Our Father...

I have a vivid memory that resurfaced this week.

It was a memory of me and Daddy.

For those of you who've read the story of my relationship with Daddy,

you know that he left Mama for another woman when I was nine years old.

 (You can read the three part story here, here and here.)

God, in His kindness, has shown me so many good things that Daddy brought to my life

in those years before he left.

I have a good relationship with my Father God in many areas, 

partly because of the foundation of love I had with Daddy in my early years.

Obviously, his leaving brought some challenges to my concept of Father God, as well.

Thank God, that He heals our inner child and our childhood wounds.

This week I remembered dancing with my Daddy.

He would put my feet on top of his shoes, and hug me close and waltz me around.

This morning at church, my husband's message was about our relationship to Father God.

He reminded us that Jesus taught us to pray to "Our Father".

God is Jesus' Father and, through our adoption into His family because of our salvation through Jesus,

 God truly is Our Father as well.

My husband said that if we can't say and pray the words "Our Father" and believe them,

then we can't pray as Jesus taught and we won't have an effective prayer life.

While my memories of my Daddy this week were lovely ones,

he was an imperfect father.

 Father God is a good and perfect Father who will never, never, never,

leave us or forsake us and I'm oh, so grateful for that.

*****************

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little black journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#4500-#4519

3-31-14-

-God speaking to me about trust and peace in my devotions this morning

-taxes all done for another year

-youngest daughter coming over and her and the Hubs making grilled cheese sandwiches together

 to go with my homemade chicken soup

4-1-14-

-recuperating from a head cold

-taking the two youngest grands to the mall playground on this rainy day

4-2-14-

-being open and honest with God

-Him ordering my busy day

-the weariness and blues lifting 

4-3-14-

-homemade soup and homemade bread shared with my evening bible study group

-my daughter and granddaughter coming to the church for a meeting 

and my granddaughter joining us for soup and bread

-God's presence as we worship and pray

4-4-14-

-our son-in-law's birthday

-our date day that didn't go as planned, but at least we were together

-a relaxing evening at home

4-5-14-

-daffodils on the dining room table

-coffee and good conversation

-homemade Zuppa Toscana for my sick hubby

4-6-14-

-a really good morning at church

-taking our two oldest grands to lunch with us

-the rare treat of the Hub's coming home and resting on a Sunday afternoon 

and me getting to relax and work on a craft project 

gratefully yours, 

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