She leaps out of the vehicle, long brown hair flowing behind her, as she picks up the box.  An excited squeal escapes her lips as she extends those long legs into a full run, flings the wooden house door open and smiles as she heads for the bedroom.  She carefully places the box on the bed now as if it is full of fragile treasures inside, and to her, they are!  With each item she brings out of the box, her facial expressions change as she reaches for the next, and the next, and the next …

Thirteen.  This is what 13 looks like when you’re excited to open a box of squishes that was sent as a surprise by someone so incredibly sweet who treats my daughter as if she were his very own.  And it has always been this way.  Friends of 20 years, yet family in our hearts.  That describes the unique gift we have both been given by meeting as we did all those years ago.  A chance meeting?  Perhaps, but God orchestrated the entire thing.  I believe that in my heart.

And my beautiful blue eyed baby girl cannot wait to show each and every item off.  Being as descriptive as she can, she talks about each unique quality they all have and tries to narrow down which is her absolute favorite.

Oh, to be 13 again.  Young and playful, full of life, without a care in the world.

Each of us has our own unique qualities also.  Imagine someone oozing with this kind of enthusiasm as they speak our name and tell of our special qualities that make their eyes light up, too!  Now imagine our God, Almighty Creator, loving us so much as He sits on His throne in Heaven telling all the angels that gather around all about us.  He knows every single hair we have on our body, and He knows intimate details of our thoughts and feelings.

As I sit and think of the love I have in my heart for my 13 year old daughter as I watch her in all of her glory, I imagine how God beams with pride as He watches over us all.

Carry that with you today and know that He loves you far more than you could ever imagine.