A Father's Love

Father's Day is this Sunday.

This holiday is joyful for some; and can be difficult for others. On this day we mourn the fathers we have lost to death. We mourn the fathers some of us never had because of their physical absence or their absence due to alcoholism or workaholism. We celebrate the ways we were loved by dads who played catch with us, read us bedtime stories, wrestled with us on the carpet in our family rooms.

Whether you're celebrating or mourning this Sunday, receive the following letter as a gift of grace and truth:

Dearest One,

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are mine. I call you by my name. I love you with an everlasting love.

I see you. I know you; and I care about even the tiniest details of your life. When times are tough, know that I know. Know that I am collecting your tears in a bottle.

When times are good, I rejoice and celebrate your successes along with the angels in heaven. You matter to me.

You are the reason I hung the stars in place, made halibut and hummingbirds, seals and sunsets, meadows and the moon.

I am vast and wondrous and wise. I am also close to you, watching each and every step you take, present to you morning, noon and night. Trust my love for you. Know that I am always near, as close as your breath as constant as your heartbeat.

Trust that I know what’s best for you and that I’ll work everything in your life together for good. I’m a master planner, just like a good quilter who knows just where to put each piece: the light and the dark, the rough and the smooth.

Most importantly, know that you are the apple of my eye, the joy of my heart. Nothing I desire compares with you.

I love you!

Your father,

God