I Hate Waiting

One of my favorite all-time movies is "The Princess Bride". It's a great movie. It has everything: swordplay, horses, great one-liners, horses, good and bad guys, horses, true love (or for you pastors out there, "twoo wuv", and of course, horses. And I was thinking about a particular scene in this movie this afternoon as I was unpacking groceries. It's the scene where Westley (W: the man in black) and Inigo Montoya (I: the sword fighting Spaniard) are talking while Westley is hanging by his hands from the Cliffs of Insanity, and he's trying to climb up. Inigo is at the top, looks down at Westley and says:

I: Hello there! (pause) Slow going?

W: Look, I don’t mean to be rude but this is not as easy as it looks, so I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t distract me.

I: Sorry.

W: Thank you. (long pause)

I: I don’t suppose you can speed things up?

W: If you’re in such a hurry you could lower a rope or a tree branch or find something useful to do.

I: I could do that. I’ve got some rope up here, but I do not think you would accept my help, since I am only waiting around to kill you.

W: That does put a damper on our relationship.

I: But, I promise I will not kill you until you reach the top.

W: That’s very comforting, but I’m afraid you’ll just have to wait.

I: I hate waiting. (pause) I could give you my word as a Spaniard!

W: No good! I’ve known too many Spaniards.

I: Isn’t there any way you trust me?

W: Nothing comes to mind.

I: I swear on the soul of my father Domingo Montoya, you will reach the top alive.

W: Throw me the rope.

Now, why was I thinking about this particular scene today? Well, if you haven't guessed by the title of my blog, its because I hate waiting. But right now that's just what God wants me to do in reference to Carl and me buying a farm.

You see, we went to the bank today and spoke to a lender who specializes in ag land, and he said that while we have good credit and decent equity, we don't have enough to buy 80 acres. The lender said we have enough to buy maybe 40 (or less) but right now 80 is out of the question. So I won't be the owner of that beautiful, perfect farm. However, there was some good news. The lender knows of a place that the bank manages for a trust, and the owner is interested in selling the part of the land with the building site, and he's going to look into that for us. He also told us that if we found out who the buyer of the 80 acres was, maybe we could ask that person if they'd be willing to sell us a chunk of the property, and the bank could help us finance that. So now I have to wait. I hate waiting.

But at least God is throwing me a rope.

P.S. When I've been out to look over the 80 acre parcel, I've taken my dog with me, and it's a comfort to know that whoever buys it has already received, free of charge, two small areas of poochie fertilizer. Watch where you step!