Waking

As her hands are moving she lets out a deep sigh as she catches a glimpse of me watcher her in the doorway. I step closer to see the smile on her face grow as she looks up at me. Her cheeks grow larger and her eyes squint with happiness as if she has not seen me for such a long time. It is the same smile I get from my wife and oldest daughter when I have returned from a trip that has taken me far away for weeks.

Our baby looks at me as if nothing else matters at that moment because I am there to pick her up, to love her, hold her. and kiss her. I have started the habit of not picking her up because I know once i do she will start looking around in wonder at all the things in her room. I stand over her for a few minutes and let the joy from her fill me up in the most wonderful way as only a daughters love can fill a father.

These moments with her in the morning remind me of how our Father loves us and how I hope and pray we can love him in return. I want to work at waking up in the mornings full of awe and wonder at the sunlight. I want to wake with fullness of knowing that I am loved and filled with the feelings of seeing someone you love for the first time in many days. The overwhelming flood of joy and peace that they are home safe. I want the beauty of the sunlight to cause me to see God, to point me towards my father in heaven as he smiles back at me.

I don't want him to pick me up and carry me right away as he has done so many times and will continue to do throughout my life. I want him to let me look Him, focus on Him, take Him in for a little bit before we start the next journey. I want to be filled up with the presence of my Father as he looks down at me, because I know that when I smile back at Him, He is filled up in the most wonderful way as only a child's love can fill a Father.