Daddy, My Heart Hurts

By Carolyn Findlay Davis ã2000

"Where is everyone?" Carley thought, looking around the empty backyard of her apartment building. Karen and Gail were usually waiting to play.

"Karen!" Carley yelled, running up to Karen's back door. "Can you come out?" Karen and Gail were hiding behind the door. They watched Carley run up the stairs.

"Go ahead," whispered Gail to Karen, loud enough for Carley to hear through the door. "Tell her we don't want to play with her."

Carley slowly backed away from the door, her eyes filling with tears. Her heart sinking, she ran home to the security of her back porch. Daddy found her there a few minutes later. She was sitting with her head down and her arms around her knees.

Carley lifted her head. "Karen and Gail are hiding in Karen's house and won't let me in," sobbed Carley. Her face was stained with tears and her eyes were puffy.

Daddy sat down and lifted Carley onto his lap. Sometimes people say and do things that hurt our feelings, Carley," he said. "Wipe your tears and I'll walk back to Karen's with you. We'll see what the girls are doing."

Carley knocked on Karen's door.

"We can't come out," hollered Karen from inside.

"We don't want to play with you," shouted Gail.

Once again the tears trickled down Carley's face.

"I hate them," Carley sobbed, kicking the door. "I don't ever want to play with them again."

"I don't think you really mean that, Carley," Daddy said, taking her hand.

"You've had your feelings hurt. Let's go for a walk."

Carley and her daddy walked toward the ice cream store on the corner.

"Why are they being mean to me?" Carley cried.

"Sometimes, Carley," Daddy answered, "grown-ups as well as children, think they're having fun by being cruel to other people. Being left out hurts, doesn't it?"

Carley hung her head and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "Yes, my heart hurts, Daddy," she said.

"That's because you are a very caring little girl, Carley."

It was pleasantly cool inside the store and Daddy lifted Carley up onto one of the high, black stools at the counter.

"I think an ice cream cone will make that heart feel better," Daddy said.

"I'd like chocolate. How about you, Carley?"

"Strawberry, I guess," Carley answered, as she stared at the counter, blinking her eyes and trying hard not to cry.

"People should always treat others like they would want to be treated, Carley," said Daddy, softly. "Karen and Gail may be feeling ashamed right now, knowing they made you cry."

Carley and her daddy ate their ice cream in silence. Carley appeared to be deep in thought. Suddenly, she smiled. "I have an idea, Daddy. Do you think Karen and Gail would like some ice cream? We could buy some and I could take it to them when we get back."

"Yes, I think so, Carley," Daddy said, nodding his head. He paid for their ice cream and ordered two ice cream sundaes to take home.

"Can you please put some extra whipped cream and nuts on them?" asked Carley, politely.

Carley was anxious to get home. As soon as they arrived she took the sack from her daddy's hand and ran to Karen's door.

"Karen! Gail!" Carley called, knocking on the door. "I have a present for you."

Slowly, Karen opened the door. "Hi Carley," Karen said, quietly. "I guess you can come in. We weren't doing anything special."

Carley handed the sack to Karen. "I thought maybe you and Gail would like some ice cream," she said.

"Wow, sundaes!" exclaimed Karen, as she opened the sack. "Thanks, Carley. Karen hung her head, sheepishly. "I'm really sorry we were mean to you," she said, softly.

"I'm sorry, too, Carley," Gail said, looking up from her chocolate sundae. "It was really nice of you to bring us ice cream after we made you cry."

Carley laughed. "You have whipped cream all over your face, Gail."

Karen giggled and soon the three girls were laughing so hard that Karen's mother came to see what the noise was about.

"Goodness!" she exclaimed. "You girls sure sound like you're having fun. Where did the ice cream come from, Karen?"

"Carley brought it to us," Karen said, running to the kitchen drawer.

"Here's a spoon, Carley. You can share mine."

That evening sitting on Daddy's lap, Carley whispered in his ear.

"Daddy, my heart feels better now and I had lots of fun today."

"It was kind of you to treat your friends like you wanted them to treat you.

I'm proud of you, Carley. And, you know what? My heart feels better too!"

Daddy said, as he hugged her close and smiled.

**************************************************

God wants us to forgive people who are mean to us. If you get your feelings hurt you will feel better if you do something nice for the person who hurt you. You will be surprised at how good that will make you feel. And, the best thing is that our Father in heaven will smile at your kindness!

 

Miss Hope's Interviews

          “Well, right now, we can cross over to Miss Dunnstown, who did the research. Good Evening, Miss Dunnstown?”

          “Good Evening.” Came the reply.

          “Since we’re short on time, do you mind if we get straight into it?”

          “Certainly not... What would you like to know?”

          “First of all, can you give us a bit of information on Miss hope and who she is?”

          “ Well…somehow, from nowhere, Miss Hope will appear when you’re in trouble. Some people say she’s related to super woman, but with one major difference. The only weapon she carries is the word of God.  By day, she’s a writer, with the heart of Jesus, but at night, she’s God’s worker with a fearless nature. Heading into places that no one else dares to risk. Whenever you were in danger and you called out to God, Miss hope would arrive as if from mid air. Many believe she‘s a ghost, but those that have been rescued by her tell you ‘she is true flesh’. Her face and her hands have a warm glow that regardless of how she gets you out of the situation, you feel totally safe and secure. Her love leaves you spellbound, wanting to be touched more by the love she offers.

