What's in a name?

Here is a picture of the 2 most important people here on earth to me! Being that yesterday was Fathers day, it seems an appropriate pic. Joei loves her dad. When he is out traveling for more than a day, she has serious withdrawals. I know she loves her mama, but she really, really digs her dad. I think it's great! He is a wonderful father...I don't tell him that enough. I've never seen a dad melt the way he does over Joei. I can hear it in his voice when he calls, especially if he has been gone awhile, his longing to just hang with her. They have their little routines & rituals they do! I am so glad that Joei has that, a father. She will not have to face the issues I had to face as a kid...then as a teen...and yes, even as an adult. I did not have a good father figure growing up. My father did more harm than he did good in that arena. And while I have long since forgiven my father for all the wrong, I still have been left with a hole that was meant to be filled by a dad.

I have shared before that I am a Christian. I accepted the Lord at the age of 14. The Bible tells us that God is our Father. He loves us in the way a father should love his children, but magnified a gazillion times of course! When we accept Him as Lord of our life, He looks at us through the blood of Jesus, the sacrifice made for us, and He sees us as a sweet & innocent child of His. How awesome is that?! Well, while I "knew" that and yes, I believed it as well, I still could not grasp it. I could not understand how I could call God my father. Because I know what God did for me. I know the "me" that I was before I met Him...and I can only imagine where my life was headed had I not made the choice to serve God. So to me, God has truly been my saving grace. But to call God a father, well, it seemed an insult to Him. How could I reconcile that He was a "father" to me, when the earthly fathers I have known have left me in such a barren place? Well, it was simple really. I just did not open my heart enough to see it. God is the ultimate father. My earthly dad's took the name for granted, they abused the name, mis-used it. Now I am able to say yes Lord, you are my Father. Thank you for filling that hole. Thank you for being my teacher, my confident, my protector...and my friend. So, what's in a name? I guess a whole lot.