Resurrection Sunday

We had a lovely Easter yesterday.  The morning started out with an incredible church service at Reliance where we were blessed to witness a lot of people dedicate their lives to Jesus for the first time and others who were re-dedicating their lives.  It was a beautiful sight to see all those people come forward!

After church we headed over to Nick and Sara's for an Easter lunch and egg hunt.

Travis and Cody were almost matching in their Easter outfits.

The highlight of the afternoon is definitely the egg hunt.  It takes a little while for the little ones to realize what is going on, but once they get it, they have the time of their lives!

Lyla hunting for eggs.

Counting up the loot.  Nia was the winner with a total of 13 eggs.

And then we got to dig into some dessert!  I made the coconut cake and decorated with bunny peeps.  My mother-in-law, Cheryl, made the cherry pie with the cross cut-out.

It was a wonderful day spent celebrating our Risen Lord.  "...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

six years ago two crazy kids ran off to vegas together...

Today we celebrate six years of marital bliss.  Bliss is defined as an emotional state characterized by perfect happiness.  Perfect happiness?  I can say that only because our marriage has been blessed by God.  Through mostly good times and a lot of a few rough patches, we can say that Jesus has carried us through six years of marriage.  And I mean it when I say that He carried us through it.  We couldn't have done it without Him.  People always tell you how tough it is to be married and you never realize just exactly what they were trying to warn you about until you're really in it.  But all the hard work and effort is worth it without a doubt.  Anything worthwhile comes out of struggle and self-sacrifice.  God has blessed us time and time again through our union with the most obvious reward being our two beautiful children that keep us on our toes! 

This is what I woke up to this morning.  I heard some quiet stirring downstairs and I knew Travis was up to something.  Simple gerber daisies and a beautiful card with even more beautiful sentiments inside!

...and he made me my faves for breakfast!  Crispy bacon and plain buttered white toast.  He knows me well.

Well, I think we're pretty great together.

God answers prayer in 3 ways...

1. Yes
2. Wait
3. I have something better for you!

Sometimes God's answers are subtle and sometimes they are unmistakably obvious!  In my post about Lyla's first day of school, I shared about how the Lord gave us clear direction on sending Lyla to preschool.  I hesitated to tell the background story because I wasn't sure if it would come across as boasting or bragging in how God has worked in our lives...but then I reflected on it and felt that the story might be a blessing to others.  Let me share. 

In May, we started considering preschool for Lyla because she had been asking when she will start going to school.  The idea of riding a bus, wearing a backpack, and having a teacher intrigued her.  So, we started to look into schools in the area.  There was one private Christian school in particular that we considered due to location and reputation.  We made an appointment to take a tour just to get an idea of what it was like.  It was awesome!  During our visit, we heard little ones reciting bible verses and praying for eachother.  Lyla was thrilled and didn't even want to leave the school that day.  As a family, we made the decision to start praying for the Lord's direction and that He would provide for us financially if He wanted Lyla in that particular school.  He answered our prayers without delay...

First, let me explain that the tuition for this preschool is $380 a month.  We certainly didn't have the extra money laying around for this expense.  So, we prayed and we prayed.  Lyla prayed right along with us.  We asked God top open the doors if He wanted her to attend this school and, if He did, that He would provide the money for her tuition. 

Two days later, I was called into my boss's office and he told me that I had been doing a good job and then he unexpectedly offered me a raise!  I was astounded.  I was not up for a review and definitely did not expect this raise at all.  The increase in my hourly wages brought up my monthly income by $152.  I walked out of his office practically skipping down the hall with joy!

A few days later, Travis was informed at work that his monthly booth rental at the salon was going to be reduced by $100.  Again, we were floored.  We were not anticipating this at all.  We praised the Lord and thanked him for blessing us once again.

About a week after the news from Element Salon, we got a letter in the mail from our mortgage company informing us that our monthly mortgage was going down by $128 due to an update on our taxes.  What?!?!  How could this be happening?  Let's add it up:

$152 raise in my pay
$100 reduction in Trav's booth rental
$128 reduction in mortage

=$380!!!

