Last Wednesday JDaniel and I headed up north with my sister Michelle from Atlanta’s family to visit my sister Kate in New York’s family.

I knew it was going to be a long car trip. Each family and each member of each individual family was going to come into the trip with their own needs, plans, and timetable.

I tried to anticipate everything Jdaniel would need for the car trip and I asked my mom, who lives in the same town I do, what she would need. I spent time trying to think of every scenario that I thought could and how to be prepared for it.

There was:

A bag of snacks and cooler of drinks.

A bag of activities and a few of JDaniel’s sleepy time friends

The iPad had a few new apps on it and JDaniel got new headphones for the trip.

A backpack contained a change of clothes, bathing suit, and towels for a planned stop at a pool.

I tried to have everything under control.

Preparing for Unplanned Events

Before we left I was reminded by our pastor in his Sunday sermon that , I wasn’t really going to be in total control of the events of the trip. Despite all my planning, things were going to happen or be said that I couldn’t control.

There were going to be six people in the car and I wasn’t going to be able to make decisions for anyone, but me. (Although JDaniel was going to given a lot of guidance.)

The pastor mentioned that God would really be the only one that would be in control and that I needed to lean on His understanding and not my own.

Other people in the car would say and do things that I could over think, react badly too, and not anticipate. I have done that on other trips before.

So after I packed each bag I sent up a prayer.

After I packed the bag of snacks and cooler of drinks, I prayed that we would feel refreshed by our time together and be filled with deliciously wonderful memories.

After I packed the activity bag, I prayed that we would be comfortable with each other and that our words would actively help us grow together as a family.

After I packed the swimming backpack, I prayed that the activities that we would do on this trip fun for all and that we would try to put others first.

Finally with all the bags and our suitcase of clothes packed, I prayed that I would be consistent with JDaniel in what  I expect from him. Once we met up with my sister Kate from New York, there were going to be four moms on this trip. Each with different expectations and ways of interacting with their children. I really wanted to be the best mom for the one child I am a mom too and a good aunt to the four children that I am not a mom too.

We don’t get back until tomorrow afternoon! I promise I will let you know how the trip went. Just know that it was probably filled with more prayers of supplication and maybe a little repenting for things I tried to take into my own hands.

This post is linked to Pour Your Heart Out.