Stall Tactics

Upon viewing one of my dear friend Laura and her families' blog (for updates, encouragement and never-ending entertainment, go to http://littlehoffman.blogspot.com/) I found myself both chuckling and also momentarily pondering the phrase they used for their daughters adorable attempts at avoiding bedtime; "stall tactics." In her case, sweet Meron, being of the two-aged range, uses her irresistible charm and genetically God-given dimples to dissuade mommy and daddy from the evil perils of bedtime! While I smiled and laughed heartily watching the video and at this precious child of God, I couldn't help but wonder if God smiles at us the same way.  I couldn't help but wonder if, when we use our own child-like tactics of stalling our "Daddy" in His efforts of expressing parental rights- giving clear directions and discipline, if He giggles at us too-or if He is displeased.
Granted, in my case, bedtime isn't something you normally have to fight me to get to, most likely I will beat you there every time. But, in the rat race that life can sometimes be, I use stall tactics to avoid the parental direction given by my Father, by God. Especially if it means I have to get out of the comfort seat and jump in a sports car going 95 miles an hour, whipping around a windy mountainous curve. Despite the fact that I much prefer the speed of life which thrusts heavy wind against your cheeks and leaves your hair tousled in knots, I sometimes equally have the guarded mentality of wearing my self-made safety belt for the ride.
What is it about Divine direction that causes us to employ stall tactics instead of obedience? What is it about the unknown, the uncertain, the unseen, that forces us into a pit of fear and retraction instead of full blown excitement and joy that God has given clarity to the once clouded? I ask myself that question as I sometimes feel like a little girl with pig-tails. Void of dimples, I use my sheepish giggle and sometimes swiftly bat my eyelashes to falsely charm my Father into letting me slide just one more day- or so I like to think. As if the Creator and Master of all can be charmed..
I doubt highly that He is charmed by my stalling, but I do know that He loves me, undeniably I feel it.
I feel it in the slip of a tiny orphaned hand pressing into mine. In the tears of a hungry child cuddled into my arms; starved physically, but also emotionally in his desire to be held just five more minutes. I feel it in the encouragement from twenty-nine incredible team members who walk this journey of life with me,  vowing to sacrifice whatever necessary for one more child to know Christ, and to have a hope and a future. I marvel at His love in the creation and feel it in the pink sunrise over the African mountains or a majestic sunset over the source of the Nile. I feel His love everywhere.
Call it stalling, but God wastes nothing on me. He teaches. He guides. He disciplines. He is showing me the beauty in simplicity and the awe in things that this world can not provide. He shows me in visions of splendor on this earth, things which no white picket fence, or Hollywood created American dream-life can offer, and I am being transformed from the inside out. I am learning that He uses even our tantrums, even or fits, undeniably our "stall tactics" to show us what is really important in this life here on earth. And I am humbly and eternally grateful.
It's bedtime and I'm headed to the Bible for a quick bedtime story with my Papa. I'm banking on using my stall tactics in staying awake while I read and He speaks. I have an inkling, like sweet Meron probably does when her dad reads her a bedtime story, I'll be saying- just "one more Daddy".....