Today was a normal Wednesday, like many other days in my life. I got up, got dressed, made the kids lunches, got in the car, went to work, drug myself through endless meetings and other things, got back in the car, and went to pick up my children. What made today different? Oh, when I got to school and picked up the babies.. It was there I walked into the room, and was greeted by the lady who is usually there in the afternoons with my babies. She is a nice lady, with a very thick Eastern European accent. I could tell that she was having a bad day, when she had to tell me about my children’s behavior today. It was at that moment, the not so happy Dad side of me came out. For those of you without children, I am not sure how to describe this, other than, I immediately gave both of them the look. That same look that you get from your parents when you know you are in trouble… everyone knows the look. Some of us choose to ignore it, others choose to heed the warning from our parents. It’s a good thing that my children know the look. They took heed to the warning. It’s nothing fun when you have to be the judge, jury and executioner of the punishment for unacceptable behaviors. Its painful, to have to scold your young kids, but it has to be done.

So, that brought me to my thought for today. I can only imagine the torment that God has to go through when we do wrong. I am sure that he feels the same thing that I do when my kids are misbehaving… that love and anger all in the same moment. It has to be tremendous on his level. I can only imagine. And just like me, the Father is a very forgiving one. Even though He forgives, there is still something that comes along with our sins. We have to do something to repent for them. Just like I make my kids say they are sorry, and other things of the like, we have to do the same thing. God can not force us to make penance, nor can he force us not to do it again. Just like with my kids, I can not make them quit the behaviors, until I have punished them over and over again… .they get it eventually. God has to do the same, until we are willing to change our patterns, our ways, and do what we really know is right by Him.

I love my kids very much. It is tough having to be the parent.