Daddy!  (Originally posted 11/02/04)

There is no sound or word as sweet as when I walk through the door after a long day at work and here my little girl running down the hallway with arms wide open, screaming “Daaaaadddyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!” Those of you who are parents can probably relate, I’m sure. Emma is a daddy’s girl. There is no one on this earth like her daddy! And I like it that way! (Sorry dear!)

I am so proud of my little girl and the person that I see her becoming. Even at 3 years old (she’ll actually be 4 in a few days), she knows about Jesus and will frequently ask for prayer. It is wonderful that through the example of her mother and I, she knows she can pray to Jesus, and everything will be ok. There have been times Emma has even prayed for me. One time I was sick lying on the couch and she asked if I was sick. I told her I was and that she needed to pray for daddy. She then proceeded to put her hands on me and mumbled a few words and then she said, “I did daddy.” My heart was overwhelmed be her tender act of faith.

Ever since she was a baby, I always sang a little medley of songs to put her to sleep. Even still today those songs, “Jesus Loves Me”, “Jesus Loves the Little Children”, “Oh How I Love Jesus” and “There’s Just Something About that Name”, sung respectively, will soothe her when she’s tired, scared or hurt. She’ll tell me, “Sing to me daddy” and no matter what is going on, I’ll sing those songs for her and she’s fine. I have vowed that one day I will record those songs, even if just for her, and call it “Emma’s Medley.”

She has really started getting into “Daddy’s Music”. (Interpretation: Southern Gospel Music). Her favorite CD’s are the Greenes “Hold On” and the Isaacs “Heroes.” One day after listening to the Isaacs song, “Heroes”, she declared that her mommy and daddy were her heroes. That made us feel good inside. I hope that in 5, 10 or 20 years from how, her mom and I will still be her heroes.

I am a proud daddy. I love my little girl more than she will probably ever know. Even as a father, I still cannot fathom the love my Heavenly Father has for me. And I can’t help but think sometimes about the day that I walk through the door of Heaven, and see Jesus. I can see me running to Jesus like a child with my arms open wide and probably shouting to the top of lungs, “Daddy!”