You Can Fool A Fool, You Can Con A Con, But You Cannot Kid A Kid

The scene: Local Starbucks.
The reason: Weekly coffee with my daughter.

(After lengthy discussion of school, church, and dance. This question usually wraps up the coffee and allows both of us to get on with our day:)

Me: So, is there any way I can be serving you better? (Usually, this results in some sort of 11-year-old giving me daddy/daughter ego-stroking music to my ears)

Shelby: (Short pause) Well, you could stop working so much.

Me: What makes you think I've been working too much? (Which is true as we've been swamped at work for a myriad of reasons too lengthy to go into here. I've been logging some serious hours these last two weeks.)

Shelby: Because when you're at home lately you don't talk to us as much. You don't stick around after you've kissed me goodnight and get in trouble from Mom for making me laugh when I'm supposed to go to sleep. You don't stay in the hammock and look at stars with me when we finish reading "Narnia." You go to bed too early and don't tuck us in. You just aren't in as good a mood. So, you could serve me better by not working so much.

Me: (For some reason, actually finding rationalizations and justifications for working so much rattling around in my brain that I actually WANT to verbalize. Can you believe THAT?) You're right. I'm sorry and I'll try to do better.

I'm a train wreck of a human.

Note to self: Stop thinking that you're some sort of incarnation of Jesus. You are not so stinking important to people that you can neglect your most important ministry to your family. You are a cog in a machine, and He's the God of the universe and can handle it. Pride is ugly when it manifests itself, so humble yourself, and let God be God.