Our Ten-Year-Old Lillian

A Decade...

That's how long it's been since our precious, tiny Lillian was born.

A Decade!

The word is so big and yet so small. How can it only be ten years since she made her appearance, fast a furious with no effort on my part? Yet, ten years. There's no way that it's been ten years since I first held this precious little girl.

But the dates do not lie. This amazing gift from God is ten years old today!

Where do I even begin with our only little girl? Lillian is so full of life! She loves to live. She wakes up ready for the day, blazing to go and get started on what needs to be done. She is a go-getter and doesn't like to slow down for anything. Carpe Diem will likely be her life motto.

Lillian's passion is baking and cooking! She could do it all day everyday! She dreams of having her own bakery and providing treats for people in all walks of life in what they can and cannot eat. Our family is consistently blessed by her decadent desserts and delicious dinners. Thus far she has not come across anything she cannot make. Cookies, cakes and pies are a regular at our house. She can also make caramel, tuiles and chocolate candies. Missing an ingredient? Lillian is not afraid to try something new even if it doesn't turn out right! The marks of a true baker. She's also starting to try breads and one loaf she makes regularly for our soup nights is absolutely amazing! I so look forward to see what God is going to do with the talent He has given this little girl.

Lillian also loves to learn. So much of her learning takes place in the kitchen which is probably part of the reason she loves math! But she also enjoys Latin and reading. Recently she has become very interested in reading the Bible daily and is working through the Guthrie Reading Plan for reading the Bible in a year with Smyrna First! It is such a blessing to see this and I pray God will use this to grow her in knowledge of God and that the Holy Spirit will show her the truth of God's Word so that she will see her sin and, by God's grace, turn to Him in repentance and faith.

With all of this, Lillian loves being with her family, and really with people in general. She loves to talk about things and discuss what she is learning. She loves to explore outside. Lillian is growing in caring for babies as she often helps with Timothy. Even when they annoy her, she loves being with her brothers. Often she can be found teaching Gabriel to bake something or working along side Reuben in the kitchen. She also enjoys building with LEGOs with her brothers and playing outside with them. She enjoys the sun and fresh air as well as going on adventures. She just loves life!

Recently, Lillian has begun to enjoy moments of alone time. She will walk around our yard by herself or curl up on her bed with a good book. This year she has read all of the American Girl books on her shelf and is working through the Dear America books that she has. She also enjoys the Magic Tree House Books. She is learning to journal as well and is beginning to write down prayer requests and draw pictures about what she's learning.

It is amazing to see how much this little baby has grown into a beautiful young woman. As she enters into the teen years, I pray she continues to grow and that she will seek the LORD with all her heart. We are so blessed to have a young woman in the midst of a household of boys. I'm always reminded that God knows exactly what we needed and I'm thankful for this girl to teach about Biblical womanhood and to help our boys learn how to treat women.

Father, thank You for the gift of Lillian! She is such a beautiful and precious image bearer and I am so thankful our family has the privilege of having her in our home. Thank You for the passion for life you have given her and the amazing talents she already possesses at such a young age. How I pray that she will use this gusto, this zeal for Your Kingdom and Your glory. Father, thank You for giving her a desire for Your Word and Your Way. Please take that love and turn it into a complete and devoted love for You! Let her love You with all of her heart, soul, mind and strength. Let her love her neighbor as herself. Let all of her passion for life flow from a passion for You, the Giver of all life. Show her that life without You is not truly life and that true abundant life is found only in the saving grace of Jesus. Thank You for this decade with Lillian! I pray we will have many more decades with her to watch her grow in wisdom, in stature and in favor with God and man. Make her like Jesus! I pray all of these things in Jesus Name. Amen!