Some of the gifts that dad brought home to them were great! David had gotten candy bars, baseball cards, and even a new catchers mitt on one occassion. But sometimes dad's hands held odd things, like: a ball of string, a rock, or a single jelly bean. Both David and Beth enjoyed this game, but, as they waited, David had to admit to himself that he hoped today the hands would hold something really neat and not something useless. He did not understand why some days dad brought wonderful gifts and other days just junk.

Finally the car pulled into the driveway with a slight honk of the horn. David and Beth ran over to greet their dad and see if today was a "game day" for them. Sure enough, their father got out of his car with hands hidden behind his back.

"How are my puppies today?" greeted Dad.

"I'm not your puppy!" laughed four-year-old Beth. "I'm your little girl!"

David was already playing the game in his mind. Would he take the right or left today. It would be "left". Yes, that would be his choice when Dad asked.

But Dad did not ask.

"Today, kids, I am going to choose a hand for you. David, you will have my left and Beth, you will have my right."

Both put on a big smile and reached out for the contents of their father's hands. The hands opened and their eyes fell on its content. Beth's smile turned into a giggle, as she reached out and took a big, ripe lemon from her dad.

"Oh boy," she exclaimed. "Mama can make me lemonade!"

But the smile slipped from David's face. "Lemonade might be a big deal, if you are four," he thought. "But what am I going to do with one lousy lemon."

"What's the matter, Son?" Dad's voice broke into his thoughts. "You don't seem pleased with our little game today."

"I'm okay, Dad. I know you will have something good for me tomorrow or the next day."

Dad leaned against the car and settled his hand on David's shoulder. "Something good," he repeated.

"Well, you know," David stumbled. "Something better, better than just an old lemon. I mean, somedays we get really great stuff and somedays just stuff that doesn't really matter. I like our game and all, but I guess I just don't understand it sometimes."

"David," his father began, "It's true that this has become our little game. But I meant it as much more than that. Each day I choose something especially for you and especially for Beth. I choose different things, some that are fun and some that you need, but I choose them all because I love you. I want you to see a picture, David. A picture of God, as our Heavenly Father and how He chooses different things for our lives. We can be content or discontent with what His hand holds for us each day. But He always chooses out of love."

David grasped the lemon in one hand and pulled his dad toward the house with the other. "Let's go make some lemonade," David said with a smile.