Are we there yet?

Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. "

Today we went on a road trip. “We” included me and my 3 girls Joy, Groovy, and Hope. My dogs seem to have a sixth sense for knowing when I am packing up for a road trip. The whining starts, the circling starts, the pacing starts….nobody wants to be left behind! Well, except maybe for 8 year old Joy, who is old enough to know all that a road trip entails, but she still chooses to come along anyway. Typically, when I finish loading the van and it is time to get the dogs, the basement door is opened and out comes the herd. They race to the van with tails a wagging. Everyone is excited to go somewhere, anywhere, with Mom. “YEAH! Where are we going, Mom?! This is going to be fun! Thanks for taking us with!”

Not 5 minutes down the road, my one and a half year old Hope girl begins to “quiver” and her memory is jogged as to the last road trip. “Oh, I feel nauseous. This road is bumpy. What have I done? Are we there yet, Mom?” Two year old Groovy lasts a little longer and then smashes her pitiful little face against the crate door and stares at me. “Mom, can I come out of this crate and sit on your lap? I’d really feel much safer in your arms. Please? Oh, and are we there yet?” Joy…well, she’s been on enough of these “rides”. She fixes her bed just so and hunkers down for the long haul. She has learned time goes faster when you sleep and let Mom drive. With a little extra consoling, the 3 girls settle in and rest....for a while.

Every couple hours, the “Are we there yet?” routine repeats. Hope sits up, quivers and shakes, whines, and then wonders why in the world she wanted to go on this road trip to begin with. Groovy gives her pitiful pout and then begs and pleads for release from her “prison” so she can see where we are going. Joy…well, she just sighs and returns to her sleeping…she has long surrendered to the fact that it is best to just let Mom drive.

Have you ever been in a similar situation with God? Has He invited you on a “road trip” and you jumped on board all exited for your new adventure? It all sounded so exciting and how could it not be? After all, *God* was going with you! How long was it before you felt the bumps and turns in the road and you started to get “nauseous”? How long was it before you thought, “My God, what have I done…..can we please turn back, God?” How long was it before you pleaded, “God, can I please get off this bus?”. How long was it before you started your pitiful prayers of petition…..“God, are we there yet?”

Sometimes when God invites us on a journey, it isn’t just the destination He is concerned with, but also the journey to the destination. Can we trust the Master? Do we let Him “drive”, or do we critique and complain and play the part of the annoying back seat driver? Do we whine the whole ride because the journey is taking too long or is too bumpy and is making us nauseous? If we can’t “see out the window”, can we still trust that our Master knows where He’s going and will get us there safely and “on time”?

My old girl, Joy, she knows me well. She trusts me. She knows how to rest and let me drive. The ride might be bumpy, it might be long, but she chooses to join me on the journey anyway…wherever it leads. Sometimes it is to the vet’s office….not always “pleasant”, but still necessary for her well being. Sometimes though, like this time, it is for a week long “camping trip” with Mom at a hotel. What could be more great than kicking back with Mom, eating bon bons, playing with toys, chewing on bones, and sleeping on the bed for an entire week?! Lord, let me learn a lesson from Joy. You know where you want to take me, when you want me to get there, and what you want me to see or learn along the way. You are the driver, you are my driver. I will trust you on this journey, no matter the twists, turns, and bumps. I choose to have joy in the journey because you are with me…and there’s no other place I’d rather be than with you.

In Christ and covered in dog hair,

Debbie Owczarzak