It's late...or if you rather, it's early. Either way, I should probably be in bed...but thoughts are churning in my mind and that Coke I drank an hour ago is taking its toll. So I thought I would share with you some ramblings of a ragamuffin. However, these are not my thoughts, but rather from one of my favorite authors...yep, you guessed it, Brennan Manning. I know, you were concerned that you haven't heart about Abba's Child for awhile...sorry to say, I had to put it down in order to read 3 other books last week. :) But I read this yesterday and think its worth passing on....

"Tenderness awakens within the security of knowing we are thoroughly and sincerely liked by someone. The mere presence of that special someone in a crowded room brings an inward sigh of relief and a strong sense of feeling safe. The experience of a warm, caring, affective presence banishes our fears. The defense mechanisms of the impostor--sarcasm, name-dropping, self-righteousness, the need to impress others--fall away. We become more open, real vulnerable, and affectionate. We grow tender....

"...How would you respond if I asked you this question: "Do you honestly believe God likes you, not just loves you because theologically God has to love you?" If you could answer with gut-level honoesty, "Oh, yes, my Abba is very fond of me," you would experience a serene compassion for yourself that approximates the meaning of tenderness."