Book Review

I've never done this before, but I'm just so intrigued by this book and so much enjoying it, I felt I needed to do a review of this book and share it with my other mommy and teacher friends out there!

This week Lucy's lesson plans called for learning about prayer. The activity they gave you was to add prayer to before meals and family time and to introduce prayers your child can memorize to their day (as in Now I lay me...the Lord's prayer, etc.) Well, we do this already...quite a bit. In fact just a week or so ago we started working on Luther's Evening Prayer with the kids and when they get that the goal is to add in the morning prayer at breakfast.

So, even though I'd say she's doing the activity they suggested it made me think that while we do lots of praying with her and we let her tell us things she wants to pray about, how do we teach her to pray, really pray...go to God with her innermost worries, thoughts and thanksgivings?

I know I can model that...but only so much. Do I want my 5 year old to see my crying while I pray that I'm not adequate enough to be her mother?!? Really? I don't think she needs that ammo!

Enter the book review: When we went to DC for my sister's wedding in April we visited Nick's old church. They had just done a weekend conference for families/kids on praying and I had a great conversation with the woman who had organized it. She even gave me the book, I read it this summer and tucked it away thinking it would be great for Lucy in a few years.

Well, we're doing it now!

Praying in Color for Kids.

We're working our way through it chapter by chapter. Yesterday she "learned" to doodle. To let her pencil move and not try to make a picture...or anything really.

We talked about prayer and praying for things you think about.

I'm excited to see where this takes us! Next week we'll start working on our "doodle" being prayers for God. Intentionally thinking about being in God's presence and visualizing what we're praying about...without needing to put words on it.

I know it's a lot for a 5 year old, but if we start now, we can keep growing on it. I'm just trying to equip her with the tools to grow her prayer life as she grows!

Let me know if you check it out how it works for you and your kiddos!

Thankful Thursdays

Today I am thankful for prayer. It's really an amazing thing. I feel like the past few weeks have been so full of goodness, along with so many difficult times for friends. I don't know how I could handle it all without prayer.

Psalm 37:7 tells us:

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for HIM.

I don't know how many times a day I tell my children to be patient. We sing our song about patience at least once a day (sometimes I feel like I sing it all day long). But, how difficult is it for us to be patient as we wait on the LORD as we are instructed.

I'm not only talking about the big things, but the little things as well.

Prayer is one of the best ways I can remind myself to slow down. A few years ago, shortly after Murray was born, I challenged myself to pray before I responded to a situation I would normally lose my temper in. I've fallen away from this practice and recently reminded myself of it.

It's much easier to ask the Lord to guide you in your discipline and then deal with the puddle of water in the bathroom (puddle may be an understatement) or to not respond to the screaming between siblings by raising my own voice to get their attention. I am called to be a teacher, to be a parent, mostly to show God's love. The best way I can do this is to pray before each response.

So, this week I've prayed for a friend who's getting ready to move, for a friend who's waiting to find a job, for a friend of a friend who died in childbirth leaving behind a loving husband, 3 sons and a precious newborn daughter, I've prayed for so many of my friend's who are anticipating the arrival of babies, for a friend who's now survived her husband 6 months, for a friend's aunt who's having a tumor removed from her brain, for a friend with breast cancer, for our economy, for our nation's leaders, for my children, for my husband...and for myself, for patience, for guidance, for peace in my decisions, to be content with what I have.

I'm not sure how I could make it through a day without prayer. Not sure how I can handle the daunting task of raising my children in this world filled with temptation, sadness and sin. As we've entered Lent I've reminded myself to spend even more time in prayer, focusing on God's love and His plans for my life.

It's much easier to leave the big and little things in the hands of the creator, although it's hard to relinquish control, it's certainly easier than trying to multi task the planet's orbiting with my meal planning! I will just wait on the Lord and His plans for me and the ones I love (especially this wiggly sweet baby girl I'm so anxious to meet!)