Daddy

Did you know that Sunday was my father's birthday? He has been with my other Father since 1995, but I still think about him, especially on special days.

One time, when I was in my early teens, we went to Lake Texoma for the 4th weekend. We had a house, well, a "rustic cabin" up there. We always spent the first day mowing grass and cleaning out cobwebs, but it was worth it once we got settled in for the weekend.

We would go out on the lake and spend the day laughing and playing together as a family. These are the good memories.

That particular year, we were having so much fun we forgot my father's birthday. It was July 4th or 5th when my Mom grabbed all the kids up and said, "We forgot." I saw her heart breaking as she took us to Daddy to apologize. We were all very sorry.

Can you guess his response? He hugged all of us and said the best gift he could receive was for us to be healthy and happy. He said for all of us to be together as a family having fun was enough for him, and I believe that was true. We were instantly forgiven.

The analogy to our heavenly Father's love should be obvious. If my earthly father could love me that much, how much greater is God's love for me? If my Dad could forgive my selfishness in the blink of an eye; how much sweeter is the forgiveness for a lifetime of sin?

It's overwhelming when you think about it.

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."
- Proverbs 22:6

"Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you." - Deuteronomy 5:16