Thursday, September 22, 2011

A Parent's Prayer

Yesterday Janelle from Comfy in the Kitchen posted a beautiful prayer.  It brought me to my knees in tears.  You see, this week has been rough.  Since we came back from vacation I've had a pretty hard time getting back into the swing of things.  My kids have had an even harder time.  It has caused for some stressful days.  I have shared before that I used to be a "yeller" but for many years didn't even realize I was.  After much prayer, God helped me to stop yelling.  But there are times, like this week, that the ugly, yelling mom comes back.  When I read this prayer, I knew it was God's gentle way of reminding me that I don't have to be her.  I can be the gentle mom.  Our children are such an incredible blessing.  I pray this touches you as it has touched me.   

A Parent’s Prayer

O Heavenly Father, make me a better parent.
Teach me to understand my children,
To listen patiently to what they have to say,
And to answer all their questions kindly.
Keep me from interrupting them or contradicting them.
Make me as courteous to them as I would have them be to me.
Forbid that I should ever laugh at their mistakes
Or resort to shame or ridicule when they displease me.
May I never punish them for my own selfish satisfaction
Or to show my power.
Let me not tempt my children to lie or steal.
And guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate
By all that I say and do that honesty produces happiness.
Reduce, I pray, the meanness in me.
And when I’m out of sorts, help me, O Lord, to hold my tongue.
May I ever be mindful that my children are children
And I should not expect of them the judgments of adults.
Let me not rob them of the opportunity to wait on themselves
And to make decisions.
Bless me with the bigness to grant them all their reasonable requests
And the courage to deny them privileges
I know will do them harm.
Make me fair and just and kind and fit me, O Lord,
To be loved and respected and imitated by my children.
Amen.

Oh, how I desire to be the mom God wants me to be.  I want to be this Godly, gentle, and courageous parent.  With His hands guiding us, we all can be.  This prayer is now printed out and sitting on my dresser as a reminder.

Thank you Janelle for this great encouragement, it was God's perfect timing.  And thank You God for my four blessings from Heaven and for second chances. 


Today is the last day to enter the drawing to win the Courageous Living Bible Study.  Be sure to comment for entry.  Click here for details.

11 comments:

  1. Beautiful prayer, Jenifer. Thanks for sharing it with us. I want to be this parent too.

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  2. What a beautiful prayer! We can only be this parent with God's help. So thankful for His mercy and grace!

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  3. Hi Jenifer - I too want to be a person with a gentle nature and I love how you say God reminded you that you don't have to be that mom you don't like. Amen. I pray He help me too, to be a better mom. Great prayer, great post
    God bless
    Tracy

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  4. Love this...the mom we all should strive to be!

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  5. Love this prayer Jenifer... May we all strive as parents to live up to God's desire for us, and to pass that perspective on to our children.

    Have a Blessed Day!

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  6. That is a beautiful prayer showing your loving mother's heart!

    Blessings to you!

    Joan

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  7. Saw your comment at Janelle's place & knew we had something in common. Your "confession" is too familiar. I'm so thankful that the Lord doesn't treat me the way I treat my kids sometimes. Thanks for your honesty. It helps to know I'm not the only who struggles with "I don't have to be her". I was her, too, & haven't been in a long time, but the last couple of weeks have been doozies. She has reared her ugly head. You pray for me as I take the bull by the horns? I'll pray for you as you do the same.

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  8. Jenifer, this is a beautiful prayer. I just love it when God uses someone to speak to us. He knows just what we need when we need it.

    Thank you for joining us at the Grace Cafe today.

    Many Blessings,

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  9. This is one to post on the frig! Thank you for sharing! I, too, am a recovering "yell-er"!

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  10. Thank you for sharing this much needed prayer with me.

    Blessings,
    Misty

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  11. Only turning to God will we be able to parent with joy. Every parent struggles at times -- usually when the body is weary. Praying God will help you get back to firm footing.

    Blessings,
    Pamela

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