Oh! I Know! I’ll Take The Kids To Tennessee By Myself!

I am sitting in a hotel room. My three children are supposed to be asleep. Uh, yeah. I can hear the giggling and occasional punch being thrown in the “bedroom” part of our suite.

My husband has a major thing for work for the next seven days. It will keep him so busy and he has so much to do that his parents suggested we meet in Tennessee for a little reunion. This would give Hugh the extra time he needs to work.

I could drive up with my children! We could go to Cracker Barrel and sleep in a hotel! I can just throw an extra change of clothes in a bag and hit the road! What a great idea!

So I thought I could have a great attitude. But as I threw things in the minivan this morning, I could feel myself getting more and more tense. What if my children have melt-downs the entire trip and don’t sleep? What if I can’t assert myself in front of my husband’s family with things like bedtime and sugary snacks? Why am I doing this?

Here is my answer: I have no idea. I’ve just made up my sofa bed in my suite at the American Classic Inn. My feet hurt and I’ve yelled at my children a lot. (And I really don’t yell at them very much. I promise.) I can feel my crankiness about to explode all over my hotel room wall that is decorated with a framed picture of a cardinal perched on a wagon wheel.

How can I find the peace of God in this situation? (See, I really blog just for me. To compel myself to find the Lord in every aspect of my daily life. To push my heart to find His face and hear His voice, even on the sofa bed without my husband).

O-kay. Before I left this morning I read in Galatians for a while. Let’s see…(I’m actually grabbing it as I write… Blog Live tonight, friends)… Wait a second, my daughter is peeing in a pot because her baby sister is asleep in a Pack ‘n Play in the bathroom.

All right. Galatians. Of course. 5:22, Lord.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…”

So if the Holy Spirit can produce this kind of fruit in my life, He can do it anywhere. Even on a road trip three hundred miles away from home without my husband. I just need to focus on the Lord’s truth instead of letting my circumstances overwhelm me. He is here with me. He can fill me RIGHT NOW. I will go and meditate on this verse. I will write it out and claim it over my heart this night and for this trip.

So, Holy Spirit, I surrender to you in this moment. Come and fill me with Your fruit in every situation. Let me bear much fruit so that I can glorify the name of Jesus wherever I am. I love you. AMEN.