Thanks you's and Niamh and I learn about Pride

Wow, I'm a lazy blogger, but I'm starting my new years resolutions early this year.  I'm going to work out a little everyday and write a little everyday.  (Don't expect a blog entry everyday.  I'm also trying to write a screenplay.  "Trying", being the operative word).
  I wan to say thank you again for everyone who helped out with the concert in October.  Again, without it my family and I would be facing down homelessness.  Now, instead God's blessing with more than we can imagine.   I still do not have a full-time job, but I've been able to work part-time contract at Judson, as well as teach at Columbia, and produce Corporate videos, as well as still getting gifts from near strangers.  It's odd have three bosses all the time and no benefits, but being able to pay a bill is very good feeling, which brings me to my next point...
   Pride, or rather humility, or should I say Pride vs. Humility.  My 8 year old daughter Niamh a couple of days ago began to develop a fairly strong defiant streak, well, at least for her.  For instance she'd get on the computer and start playing a game when I asked her to pick up her room, and she'd pretend I wasn't there.  At first I thought I wasn't getting her attention, but as I said it for the third time she finally said in a voice slightly louder than a whisper, "I only want to do what I want to do."  Of course I was a little upset and explained that that was unacceptable, but throughout the day this phrase was repeated in one instance after another, with the volume and physical body language becoming more exaggerated with each outburst.  Finally, I had had enough and we had a talk in her room alone.
Sometimes I struggle with my faith in fundamental ways, like, "Is God real or a social construct",  "Is my belief in God a well developed evolutionary survival mechanism."  You know man having become self-aware needs a reason to survive and thrive besides that fact that his body is telling him to.  Sorry, my life long Christian friends.  I went to public school, so I think about these things sometimes.  However, I know there is a God  when I say things that make profound sense.  I am an idiot most of time, and simple not saying anything the rest of the time, but occasionally I'll say something that as Banyan would say on Seinfeld, "It's gold Jerry!  Pure Gold!"
"Niamh, you have a pride problem, and pride will eventually take everything away from you."  I think I looked around to see who said it, but I know where it came from.  "You want the computer and toys, and friendships, but if you want it all just for you no one will give it to you.  Everything you wanted today I would have given you, but you didn't ask, and you decided you knew better, but none of that worked out because you didn't stop to ask me."  This is true.  I'm not a narcissists.  I'm looking out for her best interest as well as her siblings.  I see the big picture that she cannot see.  I now realized at this point I was speaking to my daughter but could have just as easily been listening to God.  I was blind to it but I thought I knew better.  I thought I had something to do with the blessings I had.  It's ALL a gift.  You have nothing to do with anything you have or don't have.  You're always where God wants you to be.  You just have to ask Him what He thinks.  What's His will, not mine?
   This hit home, but the story of Moses sealed the deal.  She's very familiar with Moses so all I had to say was,  "What happened to Pharaoh?"  "He died," she said.  "Before that." "I don't remember."  "Remember the plagues?  Each time God gave him a chance to do the right thing, and each time he said no.  Do you know why it was so hard for the Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go?" "Why?"  "Because once you let pride in it takes over.  You have to stop it as it knocks at your heart.  You have to tell it to go away as soon as you start wanting everything your way.  Even if you have to do it in Jesus name.  Pharaoh had it all and lost everything because of pride, even his son."  By this point Niamh was crying (I was a little too), but we had both learned a valuable lesson, she learned I was reminded I should say that we can't go it alone.  We need God.  We need others.  I don't care how badass you are you were not created to be insular and completely self-sufficient.  In fact it's pretty badass to have a connection with God and your fellow man.  In other words it's pretty sweet to be zen!