We couldn't believe how obvious it was that Jesus was telling us to send Lyla to school.  It just goes to show that where the Lord guides, He provides!  We have never heard God answer our prayers more clearly.  I didn't hesitate to start the paperwork and enroll Lyla right away.  We really feel strongly that God is training up Lyla to do mighty work for Him.  She is already a self-proclaimed "prayer warrior"!  I hope this story is an encouragement to everyone who reads it that Jesus loves us and wants to bless us in so many ways.  I also hope that it is an exhortation for all of us to "Pray without ceasing." -1 Thessalonians 5:17.

school girl

This morning was a big deal in our home.  Lyla's eyes lit up when we told her that she was going to preschool today.  She has been eagerly antipating this day for months - ever since we first toured the school way back in May.  She was super excited.  She got dressed all by herself in her brand new outfit and then asked me to put her hair in two buns.  I kept reminding her what a big girl she is and how today is a really big deal.  She definitely understood the hype.  She was so well-behaved! 

She met one friend in her class last week at "meet your teacher" night.  His name is Leif.  As soon as we got to her classroom, she made her way over to Leif to say hello. 

Lyla's cubby

We are so excited for this year and this new chapter in Lyla's life.  We think that Lyla will really thrive in this social environment and we are thanking the Lord for providing this opportunity for her!  We checked out the school in May and prayed that God would open the doors to allow Lyla to attend preschool here.  He answered right away and let us know that this is indeed what He had in mind for Lyla.  Thank you, Jesus for your clear direction in our lives!

the best lyrics ever written

These lyrics are from a song called, "In Christ Alone" written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend.  This song has always spoken to my heart.  It is absolutely the perfect reflection of my love for Jesus put into song.  I couldn't have said it better myself.  You can watch a video and listen to the song performed here on youtube, but I listed the lyrics below so that you can focus on the words without the music.  The lyrics are so powerful and moving on their own. 

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless Babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save

Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory
Sins curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Could ever pluck me from His hand
Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand

our baptism

Travis and I gave our lives to Jesus 7 years ago.  This past Sunday we finally made a public declaration of our love for Jesus by getting baptized.  To make an awesome moment even more amazing, we were baptized by Trav's brother and we were baptized together!  Nick is the executive pastor at our church, so he got to "dunk" us in the water.  The ceremony started with Pastor Nick introducing us and asking why we want to get baptized.  That brings up a good point.  Why get baptized?

First of all, the bible encourages baptism.  In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus says "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples from all nations. Baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to fulfill all that I have commanded you. I am with you always until the end of this world."

Secondly, it is a public declaration of the inward change that happened when we accepted Jesus as our saviour.  In 2nd Corinthians 5:17, it says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  We are a new creation in Christ.  That change actually happened 7 years ago when we prayed the prayer of salvation and we announced it in front of friends and family by getting baptized in water.

Thirdly, Jesus was baptized.  In Mark 1:9-11 it says, "It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.  Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

daddy/daughter date night

Lyla's first date with her daddy was a huge success!  They both had an amazing time and Trav did everything he could do to make it an extra special evening.  He wanted to make Lyla feel like a princess.  I was so excited about their date that I bought her a new fancy dress weeks ago.  She couldn't wait to dress up for her daddy and go out on her first date ever.

We prepared for the date by making Travis a little surprise.  We worked together to make a boutonniere using some lavender in our front yard.  It was super simple to do.  We just cut some lavender, tied the stems together with twist ties, and then wrapped some lace ribbon around it.  Voila!  Grab a pin and you have a homemade boutonniere. 

Travis arrived at the door to pick up Lyla with a bouquet of flowers.  She couldn't believe they were for her.  She kept bringing them to me and saying they were mine. 

Daddy tries on the boutonniere.

Trav let Lyla choose any place she wanted to go to dinner.  She didn't even take more than two seconds to think about it before she shouted out, "Sushi!"  He took her to our favorite sushi spot in town, Hana Sushi.  She ordered tamago (cooked chicken egg) and philadelphia roll.

