Our boys have started praying at bedtime in recent weeks. We had tried to pray with them before but Brennan and Tanner were both shy about going along with it. But of late, they have taken a keen interest and have insisted on bedtime prayers.
Tanner always goes first. He used to mumble incoherently but now you can make out a little bit of what he says. Tanner never peeks and is emphatic as he prays, shaking his head with a furrowed brow, sometimes biting his lip. It's the sincerest thing I've ever seen. Last night he thanked God for "making all da people… I love da people." I'm not sure if he meant his family or the folks at church or what. Maybe he has a fan club?
Brennan is more precise in his prayers. He wants God to not let him have nightmares or to protect the baby in Mommy's tummy. He thanks God for making food or for making grass and trees grow. Brennan seems far more self-conscious, not wanting to say anything wrong and peeking to check for our approval as soon as he's done.
We both pray for them and they listen closely to what we say and how we say it. I'm eager to teach them that God is someone you can actually talk to, not just a target for you to repeat mantras at. So we have avoided any of the traditional "children's prayers." I feel that decision has already made this a richer experience.
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