Parenting is a serious responsibility. It should be handled with prayer. 

A mother or father with the toughest exterior will melt inside when something threatens their little one when it is something beyond their ability to help or heal. 

Manoah prayed for God’s guidance for how to parent the son God had promised. God heard and answered his prayer. This is a great model. Parents should pray regularly and specifically during the daily rhythms of our lives. Parents should also turn first to prayer in moments when serious issues arise beyond our ability to resolve. 

This prayer lifestyle continues when we become grandparents. Our younger granddaughter lies in her Pack ‘n Play in the room next to this one. She is awake earlier than her normal hour to arise. She is rehearsing the events of yesterday and expressing her thoughts and feelings in line with her experiences. Her sweet voice is one of the greatest gifts God has ever given us.

She will call my name soon. I will lift her from her bed and provide her with cold milk and blueberries as her first of two breakfasts. Today we will explore more snowy vistas and dream dreams of future adventures. 

Tonight we will dine at one of our favorite restaurants. She will make the meal ever so much more enjoyable. Later, she will kiss her goodnight and lie down with a few more moments of wordplay and babbles as she settles into a long night’s rest. 

One of my favorite novels ends with these words: “I will pray and I will sleep.” 

Parents and grandparents understand this declaration oh so well. 

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I will pray for my children and grandchildren all the days of my life. 

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Our Father, teach me how to pray for our children and grandchildren. Help me to teach them how to pray. Amen.