Screaming fits

As I sit here listening to my oldest, Meliya, throw a massive hissy fit because she's in time-out for wanting to do what she wants and not obeying us, my mind wanders to how we behave with God when we don't get our way.  In Meliya's case, she screams and kicks, shouting how "it's not fair!" and "I want to..."  I, as mom, think, "Too bad, it's not about what you want.  You are going to learn to obey and play nicely."

How many times has God placed me in a "time-out" in my life because I wanted what I wanted whether it was wanting my life to go this way, getting that, or having this?  Whatever the case may have been, it always seemed to start with an "I want..."  Has God been shaking His head at me letting me scream and kick thinking, "You will learn"  while I try my best to be stubborn? 

I let Meliya cool off and stew on her behavior before I allow her back with the family so that her behavior will change.  Sometimes that takes a long time because she's stubborn like her momma.  How many times has my waiting been extended because I was too stubborn to change?  How many times have I been put back in time-out because I tried to sneak out and cut it short as Meliya often does?  How many times do I fake the change just so that I can get out and return back to my world as Meliya sometimes does?

How am I supposed to expect my daughter to yield to my direction out of love, respect, and trust, if I can't do the same with my Father?  As I pray for a heart of openness and trust with Meliya, I must first be open and trust God.  Oh how parenting can be such a HUGE teaching tool for God in molding us adults into being better children of the Almighty God!