For the Lord is with them wherever they go....

It's the first day of school.  I tend to take on multiple personalities on the first day of school, so that what should be a relaxing day sometimes ends up an exhausting day.  Today I've got one boy beginning his last year in middle school, one boy beginning his first year in middle school and one boy venturing off to his third year of elementary school, but it will be his first year without a big brother's hand to hold on the way in the door.  I will drop them off and then make my annual phone call to my mom.  She will answer and we will sing the "Alleluia" chorus and she will know that all of my people are up and out. 

I will look around my empty house and I will find myself in a state of lonely euphoria.  I will sit still and listen to the silence and then it will get too quiet. One minute I will be giddy and singing aloud to myself and the next I will be frantically trying to figure out how I can make time slam on the brakes, back up and let me start this motherhood thing all over again.  One minute I'll grab a newly sharpened #2 pencil to start making a list of all the projects that I'll get done this year, all the while imagining the perfectly organized and clean house I'm about to have.  The next minute I'll decide that I should just get in bed and watch talk shows for awhile or sit on the porch and read a book.  I know that I'll end up driving by the playground to see if I can catch a glimpse of a little red-haired boy.  I know I will picture my newest middle schooler being swallowed up in the hallway by a river of giant adolescents and for a few minutes I will contemplate homeschooling.  I know that I will pray for my children and for their teachers and will try to use some kind of mama-telepathic-mind-power to send calm and confidence and compassion down the street, through the school doors and into the hearts of my boys. 

Then I'll realize that all the regular life stuff still needs to be done and doing all that regular life stuff will focus me for a bit:  laundry, school forms, banking, emails, scheduling, doctor appointment changing, dry cleaning runs, grocery store shopping, ironing, birthday present buying, toilet cleaning, etc.  But, before any of that, I will make sure that I read the following...maybe a few times today...especially when I start looking at the clock and tapping the table waiting to hear the doorknob turn and the backpacks slam to the floor and the voices yell, "Mom, I'm home and I'm starving!"

Entrust your loved ones to Me;  release them into My protective care.  They are much safer with Me than in your clinging hands.  If you let a loved one become an idol in your heart, you endanger that one - as well as yourself.  Remember the extreme measures I used with Abraham and Isaac.  I took Isaac to the very point of death to free Abraham from son-worship.  Both Abraham and Isaac suffered terribly because of the father's undisciplined emotions.  I detest idolatry, even in the form of parental love. 

When you release loved ones to Me, you are free to cling to My hand.  As you entrust others into My care, I am free to shower blessings on them.  My Presence will go with them wherever they go, and I will give them rest.  This same Presence stays with you, as you relax and place your trust in Me.  Watch to see what I will do.
-from Jesus Calling:  Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young

Happy School Year, Mommies... whether they are going away to Kindergarten, Middle School, High School, College or even if  they are staying at home with you, let's take a deep breath. Our God holds their hands even when we don't...even when we can't.  That is some really great news for us, so let's just lean into Him today and then go ahead and do a little happy dance.