It's raining. The kind of rain where you can hear the raindrops hit the leaves. There's a dog barking in the background and the sound of cars can be heard far off in the distance. This always brings back memories of being at the family campsite in DuBois, Pennsylvania when I was young. I was sitting outside, watching Dad build a fire while my brother was collecting kindling and Mom was inside making lunch. That was before the divorce, back when everything felt safe, when I felt that I was loved.

I'm reading a book entitled "Answered Prayers" by Julia Cameron, in which God asks me to ask for what I want. One of the things I ask for is my relationship with my Dad back. I realize my Dad has changed and so have I. He's no longer the man he was in his twenties when he was a part of raising and supporting a family. We can never get back to what we once had--too much heartache and disappointment over the years. The rain is God's way of giving me my Dad back. I can feel the safety, security and love I felt as a child without all the hurt and disappointment of the last 35 years. My Dad may never call me out of the blue to reconnect with me (which is what I thought I wanted when I asked for my relationship with Dad back) but God gave me exactly what I asked for: the genuine relationship I can only find in my heart. Thank you, Lord.  ~Amen.