God our Father....

I may have mentioned it before but I never began to understand or think very much about my relationship with God until we had kids. I know that sounds shallow and very "worldly" but it is what it is. You always hear God "our Father" or "the Father" but much like with my Father, I knew he loved me, he was there and I loved him but I never really "got it." That is not to say others cannot "get it" without kids and it DEFINITELY is NOT a reason to have kids:) If anything having kids can drive you to do things that pull you further away from God if you are not careful.
I see kids like putting nitrous oxide in a car. It makes you go faster no matter what direction you are going. That could be good or very, very, very bad. I laugh every time I hear someone say something like "a child will help our marriage." I do not think they help or hurt a marriage. Rather I believe they accentuate the marriage. If it is stressed it will stress it more. If it is strong it will strengthen it.

Back to God our Father... I use to think it was somewhat arrogant for God to want us to worship him until I realized that my worship is just one of the ways I show him that I love him. Just like I want my kids to love me and I need to show my Dad I love him. I do not expect the Triplets to have a "worship service" for me but a song might not be all that bad:) But seriously I now better see where God is coming from (as so far as my limited sight and knowledge will me allow me to.) As a Father I want my kids to do as I say but I am OK if they question me, most of the time. If a car is coming towards us I do not appreciate the inquiries:) But I really don't mind, yet, if they ask me for something other than I am offering. Like when I offer milk and they want water. They just need to deal with the fact that sometimes the answer is no or not right now. Boy oh boy, do I need to learn that about my relationship with God!

Just like God I allow my kids to make decisions that will have poor consequences for them. No, I do not allow them to play with electrical outlets but I frequently tell them "if you do that you may bump your noggin." Take for example when one of our kids breaks a toy and some other thing that seem minor to us but to them are earth shattering, life altering experiences for them. Much like with us and God I expect. If one of the Triplets breaks a toy their world comes crumbling down around them. I may be thinking "what is the big deal, that toy is only temporary, why all the crying." Or better yet when you "leave" your child whether that be to go to work, dinner, whatever. They sometimes cry like you just dropped them off at the fire station never to return. Don't we feel that way when someone dies? God keeps telling us that we will all be together again but oh how so hard it is for us (me) to trust him.

From this perspective it makes it easier to understand how God "lets" bad things happen to good people, if from his perspective the "bad things" are temporary. Just look at what God has to say about his perspective on our lives. I know there is a lot more in the Bible but I think those passages are very telling. Of course it is easy to say all this when things are going well. The challenge is remembering that perspective when we are the child whose world is crumbling around them.

I find it humorous that I write this right before Fathers' Day, it was not intentional.

Fake it till you make it,
Al