The Love of a Father

I experienced something rather adorable this past weekend. I spent a few hours visiting my brother and sister-in-law with their 4 energetic kids. I'm amazed at how time flies and the oldest one and my sweet "little" niece is 3 1/2! Where did that time go. She was just a little peanut sitting in my arms. Needless to say, she is almost 4 and my sister-in-law and I were talking about school and all these things for her. I couldn't get over the fact that we were starting to talk about school with her and how she was actually excited to go and how she plays school.

Well, there is SO much about the afternoon I had with them that I could write about...so I'll try to contain my thoughts as I can.

First of all...I saw the LOVE of a Father.
I have always LOVED to see how my brother is with his kids and it puts a smile on my face every time I see how much he deeply loves and plays with his kids. I'm a proud sister!! On Sunday, Hailey (the oldest who is 3 1/2) was invited to go over to the neighbors to play with a 4 year old boy. Aww...right?! Well, kind of. I took after my brother and thought..."WHAT...she's playing with neighbor boys already??!!!??!" I'm a very protective Aunt...that I'll write about later, just wait. But what I found neat, was my brothers reaction to it all. At first it was like, "oo okay, go play." But as I saw him and his wife interact about the situation I just watched. I saw my brother turn from fun loving "father" to a very protective concerning "father". NOW, whether or not my brother was being this way because he felt like he needed to help watch them play or what, but either way...here is my point.
I saw so much LOVE and CONCERN for HIS daughter! I saw him constantly looking for her and making sure she was OK. I heard him talk about "I think she should come home now..." At first I laughed because it was too cute to see how concerned and protective my brother was ALREADY becoming to his almost 4 year old daughter (o boy, the next 20 years or so are going to be rough then). :) But I then saw somehow how my brother was and how THAT is how God is with us. I saw his concern and "watch over us" JUST how the Father up in Heaven does with us. I saw an immediate picture of what it was like. I stood in awe at what it is like.
God gave me a picture, right in front of me, that was meant for me, I believe. I believe God was showing how much he is concerned for us and how much he will continue to "watch" us and want us to come home. He was saying... "Kelly, your life is so precious and I will always care so deeply for you that I will always be concerned for you and for what you are doing in life. This time in your life is sweet and I am here EVERY step of the way, if you think I am standing next door watching or not, I am!" I saw in that picture the way He looks at us with concern and love!
It's a BEAUTIFUL picture!!
Just like the picture of my brother with his daughter! If that love and concern is that great with those two, IMAGE the love and concern the LOVE OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS??!!!

WHOAH!!!! THAT IS SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't know about you, but that makes me incredible joyful to know I have that kind of Love from a Father...my Heavenly Father!


I'll get to more of what I saw that day with my brothers family in upcoming posts...