Becky Crenshaw

I had to make it to the bank by five. It was 4:45. Brent was on his way home. We had only one hour of family time before he had to leave again for a meeting, the boys and I had just gotten back into town from a trip to Kentucky, and they had not seen daddy in two days, the house was a complete wreck and I had nothing, NOTHING, to offer my people for dinner.

CRAZY.  All caps.

“Boys, let’s GO! Daddy will be home and I want to beat him back. We want to see him before he has his meeting. Come on come on come on!”

“But I can’t find my shoes.” Grant cried.

Oh, that kid and losing his shoes. Blood rolling to a slow boil, I begin to ransack the shoe bin. “Think back to where you took them off, are they in the van, are the in the playroom? Check your room. Come on, buddy.”

I went to the garage and opened the van hatch. I looked like a Bugs Bunny cartoon, I am sure. Throwing balls and bats and bags up over my head. Ah ha! I found an old pair of tennis shoes. “I’ve found some, please COME ON!”

We took off. I had maybe ten minutes to make it. I was a-flyin’.

I pulled into the parking lot, opened the door, and filed the boys out one by one. Walking away from the van, I pointed my arm back and punched the “lock” button twice. Nothing. No beep. No honk. No love.

Double-checking my button choice, I hit it again.  The doors were all shut, right? Hitting it twice. Nothing.

I turned to find my van like this…

Oh Lord, please tell me I did not drive all the way  like this? Down the curvy road by my house. Onto the main highway beside Wal-mart. My van hatch wide open.

Oh, but I did.

The poor people behind me. It’s a wonder they could see the road for tears in their eyes from laughing so hard and all of the reusable bags hitting their windshield.

Chaos analysis on Becky Crenshaw, please.

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. 1 Corinthians 14:33

The word peace is found 400 times in the King James Version of the Bible.

Peace. Peace. Peace.

Do you ever wish for Jesus to stretch out His Mighty Hand over the chaos in your life and claim some “Peace Bein’ Still” (Mark 4:39)?

Oh, help us.

And here’s the scary part for me … school hasn’t even started. Add to it, mornings of dressing kids for school, packing lunches, fixing breakfast, grabbing water bottles, finding socks, and Lord Jesus, where are my kids’ shoes??

So then let us pursue what makes for peace… Romans 14:19

I know how chaotic my house can get without the pressures of a school bell ringing. Without the weighing of a “Tardy” over our heads.

I must put forethought into ushering my boys to the front door of their school…PEACEFULLY.

The soundness of their minds begins with me. If mama ain’t thinking straight then they are in a world of hurt.

This morning, let us pray for the peace of Jesus to reign in our homes, in our cars and in our “night befores” when we are laying out backpacks and shoes. Let us be prepared.

Set the mind on the Spirit, [He] is life and peace. Romans 8:6

And above all, parents, let us not forget to point them to Christ every single morning. To pray over our babies on the way to school, at the bus stop, as they eat breakfast. Wherever. Pray peace over their little minds.

Paul, prayed peace over his churches. In every letter. He began with an extortion to peace. Let us follow Paul’s example. Praying peace over our babies, and bless God, peace over ourselves. We need it, don’t we??

Lord Jesus, thank you for a little chaos, for in it, I realize how much I need Your peace. Today, I pray for peace over our home, over our family, over my child’s first few weeks of school and then thereafter. Let me remember Lord, how important it is to put our mind on You, the giver of Life and Peace. Thank you for the eternal peace we find through salvation in You, but thank you, too, that we don’t have to wait for eternity. You calm our storm TODAY. Everyday. Everywhere. You are the giver of peace. You brought peace with you and you left if for us. Hallelujah. In Jesus Name I pray, AMEN.

Reflect and Respond:

• How can you ward off unnecessary chaos in your home on school mornings?  Where does the chaos creep up?  Is it setting the alarm sooner?  Fixing lunches the night before?  Think it through and make a set routine for the mornings.
• Take a 3×5 notecard and write out a prayer for peace.  Place it in your car (or someplace you will see it every morning) and pray it over your babies before they leave you for the day.  

Power Verses:

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

What are a few tips you may have on preparing well and avoiding morning chaos?  Leave a comment…