Mission Safari: The Next Chapter(s): Do You Still Love Me, Daddy?

April 08, 2006

Do You Still Love Me, Daddy?

This has been a frequent question of Sam lately. At first I was worried that somehow I was not being very kind or affectionate towards him. But he has been asking Marti the same. And as Marti and I have been talking about it, we realize that Sam is becoming much more aware of his own sinfulness. Lately, when he is disobedient, he is much more remorseful afterwards. I think he realizes that he acts in ways that are not pleasant or pleasing and that could cause some people to not like him very much. And so, he finds himself wanting to make sure that everything is ok with us when we have to discipline him.

In some ways it breaks my heart when he says this. But at others, I find it so sweet. "Of course I love you Sam. I love you more today than I did yesterday!" I will respond with a smile and hug. I realize that he is only verbalizing what we often ask God ourselves. "God, do you still love me? I am so full of sin. I keep screwing up in my attitudes, thoughts, and actions. How can you love me when I can't stand myself?!"

This is the stuff that reminds me that we serve a God who loves us with an outrageous love. He is slow to anger and quick to forgive. Even when we mess up for the umpteenth time, He graciously pours out His love on us.

"Do you still love me, Daddy?" cries my heart.

"Of course I do. I love you more today than I did yesterday," answers my Abba-Father!

April 08, 2006 | Permalink

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Comments

wow. I really needed to hear that today. Thank you.

Posted by: Matthew Loftus | April 08, 2006 at 11:44 AM

An awesome reminder. Amazing how much parenting shows us our heavenly father's face.

Posted by: Christy | April 08, 2006 at 03:08 PM

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2008 Book List

Ken Follett: The Pillars of the Earth (Deluxe Edition) (Oprah's Book Club)
A great historical novel. Compelling, engaging, and inspiring. A reminder that hard things are time-consuming, but worth doing. (*****)
Timothy Keller: The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
An incredible book answering the skeptic's questions. Very thought provoking. More importantly, very gracious. (*****)
Stephan Talty: Empire of Blue Water: Captain Morgan's Great Pirate Army, the Epic Battle for the Americas, and the Catastrophe That Ended the Outlaws' Bloody Reign
A very cool read about Captain Morgan. Aaarrrggh! (****)
Bill Willingham: Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile
Very interesting but not for young eyes...PG-13/R. (***)
Marjane Satrapi: Chicken with Plums
Another great graphic novel. (****)
Brian K. Vaughan: Pride of Baghdad
Great Graphic Novel. Incredible allegory for the people of Baghdad. Based on a true story. (*****)
Ngugi Wa'Thiong'O: Wizard of the Crow: A novel
A tremendous novel that reveals incredible insight to the African mind. A "fictional" country with a "fictional" tyrant and the havoc his reign brings to this country. A full analysis is forthcoming. A must-read if you want to better understand why Africans think the way they do. (*****)
Shaun Tan: The Arrival
A Phenonimal graphic novel. Not a single printed word, but oh the story this book tells. See my long analysis from June 4, 2008 for more details. (*****)
Bill Bryson: The Mother Tongue
A much different book by Bill Bryson, but still very funny and very informative. The author takes the reader on a very interesting journey back in time to explain the origins of the English language. He points out the many quirks and beauties of the language. An interesting book. (***)
Ceridwen Dovey: Blood Kin: A Novel
This new novel is extremely well written. It tells the story of a President who is overthrown in a coup. It follows the story of his barber, his painter, and his chef. It shows how pervasive and insidious corruption poisons not only those in power, but those around those in power. It is an intense portrayal of how we all desire power, wealth, and flesh. What makes the story even more interesting is that none of the character's are named, nor is the country. You realize that it makes the story applicable to every person and place. Scary! Well worth the read. (*****)
Leo Tolstoy: Master and Man and Other Stories (Penguin Classics)
I really enjoyed this book of three short stories by Leo Tolstoy. The first two stories, Father Sergius and Master and Man, clearly show man's fallenness and his attempts at self-redemption (and the subsequent failure in these attempts). They are very thought provoking. I look forward to reading more Tolstoy in the future. (****)
Bill Bryson: Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe
Another funny travel book by Bryson. Again filled with a bunch of LOL antedotes. It was especially funny and relevant since we travelled Europe last year. I wonder how this author got his job..."hey, let me travel all over the world, eat and drink at your expense, and then write about my insights and misadventures." Sign me up! A few "R" rated pages. (****)
Jeff Shaara: Gone for Soldiers: A Novel of the Mexican War
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John Grisham: Playing For Pizza: A Novel
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Bill Bryson: I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away
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