Prayer

When Adelynne goes to bed every night she always requests to be sung to by Daddy and Mommy.  Dustin and I each take a turn singing a few songs to her and then encourage her to go to sleep.  When its my turn I have been singing one or two songs to her and then I tell her to say a prayer and I will sing another song to her.  She willingly complies and gets on her knees to say a prayer.  I love listening to her say a prayer.  She will usually thank Heavenly Father for the day and then list off everything she did that day, such as, play outside, sing songs in the car, play with Minnie, watch a movie on the tv, etc.  When I started teaching her to say her prayers I would tell her that she should tell Heavenly Father about her day and what she is grateful for.  One evening she was very upset and really didn't want to pray, but she reluctantly began her prayer.  As I listened to her pray I observed as her voice changed from crying to calmness.  It was a moment of personal revelation to hear her calm down as she talked to her Father in Heaven.  I was grateful to witness the change that can occur within us, even someone as young as a three year-old, as we reverently speak to God.  I've witnessed this myself in my own prayers when I am praying.  

Last night, as I was putting Adelynne to bed, I told her that if she would say her prayer I would come in and sing to her.  I walked out of her room and busied myself with some household chores.  About 15 minutes later, I was walking by her room expecting to go in and remind her to say her prayer, when I noticed that she was just getting off of her knees.  She looked up at me and smiled and exclaimed, "I said my prayer, mommy!"  I was so proud of her, and I let her know it by returning the smile and singing her five songs at her request.  Last night was just one of those payback moments that you long for as a parent.  "Yes!  My efforts are actually working!"  I just want her to always have the blessings and testimony of the power of prayer in her life.  It has always been something that I myself have struggled to gain a testimony of and be consistent at.  But watching Adelynne learn and progress in her ability to pray has strengthened my testimony of prayer.  I believe that we have a Father in Heaven who wants us to pray and share with Him our lives.