But, I Wanted to Pray

You learn a lot when your grandchildren come to visit. Madi is five going on thirty(smile) and Kyle will be three in August. They have been here ten days and we have had so much fun. They have been very good. Today I really wanted to share what I have learned from these two beautiful children.

I have learned about faith:

• "I asked God to take care of baby Mason and now he is all better, right Grandma?"


• "When I wake up, you and Grandpa will be here to love me, right?"


• "The thunder and lightening is nothing to worry about, God is taking care of us."


• "God made the whole world so we would be special, didn't He?"

I have learned about love:

• "When I am here, I cry for my mommy and when I am home I cry for you. You just don't know what to do with me, do you?"


• "Don't make my sister go to time-out!"


• "We get to go to church today because we are special, right Grandpa?"


• "I love you oodles and oodles, for twenty hundred days."


• "God thinks I'm special, doesn't he, Grandma?"


• "I need a hug--hug"


• "My mommy misses me very much."


• "I love you, Grandpa"


• "Now you say 'I love you too, Kyle'."

I have learned about prayer:

• "After Kyle prays, can I pray too?"


• "Dear God, thank you for the trees and the flowers and the sky and my blankie and momma and daddy and grandma and grandpa and baby Mason and Kyle and backyardigans and Remi and Mim and Pop and cereal and chips and milk and birds and swimming pools and popsicles and . . . . "


• "But, I wanted to pray . . . "

These are but a few of the daily lessons. I watch their faith. I am amazed that when they are afraid, they willingly accept the reassurance and comfort offered and they don't forget it. They remind anyone who will listen that God is watching over them and that the people in their lives are trustworthy. I pray God will give me the faith of these children, that I will believe what He says, take courage from knowledge of Him and be brave enough to tell everyone about Him. I watch these two children play and fight and forgive and then play some more and I ask the Father to make me more forgiving, to help me let go of grudges and bitterness. I watch their complete confidence in the love of God and others. They don't worry that their parents or their grandparents or God are ever going to stop loving them. They give their love freely and frequently. You don't have to ask for a hug, you just have to be available for one. I pray God will make me a more loving person, that He will rid my heart of the insecurities that cause me to seek affection and attention, rather than give it. I listen to their songs and their prayers. They do not care if they sing off key, if they have all the words exactly right, they just sing. And they want to pray. They don't care if the prayer takes a long time. They want to thank God for everything, and they want to do it often. I want to be a more prayerful person---to want to pray and to not look at my watch when the prayer seems long. I want to be grateful for all my blessings. I want an open heart, one that is willing to learn, even from a precious child.

Matthew 18:3 "And He said: I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Peace
Neva