Good Morning Girls!  When Thomas, my four year old, does something wrong, he comes up to me with this sad and sweet face.  He tells me what he did and says sorry and gives me a big hug.  When I tell him it's okay, I forgive him, and thanks for telling me, he smiles and runs off.  Often within 5 minutes he runs back and asks me for something.  "Can I have some milk?"  Will you play hungry hippos?  Can you turn on a tv show?"  It is obvious that he has moved on from whatever offense he had committed just minutes prior.  Thomas knows that when we hug and I tell him I forgive him, that his slate is wiped clean.  He carries on the rest of the day knowing that I will give him help with whatever he needs help with.  Sometimes, even on days when he has committed an offense, I still bless him with something special, because I love him that much.  It would do many of us good to follow Thomas' example when going to our Daddy.  I spoke yesterday about the guilt trip I had been on.  One of the problems with guilt is that it prevents us from seeking help from the one person who can truly help us.  It makes us feel like we have stepped out of the love and protection and provision of God.  How dare we ask God for anything after the way we let Him down?  Well girls, this is not how God operates.  He wants our interactions to be like the ones I have with Thomas.  He wants us to go before HIm, tell him what we did and ask for forgiveness.  Then He wants us to receive the hug He gives us and the reassurance of "It's okay, thank you for telling me, I forgive you"  If we truly understand how much God loves us, our hearts will be lifted and we will be able to leave the conversation skipping like a four 4 year old.  We will also feel confident enough to turn around and ask the Lord for help.  It is difficult for the Lord to bless us, if we will not receive it!  So Girls, next time you have to go to our Daddy to ask for forgiveness, do with the heart of a 4 year old boy.  I guarantee you will feel better!

1 John 3:21 Dear friends, if we don't feel guilty, we can come to God in bold confidence.

Love you all-
Jen