I spent Thanksgiving in Morro Bay, along the coast of central California, with my friends Phil and Kari Ann and Phil’s grandparents. We did all the usual turkey day stuff—watched the Macy’s parade, played games, watched football, and ate too many carbs.

Also there for the fun were the couple’s two little girls, who are ages three and six. The girls are a joy in my life—we cuddle and read books and catch tree frogs and color pictures and watch “My Little Pony” DVDs until I’m nauseous—but they are three and six, and therefore susceptible to temper tantrums, crankiness, and general drama.

Since I traveled and basically spent every waking moment with them, I got to see quite a bit of the drama. Tears when being forced to go to bed or take a bath or put shoes on or take shoes off. Squealing when confronted with unfamiliar food, too-hot food, too-cold food, or not enough food. Or, my favorite, the three year-old’s complete meltdown when—although she is dripping wet, covered in sand, and shivering uncontrollably from playing in the ocean—she absolutely refuses her mother’s offer of clean, dry clothes because they’re not pink.

(It may be best if I have sons.)

I don’t recount all that to pick on these sweet girls. They’re no more ornery than any other little girls who haven’t had their naps. I mention it because it struck me, as Avery screamed “No black pants!” at the top of her lungs at Pismo Beach, that I usually behave like a tired preschooler with God.

I don’t understand when he “forces” me to do things that are good for me, and I often refuse his expressions of care and comfort because they don’t look like I want them to. (They’re not pink, in other words.) I cry when I don’t get what I want, and when he does lavish gifts on me I grab them with a sense of entitlement and then look around for more. I get tired, and overwhelmed, and I lash out at the Father who cares for me most.

The girls will eventually mature and grow out of these behaviors with their earthly parents. I hope I eventually grow out of behaving this way with God.