a lesson from my daughter

Today I am the best dad in the whole world, my daughter just told me so. All because I told her she could wear the outfit she wants to wear to school. I know my job as a parent is to raise my children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, not to just be there "friend", but it sure feels great when they run up to you with a big smile on their face, give you a big hug, and say " daddy you are my best dad in the whole world". Parenting isn't always this easy though, sometimes I have to make decisions that are harder than whether its okay to wear a pink shirt to school, and my daughter doesn't always understand why she can't wear shorts outside in November (even if they are pink) , why she can't take the pizza out of the oven or hit her brother when she thinks he deserves it. I must confess i am a lot like my daughter, there are a lot of things about God I don't understand, and there are times I want to cry out "your the best dad in the whole world", but there are times I want to say something closer to the opposite of that. I know that my daughter won't always understand my reasons for the decisions I make, but I am okay with her asking me why I made them. And I think we do God a great disservice when we discourage questions by telling people to have blind faith or giving out pat Sunday school answers. I am glad I don't understand everything God is, or does, what a small God He would be if my little mind could totally comprehend Him. When I make a decision my daughter doesn't approve of she lets me know how unhappy she is with it sometimes she storms off to her room, and sometimes she crawls up in my lap and says "daddy that makes me mad". I must confess I am not fond of the first response but I am not only okay with the second I love it. What a great time to not only teach, but to shower my love on her to let her know that even though I made a decision she doesn't understand or agree with I LOVE HER. So today I am going to continue to grow in my relationship with God by crawling in His lap, telling Him all the things that make me mad, or sad, I am going to rest in His love and look forward to the lessons He is going to teach me. Because I believe God is not only okay with us coming to Him honestly with all our questions and emotions, I think He is waiting for it. Thank you Lord for my wonderful children, I love them with all my heart, yet I know you love them even more, help me to always show them your love. In Jesus Name