Dear Olivia,

Happy Birthday!  It's so special to be able to celebrate the life of such a special little girl as you.  I count it as one of the great privileges in my life that I've been able to watch you and worry for you and wonder at the miracle of a person like you -- for six whole years now.  I was there when you were born in yonder bedroom, getting to be one of the first to kiss your downy-soft head... I was there when you learned to walk and talk... I was there when you went through the process of surgically removing the strawberry of a hemangioma from your sweet little head... I was there when you had your first day of school (what an intrepid adventurer you were!)... I was there when you stubbed your toe last week and had a good long cry about it... And I am here now, celebrating the day that my little Chippy-Chuppy is turning six.

I love you so much, Olivia.  I marvel at the ways you reflect the beauty of God, your Creator.  Your smile has a spectacular radiance.  Your jumps and skips and twirls show your grace and exhuberance.  Your keen attention to colors and patterns and textures of clothing demonstrates a special care for beauty.  And I've noticed you several times, recently, noticing yourself -- beautiful and unashamed.  Just this past Sunday, I saw you catch your reflection through the sheer curtains in the full-length mirrors at the front of the H88, just after our church's worship gathering.  You went up to the wall, parted the curtains so you could see yourself more clearly, and you practiced your smile.  You raised and lowered your eyebrows.  You adjusted your hair and the position of your neck, and you practiced your smile some more... And then you bounced off to frolic again in the big pillow pile with Amke and Aude and Cor.  It was a unique moment to observe -- and it brought two particular thoughts to my mind:  (1) What a beautiful person you really are, Olivia; and (2) How aware you're becoming of yourself and your appearance.

It occurs to me, Olivia, that your beauty is both a great asset (a very good thing) and a great liability (something that could be dangerous, if you're not careful).  So as your father, I want to both affirm you and advise you in the utilization of your God-given beauty.  Without a question, Olivia, you are beautiful.  You're breathtaking, actually, with those blue eyes and that honey-colored hair of yours.  Your smile totally lights up the room.  You move with grace and joy.  So believe me:  people notice you and your beauty.  I certainly do!  And we all appreciate you for the beautiful person you are.  But this is where it's important for you to listen to my fatherly advice, before any other voices of distraction try to crowd us out:  Make sure that the beauty is not just the parts of you that can be examined in a mirror.  Don't let your physical appearance become a means for manipulating others or allowing them to manipulate you.  Be strong in the way that God made you!  And then let the hair and the posture and the smile be wonderful extras.  Remember what it says in the Bible (1 Peter 3:3-4) that "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."  If you can learn to walk this line, Olivia -- balancing inner beauty and external beauty in a healthy way -- you will make your father a very happy man, indeed.

You know one of the other things I really appreciate about you, Olivia?  It's your kindness and consideration for others.  I'm so proud to see the way that you take care of your little brother, for instance.  You offer practical assistance in getting up and getting down from high places, in buckling his seatbelt for him in the bakfiets, in looking at books with him (and imagine how much more of this you'll be able to do, when you've really mastered this reading thing that you're learning so well these days!), and in helping him to find clothes for school and for your special track meets, running races through the house... But I've also noticed that you offer key emotional support to Cor as well:  making him laugh when he's tempted to cry, being a friend to him, and sticking up for him when he's getting pushed around (albeit inadvertently) by other kids at school or church.  It's amazing to me that you do these things naturally -- that me or Mom never really had to teach you.  You just do it because you're that kind of person.  A kind kind of person.  And I really respect that and appreciate that about you.  Keep it up, my girl.  This sort of kindness is exactly the sort of "inner beauty" thing that I was just talking about.  At times, your kindness may create challenges for you -- when people try to take advantage of your kindness.  But it can also be one of your greatest means of influencing others and leading others to a better understanding of Jesus.  This reminds me of another passage from the Bible (Philippians 2:5-11), where it says, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" -- who made it a point to serve others, help others, and sacrifice for others, ultimately allowing for others to truly understand and worship God.  I see this in you, Olivia.  And I hope and pray that you can continue to grow in it and develop it over the years to come.

You've got so much promise, Olivia.  So much possibility.  You're a great big bundle of potentiality! (This comes from an old song that I used to sing when I was a kid; ask me about it sometime and I'll sing it for you).  Anyway, here's the important point:  if you listen, you can hear God's voice, and He will help you to make the right choices.  I genuinely believe that you can be anything that God wants you to be, Olivia.  But for now, I'm just glad that you're my little girl.  Happy Birthday to you, Sweet-heart.  I love you very much.

Lovingly yours,

Daddy