Advice from the perfect parent

I actually wrote this article last year, but recently I have had reason to review it and I have had several people stop me and ask if I would run it again.
Mother’s Day this year is on May 9.  I love being a Mom.  Well, most of the time I love being a Mom.  There are days that I have to wonder, “What was I thinking!!”  Especially when the kids are all sick, or everyone is fussing with one another.
However, at those times I try to recall that even the most perfect parent that has ever existed or will ever exist had His own problems with His children.  Who am I referring to?  Our Heavenly Father, of course.
When one (or more) of my children make a bad choice, behave badly, or do exactly what I told them not to do, I remind myself that even my Heavenly Father had (and still does have—look at me!) trouble with His children.  It can’t be said that God “neglected” Adam and Eve.  He walked with them daily in the garden.  Our Heavenly Father provided for all of their needs.  In fact, all Adam and Eve really had to do was tend the Garden of Eden and not eat from the tree in the middle of the garden.
So what happened?  Well, in my imagination I see Genesis chapter 3 playing out like this:  God saying, “OK, Adam, here is Eve.  All you two have to do is keep the Garden picked up, and take care of it.  You can eat all you want, but do not eat from the tree in the middle of the Garden.  Come here.  Do you see this tree?  This tree in the middle?”
Adam and Eve:  “Yes, God.  We see it.”
God: “Do not eat the fruit from this tree in the middle of the Garden.  Do you understand me?  You will die if you eat the fruit from this tree.  Don’t do it.  Leave it alone.  Understand?”
Adam and Eve:  “Yes, God.”
God:  “Good, I love you and I’ll see you in a bit. Be good and leave that tree alone.”
Sometime later, of course, Satan begins to play with Eve’s mind.  Of course, Eve is silly enough to talk to him in the first place!  As we all know she ends up taking the fruit and she and Adam eat it.  Again in my imagination, I see God confronting them.
God walks into the Garden and says, “Hey, where are you two?”  Then he sees them hiding.  “Why are you hiding?  What did you do? You ate from the tree in the middle of the Garden, didn’t you?”
Adam and Eve:  “Well. . .”
God:  “Don’t you lie to me.  You ate from the one plant in the whole Garden I told you not to eat from!  What were you thinking!  Didn’t I tell you it would kill you?” I’m sure at this point God is wondering why on earth he thought it was a good idea to make man and woman.  Just like we sometimes wonder why we wanted children in the first place.
Adam responds with, “It’s that woman You gave me.  It’s Eve’s fault!” (This is the first ever “blame game!”)
Eve:  “My fault!  You ate it too and said it was good!  ‘Sides that it’s Satan’s fault.  He tricked me.”
God:  “Tricked you?  How did he trick you?  Why did you even talk to him in the first place?  When he offered you the fruit, why did you even touch it?  I told you to leave it alone.  You know what, it doesn’t matter.  You are banished from the Garden.  I gave you all this and all you had to do is obey me.  Now you will have to grow your own food and take care of yourselves. Not to mention.  I want you to have your own children and teach them from right and wrong.”
Adam and Eve:  “But God, No!  We promise we’ll be good!  Don’t make us leave the Garden.  Just one more chance.  Please!!”  As our Bible teaches us, God stands by his decision and punishes Adam and Eve.
When I am most frustrated with my children, I recall that God is perfect and look at the trouble He had from Adam and Eve.  Somehow, it just makes me feel better to know my Heavenly Father understands my frustrations!
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