praying

Jack's prayer tonight:

Dear God, Thank you for a good day. Help us to sleep good and to have good dreams. Make it a sunny day tomorrow. Keep Daddy safe and know that we love him as much as we love you and help there to be no tornadoes, earthshakes, hurricanes or avalanches. Amen.

My prayer:

God. Help me to love my kids the way you desire to love them, help me to be gentle and to keep their tenderness in mind throughout my day. Help me to see their uniqueness and to cherish their differences. Help me to guide them to loving you and being confident in their purpose and self.
Help me not to be hurt when they prefer distance, help me to allow them space to become individuals, help me to rejoice in their accomplishments and nurture them when they fail. Keep them safe from my judgements, keep them from harms way. Please Please let me find joy in them for many many many many many years! Give me grace when I stumble as a parent, guide me even when I forget to follow.


I read a blog today of a mom who lost a child this week to an accident during a wonderful day at the beach. It broke my heart. I have been carrying the sadness and loss with me all day, I am overwhelmed with the thought of losing a child and how precious and fleeting our time with them is. How fragile. How instant. How devastating to be watching your baby frolicking and playing, to be rejoicing in her abilities and joy as she bobs up and down and not up again. How crazy it turns from excitement and togetherness to tragedy and loss. -I pray too for the family of little Hannah and for the intense grieving they will experience for years and years. The joy in remembering and the sadness of gone. I pray that stories like theirs will not make us cling harder and over-protect, but to know "I am Not in Control" I can only love them with everything God gives me now, I cannot fear and stiffle, I cannot never let them experience danger and freedom. God that is so hard. God give us mothers, fathers, families strength to support and love and help each other. Help my village come together and raise your children for as long as we are gifted them. Help us to let go when it is time. Amen