Carpool Chaos

Y’all, I made a mistake. I know! Cue the shock and gasp! But I’m mom enough to admit I goofed big time.

Recently, in an effort to make sure the kids had enough leg room, I decided to rearrange the seats in the car. I thought I was being thoughtful—selfless, even. A mom-hero in the carpool line. Hubs tried to warn me: “They’re not going to like that.” But I was convinced everyone would be happier all the way around.

Spoiler alert: they were not.

Teenage Miss Bug didn’t want to sit next to 12-year-old Bean Boy (siblings, right?). Tater Tot was devastated she couldn’t lay her head down in the middle seat. Miss May, who originally was the only one thrilled about her new back seat, suddenly turned into a protester with a handmade “No More Seat Moves” sign (well, almost). Monkey Boy turned car-seat buckling into a full WWE match. And Basketball Boy? Bless him. He didn’t even move seats. He’s been in the same spot every day for three years—but somehow, he was the loudest complainer. “Can I sit up front?” “Do I have to stay back here?” The drama was Oscar-worthy.

And here’s the thing: I put them in different seats because I thought it would be better for everyone. More space. Less fighting. Easier rides. But they couldn’t see it. All they knew was: Mom changed things, and I don’t like it.

How often do we do the same thing to God?

He rearranges things in our lives—our schedules, our jobs, our friendships, even our plans—and we start pouting like my sweet boy. “But God, I liked it better the other way!” “Do I really have to stay here?” We resist, complain, and sometimes even fight what He’s doing…forgetting that He sees the big picture while we only see our row in the van.

It reminds me of the Israelites in the wilderness. God freed them from slavery in Egypt—an incredible rescue—but what did they do? They complained. Over and over. “We liked the food better back in Egypt!” (Exodus 16:3). They couldn’t see that God was leading them to the Promised Land. All they could see was the inconvenience of the journey.

Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Sometimes God moves us around in ways that feel uncomfortable or unnecessary. But He knows what we need. He’s arranging things for our good—even when we can’t see it from the backseat.

Needless to say, I eventually put the seating chart back the way it was, praying for at least temporary peace in the carpool line. But unlike me, God doesn’t rearrange things and then give up when we complain. He stays the course, gently reminding us to trust Him, even when the ride feels bumpy.

So next time I’m tempted to whine about change, maybe I’ll remember my kids in the van—and the God who’s patiently teaching me to trust His driving.