The prayers of a four year old…

At my daughter’s house before each meal, they hold hands and each person prays.  If you have never heard the prayers of a four year old, you have missed an amazing moment.  They are so totally real.  Completely open and honest.  There is no “filter” in the mind of a four year old – the filter that you and I have developed over the years.  So, he tells God just how he feels and what he thinks.  He asks for something in the simplest language possible.  I confess sometimes it is hard not to break out in the joy of laughter.  I don’t though.  I just sneek a peek at this precious child and my daughter trying not to laugh, squeeze my daughter’s hand and we both fight it.

Our Heavenly Father must love it when a child prays, and I promise you that a child has His undivided attention.  I can also promise you that God has a sense of humor.  Don’t doubt it for a moment!

Just a few excerpts from the prayers of my precious four year old grandson:

Dear Lord (Lord sounds very Southern here – like Law-ward – I love it),

Thank you so much for today.

I got to go to school today.  I was the star.  I brought snacks.

We couldn’t play on the playground because there was too much snow!

Thank you for swim lessons and that my swim lessons went well.  (He has heard the expression about something “going well” from his older siblings.)

Thank you that no one crashed in the race today (Daytona)!

Please help my lego league to go well.  (His big brother and sister are in the lego league but he thinks he is too.)

Thank you for the football game on television where you go up and down with the ball.

Thank you for my mommy, daddy, sisters, brother and my grandmommy (and then he goes on to thank God for each one of our birthdays individually!)

Thank you that grandmommy got to come over to play with me today.

Please let Kiana (the dog) feel better soon.

Please let me stay in this group.  (He meant family, of course, and that one just about broke everybody up!  I think he probably heard the word “group” at preschool).

The photo above was taken over three years ago on the night they arrived home from Ethiopia with my grandson.  They were instructed by the adoption agency that for the first few weeks, only his Mom and Dad were to hold him to promote bonding.  So, as soon as he would fall asleep, my daughter would hand him to me.  I’d talk softly to him as he slept.  We were bonding even though he was asleep!  Now, of course, we are totally bonded.  He loves his Grandmommy and I love him…