When they arrived at Reliance Church for the ice cream and movie, the ladies of our church gave them the red carpet treatment.  Literally, they had a red carpet for them to walk in on!  There were bags of popcorn for the movie, strawberry water, ice cream and tons of toppings, etc.  All the daddies and daughters got to share in some ice cream and then cuddle up on the floor with blankets and pillows to enjoy the Muppets movie.

I think Lyla will cherish this memory of her very first date forever.  The photo below was given to Lyla in a little frame as a keepsake of the night and it is now on the shelf above her bed.  What a sweet memory to keep in her heart forever! 

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward." -Psalms 127:3

cubbie graduation

Last night we celebrated Lyla's completion of one year of being an AWANA cubbie.  We walked into the room about two minutes late and the ceremony had already started.  Much to our surprise, Lyla ran straight down the aisle and right up on stage with no hesitation and gave mr. darius a big hug!  He was in mid-sentence and addressing the entire room when he was attacked by our daughter.  He immediately picked her up and held her in his arms while he completed his speech on stage.  Lyla has no stage fright whatsoever.  Yikes!

It was so cute to see all the little cubbies standing up at the front and getting their certificates.  Some of them got awards for completing their books and some got "good effort" awards.  My favorite part of the night is at the beginning when the kids do worship.  They sing songs like "Trust in the Lord with all your heart" and "Make a joyful noise (NOISE!) to the Lord" and "Jump up and down (hey!), I believe in Jesus".  The songs are really up-beat and the dance moves that mr. darius choreographed are fun too (even for me!).  Yeah, that's right...I know some of the moves.

Lyla received a certificate for completing her book!  We are such proud AWANA cubbie parents.  In Proverbs 22:6 the bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it".  I think it's wonderful that this is a promise in the bible that our children WILL NOT depart from the ways that we train them.  It doesn't say that they probably will not or may not depart.  The bible promises that if you train them in the ways they should go, they WILL NOT depart from it.  Wow.  I love to rest in this verse and know that our hard work as parents will pay off in the long run.  The time and energy we invest in them now will help them into their adulthood.  Thank you, Lord, for your awesome covenant!

mother and other tea

Our church had a tea for all the moms and ladies over the age of twelve.  It was a lovely afternoon of prayer, worship, and fellowship with the ladies of Reliance Church.  The tea was at the civic center in old town temecula and 150 women attended.  The theme was "under the shadow of His wing" and the inspiration came from Psalm 36:7 which says, "How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings." 

Kandice, Madilyn, me, Sara, Cheryl and Helen.  That's four generations in one photo!

Tea.  I had coffee because I'm not a huge fan of tea.

Each table had a host who was responsible for decorating their table.  Our table had a buckingham palace theme and it was so cute, but I couldn't find a good picture of it.  This apple green table was probably my favorite.  I like how black and white look with a bold color.  I had a lot of fun walking around and seeing all the different table inspirations.

This table was really pretty too. 

The tea also hosted a clothing exchange which they called "Simply Needed Boutique" and you could "shop" for womens, childrens, baby and even maternity clothing.  There were no prices as everything was on donation basis only.  I scored a bunch of cute stuff for Cody.  He got four t-shirts, a sweatshirt, a pair of jammies, and a flannel.  That kid is growing so fast, so it's nice not to spend a fortune to keep him clothed!

Desserts outside.



out of the mouths of babes

Facebook posts:

May 17, 2012

Lyla's prayer this morning: "dear God, i want to pray for a baby sister. I also want to pray for michael. I love him so much and he doesn't feel good, so just bless the Lord to him. And my auntie trisha doesn't know Jesus very well, so i just want to pray for her. We love you so much, God. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen"

May 3, 2012

Lyla's prayer in the car this morning: "Dear God, I just want to pray that you keep us safe at Disneyland today. I want to pray for Michael Dorobiala to have a good job and good home after bible...I want to pray for a baby sister. I want her to be born a girl and naked. So, in Jesus' name, Amen."


