When my baby smiles at me, it brings such joy to my heart.  She's so tiny, and yet she lifts her chin and tosses her head back as if in laughter.  I'm "just" a stay-at-home mom, and I don't earn a salary, but when my baby smiles, it's a better reward than any paycheck I could receive for my work.  It's so fulfilling to see my little girl smile at me.  My heart feels so full.

      Then I see her give the same smiles and coos to the ceiling fan, and suddenly I feel a little less special.  My husband and I were wondering if perhaps we caught a glimpse of how God feels about our relationship with Him.  God delights to be in relationship with us.  It warms His heart when we "smile" at Him with our love, adoration, and praise.  But then, so often we turn and adore the things of this world that are temporary.  We look to the "golden calf" and say, "This is what saved us."  We praise the created instead of the Creator.  How often in my life do I give my smiles and my heart to the "ceiling fan" when all the while, my "Abba Father", my "Papa", longs patiently for me to turn my gaze to Him and smile.  I'm his baby and even though my words fall far short to adequately describe how wonderful He is, He loves to hear me coo and "make a joyful noise".  I can just imagine Him looking down from Heaven and saying, "My heart is so full when my baby smiles at me."