love from above

I thought thisafternoon as I left work, that its a little disturbing how much of my life is controlled by how much, and when a 3 1/2 yr old boy has his naps, how much he sleeps, his health, and if he feels like throwing a tantrum today because something has been changed. And I thought, if this is now, and I spend 6 or so hours a week with him, imagine what having my own kids would be like?? Don't get me wrong, I think it would be fantastic and want to have kids eventually, but its amazing how much they take over your life. Yet its so easy to be consumed and filled with love for the little buggers.
A few weeks ago, walking back through Woodville park after work, I sat down in the shade to read and found myself intrigued instead by a little boy, maybe 2 years old and his dad. This was a Friday morning or something like that, and I realised how much parents give up for their kids. And I just thought about how much time and effort goes into each and every one of us, that our parents, or grandparents, or whoever - someone is there taking care of us, they will drop everything for this other human being who is essentially helpless by themselves and that this little child can be more important than any other thing to do on a Friday morning.
And as I think, and become thankful for all the things my earthly parents have done for me out of love, my joy and thankfulness overflows when I realise how much my heavenly father has done for me - this helpless, dependent, weak and foolish child of his (and I'm thankful that I belong to him) - that He has gone so far out of his way to show me (and you) that his love is so great that there is nothing more important to him than to express that love to us, in the most sacrificial way. And for that, there aren't enough thank you cards in the universe to express the joy that comes from knowing that God loves THAT much.