legs or hidden in the shadows.  However, we had spent the last year encouraging each other and we were proud of all that everyone had accomplished...even Michael.  We arrived on graduation day ready to celebrate the moment with everyone else.  This struggle would make us stronger.  We would persevere with God's help.

And, Michael has not given up...he plans to take the test again in the fall and be ready to have that paper showing he is in fact proficient in Farsi.  I hope I will be able to update this story with that news at that time.

God is good all the time!  No amount of stress will deny this truth!