When I was a young kid, I got into trouble a bit. I brought a lot of that trouble upon myself because I "took an attitude." That is exactly what my Mom used to say. "Don't you take that attitude with me!" or "Don't you give me that look!" I gave it to her anyway, and as the punchline says "that is when the fight started."

My dad was in the Navy, at sea, in Italy or Gitmo, or somewhere, but not at home. He had an easier hand with my brother and me, a bit more tolerant of our behavior when it was poor. Mom, though, didn't put up with anything. Give her trouble and well you got it right back, with a wham.

Rod and I would sit in our rooms, after being given what this is for, (and we were not given some kind of "time out" let me tell you) we would be rubbing our wounds, and complaining about how much she expected from us. Keep our beds made, clean our bathroom, and don't bring home bad grades or notes from our teachers. I did that more than once, bringing home notes from my teacher. I brought one home from my second-grade teacher, I think it was on a Wednesday. It was written in red ink to make it look like blood, I guess. It went something like this:

"Dear Mrs. Parker, I am sorry to again report that Derrick is still not working up to his potential. He constantly daydreams, staring out the window. He rarely participates during the class question and answer sessions and if does answer it is usually with a joke or some other kind of inappropriate remark. I hope that you can address this with him as soon as possible." Signed Mrs. Marley.

Mom read this note, after she found it in my lunchbox, then looked at me with that you are going to get it expression.

"I am so tired of you bringing these notes home. They make me so mad, I should knock you into next week!"

I answered her with the first thought that came into my head,

"I wish you would, I have a test on Friday and I don't want to take it."

And that is when, well you know.

My point is, being kind of young and stupid, most of the time, I simply didn't understand, agree with, or like, the way my Mom was raising us. She fed us, kept us clothed, and provided discipline, guidance, and most of all Love.

I understand that now. A lot of who I am, most of the good in me, I owe to her. It would have been so much better if I had seen that or not forgotten that then.

Are we all not like that with God sometimes? We don't like the way he is looking after us, don't care for his lack of provision, his discipline, and like the children of Israel in the desert we take an attitude, we give God that look. We forget what he has done for us. Things may be tough right now, it may seem like our Father is out to sea, but we need to remember who he is and what he is, and what he will do for us. He does what my Mom did, provides shelter, food, health, salvation, and Love and Mercy.

Thanks, Mom for all you did for me, I love you! And God, thank you too!

Psalm 106: 1-23

Praise the Lord.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

2 Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord

or fully declare his praise?

3 Blessed are those who act justly,

who always do what is right.

4 Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people,

come to my aid when you save them,

5 that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones,

that I may share in the joy of your nation

and join your inheritance in giving praise.

6 We have sinned, even as our ancestors did;

we have done wrong and acted wickedly.

7 When our ancestors were in Egypt,

they gave no thought to your miracles;

they did not remember your many kindnesses,

and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.[b]

8 Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,

to make his mighty power known.

9 He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up;

he led them through the depths as through a desert.

10 He saved them from the hand of the foe;

from the hand of the enemy, he redeemed them.

11 The waters covered their adversaries;

not one of them survived.

12 Then they believed his promises

and sang his praise.

13 But they soon forgot what he had done

and did not wait for his plan to unfold.

14 In the desert they gave in to their craving;

in the wilderness, they put God to the test.

15 So he gave them what they asked for,

but sent a wasting disease among them.

16 In the camp they grew envious of Moses

and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the Lord.

17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;

it buried the company of Abram.

18 Fire blazed among their followers;

a flame consumed the wicked.

19 At Horeb they made a calf

and worshiped an idol cast from metal.

20 They exchanged their glorious God

for an image of a bull, which eats grass.

21 They forgot the God who saved them,

who had done great things in Egypt,

22 miracles in the land of Ham

and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.

23 So he said he would destroy them—

had not Moses, his chosen one,

stood in the breach before him

to keep his wrath from destroying them.