Subway vs. Taco Bell

On Fridays I take my kids lunch. I like to take them what they like to eat as a treat. Unfortunately I usually have to go to two different places, but for them I will do this. This week I got out the door a few minutes after the time I intended to leave. This is a problem. Generally it's a problem because of some of the anxiety issues my son deals with. You see, if I'm not there waiting at the door for him when he gets out of class he starts worrying. Worrying that I forgot or that I'm not going to come. I don't think it's about the food at all, it's more about whether his dad remembers him. It's happened rarely but when it happens, the sick look on his face is enough for me to make sure that I'm there the next time when I say I'm going to be there.

This Friday though I learned a lesson. This Friday, like I said before, I got out the door late. Sidney wanted Subway and Lucas wanted Taco Bell. I pulled out of the lot and went to Subway first. I felt like everything was in slow motion at Subway. Everything just took so long. I probably wasted 15 minutes in line amongst other things. As I left the parking lot at Subway I knew I was screwed. Then I missed the light, one of the slowest lights in Escondido. So I decided not to turn left and to go through the green and go around the block. Good delivery driver move. I then missed the next light. Then I had the sick look on MY face.

Then...I prayed. I prayed that Taco Bell would be FAST! I prayed that God would pave the way for me to get through that drive thru with a speed that could not be explained. And you know what, God did it! I've never been through a drive thru faster, and I've been thru a lot of drive thrus.

So I was rejoicing, knowing that I would be on time for my son. As I pulled into the school and got out of the car I was so looking forward to writing this blog about how God had gotten me out of a jam. Then it happened. As I walked by the office my son walked out with that sick look on his face, my heart sank. I apologized and he accepted and we sat together while he ate. He was okay after a few seconds.

But I couldn't help examine in myself what had just happened. Why would God provide a way at Taco Bell only to get me to the school just moments after Lucas got out of his class? Then I really thought about it.

You see God has been teaching me about trust recently. Do I truly trust Him? As I thought about this in this setting, Subway vs. Taco Bell, it wasn't a competition between them at all, it was a competition between my trust of God vs. my distrust of God. I got myself in a jam, I let the jam extend, then, when I was at my wits end I prayed. I didn't pray for God to get me to the school on time, I prayed that the drive thru would be fast. It's like I wanted to do a bunch of it on my own and then have God do a little part. Why couldn't I trust God when I walked out of the house, knowing I may be late, with the whole enchilada?!?

I have a feeling things at Subway would have gone a lot differently, things at those lights would have been different, my attitude would have been different, and there would have been no sick look on anyone's face.