Extrapolation from a cat fight.

[SemperFiDawg]

So my 17 y/o daughter got in a fight at school today with another girl and was expelled. After my anger subsided, I went to collect her. On the way I was trying to arrive at the best way to address a hard-headed, tough as nails teenage girl. She's been hunting and gutting deer since she was 12 and before that it was rabbits. She just doesn't scare, even by me: so that was out. I decided that along with the punishment I had decided to lay on her, maybe it would be a good time for a teaching moment. I decided to do so by explaining to her that when you follow the rules, you have more of an ability to control the outcome, but once you break the rules you lose that ability and someone else dictates the outcome to you via consequences.

Riding on, I tried to extrapolate this to the spiritual realm with hopes of a deeper teaching point I can drive home in a few days after the emotions die down. I came up with this:

Living outside of God's precepts one gains dominion over options but simultaneously loses dominion over outcomes, living withing God's precepts one forfeits dominion over options but simultaneously gains dominion over outcomes. What is your goal: freedom to determine what to choose, or freedom to determine the result? You can't have both. The more you exert of one, the more you lose of the other.

 

[campboy]

Well said. We need more parents like you. I hope your daughter learns from these wise words

 

[GeorgiaBob]

I hope you took/take the time to hear her point of view and her explanation of what happened before you "law down the law."
Not saying that anything she says will change the fact that she broke the rules and got in a fight, but if she believes you are listening she may actually listen to you!

Good luck and may God guide your words.

 

[bullgator]

I’m guessing she pretty much been raised right already. One day of going Old Testament (eye for an eye) doesn’t diminish the good already instilled in her. I believe that the only thing that will catch her attention is knowing that YOU are somewhat disappointed in her decision. My guess is disappointing you will hurt her and make her think about it more than anything.

BTW…..I hope she won.

 

[SemperFiDawg]

I hope you took/take the time to hear her point of view and her explanation of what happened before you "law down the law."
Not saying that anything she says will change the fact that she broke the rules and got in a fight, but if she believes you are listening she may actually listen to you!

Good luck and may God guide your words.

I know the whole story. Both sides. She was wrong. It's just gonna take a few days to a week for the anger to wear off before she's gonna admit it. She's like me, hard-headed and slow to see reason.

 

[SemperFiDawg]

BTW…..I hope she won.

Stop. Knots are good teaching tools too. Lord knows it took a bushel load for me, but it took every last one of them and not one less would have worked. Think I'm gonna play her that Bobby Bare song: The Winner.

 

[bullgator]

I read the poem (slightly different) in playboy about 1979.

 

[formula1]

All I got is this which I have both failed to heed with great consequences and heeded with great reward!

Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.