Jesus loves me!

     I tend to think I spent my life screwing up one thing after another.  When I am in sync with God and we are communicating, I hear Him tell the story differently.  We are children to Him.  Learning lessons and growing.  Struggling to learn what the world is all about.  We make mistakes and trip up, we blatantly rebel.  We get spankings and suffer consequences.  We receive blessings we don't deserve and "free passes" from punishment we should receive.  We pass through each experience specifically planned by our Father to develop the best in us, exactly what He wants.  It's easiest to see this if you are a parent yourself. 
     My kids put me through sleepless nights, fits of anger and sadness only a parent can feel.  They hurt me deeply and made me extremely proud.  I have ached for them, cheered for them, kept silent when I so badly wanted to give them a little piece of my knowledge.  Exactly what I put my parents through.  Exactly what I put God through.
     When we turn our lives over to God, the whole process starts over.  We drink milk until we are ready for solids.  We rebel by choosing not to do what we know to do.  I, at 47 years old, will occasionally cover my ears and say, "I'm not listening."  I wonder, does God smile when I do this, like I smiled at my babies?  We force Him to talk louder and we act like we don't need Him.  We scream at Him about unfairness and try to change His mind.  We think we know more than God at times.  We are children learning and growing and though we need to ask forgiveness and RECEIVE it.  We are his kids, singing off key, covered in mud, spilling our milk, crying over silly things, falling down and getting back up, complaining, whining and stomping our feet.  His love for us doesn't change.  He sees the beauty in us when nobody else can.  He sees the beauty in us when we don't see it at all.
   

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died,
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! loves me still,
When I'm very weak and ill;
From His shining throne on high,
Comes to watch me where I lie.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He will stay,
Close beside me all the way;
He's prepared a home for me,
And some day His face I'll see.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.