God's Back Door Voice

These past few weeks have been a trying time in the Behlmer household. I am constantly trying to get my kids JUST TO LISTEN TO ME!!! For crying out loud! How hard is it to listen and do what you are told....the first time I ask?!?
We were coming upon our 3rd week of "selective hearing" with Ava, my oldest, and I was 2 days past my breaking point. The nagging, fighting, and raised voices were a constant around here and I was fed up. My tears were many and my solutions were zero. I cried to God so many times to "help me with my patience, help me with my kids, help me to get through this next hour...", but to no avail. I felt nothing. My spirit didn't change, my attitude didn't get better, and my kids got even worse! I read my devotions and said many prayers, all in the hopes of some divine intervention - and that my kids would miraculously be changed into Laura Ingalls and Wally Cleaver.
Then one day, as I spoke these words to Ava for the jagillionth time "Why don't you just listen to me and do what you are told?", I heard the very voice of God tell me "Why don't YOU just listen to ME and do what YOU'RE told?"
Wha...What?! Hello?!
Why didn't I listen to him? Take quiet time out and really listen to what he wanted me to hear? Maybe because that meant that I would have to change.....not my children, but me. Maybe because that meant that I would have to stop being so friggin' lazy and actually get down on the floor and play with my kids.
And I think, as many times as I get frustrated with my children, I still love them with all of my heart. And all I want for them is to just listen, because sometimes - just sometimes - I know what's best for them.
Can you even imagine how God just wants us to listen to him, because sometimes, well at all times, he knows just what's best for us?