Missing Daddy

So these last couple weeks have been extremely difficult on me, but even more so on my children.  I find myself wiping their tears at night, because they miss their daddy so badly.  He comes 2x a week to visit, but they still cry themselves to sleep some nights.  You see it's just not enough to see him a couple times a week.  My son looks through his belongings and asks, "Did daddy buy this for me?" and if the answer is yes he will cling to it just to feel closer to his daddy.  He wears a bengals necklace around his neck, because it reminds him of his daddy. My daughter will wear his shirts to bed and the locket he bought her with their picture in it and just stare at it until she falls asleep.  They just want to be closer to him and see his face.

Watching my children suffer like this has been by far the hardest part in all this, but watching this unfold really got me thinking about our heavenly father.  Do we ache like this for our heavenly father?  I mean we go once or twice a week to meet Him at church, but does our heart just ache when we are not with Him?  Does it really ache like my children ache for their daddy?  Do we keep things close to us that remind us of Him?  Do we hide His word in our hearts?  If my son was able he would spend every waking moment with his father, and we do have that opportunity.... Yet, how often do we take the time to meet with him?  Is it still only once or twice a week if we are really good;)  Oh, but wait....do you say a quick prayer every night before you go to bed?  My children's father calls every night before they go to bed, but they still cry themselves to sleep, because they miss spending time with their daddy.  A 2 minute conversation before bed is just not enough.  They want more time just being in his presence.  Is that quick prayer before you fall asleep enough?  Do you really miss him when you are away?

My children will also constantly ask when is daddy coming home?  When is daddy coming?  Over and over they ask.  They can't wait to see him.  Oh and when they do see him!  The shouts of joy and leaps of excitement that explode once his van pulls into the driveway can be deafening.  Are we that excited about spending time with our heavenly Father?  Do we count down the days, hours, or minutes to when we can be with Him again?  Do we leap for joy in His presence?  Where is that yearning to just be with Him?  Do we ache for Him like my children do for their father?  Is He our everything?

Then He called a child to Him and had him stand among them "I assure you,"  He said, "unless you are converted and become like children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child- this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Mt 18:2-4)