"Daddy, What's Worthy?"

Once upon a minute the Heart Farmer and his daughter were working in their garden. The farmer was on his knees, whistling with his lips while his hands were deep in the dirt. He smiled at his daughter and said: "My darling Beauty, this here dirt is worthy of our affection!" The little girl's eyes brightened with admiration for her dad and her lips curled into a smile. Then she paused quizzically and asked:

 "Daddy, what's worthy?"

"Oh my little sweet pea, worthy is like hanging a sign on my overalls that says; "Dad." If people saw that sign, they would expect me to act like a Dad. If I didn't show my children love by the way I treated them, folks wouldn't think I should wear that sign. I would not be worthy of being called a Dad."

People might bug you. They are still worthy of being treated like a flower.

 For a moment there was silence between them. The Heart Farmers daughter soaked her fathers words into her heart. Her Dad could see that his little girl was growing like one of the plants in the garden. She was worthy of his efforts to shower her with love. Beauty's understanding was growing like the vegetables after a good rainfall. The little girls questions sometimes seemed as long as a cornfield. The Heart Farmer learned to love his daughters questions. It was if he knew how short a growing season was for his little girl. The years passed quickly and it seemed like only yesterday that she was just like the sprout of a sweet pea.

Cactus grow slowly as they save up water. Children grow quickly as they save up wisdom.

As the sun began it's trip to the evening side of the day, the Heart Farmer and his daughter slowly walked away from the garden towards their home. Beauty had one more question: "Daddy, why am I worthy of your love?" The farmers face lit up brighter than a 4th of July bonfire. He was almost overcome with joy and laughed as he spoke. "My love for you darling is an extension of God's love to me. You are His gift to me. My gratitude to God for you makes me love you to the stars and back. I see God in you the way you act towards other people. You are worthy of love because God made you in His image and God is love. You are a wonderfully made little girl and you will always be worthy in my eyes and in God's eyes!" With a tear in her eye and a smile on her face, the little girl said:

 "I love you Daddy!"

All relationships will have thorns. Will you patiently wait for the flower?

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.