The Prayer We Parents Rarely Pray

This is actually a quote from Doug Wolter @ Life2gether. I wanted to share it with you.

We’ve all been there before as parents.

Your child has been told what to do and doesn’t do it.
You’re tired and irritated.
You have no patience left in your parenting tank.
And so, you yell at your child (and perhaps even discipline your child) in anger and frustration.

But what good does it do?

Even though you took charge of the situation, your heart feels empty and frustrated and so does your child’s.

Let’s rewind the tape.

Your child has been told what to do and doesn’t do it.
Instead of reacting in anger, you acknowledge the fact that you are tired and lacking in patience.

So before speaking to your child, you speak first to God.
Just a simple prayer asking Him something like,

“Father, I need your help right now.
I need your Spirit to give me patience and wisdom to talk with my child.
I can’t do it on my own.
I need you and my child needs you.
Without you, Jesus, I can do nothing.
So be with me now as I go.
Open up my heart and my child’s heart to you.”

With a simple prayer such as this one, we take our parenting out of our hands and put it into God’s hands. We admit we cannot parent on our own. And so we pray a simple prayer of dependence … a simple prayer of reliance … a simple prayer of surrender.

This is the prayer we parents rarely pray. But I wonder how it would change us, and I wonder how it would change our families.

Leave a Legacy

As I was reading my Bible this morning… I decided that I wanted part of this blog to be a place where we pass on ideas that we have along the way. It may be something that we have done in the past in our own family. It may be something new that we are implementing at this stage in our life. It may be something that we have read or heard that we think is a good idea. Regardless, maybe we can be consistent to share our tips along the way. Take what you want and apply it how you can.

Remember, nothing is new under the sun. So, use it – tweak it – pass it on.

For today, I want to share with you what I am presently doing for our granddaughter (and plan to continue for the MANY more grandchildren that will come :).

I have a bible that is specifically for our precious little one. It is a wide margin bible. As I read through it during quiet times, I write prayers for her and notes to her in the margin. My plan is to give it to her on her 16th birthday. As other grandbabies come, I will get a specific bible for them, and do the same. Alternating which one I use for my devotions, and which ones I take to church, or to special events. I hope to have a book shelf full of bibles for my children’s children.

I have already requested one for this Christmas for the little one that is on the way.

Legacy… a spiritual legacy… I want to leave one…



Blessings,
DeeDee