Happy Father's Day!

     Happy Father's Day!  Thank You, Father, for our fathers--earthly and heavenly.  I have been doubly, no triply blessed: the gift of my wonderful Daddy, now in heaven.  Then the gift of my husband and the amazing dad he is to our children.  And finally, the unfathomable gift of my Heavenly Father.  
     Nothing profound here--just thankful.  And realizing it's grace.  Start to finish--grace upon grace upon grace.  None of us deserve our dads.  None of us could ever begin to deserve the love and approval and forgiveness and blessing of our Heavenly Father.  And yet He gives it.  He pours it out upon us in the gift of His Son, the Lord Jesus.  And in response?  Profound, humble gratitude.
     Just last night, we celebrated our daddy and the gift of love.  And of family.  It was what Ann Voskamp once referred to as a "cathedral moment."  A cathedral moment that passes all too quickly where you recognize--in that very moment--the joy of life's ordinary, simple, but oh so wondrous times.  Our cathedral moment was a simple dinner at the lake with almost all our children (only missing Mary Norris' husband Matt who had to be out of town).  It was pure happiness.  Just sitting together, laughing, talking, and eating.  Seriously, what could be better?  I wouldn't have traded those minutes around the table for a trip around the world--and that's a good thing since that ain't happening in this lifetime!  I truly think about nothing in this big wide universe beats sharing a good meal with the people you adore.
     So thank You, Lord, for the gift of simple, joyous moments shared with those we love.  Happy Father's Day to our earthly and Heavenly Daddies!

     Give us eyes to truly grasp these cathedral moments where our God breaks into common, everyday life and infuses it with His gracious, generous gifts of love.  To God be the glory.