Back to School (Never have liked those words)

Another school year has begun. You know how to tell that another school year has begun? Well, if you have kids that are high school age or under, and you are not homeschooling them, you have probably spent way more money than your budget would allow, paying for school supplies, school clothes, school shoes, and school related expenses. If you don’t know what “school related expenses” are, you don’t have kids, or your kids are too young for you to have that experience. I advise you now, to go to a friend with school age kids and get informed. Do it now! Start a second bank account. Don’t get caught by surprise! Depending on how many kids you have, you might be out on the street corner right now, begging for someone to sell you their slightly used lunch boxes and backpacks. You might be digging under seat cusions and in ash trays to see if you have enough money to buy a 59 cent, extra large McDonald’s coke, that you intend to share with your various offspring (except the very gross, slobbery, straw biting one, only mom will share with that kid).
Another way to tell that a new school year is underway, is the traffic. What? You haven’t noticed the traffic change? Then you must live far from any school campus. You probably have a neighbor that owns livestock. You cannot feel my pain (except maybe on days that the circus comes to town.) I wish it was the circus that had come to town, but no, it is just the adrenaline charged, tardy bell driven, overwrought parents, driving their precious cargo to centers of learning, drama, and peer pressure, otherwise known as school.
This traffic is sure to cause me great distress. I talk to the other drivers. I try to reason with them. I even tried a little behind the wheel traffic directing today, but it was to no avail. Morning traffic, on the way to all the schools (I have kids at 3 schools now.) makes me crazed. Not half-crazed! Fully Crazed! I had to pray for patience today… Out loud… with the accompanying deep breaths. Maybe you deal with bad traffic every day, I usually only have to do that when school is in session. My dear husband, Jason handles most of the tricky driving during the summer.
Weblog friends, let’s all take a moment to breathe. Let all the stress of the day lift off of you. Give your burdens to God. He can handle them, the empty wallets and checkbooks, the driver’s fatigue, the homework assault, give it all to him. Ask him for help in dealing with it in a way that brings life and peace and goodness to those around you. Let’s stop poisoning our environment with our lousy attitudes and foul, grouchy words. We are made in the image of God. We are co-heirs with Jesus. Let’s start behaving in ways that reflect that truth. Let’s love one another as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. Remember to do this every day. Even when it is the height of the most stressful part of the year, we are made in God’s image. Are we living as a reflection of his Glory and goodness? I don’t think I have been. Especially not in traffic.
Heavenly Father, Let your kingdom come and let your will be done, on Earth, in my car, at school, at home, and wherever we go, as it is done in Heaven. Amen.

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