Maria tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she watched her daughter’s curious eyes wander across the pages. "Shall we play our alphabet game, Lily?" she suggested, her voice as soothing as the breeze. Lily, clutching her worn teddy bear, nodded eagerly. "Yes, Mama! What's first?"

"A is for Abundance," she began, pointing to a picture of a field bursting with wheat. "God provides us with more than we need. Just look at the garden around us, how every plant and flower thrives." Lily giggled as a butterfly fluttered by, landing on her knee. "And butterflies, too!"

"B is for Blessings," she continued, tracing the letter with her finger. "Every day is a blessing from God. Whether it's the sun warming our faces or the rain nourishing the earth, they are all gifts." Lily looked thoughtful, "Like when you make pancakes for breakfast, Mama?" Maria laughed gently, "Exactly, my dear. Pancakes and all."

"C is for Christ," Maria said with reverence. "Christ is the ultimate expression of God's love for us. He showed us how to love and care for one another." Lily nodded, her eyes wide. "Like when we help at the church, right?" Maria hugged her daughter close, "Yes, Lily. Every act of kindness brings us closer to God."

Maria closed the book and looked at Lily with love. "Can you see how God’s love is all around us, in everything we do and see?" Lily nodded, her small hand resting in her mother's. "I do, Mama. It's like God's love is the sun, always shining, even when we can't see it." Maria smiled, "That's a beautiful way to put it, Lily." They sat together in the peaceful garden, feeling the warmth of both the sun and God's love enveloping them.