My Daddy’s Lap

“Hey Peanut, come over here,”

I heard my Daddy say.

I ran and jumped in His lap.

His arms felt strong around me.

I gazed into His familiar face.

His eyes burned with love for me.

“Daddy,” I said, “Tell me again how much You love me.”

Daddy paused and smiled His biggest smile.

“Anytime, Peanut.”

“I loved you before you were a peanut.”

He stroked my hair gently as He spoke.

“I know you better than anyone else does

And I love you just because you’re you.”

“You mess up and disobey me sometimes.”

“At times you’re so stubborn you won’t even listen to me.”

“But when you find your way back to me,

I can’t wait to forgive you.”

He spread His arms and showed me the universe.

“My love for you is bigger than all this.”

He scooped up the stars in one hand.

“These are beautiful but they mean nothing to me next to you.”

“If you want to know how much I love you,

Come and sit on my lap.

I’ll hold you and tell you as often as you need to hear it.”

With that he hugged me warmly and sent me off to play.

But whenever I looked back,

My Heavenly Father’s loving eyes were on me,

Caring about each effort I made, each thought I had,

Each wound I endured, each failure and victory in my life.

Loving me as only my Daddy could do.

Patti McCarthy Broderick

July 2001