I have frequently requested a weather forecast for my church. Not for the town the church is in-- for the auditorium. I have suggested a running scroll on the website: "Current temp in the auditorium is 58* and breezy. Dress accordingly." or "High of 84* in the auditorium today." I have yet to be heeded.
Yesterday it was 58* and breezy. On Easter Sunday. The children were precious in their Easter finery and blue lips. Ashley and I were in spring-ish type clothes, but not sleeveless. We were quite cool. I didn't mind the cool too much while I interpreted the first part of the service, but once I sat down I got quite cool quickly.
I was sitting next to Troy, Ashley was on the other side of him. He finally put his arm around her trying to warm her up a little. I sure would have liked that warm arm around me, but I made do tucking as much of myself under the other arm at his side trying to warm up. Eventually, he leaned forward to remove his jacket.
"Good plan," I thought... "Leave your arm around Ashley, and give me the jacket -- or vice-versa, whatever. I'm good." Oh, no. He handed Ashley the jacket so he could have both of his arms back.
Let me be honest -- I sat there shivering. And beaming. It pleased me to sit by while Troy took care of his girl the way she needs to be taken care of. I want my daughter to know her daddy is crazy about her. As she seeks out a husband, I want her to know how she should be treated and know what it's like to be the apple of a man's eye.
It isn't impossible to understand the love of God -- well, as much as we can understand it on this planet -- without having a loving parent. But I do believe that me having loving parents helped me start to get an idea about the unconditional love of God -- and I want Ashley to know that as crazy as we both are about her, it's just a tiny drop compared to the abundant, never-ending, perfect love of her heavenly Father.
I spend plenty of time shivering for her while watching tennis, I don't mind a little more shivering while her daddy takes care of her. It's why I picked him.
