Choices

I've said many times that I feel like my kids teach me a lot about God. Tonight, I'm learning about choices. My daughter continues to make what I consider bad choices, mainly about how she spends her time. She has eight school days left to bring one of her grades up to a previously established, acceptable level. If she does not, she will be grounded for the entire summer. Yeah. The entire summer. Not exactly how a 13-year-old wants to spend a summer. And she has known this for several weeks. And she has yet to even start her homework tonight. (You'll just have to trust me that we are not being overly harsh or demanding parents. This simply has been an issue for far too long.)

It's 9:45pm.

And my heart is breaking. Kim and I have both talked to her tonight, but she refuses to hear us. With four assignments due tomorrow and a test in the class in question, this may be her last chance. So now I have to start preparing for that conversation that I don't think she believes will occur - the one that goes something like this: "You had your chances and you choose poorly. You are grounded for the summer." She'll be mad. And I'll be sad. She'll yell. I'll cry.

Is this what happens when we refuse to listen to God? When we make bad choices?

God, how many times have I made poor choices and then been mad at you? Have you cried over those decisions? How many times have I broken your heart by not listening to you? I'm so sorry.