The other day, my family and I went to see the movie “Courageous” at an area mall along with a group from our church. As I stood by the theatre box office greeting church members and taking in the sights and sounds around me, I noticed one little girl standing beside a woman crying almost uncontrollably.
  
She was obviously upset by something that had gone terribly wrong in her miniature world. As I watched the drama unfold, I quickly surmised that she was heart-broken because she had just missed boarding the little train that provides young passengers with a guided tour of that section of the mall. There seemed to be absolutely no appeasing her.
 
Just then, a tall figure entered the frame and stood beside, what now seemed apparent to be, a very frustrated mom and her distraught daughter. Trying to understand what I was seeing, I guessed that he was the little girl’s dad. My guess soon proved to be correct. Without as much as looking up to verify the man’s identity, the little girl inched toward him until she stood right beside one of his legs. Then as if on cue, she whimpered in a saddened voice, “Oh Daddy” and the man knew just what to do.

In one fell swoop, he reached down, scooped her into his arms and lofted her onto his shoulders...