Yesterday, Reese and Elyse, my 3yrs old and almost 2yrs old daughters, spent time in the Tot Spot. The Tot Spot is the childcare provided at the YMCA while parents go work out. I'm VERY thankful for this place. On the ride home from the "Y" I usually get to hear an earful of stories and events that took place within the hour of our seperation. Yesterday, Reese told me about a little girl who was being mean to her. If she would have been silent, I would have asked her, "What did you do or say to the little girl when she was mean to you?" However, Reese is different from my 3 sons and is appropriately nicknamed by her grandpa as, "Chatterbox," so I didn't need to ask her anything. She went on to say that she told that little girl,   "MY DADDDY IS STRONG!"   In other words, " You better watch out little girl because I'm one protected "pudding head"(the nickname her daddy calls her), you mess with me and you mess with my daddy, and my daddy can come to my rescue. After all, he rescued me just the other day when he killed the bee in my house and I ran around Bombadil singing, "Daddy saved the day!"   Sadly, I know many of your stories. I know that many of you don't even know who your daddy is. Even as I write that I can feel the deep ache in my heart as I feel your pain and longing. Or perhaps you have a daddy but he has not come to your rescue, perhaps he has even been one of the people you needed to be rescued from. Maybe you are the mom who doesn't have a daddy for your children either through death, divorce, or perhaps you never married. Whatever your story is, according to God's word, you can use the same words Reese used to fight off your enemy because as a believer in Jesus YOU DO HAVE A DADDY AND YOUR DADDY IS STRONG! Listen to His words:   "The Lord your God is with you, HE IS MIGHTY TO SAVE. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3: 17   "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10   Or listen to what Jesus said when he was being arrested:   "Put your sword back in its place,' Jesus said to him,....Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?" Matthew 26:52-54   "Listen to me,...you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth.  Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I WILL RESCUE YOU." Isaiah 46:1-4     You have a "Daddy", a "Father in heaven" a "Papa" who hates to see his little girl hurt. He sees you. This is what he says:   "Don't say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you. Proverbs 20:22   "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge (to take revenge or exact satisfaction for a wrong); I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, BUT OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD." Romans 12:17-21   May you walk this day fearless, believing and knowing in the depths of your soul that your "daddy" is strong and that someday He will pay back everyone who has hurt you. He loves you and is angry when people mistreat you. May you call on His name and experience him "killing your bees" so you may run around your home singing, "Daddy saved the day!" Experiences with Him grow your faith so when your next enemy comes you can boldly say to them, believing with conviction, "My daddy is strong" ( "you really don't want to mess with me because He will pay you back for this.")   Blessings from Bombadil. May your soul be watered and may you water another's soul. Kristy Joy Link   p.s.- My stationary won't change to "plain text" this morning. Perhaps God knows you need this "cloud" stationary to remind you there is a higher, above the clouds perspective. There is One who is above all looking down on this earth and He sees the big picture- the beginning and the end. Trust Him!!!!!!