lessons from parenthood part 1

I've always heard that a person understands God's heart more deeply after becoming a parent.  While I haven't birthed any children of my own just yet, I do have two beautiful stepchildren.  This weekend, our 7 year old,  Sean, visited.  Because Garry had to work on Sunday, Sean asked to go to GameStop.  We've been in a tough financial situation recently, so I told him upfront that we couldn't buy him games. He insisted that all he wanted to do was read the backs of different games and told me that I could "slap him - but not hard" if he asked me to buy anything.  After I almost died laughing, we headed to the store.

We spent about 30 minutes at GameStop and for most of it, I was completely overcome with sadness.  I could see how much he wanted a game, and to not be able to get it for him was painful for me.  Any halfway decent parent wants to provide for their children.  Any halfway decent parent wants to be able to give things to their kids above their basic necessities. Obviously a good parent shouldn't give everything asked for, as it would create an ungrateful little monster-of-a-child.  But all I wanted to do was buy him one game.

As I was in my little pity party, God spoke to me and said, "The way you want to provide for Sean is the way I want to provide for you.  The way you want to give him something he will enjoy is the way I want to give you things you enjoy." 

This may not be revelatory for anyone, but it was for me.  When finances run thin, I so easily forget who God is.  I might feel like he is some cruel puppetmaster way up there that delights in seeing me jump through hoops for mere peanuts (c'mon now, i know i'm not the only one who's felt that!)  Or I might feel like all he cares about are my basic needs and not my wants.  But as the scriptures tell us, "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (p.s. i never realized that there is an exclamation after this statement! Jesus was serious about this!) 

So I guess parenthood did help me understand the heart of my Father.  He loves me and wants to provide for my daily needs and every good thing for my enjoyment.  I'm sure though that I resemble that ungrateful monster-of-a-child more often than I should.  Must. Work. On. That.