Our kids always fight about who gets to pray. Once we figure out who’s turn it is, we usually sit for a while listening to one of them go on and on with lots of “um’s” and peeks from behind their little hands. So, after more than a few nights of re-heating cold dinners, we gave our kids a little fun instruction to help them with this special time.We have begun encouraging them to use a 3 sentence format:
1) LOVE: Tell God how much you love him.
2) THANKS: Thank Him for something.
3) ASK: Ask Him for something.
So Riley, our oldest, gave it a shot one night at dinner. In her sweet voice she prayed, “Dear Jesus, I just want you to know how much I love you. Thank you for my family. Please, please, please I’d really like it if you gave me more Polly Pockets.”
Priceless! Ryan and I barely contained our laughter to tell her what a great job she did. To this day, we remain hopeful that one of the kids might get around to praying for our food. But, in the meantime, we are going to enjoy these sweet prayers and often funny requests.
Now, my goal is get Ryan to use this format so I can stay awake until the end of our bedtime prayers.Please share! We'd love to learn any tips or stories about your prayer time with your spouse or your kids?
~ sharina
Our son, Matthew, had a certain prayer he "always" prayed at dinner and it seemed to come out of his mouth without him even thinking about it.
ReplyDeleteSo now when he prays we ask him to not use those words, rather to think about what he's saying to God. He still communicates the same message, but he takes his time and I can tell he's really thinking.
I want my children to learn to have a relationship with God - not to just move about religiously.
Thanks for sharing your story! *grin*
Karen
What sweet pictures! What sweet girls!
ReplyDeleteI love that Karen, great idea. Even as adults I know our prayers can sound "mechanic" after awhile. Really important to convey it is talking to God, not just reciting a verse or something.
ReplyDeleteCute jammies!