Dada! I gotta give you a hug!

"I gotta give you a hug."

Is Ella's trade mark remark these days. She quickly follows through with what she intends to do, running up to and hugging you wherever she can reach. Not just people she knows well, but almost anyone at times that she get's comfortable around.

I love it when she tells me this.

She'll tell me, "Dada, i got something that will make you feel better"

"What?"

That's when she'll snuggle up and give me a big hug. She says it makes all my boo boo's better. And she's right. It just makes me want to pull her even closer.

Most of the time when I get home, or pick her up she'll come running at me screaming for me with a smile and a hug.

I've stated that since I've become a Dad I understand now how much my Heavenly Father loves me, because of how much love my I have for Ella. (Luke 11:11-13)

I picked Crazy Love up tonight, I stopped reading at about page 50 in December. I get distracted and jump around from book to book.

Francis Chan talks about our perception of our God's love for us after we become fathers ourselves.

But on page 55 he flips it. He also loves it when his daughter meets him at the door or maybe even in the driveway. His heart swells, as does mine, when she runs into his presence and gives him the biggest hug of the day.

I love it when I open the door and where ever Ella is, she comes running with arms open.

"DADDY! DADDY's HERE!"

I'm tearing just thinking about it.

The same love I feel for Ella is the same my heavenly Father has for me times 1,000,000. But the reverse is also true.

When Ella comes running to her daddy...I'm overflowing with lover for her that I can't help but pull her closer. When we come running into the presence of God with hands raised, and our hearts screaming..."DADDY! DADDY"S HERE". He can't help but be overflowing with love and pull us closer.

So go screaming right now, find a place and reach up and scream...

"Daddy, I got a hug for you!"