Here is a beautiful passage from Brennan Manning: [thanks to Josh Stites.]

Several years ago, Edward Farrell, a priest from Detroit, went on a two-week long summer vacation to visit family in Ireland. His one living uncle was about to celebrate his 80th birthday. On that great day Ed and his uncle got up early. It was before dawn. They took a long walk along the shores of Lake Killarney and stopped to watch the sunrise. They stood side by side for a full 20 minutes and then resumed walking. Ed glanced at his uncle and saw that his face had broken into a broad smile. Ed said, "Uncle Seamus, you look very happy.""I am." Ed asked, "How come?" And his uncle replied, "The Father of Jesus is very fond of me."

If the question were put to you, "Do you honestly believe that God likes you?"-not loves you, because theologiaclly he must-how would you answer? God loves by neccesity of his nature; without the eternal, interior generation of love, he would cease to be God. But, if you could answer, "The Father is very fond of me," there would be a relaxedness, a serenity, and a compassionate attitude toward yourself that is a reflection of God's own tenderness. In Isaiah 49:15 , God says: "Does a woman forget her baby at the breast, or fail to cherish the son of her womb? Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you."
-Brennan Manning

What an incredible thing to know that the God of all creation knows me intimately and still calls me his beloved. Thank you Josh; I needed that reminder today.