Deep Breath

Whew! My daughter's emerging three-year-old independance has been rough on me today, and I have to admit to reacting to her behavior more like a three-year-old than a thirty-something a few times...I wonder often these days how God does it...keep his patience, I mean. The more times I fall short of his parenting perfection as a mother, the more I love him as my heavenly Father because it does not escape me that when my daughter responds,"because I wanted to!" after I ask"why?" in reference to her disobedience that it is no different than when I do the same thing to God...how often do I end up saying"because I wanted to!" to him? Just as I, as a mother, set boundaries for my daughter that she cannot fathom a reason for their existance, so she jumps the fence right into the predicament from which I was trying to protect her, God sets boundaries for me that I don't always understand, and like my daughter, I often find myself knee deep in the mess God was hoping the daughter he loves could avoid! Hopefully, tomorrow I won't be so self-righteous in response to my lovely child's age-appropriate, yet annoying behavior and remember that I too am a developing child who has not nearly reached perfection with a Heavenly Father who, thankfully, manages me with perfect, never-tiring patience and love...I wonder how often he wonders about me,"how long is this stage going to last?" I wonder it about myself often enough! thank you ,Lord, for your patience as I grow and develop into the woman you want me to be! Help me to imitate that same patience as I interact with the beautiful creation that you have placed in my care!