My New Year's Resolution

Generally speaking, I don't do New Year's Resolutions. This year, a few of my friends were making them, and it got me to thinking about what I could improve in my life. I've come up with a resolution that means a lot to me, and that I think I can commit to.

Look at Miss O in this picture. I love watching her sleep (and yes, she really does sleep with her animals all around her like that!). I love watching both my kids sleep. They are so peaceful when they sleep and I am kind of addicted to watching them sleep. Each night, before I go to bed I check on them. They never need me, but I just like to see them sleeping so sweetly, re-adjust their covers and then leave. I don't think I'll ever stop checking on them until they start going to bed later than me!

This year though, I'm going to do something different. Instead of just taking a peek before bed, I'm going to use that time to pray over them. I pray for and with my kids all the time. We've made that a routine in our house. We pray before meals, we pray at bedtime, we pray when we are sad or hurt or angry. We pray together a lot. But our prayers are mostly focused on the here and now. I don't do a lot of praying over them. This year I'm going to do that. I'll use that time when I am checking on them to pray for them.

I'll pray for Little Bean, for his anxiety that seems to always be bubbling just under the surface. I'll pray peace into his heart and mind. I'll pray for his nightmares to go away and for God to comfort him as he sleeps. I'll pray for his Juvenile Xanthogranuloma, that he would be healed, that it would continue to be cutaneous only, that he would not be affected in any way by it's presence. I'll pray that he'll learn to love, that he'll love and respect himself, that he'll recieve and give love to others freely. I'll pray that he would always draw close to God in all circumstances, that his heart will be soft unto God. I'll pray for his future wife, that wherever she is she will grow up loving God and that she will remain pure for Little Bean, and that he too will save himself for her.

I'll pray for Miss O too. I'll pray for her to continue to discover how precious she is in Christ. I'll pray that she will always love and respect herself. I'll pray that she will grow up as a compassionate, Godly woman. I'll pray for her future husband too. I'll pray for her fertility too, that she'll never be touched by the pain of infertility or the loss of a child. I'll pray that she will learn to give of herself, and that she will find her worth in Christ alone.

And I'll pray for myself too. That I'll do right by them. That I'll be a good mom to them. That I'll focus on the important things in life and point them to Christ everyday. I'll pray for patience and more grace for them. I'll pray that my dh and I will be the best parents to them that we can be. And I'll thank God every day that I get to have them in my life.