Lately Little dude has been testing his control. A lot. I'm talking screaming tantrums are involved. Ones that attention of any kind, positive or negative only fuel and make explode. We are working on it.
One area of challenge he is pushing is getting what he wants RIGHT NOW. Including at meal times. You can see where this is going... When we tell him we are going to pray first he refuses and in out right defiance he turns away and says "No." So we just let him know that he will have to pray thanks over his food before he is allowed to eat.
**Before I go on, I just want to say that because it's an issue of defiance we are handling it in this manner. I realize it could be interpreted as us 'forcing him' to pray and could imply we will force 'religion' on our kids. That is not the case. If this were an issue of his heart not wanting to pray because of things going on in his heart and head, then we would handle this differently. Most likely with a discussion where he can share what he is thinking and feeling while we listen and then we would lovingly show him in scripture what God's heart is on the issue.
He wasn't happy, of course when we wouldn't let him eat. I waited a few minutes and calmly asked him if he was ready to pray. He said "No!" and turned away in his seat. This happened a few more times. It was then that Little lady saw her brother struggling and wanted to help him so she said, "I'll pray with you bubs!" {her sweet nickname for her brother, shortened from bubba.} And she proceeded to pray a prayer of thanks.
"Thank you for this food. Thank you for my family. Thank you for bubba not saying his prayer. Thank you for sunshine. Thank you for our car.... Amen. Shake the love around, Woo!" {An ending we adapted from our sweet friends, Lolli and Pops. When we are holding hands and praying we shake our arms and throw them up in the air on the "Woo!"}
I thanked Little lady for her sweet prayer. And noticed out of the corner of my eye that Little dude joined his hands together and put his head down. I heard "Jesus {and then something else I don't know what it was} Amen." And then with his hands up in the air he said "Woo!"
Hubby and I looked at each other with a smile on both or our faces. I can't explain the pure sweet joy of a parent seeing their child connecting and worshiping their creature and loving God. This was a moment that I wanted to remember. A sweet, sweet moment.
1 comment:
We're having the same issues with Jeremiah. It is hard to know what to do every time, but when we see him obey it makes it all worth it!
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