Faith v. Pragmatism

Dave is currently ranked at 41 on the political register.

Calls for the August class will begin within the next few weeks, and they will invite around 20 people from the political register. Some people are on the Do Not Call List, and some people will turn down their invitation. Forty-one is within the realm of possibility for an invitation in August. I imagine the Do Not Call List will grow as the summer ends, and so even more within the realm of possibility for the September class.

We have prayed, and felt God's guidance on this entire process. It has seemed clear to both of us that the Foreign Service was the place God had in mind for Dave - this is his path. And August always seemed the best month, for so many reasons. Following our faith, we've been telling people we expect to move to DC this summer.

But God's not actually sending us emails - faith is essentially believing in what can not be known. And so we maintain our lease here in Shanghai, we enroll the girls in school here in Shanghai, and Dave certainly has not quit his job. None of these cost us anything. But as we come nearer to the dates we hope to move, the costs will pile up.

We paid 2,000 RMB as a non-refundable application fee for Sophia's preschool in Shanghai. Because Sophia is enrolled, we can wait on Lilly's application until mid-June - the sibling preference will enroll her immediately. Still, in mid-June we will pay another 2,000 RMB for Lilly's application.

We will be in town for the summer, and so we will join the pool. The pool doesn't accept summer memberships - its annual or nothing. And the pool doesn't accept monthly payments - its all at once. So, we will pay 10,888 RMB in mid-June to join the club.

That's 14,888 RMB in non-refundable cash we will invest in our life here in Shanghai by mid-June. Add to that the baby items we will ship from Grammy and Grandpa's basement, and we're investing about $2,500 in the possibility of staying in Shanghai. We have no choice on the school, and we have very little choice on the pool.

But here's where it gets tough.

I just spend an hour and a half on the phone with an amazing preschool in the DC area. This school has a national reputation, and a wait list "as long as her arm," according to the administrator I spoke with. This school would be a beautiful fit for our family, I believe. And they're holding the last 2 spots for our children.

Like many other things, this seems sent from heaven - another sign that we'll get into the August or September class. Luck doesn't find such a perfect fit, right?

But they're asking for $5,420.94 within 1 week.

I want to have faith that we'll go to DC in August, and I pray for it every night. But that faith is becoming pretty expensive. Probably prohibitively so.

I want to live out the faith that we'll go to DC in August, but does my faith actually make it more likely?

The Rest of the Story:
I will not pay the $5,000 this week, and so I will turn down the guaranteed spots at this, such an amazing school. But all is not lost. The school is growing, and waiting for zoning regulations to enroll about 10 more children. That zoning will not come until early fall. Possibly, this will be perfect timing - and God can work through things I can not yet see. He may still have a place for them at this school, and I will continue the conversations.

But the question still remains - when does living on faith become entirely unpragmatic?