I had a dream I was a truck driver. Not like my husband’s truck- a snazzy, souped-up Silverado. No, this was a true tracker trailer, with 18 wheels, and lots of heavy stuff being carried. The incredible irony to this sleepy situation is my deathly fear of trucks on the highway. I actually have severe hand sweat and clench my teeth when passing them on any road.

But in my dream- I was crazy confident, cautious, and even calm while carrying all that heavy stuff through high hills and deep valleys.

I think I am supposed to learn something here…

Back to the “Back to School” grind- and I’m far from calm. Rather, a full on mess of supply lists, hunting down the allusive knee-high 100% cotton, but not-too scratchy, ( and “No, Mom- I did not throw out the other one in the trash over the summer”, or “I have NO idea how those got huge holes in the toes, must have been while I wore them to play in the street every night at the beach”) uniform socks in an impossible shade of blue , Ubering to pre-season tryouts, answering emails and signing up for things, trolling the internet for deals on lunchboxes that are cute, but not too cute for teens, but somehow still have a mature, high-school version of Hello Kitty on them…I’m seriously exhausted just typing this.

Am I alone?

There’s a deafening silence here, so Im going to use my imagination and pretend theres a huge auditorium of tired moms with coffee stains on their shirts and hands being raised!

I feel you, ladies. I really do.

Do I have any answers?

Oh, how I wish.

But, in true form of why I started this blog over 10 years ago- I will share a little of what I have learned in hopes of helping others. <3

In Church the other day while in the “quiet room,” which is more like a panic room with not-so-soundproof police glass, I managed to hear a few words from the sermon.

The priest said, “Obedience is like Faith with legs.” Oooo. I like that, I thought. I began pondering that statement and really wanted to hear what he said next, but was quickly brought back to the reality of my situation when Riley slung a full bottle of milk across the not-so-quiet room at MLB-pitcher speed. I retrieved the weapon, apologized profusely, and began pondering the age old question of “Why did God make babies so freakishly strong?”

Alas- back to the priest.

I really do love that idea: Faith with Legs…

We talked more about it on the way home in the car and the older girls were incredibly enlightened by the comment also. We spoke of how “biblical obedience” was all done quickly. No one, after being called by God, summoned by Jesus, or asked by an angel, took a quick shower and skirted into Starbucks before getting on the road. They just DID IT. They dropped everything, without reason or thought, and followed. Well, not everyone. I do love the cautionary tale of good ol’ Jonah…

There is so much to learn from this and I think we underestimate the power of “obey, right away.” That’s where the HUGE piece of faith comes in. Not after we’ve examined all the possibilities, mapped out the potential courses, printed things out, cross checked, and have a real game plan. It’s doing all of it blindly.

Now, what on earth does this have to do with Back to School?

Everything.

If having a foundation in faith is brought alive by obedience, there is true peace in it. God isn’t going to ask something of you that He hasn’t already cross checked, mapped out, and really thought through. And He’s God. His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. They are better. Always. But they don’t always make sense to us, and it’s not always crystal clear.

So, I am going to use my imagination again and pretend I heard what came next in the sermon. Obedience IS faith with legs. But in a world where we think more is better, ( more sign ups, more sports teams, more school supplies, more suppers on the go, )it’s also sometimes just staying still.

So, obedience is going AND staying?

Yes. And we need God’s wisdom to know the difference.

There will be times when following God’s voice will look like picking up your running shoes and joining a race. ( sometimes, even running the opposite way!) And there will be times when following His voice looks like putting things down down for a minute, or even a whole season.

Just ask Him what He wants of you.

We’re not meant to always know the difference, and we’re certainly not meant to do it alone.

So, dear friends- this school year: with a high-schooler, two middle schoolers, a toddler in Pre-K, and a mobile little one-year-old, I am choosing to let Jesus Take the Wheel. And not to be a bickering backseat driver, telling him my perfect plans and hopes and desired snack stops. But to try to fully trust in His love for me, my girls, and our lives. His roads, His detours, His destinations.

And you know what? The more I think back to that tracker trailer dream…I guess it wasn’t me driving after all. <3