Teach Us To Pray...

One of the disciplines that we, as parents, want to pass on to our children is the “habit” of prayer.  This is an area in which I am certainly growing and have, by no means, “arrived”.  So in an attempt not to be hypocritical, let me share some ideas we have tried, and are trying in our home which I hope will serve as an encouragement to you and your family.

Meal Time Prayers - Prayer before partaking of food is an excellent, built in opportunity to bring our family before the Throne of Grace.  Be careful not to allow this time to become rote and dry, almost sacrilegious; just something we routinely do before “digging” in. 

If our prayers have lacked heart-felt authenticity, our children may have begun to think the “blessing” is a mandatory prayer before meals, almost in the same vein as a good luck charm.  If you pray, God will bless.  If you don’t pray, you might receive a curse, or come down with a stomach virus, or choke on your spinach, or something worse!  We can inadvertently convey that idea of curse vs. blessing by the lackadaisical way we approach our Holy Father in prayer, by the repetition without passion of phrases that become mundane and meaningless.   

Here are some suggestions:

1. Teach on prayer.  Talk to your family about why you pray before meals and convey your convictions about the privilege of prayer.  Confess any regrets you have for how you may have been careless before, and commit together as a family to approach prayer with a new fervor.
2. Set an example of prayer.  Make it a priority to pray together before meals as a family.  If you understand the awesome privilege of approaching a Holy God with thanksgiving for His provisions, it will come across in your words and in your attitude and be contagious to your family. Consider the fact that your children are learning patterns of prayer set by your example; therefore take advantage of these opportunities to teach them "as we walk along the way", and be intentional in your discipling of them.
3. Try being creative, and less predictable.  Don’t always lead in prayer the exact same way.  Some meals you may sing the verse of a hymn as your prayer of thanksgiving.  Other days you may quote Scripture in your prayer to the Lord.  Some days you may cry out for God’s mercy during difficulty or remember someone in prayer that is needing God’s special touch.  Other times you may ask another family member to lead in prayer.  (Remember, not as a punishment, but as a privilege.) Variety is the spice of life, so spice up your family's prayer life by incorporating some new strategies in expressing your gratefulness to the Lord!
4. Remember the Lord.  You have the great privilege of leading your family to the throne of grace.  Meal times are regular times to stop your busyness and remember the Lord.  Your prayers could include times of confession for sins realized, adoration for God; including who He is (His character) and what He has done (His works), and asking for His help when remembering people and situations that are of concern to you.  But meal time is an especially poignant time to express thanksgiving for all of God’s provisions.  It is a time during the day when you stop and humble yourself, recognizing that you are not in charge, you are not the source of anything good in your family - but God is - and you thank Him heartily for His goodness to you and your family.  
5. Be thankful.  Not only is it commanded in Scripture to be thankful and to offer thanks, but it is a good strategy too.  Thankfulness is contagious and it transforms self-centered hearts into hearts of praise.  Thankfulness raises a soul from the mundane to the Majestic.  Being grateful and offering thanks to the Lord in every situation is what brings the Lord glory due His name.  

Stopping and expressing gratitude to the Lord at the beginning of every meal becomes a natural way we, as parents, can begin to teach our children about the privilege of prayer.  As we quiet our souls before Him, and bring our family before His throne of Grace, we receive mercy and find the richness of having our hearts turned toward Him.

First Lessons in Serving Others

No matter what the age of your children, it is never too early to start teaching them to serve others.  Chores are a natural way of leading them to develop an “others first” mentality.  It takes some thinking, planning, and creativity on your part to make this work, but it is well worth the effort.  A child that grows up with a heart inclined toward serving is such a treasure in a self-focused world.

Setting the table was one early responsibility given to my little ones.  I had some lovely dinnerware left over from our wedding, and for the time being, that was put away out of reach.  I knew there would come a day (and it did come -very quickly) when little fumbling hands would turn into strong, able hands and I left those special dishes to that distant day.   

I actually was given some “plastic” plates and bowls by my mother.  They weren’t easily breakable and they were dishwasher safe.  You can probably find some “temporary” plastic dishes at any box store or perhaps at a thrift store or garage sale. So if this idea appeals to you, be on the lookout.  

I relocated all of my child friendly plates and bowls in a lower cabinet within their reach.  They could easily acquire napkins and silverware as well.  At first, they were just expected to put a plate, a napkin, and a fork at everyone’s place at the table.  Later, we introduced the ideas of filling glasses with ice, counting dinner guests, folding napkins, arranging a proper place setting, and even table decorating. 

My youngest ones soon found joy in making our table a special place to eat each night.  Often times there were pictures drawn and left at everyone’s place, love notes tucked under napkins,  place cards made for each family member (in case we forgot who sat where), or flowers picked and lovingly placed as the center piece of the table.  It was a labor of love, a first lesson in the joys of serving the family.  I had to make it “doable” for our children by supplying them with easily accessible tools and by providing an example for them in the beginning of the “how to’s" of table setting.   

Equally as helpful, other chores grew out of the plastic plates and bowls.  Not only could they set the table at mealtime, but they could also clear the table as well.  And after dishes were washed, they knew where they belonged and how to put them away.  A little foresight enabled our family to come up with quite a few “responsibilities” that were able to be assigned to our youngest children. 

Setting the table was such a little thing, but it grew into a huge blessing for our whole family and for others. Plastic dishes and early opportunities to participate in responsibilites became the seeds planted which later developed into hearts that are ready to serve.