Friday, December 23, 2011

Early Bird

Dear God -
I'm sitting awake this morning in the (relative) quiet of my family room, waiting for Caroline to wake up. I've been awake about an hour now, and enjoying how still the mornings can be. Thank you for mornings. Right now, Caroline wakes up so happy - she usually chats for a while and when I go to get her, she's just full of energy and has a big smile on her face. Somewhere in life, that morning joy usually disappears. I pray today that you make that stick with Caroline - let her always wake happy, ready for the morning, ready for the day. 

Thank you God for Caroline.
Amen.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Courage

"May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their actions." (Deut. 31:6)


Dear God, 
Today I pray that Caroline be strong and courageous in her character and in her actions. Being self-aware is a complicated thing, it's not easy to come by - but I pray that Caroline grows up with a sense of the importance of both her character and her actions. It's so easy to shy away from fear or challenge, it's easy to lack courage. Please let Caroline have a courageous spirit that gives her confidence, and also is an indication to those around her that You have given her this gift of strength.

Amen.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Excitement

Dear God -
It's just about a week and a half before Christmas, and this time of year is marked with joy, peace and excitement for the coming holiday. God thank you for the birth of your son Jesus, and for what his birth means in our lives. Today I ask that you give Caroline Christmas Excitement year-round. That she has a little piece of anticipation and child-like joy in her life regardless of what's going on around her. God bless Caroline with a spirit to know that no matter what she's handed in life - what you've handed her is far greater. And that gift, that free gift you've given her, is worthy of anticipation and joy.

God please let us be role models for staying excited and joyful about You, Your Son Jesus, his birth, his death, and the promise You've made to us.

Amen.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Money

Dear God - it'll be many years before Caroline is responsible for her own money, but today my prayer is about money. Please let us teach Caroline responsibility when it comes to money, that she's not wasteful and that she learns to live responsibly. Please give us the ability to model good money management so that we're good examples for her.

Amen

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Fingernails

Dear God -
It's amazing how quickly a baby's fingernails grow! Today, I pray for Caroline's fingernails. Give her strong beautiful nails please. That seems like a silly prayer, but nails are certainly one of the things that can make a woman feel pretty, and I'd like her to know that feeling as much as she can. So please, give her nice nails.

Amen.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Beauty

Dear God -
There's so much beauty in the month of December. In Florida, beautiful weather arrives, beautiful decorations are put up, beautiful food is put out on the table, beautiful music fills our homes and churches. Today my prayer for Caroline is that there's always beauty in her life - not just in Decembers, but something in each day.

Thank you for the beauty of your Son's birth and the beauty of our daughter's birth. Both fill our lives with joy and peace.

Amen.