From the Mouths of Babes

For several months now, we’ve had the same bedtime routine: baths, jammies, brush teeth, drink of water, go to the potty, bedtime story, lights out (nightlights not included). Three or four months ago, though, we added a new part to the routine, bedtime prayers. The girls are old enough to understand the concept to a certain degree and they need to start developing a reverence for speaking to God, so we decided it was time to get started.
Now, every evening, the girls say their bedtime prayer:

"Dear Jesus,

Thank you for my mommy and daddy.

Thank you for my grandmas and grandpas.

Thank you for my aunts and uncles.

Thank you for my cousins and all my friends.

Thank you for my sister.

Please be with me always.

In Jesus' name,

Amen."

I was amazed when, after a couple of nights, they both started picking up on the order. It’s a long list –one that could have been much longer if we hadn’t lumped people into groups – so I wasn’t expecting them to have it memorized right away.

Now, Cadie is very particular about saying her prayers. First, you have to have your hands in the proper position, palm to palm, in the traditional position, with eyes closed and your head bowed. If you don’t do it right, she will bug you until you do. This evening, she got through the entire prayer with minimal prompting. For some reason, she takes it a lot more seriously than Maddie does. I think of Cadie as an old soul, though, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Tonight, after our stories and prayer, Cadie put her own spin on things. She declared that she wanted to say her prayers by herself. Jeff and I couldn’t help but smile when we heard,

"Dear Jesus,

Thank you for my aunts and uncles.

Thank you for my daddy and for my mommy.

Thank you for my Maddie.

In Jesus' name,

Amen!"

Nothing could be sweeter than prayers to Jesus from the mouths of babes.