Aiming Low: Praying for Toddlers

(This post first appeared at We Three Crabs!)

When I pray for my daughters I aim low.  I do not know if this is what Erica hoped for when she invited me to guest for Faith Files, but it is my truth.  I know God can do anything, everything and I couldn't parent as well without my faith in God.  But...I still aim low.

My most used prayer for my girls Portia, 5 years and Libby, 3 years old, is that God grants them long and satisfying lives, protects them from serious harm, and brings them closer to Him so that they Live Well. Sometimes I pray for their spouse.  I leave gender open-ended, not wanting to assume anything!

I simply ask that they have long lives because I could not bear it if one of them died.  Ever.  So if we go for long lives then...most likely I will die before either of them will.

I only ask for satisfying lives, because if they are given more than that they may not know adversity, trial or struggle and could not be empathetic without it.  Satisfaction in their lives would come from overcoming and being thankful for what they do have.

I do not ask for safety because I am afraid if they come to harm I may resent God.  Instead I pray for God's protection from serious harm.  Small harms can be worked through.  

I pray for their spouse because I have seen first hand the difference a God Chosen spouse makes.  I dated some fine men in my time but none fit me, served me, bettered me or loved me as well as my husband does.  AMEN!

I want my daughters to live close to God because it is such a simple path to follow.  The world will tell them they must be this and do that but by following God their gaze will lift from themselves to other people instead.  I believe when my girls focus on other people their lives will be long and satisfying and there is no better prayer I could offer.

Another time I pray with my daughters is when we are all spending too much time in time out.    I wrote recently about how my four year old daughter Portia 'prayered for me' when I was not at my mothering best. I am delighted to see that I have modeled prayer well for my girls.  Despite aiming low.