I AM THE BOSS

We are at war in our house. This time in our family history will someday affectionately be named The Battle of the Wills. Mr. Grouchy Pants is a rather "strong-willed child".  This is a somewhat polite way of saying that he's a bossy, demanding, sometimes exhausting pain in my butt and we are in an almost daily battle for control of our household. As much as I adore him, almost every morning like clockwork we begin another round. You see, Mr. Grouch is a natural born leader and began practicing his skills on our family almost immediately from birth. We are continuously having to reestablish who is boss.

When I'm lucky, my little cutie remains within acceptable boundaries.  His slightly presumptuous personality is rather endearing and often hilarious, then gradually begins his next couple of attempts to rule the roost.  It starts with a little attitude.  Left alone, the attitude morphs into full-blown audacity that leads to the inevitable blow-up--usually mine.

The explosion usually comes with a variation of the same words and resolved emotion:  "Listen to ME, child.  I am your mother. I AM THE BOSS. Not YOU. GOT THAT?!" He will puff out his lip, glare at me with the fiery darts of hell, tell his Daddy on me (who later laughs at our continuous struggle,) sleep on it, and awaken the next morning as gentle as a lamb.  Okay--maybe more like a goat--but the cutest goat you've ever seen.  And we start all over.

My children would probably be glad to know I've had a taste of my own medicine a time or two.  You see, on a far smaller scale, I've been on the other side of the conflict for control.  There are many times in my life that I have forgotten that God is God.  Like Job, in Chapter 38, God has to sometimes give us a fresh reality check when I become a little too presumptuous myself.  He carefully, and sometimes rather sarcastically reestablishes our roles.

Job 38:2, 4, 12, and 21, "Who is this that darkens my plans with words without knowledge?. . .Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me if you understand. . .Have YOU ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn it's place?. . .Surely you know, for you were already born!  You have lived so many years!"

If that's not God getting a few jabs in and putting us in our place, I don't know what is!!  God experiences a similar tug-of-war with us as we do with our kids.  He loves us with all of His heart and finds us extremely endearing (attitudes and all).  I'm sure He finds us quite hilarious at times too.  But then our attitudes turn into a struggle to take over control over our own life, God has to say something like, "Who is this that darkens my plans with words without knowledge?"  In other words, he states, "You don't know what you're talking about! I AM THE BOSS."  We can be certain that if our attitudes turn to audacity, He will deal with us the same way that He expects us to deal with our kids, as a loving parent, intent on rearing a respectful child.

I'm trying hard to release control over my little life.  When God asserts his "God-ness" to pull me back into proper bounds, I try not to get my feelings hurt and throw a big fit, but I'll admit, it has happened. Apparently we now know where Mr. Grouchy Pants gets it! I think I'll try a bit harder to return to Him with a fresh meekness, sleep on it, and awaken gentle as a lamb--or maybe a goat--but a really cute one.