Learning to Pray as a Child

Last Thursday we took our son, Patrick, to one of the playground areas in our neighborhood. All three of us were climbing around on the euqipment when suddenly something "bit" me. Then I realized that it wasn't a bite at all, but a sting...and I was being swarmed with bees. We quickly got off the equipment and got away from the swarm, but not without my being stung. Twice.

Luckily I'm not allergic to bee-type insects or their pointy stingers.

Fast forward to that evening when Patrick still had the bees stinging me on his mind.

When I say prayers with Patrick I ask him to think of 5 things to thank God for. The first three are always the same: Mommy, Daddy, & Patrick. The other two are always interesting, but that evening took the cake. The next item he was thankful for were "those bees at the park." The fifth thing he was thankful for: "for those bees stinging Mommy."

What?!

I was about to question him about that one, but I quickly held my tongue, deciding not to correct him. Who am I to tell him what to be thankful for?

...............................

Friday morning while doing my Bible study I had a stark realization--I needed to be more like our (almost) three-year-old in my prayer life. I should thank God for the bee stings.

When life is not going well. When life is painful. When life is not what we expected it to be. We should thank God.

We don't know what His plans are. We cannot see the horizon as He can. However, we can trust that He is in control and faithful to never leave us.

And we can thank God.

Photo credit: Scyza