No More Tangled Messes

I stood at the bathroom counter having the same argument with my daughter for what seemed like the 100th time. The conversation went something like this:

“But I don’t want to wear my hair that way!”
“Why not, it looks cute.”
I don’t care, I don’t like it.”
“I don’t care if you don’t like it; you are wearing it like this.”
“But, Why?!”
“Because you have pictures today and I want them to be cute.”
“But they are my pictures!”
“Actually they are my pictures of you because I’m paying for them.”
“Well I don’t care. I’m not wearing my hair like this!”
“You will wear your hair like this or you won’t play outside for the rest of the week.”
“But I don’t understand why you just want let me do what I want to!”
“You don’t have to understand it. You just have to obey me.”

And with that last statement, my heart ached. I clearly heard the words echoing in my own ears as coming from my Heavenly Father, who numbers each hair on my head. Lesson one for the week.

I’m already weary and a little worried because my daughter has reached the wonderful age where she has a definite opinion about her clothes and how she wears her hair. Even her school uniforms have to be the color she wants that day. She is asserting her independence and that’s good in some ways. But in this, I can see the seeds of a rebellious heart. I recognize them because she is so much like me.

She confided in her dad not long ago (I was out of town), there was no need to put the headband on I left for her to wear to school because she took it out when she got to class anyway. She likes her hair down, and I think it hangs in her eyes and looks unkempt. My husband laughed about it at a party we were attending the next weekend, bringing it up in front of a group of friends as a funny “strong-willed child” story. My response was how she looked when she left the house was a reflection on me, but what she did out of my sight is a reflection on her.

But really it is a reflection on me, just as everything I do is a reflection of Him. I’m never out of His sight, but so often I choose to make my own decisions. They are weightier than how I wear my hair, but often leave me in a tangled mess, unable to see what I’m doing, feeling unkempt.

Oh if only I would just always obey, even when I don’t understand it. It would keep me out of so many tangled messes.

Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

4 Responses to No More Tangled Messes
  1. Mozi Esmes Mom
    March 31, 2012 | 7:20 pm

    Sounds like you’ve been eavesdropping at our house! Same exact issues – I may get something into my daughter’s hair in the morning, but it’s long gone in a very short time… I love your analogy!

  2. Carol Hatcher
    March 31, 2012 | 10:25 pm

    Wow!! This was so awesome. We’ve definitely had some of these conversations at my house, too. Me and Faith and Me and God. Thanks for the reminder I need to obey.

  3. Kimberly
    April 2, 2012 | 11:55 pm

    Yep! Familiar conversation over at this house, too! And, yes…just like Carol…between me and the Lord and not just me and my gals. Oh, that I would just LISTEN and OBEY! Sometimes I am way too wise in my own eyes for sure.

    Great post and great reminder, sweet Amy!

  4. Genny
    April 7, 2012 | 1:20 am

    Oh yes, we’ve been there. My daughter turned 13 this week. As hard as parenting is sometimes, what I love the most about it is how God speaks through the challenges directly to me! Thanks for this post; I needed the reminder to be the kind of parent He is!