Window to the soul

I have written before my desire for our kids to be "spontaneous prayer warriors." Basically, praying without being asked or prompted and praying for whatever they are feeling or thinking however small, big or serious. This week I witnessed Parker do this several times and each time I was moved to tears by his kind and unprompted words and his ability to express to God how he was feeling. Here are the 3 incidences I am calling the 3 F's (Fears, Flamingos and Friends) and although being there in person was definitely the ideal seat in the house, getting it second hand is almost as special.

Wednesday night (Fear)- While giving him a bath, we were talking about his first day of preschool starting on Thursday. Although, he seemed very excited I could tell he was a little apprehensive b/c he kept asking me questions like, "So, Mom you are going to leave with Lillie and I am going to stay there by myself like a big boy and then you and Lillie will come back and get me at lunch. Right?" After reassuring him several times we would be there at noon he stopped asking me and continued playing with his boats. After about 2 minutes of making boat sounds and crashing them he looked at me and says, "Mom. I think I am going to pray." Thinking I might have misunderstood I asked him "What are you going to play?" to which he goes, "No, I think I am going to PRAY... pray mom." And so right there naked in the tub surrounded by bubbles, he folded his hands and prayed, "Dear Jesus.. thank you for my bath and thank you for my food I had at dinner and Jesus I pray that I have a great day at school tomorrow and that I have fun and that mommy comes and gets me at lunch and that I have fun... and AMEN." It was then that I caught a glimpse into his little almost 4 year old brain and realized that he was scared but knew that talking to God would help him and make him feel better. (Maybe it's the mom in me but I am tearing up again writing this) I also realized that I had better be there at 11:50 just to be on the safe side.

Friday afternoon (Flamingos): We went to the zoo for the morning with Lela and Jovey. While observing the Flamingos we watched a flamingo just kind of crumple to the ground in a heap. I am not a flamingo expert so I am not sure if this is their normal way of positioning themselves to the ground or if it had a heart attack or broke it's standing leg... not sure but while Lela and I found it quite humorous and made all sorts of flamingo jokes, Parker was very concerned and kept asking me if it was ok. Even after we left the area, every few minutes he would ask me if I thought the flamingo was standing up again. When we got in the car he said he wanted to go see the broken flamingo next time we went to the zoo. So, while making dinner last night, Parker comes into the kitchen and we start talking about the zoo and all the fun we had and all of a sudden he gets very serious and goes, "Mom, I think we should pray for the flamingo." I almost again thought he said we should go play with the flamingos but then he sat down right there on the livingroom floor, folded his hands and prayed, " Dear Jesus, Please be with that flamingo and his leg. Please make him stand up... and AMEN." For a second time in two days I caught a glimpse of what touches my son and what was on his mind.

Tonite (Friends): The third spontaneous prayer came this evening. Trev and I had already prayed our bedtime prayers with him and after going in to check on him he goes, "Mom! I have to pray for Jovey!" Jovey, who is our bestest friend had to go to the ER today because she hurt her little arm. Although, it turned out to be nothing serious, we didn't know that when Lela called us this afternoon and asked us for prayers as they were driving her to the hospital. Tonite though, Parker did not ask for anything but instead had a prayer of thanksgiving. His simple yet heartfelt prayer was, "Dear Jesus. Thank you that Jovey's arm is ok and thank you that she's ok and thank you that we get to see her next year (he meant next week but it's a little detail)...and AMEN.

I once heard that "the eyes are the window to a person's soul." After what I witnessed this week I believe that prayer can also be the window to a person's soul." You can learn soooo much about what a person is feeling, thinking, agonozing over and is concerned about just by listening to their simple prayer. They may never tell you the details of a situation but in just a few spoken words you can tell what is on their mind. AMAZING!

My spontaenous prayer: Dear Jesus... Thank you! Thank you! for giving us the opportunity to talk to you wherever and whenever. I do not take advantage of that gift enough although with the help of my son I am learning too. Please continue to work in my children's lives and become very real to them. Please help me to be a good listener and to really truly hear what is being spoken no matter how few the words (...and AMEN).