Some friends and I were talking this morning about how pure and sweet are the prayers of children.  They aren't hindered by what society thinks about what we should pray for or how we should pray.  A child's prayers are sincere, honest, and from the heart.  I love hearing Lyla's prayers and I love to share them to bless others.  In chapter 18 of the book of Matthew, Jesus is asked who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  He calls out a little child and has him stand among them.  Jesus answers, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 18:3-4.  Lyla reminds me daily to humble myself and to become more child-like in my love for Jesus!

I wonder if God will answer Lyla's prayers for a baby sister???

what we do on sunday nights

"The Way" is a weekly bible study that Travis and I have been serving at.  We have been so blessed to become a part of the young adults ministry.  When we were first approached with the idea of joining the leadership team, we thought, "Yeah, we're not much older than them...maybe we will be able to relate to their struggles and issues."  Ha!  We forgot that we are about 10 years older than this college-aged crowd.  How did we get so old so fast?  Nevertheless, it has been a blessing to get to know these young adults and encourage them in their walks with Jesus.  Here is a little information that I grabbed from our church's website about our group:

VISION STATEMENT

The Way is a weekly small group for young adults. It is designed to be a genuine community where we can have real conversations about life. Every Sunday night, we meet for dessert, fellowship, and a study of the Word. At The Way, we examine biblical perspectives on a diversity of subjects: from the everyday issues we face to what God says about eternity.

‎'Prepare The Way of the LORD; Make His paths straight. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.' (Luke 3:4,6)

For more info contact Cody at cody@reliancechurch.org

Good Friday

It's fashion friday!  But more importantly, it's Good Friday!!!

Cody sporting his sister's hand-me-down encinitas surfboards t-shirt.

Pants from DKNY and shoes from H&M

new kicks!

Lyla in her gap romper

gap peep-toe sandals

Travis in brixton hat, soul collective buttoned shirt, h&m striped shirt, levi's jeans and sperry shoes.

And this one of me will have to do...tracy feith for target blouse, true religion jeans, and irregular choice ballet flats.  I would also like to mention how thrilled I am that buns are in style right now!  I love that I can wake up late in the morning and throw my hair in a bun and still look stylish.

This fashion friday is particularly special because we honor the remembrance of Christ's crucifiction.  We went to the Good Friday service at the Bible College this morning and listened to the teaching on Mark 15.  What a humbling reminder of what Jesus endured for us.  I look forward to this Sunday when we can rejoice in the celebration of His resurrection!

our little AWANA cubbie

Tonight was 3rd quarter awards night at AWANA.  Check out Lyla in her Cubbie's vest with all the patches she has earned!  We're so proud of Lyla for memorizing her bible verses and reciting them every week to her teachers.

And look who came to awards night...baaba, grandpa, and auntie trisha!  Trisha was here for her spring break trip this week, so we got to spend some time with her.  I snapped this photo during worship time.  Lyla was really enjoying herself.  She was so excited she could hardly sit still the whole time.  Lyla got called up to the stage at the very beginning of the night to share a testimony.  Darius said she came up a couple weeks ago and asked for prayer because she was sick.  The next week she went up and told everyone, "Jesus healed me!".  It was so sweet.  She had absolutely no problem with speaking into the microphone in front of everyone.

Lyla did win a prize as well.  She got a little goodie bag filled with games, candy, and stickers.  At the end of the night, she even had a chance to recite her verse for this week, "Love your neighbor" -Galatians 5:14.  She earned another patch for that gem!  That vest will be filled up in no time.

How He loves us!

I started to write an email to my friend to introduce her to cody because she has never met him.  It was turning into a novel, so I decided to blog about it instead.  I could gush on and on about my kids.  I love my children and I am completely amazed at how two totally different and unique individuals could both come from my womb.  I look at them everyday and marvel at the diversity of God's beautiful creation.
 
