Praying for families with children

My children are adults. We enjoy one another's company as adults - we do things together and are friends on Facebook. I am not a mother who regrets not having young children in the house - I enjoy being able to pursue my pastimes without concern for the schedules of little league, choir and youth group.

That being said, I must tell you that I enjoyed all of the years when my children were, well, children. And it is no secret that my favorite demographic group is teens...

What prompts this missive today is reading the Facebook posts by mothers (and fathers) who are complaining about having been snowbound for much of the past two weeks. For those of you not in the mid-Atlantic area, we have had two blizzards in a single week and schools have been closed for over a week with delayed start since they opened Wednesday.

First, before you mutiny, let me say that it is understandable for those who need to make alternative child care arrangements so they can work to be somewhat upset. Not everyone can work remotely and not all businesses were closed the entire time.

Then let me say that what does bother me is the complaining tones of parents who seemingly have no idea how (or no interest) to engage and have fun with their kids. Each day that school was canceled was met with "I can't stand another day in the house with my kids" followed by a chorus of "Hooray they are gone and the house is quiet!" on the first day back.

We noticed on the days when our road was still unplowed that there were no children out playing and laughing and no one flying down the two fabulous sledding hills created by the accumulation. [The last time that my kids were young enough to be home for such a snow event was 1983, and every kid in the neighborhood was out there (yes, they are streets, but when they are under 20+ inches of snow they are sledding hills!) with quite a few parents.] We did see several teens tromp through the hip-deep snow to meet rides at the top of the road where the state road had been plowed - I did not see them (or any other children) assisting elderly neighbors get shoveled.

Exciting were the posts by parents who were out sledding, snowballing and such with the kids as well as having the kids help shovel snow. I love reading posts by parents baking cookies and making meals with the kids. It's great to see that there are families who can work and play together and have fun doing both.

So where is the prayer here?

I pray that parents and children will learn to laugh together, chase lightning bugs together, build snowmen together and play games together (board games as well as video games).
I pray that parents and children will learn to vaccuum and dust together, bake cookies together, shovel snow and clean off cars together, clear a neighbor's walk together, weed a garden and plant flowers together.
I pray that parents and children will go to church together, pray together, share concerns with one another, care about one another, talk to one another, listen to one another.
I pray that parents and children will serve at a shelter or soup kitchen together, take things to the Salvation Army together, walk/run/bike for a cause together, recycle together.
I pray that parents will have the wisdom needed when it is time to set boundaries and to discipline, and that these will be done in a loving and teaching manner.
I pray that children will see discipline as a way to help them learn and grow and to keep them safe.
I pray that parents always remember that they are not raising children, but rather guiding and preparing the next generation of adults - the next generation of parents.
I pray that parents will have the wisdom and strength to know when to let go and simply stand ready to support appropriately (and when not to do anything).
I pray that when the children are grown, both the parents and the children can still laugh and talk and play games and serve and work together.

Will you join me in these prayers? What prayers would you add?

Prayers in WInter

How has your winter been? Where you live has the weather been typical?

Here in Maryland we have had an atypical winter. We have had more snow here this winter than any on record, and more snow than cities that usually get lots more.

Friends in other areas though have reported unusual winters too - snow in Dallas and Charleston, warmer temps in Maine and less snow in Rochester....

Climate shifts (a term I like better than global warming) seem to be more common, and many are pointing to the end of the age when they talk about it.

How shall we pray? Come Lord Jesus Come!

And of course, we need to pray for the here and now - the weather provides opportunities to pray for safe travel, for shelter for the homeless, for warmth and food for all, for power lines that will remain up and functional... the list goes on and on.

What are your "winter prayers"? What requests show up in your prayers that would not be there in other seasons?

and what about the winter of life? those seasons we go through that make us feel bleak and cold? are there prayers then too that are different than other seasons of our life?

Share them here - share them most of all with God - He is always listening, in every season.