The most passionate and tender kiss is worthless. The satisfaction of a job well done is empty and hollow. The thrill of sport and the security of money are nothing. All the things of life are meaningless without the love of God. No matter what you are facing, how you are feeling God is there. He knows what you are going through, and he understands. He accepts you with open arms and loves you. He loves you. He doesn’t expect you to articulate in full and complete sentences with big fancy words just what you want, need or feel. He understands why you’ve ignored him for the past several days. He forgives you, and he loves you. He knows where you are at, he knows what you have been through, and he still loves you. That is so amazing, so freeing, so life giving. It makes life so much more. That is why I am alive. That is why I live. That is why I breathe.

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And, because you’ll be reading this tomorrow, Happy Birthday Mom.