pickin' my battles

as a new mom to a 16 year old girl i am truly learning to pick my battles. i am also realizing that i have misjudged my sister because of her lifestyle and mental illness. i have had the attitude that she is not a good parent. but in reality she has done what we all do as parents. her best. its so easy to judge and criticize other peoples parenting skills when we are on the outside of the situation. or in my case on the inside. i'm learning to use more mercy and grace when dealing with my children. i'm learning to lean on the Lord more and more. i'm learning to pray without ceasing even for the little things. God has answered so many seemingly small prayers in the last few days that it amazes me to think of them all. it makes me realize that to God i'm not small or less than or unworthy of His attention because isn't that what we all want.....some attention. even if we don't at first realize that we want it from God and we try to get it from other sources. He has a way, if we are walking after His will in our lives, of pulling us up short and redirecting us. God i so desire to be in Your way, under Your feet so to speak. i want so badly to be totally in Your presence at all times, but my flesh is weak. i've been out of Your will and its just miserable. but my desire is You.