Parenthood has been the point in my life where I've been able to most understand God's commands. Well, as much as my puny pea-brain can possibly understand that which is so infinitely higher and greater than myself. A few examples:

• I now more fully understand why God commands us to love one another. BK (Before kids), it wasn't something I thought about, it was just something that I was commanded to do. Now, I understand the reasoning behind it. It makes me crazy when my children fight. And it melts my heart when they are intentionally kind and loving towards one another. The latter is a joy to me.
  

• God doesn't want us to use filthy language because it makes us sound stupid. Lately, Ben has been saying "poopy" "fart" "butt" indiscriminately, i.e., "You're poopy." "I'm a fart." What a waste of breath and words. I can only imagine how He feels when we cuss up and down.
  


• I see now more fully how ridiculous it is to say that you love God but don't obey Him. Ben tells me at least four times per day that he loves me, unprompted. It's very very sweet and I cherish hearing it because I know that it won't last forever. However, he also does things that are disrespectful or disobedient at least four times per day, thereby showing me that, while I do believe he loves me, it would be much better if he showed me that he loved me by obeying.

Now, of course, I can't extend this very far as I'm not holy and God is, so slights against me are miniscule in comparison to sin against Him. However, I'm grateful for the exortation to myself to pursue godliness in an enlightened state of understanding.