I AM NOT Going to Discuss the Weather

Yesterday, The Girl had her first field trip. Yes, in pre-school they went out of the school to visit the juice store and also hit up a pumpkin patch, but this was going to be her first field trip that involved a bus trip, and more than just an hour. To say she was psyched was an understatement. I was excited for her too. I know how much she has been wanting to go somewhere on a school bus (I don't know where the fascination for the school bus ride came from, just that she REALLY wanted to ride one).

Much to her dismay, I signed up to be a chaperon.

I had no idea that I was that evil.

I guess she thought that if I came with her, she wouldn't get to ride on the bus. After explaining it all to her, she was OK with me joining in on the fun.

Have I mentioned yet, that after only a mere six weeks into the school year, I have completely ruined any chance that The Girl's teacher will ever think that I am a responsible, well put together parent?

Oh ya, I have blown it. She totally thinks I am a space case.

So to say that it was important to me to be on time and ready to go for this field trip, was a huge understatement. I was desperately trying to rebuild any hope of this woman thinking I was born with a brain.

So basically, I was running late.

And I forgot the memory card for my camera.

Oh, and I insisted on being the photographer for the day.

Yup.

As I was driving down a main road in our town, and hitting EVERY SINGLE RED LIGHT on the way, I was acting in a way that was, shall we say, completely out of control? I was (thankfully) given a gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit. The nudge was a conviction about whom I was trying to please. Was I more focused on trying to impress and change the perception of a teacher that I barely knew (completely out of pride, might I add), and in the meantime completely losing my mind, patience, and self-control (couple that with being completely unloving to the other people on the road)?

I absolutely was.

I was caught focusing on trying to please man more than trying to please God. Guess what happens when you get caught up in sin? You get no where.

Fast.

After this quick realization of what was going on, and a chance (at yet another red light) to confess, I safely arrived at The Girl's school.

The field trip had been canceled due to weather.

Yes, at first I was a little frustrated.

Then, I sat in the car for a second and tried to collect my thoughts and feelings. Here's what God showed to me:

1. I need not try to impress man (or woman/teacher). Fix my gaze on Him, and the rest will fall into place.

2. He is in control. He knows the beginning and the end. There was no need for those lights to be green, or for me to not listen to my son's story (which had added to my tardiness), He knew the trip was going to be canceled anyway. In the meantime, my son felt like he was heard, and my life (as well as someone else, probably) was saved due to the fact that I had to keep slowing down, and paying closer attention to the road because of all the traffic and red lights.

3. Despite my sin, He continued/s to love me and bless me in that:
a. I get another chance to plan my morning out, and hopefully not be so tardy
b. I get another chance to remember my memory card
c. My daughter didn't have to be out on the road, in a bus, with no safety restraints, in questionable weather.
d. I didn't have to pretend like I was having a great time when in fact I would have been on edge (trying to impress the teacher), frustrated/flustered, and cold/wet/freezing to death.
e. I was caught red-handed in my sin, and was given the courage/opportunity to confess it freely, and then given love, grace, and forgiveness.


You'll be happy to know, my day turned around after that.