Compassion for Foolishness?

I wish you could see this: Lucy and I are lying on our backs, side by side on the futon mattress. Tim squeezes in crosswise at the foot of bed, the light of his smartphone reflecting off his face, as he attempts to entertain himself in the dark. Lucy can just reach his ear with her big toe, so she consoles herself by caressing his ear and head with her foot....while Tim hardly seems to notice. Meanwhile, Kenny Loggins is attempting to lull at least one of us to sleep. Humorous maybe, if it wasn't for the fact that we are lying here together as a family because minutes before we rescued her from herself. Back up...

She literally fell asleep at 5:55pm, while chewing her pizza crust! (She often falls asleep during dinner when she boycotts her nap, it just came slightly earlier than predicted). We hurried to get the bill, but by the time we got home it was too late. Changing her full diaper woke her up, scared her, caused much havoc, and there we were. Catnap over, and a full evening ahead. I suggested watching a Pooh-bear movie, which she did, calm and thumb-sucking should lead to bed soon?! Fast forward, 8:15pm, normal bed routine...9:15-still struggling, 9:30 mom impatient with Lucy's restlessness...9:45, Lucy seemed asleep as I had rocked and soothed her overtired anxious body. 9:50, the screaming began...9:58 Tim rushes up to save her, 3 seconds too late. She pukes from being so upset. I hear the wretching and run to help. It always upsets Lucy (the handful of times she's done this), and I'm always out of patience by this point as well. Tim is patient, not saying a word, while I always seem to need to scold her, or at least remind her that this is the consequence of her ridiculousness. Tonight I ask Tim if I should scold her, he says "I wouldn't", so I cut back. I lay her down on above said futon, and after the clean up we turn off the lights and lay down together. She only needed a few minutes....she snuggled up to me, rubbing my arm with one hand, sucking the other thumb, and rubbing Tim's head with her foot. Pretty cozy picture. I refuse to snuggle her...she can cling to me if she wants, but I'm not promoting this behavior.

I can't help but wonder what God thinks of His children when we get ourselves into trouble. Does he long to "teach us"....we the unteachable? Are there times when he with-holds his affection, being there as a comfort if we want to cling to Him, but cannot reach out to us? Does He see us as fools, deserving our own consequences when He's told us 100x to just lay down and be still, and sleep will come? As I contrasted my behavior with what I considered the Almighty might do or think, I was reminded that I do see my child with compassion...that she was weak, (she's 2!!!), so tired, lost her coping skills, NEEDED us and would not settle, could not settle for anything less. I reached over to wipe the hair out of her face as she rolled over, thumb falling out of her mouth, contently sleeping in my "shadow".

This parenting thing sure gives me time to ponder, if I let myself.

ps: We sang this song in church today, it seemed applicable: You stay the same thru the ages, Your love never changes, there may be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning! When the oceans rage, I don't have to be afraid, because I know you love me, and your love never changes. You make all things work together for my good.....