Good To Know

Last month, I taped the prayers for morning offering and bedtime on the hallway wall. This is where we keep our liturgical calendar that the kids get to color in with green, purple or 'white'. I meant to say something to the kids about the prayers. I wanted to show them how they could take a moment each morning and kneel down to say these prayers.

For myself, I remember about once a week. I do have a goal to do it every day, and am working on this. Perhaps this is why I kept forgetting to tell the kids what I expected of them.

Nevertheless, as Big Sis and Little Brother were playing on the porch with a friend today, I overheard Big Sis telling her friend something important. I carefully listened in, as all good mommies should. She was singing a song to her friend and telling her that she had said a morning offering prayer today and so every song she sang was an offering to God. She said that the prayer was right there on the wall, so she said it!

YES! Alright! I guess sometimes I can do little things and trust the Holy Spirit to act within my family. See. I did it again. I forgot to trust that God can take care of things better than I can. I am always worrying that God will forget and then I will have to take care of it! lol! Me and my control issues. Let's just call it a bad case of pride.

What is even more amazing about this is the way Big Sis has internalized HER act of prayer. She didnt do it to please me, or because I told her to. She didnt do it for all the wrong reasons; she did it for all the right reasons. Something inside her drew her to the prayer, she knelt down and said it, AND remembered throughout the day to keep offering herself. She got to use HER interpretation of what she could offer God this day, not my ideas. I love watching my children's relationship with God grow.

I am amazed at how my children have settled and fallen into a trust-filled routine with God ever since their baptism and first communion. I have no doubt there are external factors. But none so great as the internal faith and trust they seem to have.

At Atrium, the first thing we sing is "Thank you God, for giving us ....." And each child fills in the blank. This simple song is of the greatest of prayers. And so I sing like a child: Thank you God for giving us prayer... and sacraments... and hope... and children... and light... and wonder... and covenants... and graces.... and so much more.