Holding Pattern

image from :  http://safeintheshadow.blogspot.com/2011/08/holding-pattern.html

holding pattern - a state of inaction with no progress and no change;

I was talking with my sister last night and I referenced the fact that life felt like it had been in a bit of a holding pattern because two years ago we had decided that Kristen's school was an important thing we really did want to do and that our other life choices, (behind God and family) was going to be subjugated to that priority.  I explained that I felt that we were coming out of that time because now we were asking ourselves..."What is next?".  Up to this semester, we had not needed to ask that question.  But now, we are 14 weeks away from Kristen's graduation and that question is actually looming very large for us.

As I spent a little time thinking about holding patterns though, I think it was only partially accurate.  Based on the definition that I pulled from a website up above, we definitely were not in a place in our life with no change or inactivity.  We were even making progress, however, it was really only visible in the kids ages and in Kristen's class number.  It could appear we had been in a holding pattern because we have been doing essentially the same thing for the last 2 years:  Kristen and the kids are in school, I am working and doing ministry and everything else is as we can fit it in.  

So, now with a mere 14 weeks left, things have an opportunity to change.  That is both scary and exciting.  

What is our bigger life goals and how does the next step fit into those plans?

Has God been using this time to prepare us for something particular?

How do we line up personal, professional, familial, financial and all  other goals together?

And so on...

When we had made the decision to do school, that set us on a direction and we really became very reactive in life to everything else.  Now, we have to become proactive, because reactive will no longer help us towards any goals...it will simply keep us in a true holding pattern.  So, to continue the analogy...we need to figure out which runway we are landing on, or if we are re-fueling in mid-air and which way we are going, quickly.  We have 14 weeks of "fuel" left and the pilot and co-pilot better figure this out real quick.