Life of the Rainers

Intentionality #2

Prayer

In a previous post I wrote about attending a MOPS group. During one of the MOPS meetings a woman challenged us moms to allow our children to hear us pray and to also let our children know we are praying other than at meal times and bedtime. She gave an example of when she puts her children in time out she tells them she is going to go pray to ask God to give her wisdom before she comes back to talk with them.

This really convicted me. We do pray with and for Canon, but it is mostly before meal times and bedtime. I want Canon to see me praying for the little things. I want him to see and hear me pray in the car, at the store, while he's taking a bath, while we are playing, ect. I want to be intentional.

Today while Jess was at one of his life groups (he is leading 3 right now) Canon and I went to Will's gravesite. Canon loves to walk around the wide open space, so after tidying Will's decorations Canon and I set out for a walk around the cemetery. It was the most perfect evening for a walk. I have said this before, but the cemetery is beautiful and so peaceful especially in the summer. I noticed close to Will's gravesite there was a brand new grave. I felt saddened for the family, as the woman had just died (there was a temporary marker) and she was just shy of her 50th birthday. As Canon and I started walking hand in hand I started thinking about how I could use this walk as a teachable moment. I then thought that while we walked around the cemetery we could pray for all the families that had lost a loved one. We prayed for the family close to Will's gravesite that lost their family member and all the families that still were aching from their loss. We prayed the Lord would use the loss of Will to bring others to Him. It was such a sweet time with Canon and he just listened and when I said Amen he said Amen in his own words (he does that often).

Now getting to the man reason why I wrote this blog post. I am a little wordy tonight.

Recently I was on Angie Smith's blog (I read her book "I will carry you" about her experience of losing their precious baby girl Audrey) and randomly came across this blog post. Angie came up with 7 prayers that are scriptural to pray over her children - aloud. I absolutely loved reading this! It was exactly what I needed to read/hear since I wanted to start praying more for Canon.

So today I wrote out all of the verses on scrapbook paper. Tomorrow I will tape them up in their appropriate places I have designated to put them. I will put a verse next to Canon's crib, his dresser, highchair, door to the garage, in the bathroom, next to Canon's rocking chair, and by my bed. These cards will remind me to pray these verses over Canon and I will be reading them aloud in front of Canon. I am really looking forward to doing this! Jess is going to join in with me as well!

Please share any thing you do with your children that are intentional. I want more ideas on how to have teachable moments with Canon especially about Christ.

Rachel