Friday, June 22, 2007

prayer time and burps

So here's the background...

We have a continual struggle with our kids when it comes to prayer time. They both love to pray for our meals, but they DON'T want to do it at the same time. We'll often sing "Thank you God..." (to the tune Frere Jacques) but Tobin will get mad if Shira sings with him and vice versa. So last night, when we sat down to eat, my heart was swelling because Tobin was genuinely being great about singing like he meant it (instead of the usual TOP OF HIS LUNGS yelling) and I was afraid my heart would burst with the sweetness of it all.

And then...

(Tobin singing very softly)
"Thank you God...Thank you God.
For our food...for our food.
We have many blessings,
We have many blessings.
Amen, Amen."


(and Momma sighs, thankful for the moment of peace in a crazy day...)

(Momma says) "Good job Tobin , we’re proud of you."

(Tobin says) "Mommy, I burped when I said 'Amen.'"

(family laughter)

(Momma says) "You did…oh... OK."

And just for an equal measure of all things gastrointestinal related, Shira feels the need to chime in...

(Shira says) "Mommy – Zach can burp his A-B-Cs…"

And the moments of thankfulness for the sweet peace of knowing that my children were connected to God vanished - a whole 30 seconds after it happened.

9 comments:

Alana said...

Oh, I can so relate to this! Too funny!

Christi said...

Yep, I can relate to it too!

Still, a sweet moment.

Kelly @ Love Well said...

I'm sorry, but do you live at my house? Because that sounds like my kids.

I was just thinking about the struggle over mealtime prayers this past weekend. I want my children to understand that we need to stop everyday and recognize the good gifts God has given us. Mealtime is a good opportunity to do that, although there's nothing super-spiritual about praying right then, necessarily. But it starts to feel like an enforced ritual when they aren't into it, doesn't it?

Alana said...

Time for a new post, Sara! You've been tagged for a meme!

Melissa said...

What a funny story! Thanks for giving me a giggle!

Sandy said...

We probably have a different perspective than most. We changed the way that we pray for meals, as in we ask if anyone wants to. We want it to be a true thanksgiving fromt their heart and not forced. We (my husband and I) can model it, and sure enough ... they follow. In their child-like ways it becomes a beautiful thing when they do it on their own.
Great great post!
Sandy

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Girl Raised in the South said...

Dinner time with one boy in the bunch almost always included mentions of bodily functions. I knew he'd grown up when it slowed to a trickle...

Lisa @ The Preacher's Wife said...

in a house full of boys, I can totally relate to flatulence of all kinds..and prayer time is not excluded..:))