Daddy, sandcastles and waves

“Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.” Psalm 103:13 NASB

Today my head hurts.  We've been at a workshop in Daytona for the last few days and I feel like I've been hit by a truck.  It was a good opportunity and I'm glad I went, but I didn't pace myself as well as I should have and now I'm struggling. 

The best part of the trip this week was that the kids got to spend time with their dad on the beach while I was in sessions. John and Katie love to build sand castles together. They aren't perfect but her dad loves them because he loves her and they get better every year. He watches her carefully keeping her from going out too far in the water or getting dehydrated. Neither one of them get sunburns, but he makes sure she has sunscreen anyway. He really is just about the best dad ever.

Last night, I spent several hours encouraging a friend in her own choice to quit smoking.  She was mad for the reminder at first but as we talked about how much God loves her and wants her free, she got victory over it for the night.  She was back at it again this morning.  I know this is a one day at a time thing for her so I'm not surprised.  I have plenty of those issues myself.  I'm so grateful that my Heavenly Father has so much compassion on both of us, even when we're not managing very well.  For her, it means the Father has left her with no money to buy smokes for the rest of the month.  For me, it's a miserable tummy ache when I eat too much.  It's a good compassion even when it leaves us uncomfortable.  He provides for our real needs and sits down with us to rebuild when our courage and stamina have been knocked down again by the waves of life--like so much sand.  There's no condemnation for our failure, we just start again.  We'll eventually make something more permanent but for now, just the time spent together rebuilding is worth it.