Cody has a wonderful personality.  He is a thinker.  He is very flirtatious and mischievous. He has a special smile he likes to give where he looks at you and drops his chin down and grins. He is very sweet and loves to cuddle. He will often walk off and play for a few minutes and then come back for a hug or to hold my hand, and then he wants to go back to playing. Cody is fascinated by Lyla and follows her around watching everything she does. He thinks she is hilarious and laughs at everything she does. It is obvious that he really contemplates his actions before he moves on them.  He listens when we say, "NO" (certainly a blessing for a parent!). When he chooses to speak a word, you can tell he has been thinking about it and practicing it in his mind before he actually says it aloud. He just recently started saying "book", "cookie", "lyla" and "mine".  He says them all perfectly and clearly.  He even combined two words today when he was telling on Lyla for taking his cookie!  He said, "cookie da mine!"  Amazing.  Having said all of the above, what comes as something of a surprise is that Cody has the worst temper I've ever seen! When he gets upset, he often will try to hit himself or bite something.  But the anger passes quickly like a flash in a pan. He is also very curious and inquisitive...he will carefully pick up a block and try to place it where it goes. He can quietly play by himself without requiring a lot of stimulation. I see him being an introspective kid that is always content with what he has. Until he hets angry, then watch out!  He will need time to cool off and return to the situation.  How different he is than Lyla!

Lyla is a dynamic person and a complete joy to be around.  She has been so outgoing, self-assured and independent from birth.  She never needed a cuddle with mom or any kind of reassurance of love. She waves goodbye casually when we leave her in the care of others...even if she doesn't know them!  This was always a blessing when she had a different babysitter every saturday, but also made me wonder why she didn't have any separation anxiety from her own parents.  I wondered if she even cared about her dear old mom and dad.  To Lyla, strangers are just friends she hasn't met yet.  She is quick to walk into any room full of people and say, "Hi, I'm Lyla!".  Lyla requires constant attention and stimulation from people. She will completely disregard our attempts to discipline her if she thinks her actions are worth the inevitable punishment. Saying "no" to her is futile. She doesn't hear anything when she is intent on doing something. Lyla has never had an interest in puzzles, but she has such a knack for manipulation and scheming (puzzles of the human variety). She can make almost anyone fall in love with her. She is a social butterfly and melts hearts within seconds.  Lyla is so smart.  She is already learning how to read! Her letter recognition is nearly perfect now and she can sound out simple words when prompted. She amazes me daily with her sense of humor and her sassy attitude. I picture her growing into a difficult teenager who fights me with her strong-willed nature, which unfortunately she inherited from me.  I also see her stepping out in faith to do incredible things for God's kingdom.

Both of our children are wonderful and I am so grateful that they are mine!  I love them with all my heart in completely different ways.  When I think about how much I love my children, it amazes me to think that God loves them more.  Even more incredible, God loves me that much too.  Me?  Even before I became a believer, He loved me?  Yes, He is our Father in Heaven who watches us all with that same adoration that we have for our children.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life". -John 3:16.  A friend at a recent bible study brought up the concept of reading that most-quotable and famous bible verse with a new approach, with an emphasis on the word "SO".  If we could only comprehend what that kind of love is like...if we could only wrap our minds around that kind of sacrifice, we would all fall on our knees in complete awe of our Creator!  He. SO. loves. us.

"I don't want to raise a good child"

A friend shared this article with me on facebook when I posted a photo of Lyla's incident report from AWANA. Lyla had to be disciplined with a time-out because she wasn't listening when she was told three times to hold onto the rope like all the other kids were doing. Lyla can be so stubborn when she doesn't want to obey (which is about 99% of the time). This article is so encouraging to mothers of strong-willed children. Please read if you are one of those moms!

March 15, 2012
I Don’t Want to Raise a Good Child
by Lysa TerKeurst

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (NIV 1984)

My daughter, Hope, is a senior this year. And she decided her senior year should be adventurous and a little out of the “normal” box. A lot out of the box actually.

She withdrew from traditional school. Applied with the state to homeschool. Enrolled in online college courses that would allow her to get both high school and college credit simultaneously. And planned to spend the month of January serving in Nicaragua doing missions.

