A September Backpack Check-Up

There’s something about September that still makes me want to go back-to-school shopping. Maybe it’s because I spent so many years as an educator. Or maybe it’s because, even after all these years, I still think of September as the start of a new year.

When my sons were small, they loved their Spider-Man backpacks. My granddaughters went through a My Little Pony phase. And if you’ve ever taken a child shopping for a backpack, you know it’s serious business. It isn’t simply a matter of finding something to carry books. The backpack had to have the right character, the right colors, the right number of pockets, and preferably something that made you look really cool walking into the classroom.

Then came the school supply list. Paper. Pencils. Crayons. Folders. Glue. Notebooks. And whatever else the teacher decided was absolutely essential for surviving third grade. We worked our way through the list, filling the cart until we had gathered everything they might possibly need.

And now, years later, I still get school supply lists. Only they’re a little different. I’m more likely to get a text from one of my grandchildren that says, “Mimi, if you’re at the store, could you pick up some Clorox wipes?” Or, “We need a couple of boxes of Kleenex for the classroom.” Hold on a second. How did I go from choosing Spider-Man backpacks to buying disinfecting wipes? September isn’t only a good time to think about what our children or grandchildren are carrying to school. Maybe it’s a good time for all of us to check our bags.

What’s in Your Bag?

Imagine me giving you a backpack today and asking you to fill it with everything you’re carrying. What would you include? Some items are obvious: your responsibilities, relationships, memories, hopes, and concerns for loved ones. Others might be things you’ve carried so long you’ve forgotten when you first put them in the bag.

That’s where it gets interesting. Sometimes we carry things simply because we’ve always carried them. We carry expectations others placed on us years ago, or guilt over things we cannot change. And, if we’re honest, we carry things because we’ve grown so accustomed to their weight that we don’t notice how heavy the bag has become. We carry responsibilities God may never have asked us to carry in the first place.

The Backpack Test

Imagine taking everything out of your bag and putting it on the table, one thing at a time. Look at each item. Then ask: Do I still need this? Some things will be easy. Absolutely. This belongs. Keep it. Other things might make you pause and ask yourself, “Why am I still carrying this?”

Maybe it’s a responsibility that now belongs to someone else. Maybe it’s an expectation you’ve outgrown. Maybe it’s an old hurt you’ve revisited so often it’s become part of your identity. Or maybe it’s something much simpler. Maybe you’ve just never stopped long enough to ask whether it still belongs.

That’s what seasons can do for us. They give us an opportunity to pause, look around, take inventory, and ask whether the things we’ve been carrying still fit the person God is shaping us to become.

Not Everything Needs to Go

Before you think I’m suggesting we throw everything out and start over, let me clarify. Some things are absolutely worth keeping. Faith. Family. Friendships. Memories. Lessons learned in hard seasons. The stories that remind us of where God has been faithful. But we don’t have to carry everything. That’s the lesson I’ve been learning.

What If We Made Room?

Perhaps that’s what September invites us to do. Not simply to start another year or fill another calendar with endless lists of things to accomplish. But to make room. Room for what God wants to do next. Room for the possibility that this season might look different from the last.

I’ve spent much of my life thinking about what I need to accomplish next. Now I’m becoming more interested in what I need to release. I am not the woman who, decades ago, tried to do everything. Accepting this is difficult for me. But until I release that notion, I cannot accept what God has in store for me in this season. It means being willing to say, “This may be how I’ve always done it, but perhaps God is inviting me to do it differently now.”

So, What’s in Your Bag?

September is a good time for a backpack cleanout. It’s not just about your bag’s color or style. I have bags (purses now) for each season, and like my sons’ backpacks, if I don’t clean them regularly, they become bulky with clutter. What about you? Take a little time this week to empty the bag. Look at what’s inside. What are you carrying that still belongs? What are you carrying simply out of habit or because someone else expects you to carry it? And perhaps the most important question: What might God be asking you to release so He can make room for something new?

After all, September is a new beginning. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to step into this new season with a lighter backpack.

The Long Exhale, What Remains When Life Changes Everything

This idea of carrying—and learning what we can finally put down—has become an important part of my own story. It’s one of the themes I explore in my upcoming memoir, The Long Exhale: What Remains When Life Changes Everything, which I hope to release before the holidays.

As I wrote the twelve chapters, I was encouraged to create a companion devotion for each one. And I’m going to let my subscribers be the first to take A Little Peek Inside.

Want a Little Peek Inside?

Join my monthly newsletter, and I’ll send you the first companion devotion from The Long Exhale: “The Gentle Reminder,” inspired by Chapter One, “Holding My Breath.”

It’s my gift to you for joining me on this journey. Visit my Join Jackie page to sign up for my newsletter.

And if you’re already a subscriber, you’re one step ahead! Check your inbox for “The Gentle Reminder” in this month’s newsletter.

Sometimes, God’s plan for our next season starts with a simple step: letting go of the burdens of this world and embracing the peace that comes from His presence.