          After you are rescued, you ask how can you ever repay her. Her standard remark is renowned and never changes. “The only thank you I need is right now give yourself to Jesus allow him to be the Lord of your life. That is all the payment I need.”

          She waits briefly with you to pray, puts an autographed bible into your hand. Then this woman is gone, leaving you standing there, in love with God gently praying and rejoicing.

          “Excuse me one minute, your talking like this has happened to you?”

          “Well as a matter of fact it has. Only about three weeks ago.”

          “I am sorry but this rather tarnishes your story.  You have been biased, wouldn’t you say?”

          “I would say definitely not. If anything it helps to clarify--Hang on; I think God has just sent her on a mission.”

          Silence falls, as the camera is panned around to the sight of a lane way. There is darkness and murderous screaming. Passer Byers just walked faster and faster to avoid trouble. No one heard the yelling coming from the end of the lane. They were all oblivious that sixteen-year-old was facing the reality of rape.

          “God…Help me,” squeaked through the throat his hand was gripping.

          “Like he can help you.” The man taunted, ripping at her dress.

          “Yes he can!” The assailant turned around to see who spoke. His startled face lost color.

          “Who are you?” He gasped.

          “I’m Miss Hope. I come to the aid of hurting and afraid. And those that call out to God in time of trouble.”

          “OOOHhh, and what are you going to do to me. I am shaking in my boots. Look at you not even a gun. And a woman. You really in trouble aren’t you! How do you think you can rescue little Missy here.” He tauntingly flipped at his lips to make them quiver.

          “No I don’t need a gun. I have everything I need and heaps more. Just wait and see. Go on, I dare you. Let her go.”

          At that command, he pushed the young girl across alley.

          “Oh yeah! Come on then! Put you money where your mouth is.” He lunged forward with a knife. Each time it came close Miss hope ducked and weaved. She rolled and jumped. Not once, did he even make contact to Miss hope. His frustration was at boiling point. “What the heck?” He fumed, “I’ll show you.” Reaching into his shirt, He pulled out a gun. Miss hope stood there without even flinching, “Go on, Through Jesus, that gun is powerless to hurt me,” warned Miss Hope. Anger surging, he aimed the gun. Click. Click. Nothing. He looked at his gun. Then he tried again. Still nothing at all. “What the --!” He yelled scratching his head. He aimed the gun at the rubbish bin nearby and fired. This time the shot was true.

          “Alright, what’s going on here?” Again, he aimed it at Miss Hope and tried to fire. Still nothing.

          Then the realisation hit him. “There is a God isn’t there?” Tears streamed down his face. “I am sorry! I am sorry for everything I have done,” he said to Miss Hope. “What can I do to ever make amends for the people I have hurt?” The man sobbed aloud as he thought of the pain he had caused.

          “Absolutely nothing you can do about it. But God can.” Miss hope knelt beside the broken man.

          “How can God help me? I am to bad for him.”

          “No your not. God forgives you of all wrongs. Nothing is left untouched.”

          “Murder? Rape? And much more. You don’t want to know.” His eyes fixed firmly on his callous hands that had caused so many people such agony through out his life.

          “He can’t forgive me. I am just too bad.”

          “No one is too bad. God loves you already. Nothing you can do is going to make him love you any less. Nothing you are going to do is going to make him love you any more. You’re already loved. He wants you to come home to him. No one is too bad. That’s a lie that our head wants to believe. But the honest truth is God wants you to come home.”

          “How?”

          By this point the victim had wiggled over besides Miss Hope, listening to every word that Miss hope said. “Excuse me. Miss Hope! How did you stop that gun from firing?”

          “Yeah?” The man looked into Miss Hope in the eyes.

          “I don’t need any weapons. When I gave my life to God, he gave me his weapons. They protect me in every situation. But these weapons are available to every single one of us. Not just heroes, everyone.”

          “You mean your God will protect me from situations like this?” The victim and her attacker asked Miss Hope the same question.

 

          Miss Hope nodded. “In every situation he comes to protect us. We never have to do anything alone. We have nothing to fear because he is near.”

          “How do I meet your God?” They both stammered.

          “Just ask him to be the Lord of your life. Bow your head and ask him to forgive you. And then grow in him.”

          Both the victim and the attacker bowed their heads in prayer. Miss Hope flicked her cape over her shoulder and rummaged into her pocket. Finally, her hand came out with two small objects. “Here you go—Your own rule books.” With that, she handed each of them a bible. “Well, I have to go, but find yourself a great church and grow into the biggest and the best Christian you possibly can. Walk in love and God’s power.”

          Miss Hope darts swiftly to the end of the alley and rose into the air. “Praise you God. That’s another two.” She “Cooees!” excitedly, punching the air. Her face is illuminated with joy as she senses that God is sending her next mission. Hang in there in time of great trouble. Pray to God for help. He might not send you Miss Hope but he will have some one there to protect you. He has angels poked in every corner.

            “Well you have the footage live on here 7NBN! Thank you and good night.”