Prayer time is a rather consistent thing at the Nickel house. We pray over the kids for 2 reasons--1) we know no other way of teaching them the importance of it and 2) i feel that the kids are less vulnerable in the world if they go out into it every day 'wrapped' in the prayers of their parents. Our bedtime prayers are the most routine...Sophie is obviously too little right now for this routine but when we put Caroline to bed, Jason will start off with the Lords Prayer over her (which she usually recites along with him) and a couple of other Lutheran prayers. After he's finished, she calls out "Mommy, your turn" and i go in and say my prayers with her. I generally keep them personal and simple and praise-focused but I ALWAYS ask Him for her divine protection. i think this is because i would feel as if there was unfinished business with Him if I didn't turn her over to Him at the end of day..
Anyway, Caroline and I recently started praying together on the way to her preschool some mornings. This is also time that we spend listening to her Sunday school hymns so it's great praise and worship time for us. Very recently one morning, as were singing along to one of the songs, i heard God's quiet voice say to me "Pray with her." I glanced up at her in the rear view mirror and saw how much fun she was having singing her song and i said 'in just a minute, Lord."
"no, now" said the Lord's quiet voice. I turned down the music and asked her if she wanted to pray and even though i thought she would protest having her music turned off, she enthusiastically agreed. Perhaps this is one of the things He was showing me..that even though I am not always ready to pray, she is. I began the way i always do when i pray with her, by saying "Dear God" and launched into a rather lengthy prayer that as usual, was praise-focused. I thanked Him for many things that day but about midway through, I thanked Him for 'this beautiful day, that's not too hot and not too cold, so Caroline can enjoy her time outside at the playground" and then i kept on praising Him for other things before i finished..it was a longer prayer than usual but the whole time i'd been watching her in my rearview and she appeared to be listening. As was our custom, Caroline took her turn next. She closed her eyes and said "Dear God..." she hesitated a bit but then after a few quiet mumbles she said "thank you God for this day, that's not too hot and not too cold so i can go outside and enjoy my time at the playground, amen." As soon as the words came out of her mouth, i understood what He was showing me through her prayer! He was showing me that when i pray, she listens to every word i'm saying.
Because you see, in my mind, that was such a small part of a very lengthy prayer..and that small part didn't come at the beginning of the prayer and it didn't come at the end of the prayer, it was smack-dab in the middle..so she was listening the whole time. And if she listens that carefully to what i say when i'm praying, there's no doubt that she's listening carefully to everything i say when i'm not praying. Wow! What an awesome (and scary) responsibility! Lord God, make the words of my mouth pleasing in your sight so that i will raise my daughters to say and do things that are pleasing in your sight!
One other thing he showed me during this prayer time with her and i will leave you to the pics i'm going to post. He showed that me that while she is watching me to learn how to pray and develop faith, i need to be watching her back to learn how to pray and develop faith. Because you see, as far as Jesus is concerned, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. (Mark 10:13-15) and that morning, as i watched her in my rearview mirror receive the kingdom of God, it was the first time it had ever dawned on me that this simple, pure childlike faith that she had was exactly the kind of faith that He wants me to have. Help me, Lord God, learn from my beautiful daughters how to have the same childlike faith that they do, while instilling in them how important it is to love you and stay committed to you always!
What a powerful lesson this was for me on this ordinary morning. And to think, if it weren't for that quiet voice and those 3 simple words "Pray with her", i may never have had the joy of realizing it...
I'll leave you with some pics--
Love,
the nickels