This didn’t surprise me really. Hope has always liked charting her own course. This thrills me now. But it didn’t thrill me so much in the early years of raising this strong-spirited child.

When she was really little I was scared to death I was the world’s worst mom, because Hope was never one to be contained. And I honestly thought all her extra tenacity was a sign of my poor mothering.

One day I took her to the mall to meet several of my friends with toddlers to grab lunch. All of their kids sat quietly eating cheerios in their strollers. They shined their halos and quoted Bible verses and used tissues to wipe their notes.

Not Hope.

She was infuriated by my insistence she stay in her stroller. So, when I turned away for a split second to place our lunch order, she wiggled free. She stripped off all her clothes. She ran across the food court. And jumped in the fountain in the center of the mall.

Really, nothing makes the mother of a toddler feel more incapable than seeing her naked child splashing in the mall fountain. Except maybe that toddler refusing to get out and said mother having to also get into the fountain.

I cried all the way home.

Not because of what she’d done that day. But rather because of how she was everyday. So determined. So independent. So insistent.

I would beg God to show me how to raise a good child. One that stayed in her stroller. One that other people would comment about how wonderfully behaved she was. One that made me look good.

But God seemed so slow to answer those prayers. So, over the years, I changed my prayer. “God help me to raise Hope to be who You want her to be.” Emphasis on, “God HELP ME!”

I think I changed my prayers for her because God started to change my heart. I sensed He had a different plan in mind for my mothering of Hope.

Maybe God’s goal wasn’t for me to raise a good rule-following child. God’s goal was for me to raise a God-following adult. An adult just determined and independent and insistent enough to fulfill a purpose He had in mind all along.

Today’s key verse reminds us we are training children so that when they are old they will not turn away from Biblical principles, but rather implement them in their life-long pursuit of God. Remember, the things that might aggravate you about your child today, might be the very things when matured that make them great for God’s kingdom tomorrow.

I’ve certainly seen this in raising Hope.

I don’t know what mama needs to hear this today. But let me encourage you from the bottom of my heart with three simple mothering perspectives you must hang on to:
1. Don’t take too much credit for their good.2. Don’t take too much credit for their bad.3. Don’t try to raise a good child. Raise a God-following adult.

And all the mamas of fountain dancing children said, “Amen!”

The generous heart of my 3-year-old

Last night was Awards Night at AWANA. AWANA is a church program for kids that meets once a week. They break into separate age groups and they have different activities based on their group. Lyla is a "Cubbie" which is for the preschoolers. She has a short bible verse to memorize each week and she usually does a great job with memorizing and reciting. I invited my parents along for the awards ceremony because Lyla was going to be rewarded for preparedness and knowing her bible verses. What they do is give kids tickets whenever they get special recognition throughout the quarter. The tickets go into a can and names are drawn out at awards night. So, Lyla had two tickets in the can.

The night started with fun worship music for the kids (the pic above shows Lyla clapping along to one of the songs in her cute little Cubbies vest). Then they taught a message about transformation and how we are changed when we accept Jesus into our hearts. They wrapped it up with the big drawing and handing out the prizes. Lyla's name was called and she got a princess wand with inter-changeable jewels. She was pretty excited about it and waved it around proudly. This was not the type of event where every kid in the room walked out with a prize. A handful of kids didn't get anything. It was so sad! One little girl was crying and pointing at Lyla's wand. She said, "I always wanted that!" with tears rolling down her red cheeks. I was holding Lyla in my arms outside and explained to her that sometimes it's better to give than to receive and that sometimes God will bless us even more when we choose to bless others. Now, Lyla is a typical 3 year old...what I mean is that she is supremely selfish. I expected her to clutch her new toy to her chest and guard it fiercely. But, to my surprise, she said, "I am going to give my prize to that poor little girl". So I put her down and she walked over to the girl and gave her the wand! That little girl could not have had a bigger smile on her face! She sprinted toward her mom, exclaiming, "MOM, that little girl BLESSED me with this gift!". I was so proud of Lyla for giving up her toy to make someone else happy. It is so sweet to see God working in the hearts of little ones.