I consider myself somewhat of a "maverick" or "backdoor" Calvinist- meaning I've found myself accepting each of the Five Points more as a consequence of indirect & independent Biblical exegesis than from a focused study of Calvinist logic. Calvinism is logical, but so are many other things, including James Arminius' contrary "Five Points of Arminianism." Reason & logic should never form the backbone of our doctrine; these can lead us astray, just as easily as men & tradition. This is why God has preserved His Word down through the ages.

Inasmuch as I have this perspective, I sometimes find myself having views that may seem, on the surface, to be opposed to Calvinist logic. One of these views is my belief in man's free will- within the realm of God's will.

You said:

"Did I exchange my parent's will for my own? ... or did we each seek a common will?"

It would seem by this statement that you also ascribe to the notion that our free will operates within the umbrella of God's sovereign will.

I differ from pure Calvinism, in that I believe that we do "choose" Him- though only after our eyes have been opened to receive faith in the reality of Heaven & Hell & the salvation of Jesus Christ alone.

I formerly believed in CS because of the anecdotal evidence- principally the healings. But when God began to inundate me with contrary evidence, that CS was in fact not Scriptural, I lost my faith in it. The Gospels filled me with doubt concerning CS as I read them in exegetical fashion for the first time in my life. I remember the point that I left CS- when I read the explicit description of a real place called Hell detailed in Luke 16.

God's Spirit had brought me to the place where I truly believed in the reality of Hell. Soon afterwards, He also caused me understand the salvation from this place that Jesus the Christ offers. After this, my "choice" was obvious.

You said:

"As time went on, I learned for myself the benefits of being careful around stoves and street crossings."

You learned, & believed, in the true dangers of stoves & street crossings & thereafter acted accordingly. I'm sure after this point in your life you don't deliberate- "Should I touch the hot stove or not?" "Should I step in front of the speeding car or not?" Because of your newfound understanding your everyday choice is an obvious one; nevertheless it is still your choice.

I believe our acceptance of Christ depends first & foremost on His choice of us. (His election, as Scripture puts it.) He sovereignly chooses us- and as your loving parents did, He imparts both understanding & faith in the realities of both life & death to us. After this, the "decision" is both instinctive & clear.

zoarean

"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."  Romans 12:3

So we see that our measure of faith is only ours by means of impartation from above.

zoarean