Christmas Eve Prayer

Melanie —  December 24, 2008

Here was Mariah’s prayer tonight at bedtime:

Lord I thank you for the children who don’t have any beds.  I pray that you would divide them a bed.  I thank you that they don’t just have a big, wooden, dusty box.  I pray that all the children everywhere would come to you as their Savior. Amen

That one melted me.  A few notes of explanation:  When Mariah prays, she says “thank you” to preface everything.  I often pray for the children in the world who are in need but tonight I didn’t, so that was all her idea.  The “big, wooden, dusty box” line came from Hannah’s script in the Christmas play when she was explaining what a manger is.  When she said, “divide,” I think she meant, “provide!”  🙂 I sometimes quote Psalm 121 and 23 to Mariah and Joel at bedtime.  After I did tonight, Mariah asked to do her psalm.  She proceeded to quote about the first 3 verses of Psalm 121 word perfect.  Amazing what they can learn just by listening.

Amazing how kids can melt you one moment and then be naughty the next!  Just a shot of reality (so you are sure that we are not a perfect family!) . . . Mariah has been coming out of her bedroom quite defiantly over and over since we put her to bed, despite being disciplined.  Christmas excitement?!

Healthwise . . . Aliyah woke up this morning with croup and a high fever which has continued all day.  Hannah also now has a chesty cough, fever, etc.  It seems we’ve progressed to the flu now.  Despite that (and thanks to ibuprofen in the girls’ systems), we had our traditional Christmas Eve pancake dinner and opened a few presents.  Everyone is very excited for tomorrow.  Thanks for all your prayers.  We are tired but doing alright.  I am off to read a Christmas story to the older girls – the third in the little book by Patricia St. John, “Secret of the Fourth Candle.”  What a beautiful set of three stories!  I highly recommend that you get a copy for next Christmas season.