Parenting

I have been involved with a mentor now for a few weeks and I am so happy we have each other. At first I was a bit leary of the idea and now that I have gotten to know her I couldn't be more happy with God's choice. We share so much in our lives that it seems a bit scary but I know that it's real.
Today we talked about parenting teens. This is a hard subject for me because by the age of 12 my mom and me were rivals and not mother-daughter. So I am treading on new ground with my own daughter. I am over protective and pushy in her life. I want to be there for every important thing in her life and share in her decision making. I am learning patience and also that I am not her friend but her mom. As much as I want to be her friend I have to constantly remind myself that I am not. I love her so much and I don't want her to look for love in all the wrong places like I did, so I kinda smoother her.
I wonder if God sometimes feels the same way? Like he wants to smoother us with his love but he has to constantly remind himself what is role is in our lives. We have to want him there, first of all. and secondly we have to talk to him everyday, in the good times and the bad, in the ups and the downs. And when we don't talk to him I wonder how he feels? When we don't invite him into our lives, I wonder if he cries?
I know that I am important to her and she loves me. Although she tells me quite often that I need to back off and let her learn on her own. Make her own mistakes. (boy does that sound familiar) And this boy thing has me really on edge because I know that she is growing up and she will soon be on her own. How I wish I could turn back time to be able to spend more time with her when she actually wanted me to. But thats impossible. So I try to set up time with her when our schedules match, to show her as much love as possible (without smoothering her) I give her advice when she askes me, and I try to be as real with her as I can. And so far she is making some pretty good choices in her life.
I know that I am not perfect and my God loves me just the way I am. So I will continue to love her .... Just the way she is..