A Child's Prayer

I have a favorite Primary song - "A Child's Prayer". I had been thinking about the song and the lyrics of the song recently. When the sweet Primary kids started singing it on Sunday I got goosebumps and tears filled my eyes - just as they have dozens of times as I've sung the song to my boys before bed at night.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the song the lyrics are set up for 2 people to sing them to each other - the first verse to be sung by a child and the 2nd verse to be sung by a parent.

Heavenly Father - are you really there?
And do you hear and answer every child's prayer?
Some say that heaven is far away
but I feel it close around me as I pray
Heavenly Father - I remember now
Something that Jesus told disciples long ago,
'Suffer the children to come to me'
Father in prayer I'm coming now to thee


Pray, He is there
Speak, He is listening
You are His child
His love now surrounds you
He hears your prayers
He loves the children
Of such is the kingdom
The kingdom of heaven.


(And then you sing the 2 verses at the same time)

Anyway, I am continually touched by the song because I feel like I'm calling out, "Heavenly Father - are you listening to me?" and that He answers that He is there and He is listening. It really touches home to me a lot of the time.

Well yesterday we had an experience at our house with Gabe that showed me the faith and trust of children is so simple and sweet. He had been throwing some major fits and we had been having quite the power struggles through the whole day. He came out screaming and being so upset. I asked him to please go to his room and stop crying. Through his sobs he said, "Mom - I want to say a prayer to help me stop!" I told him to go ahead and do that in his room. Again through his sobs he said, "No Mom - I'm too upset - please say it for me."

So we snuggled up together to say a prayer. He sobbed and was quite upset even after our little prayer was over so I sent him back to his room to work on calming down and I headed into the kitchen to work on lunch. I thought he was in his room but then I heard his little voice whispering. I peeked around and saw him kneeling on the couch with his head burried into a pillow just pouring his little heart out to our Heavenly Father. He was talking to Heavenly Father about all the little things going on in his life and was literally pleading to Him that he would be able to calm down, that things would get easier for him through the day, and that Mom would quit telling him mean things - like the word "consequences".

This was one of the most powerful moments as a mother and as a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father I have been blessed with. I am grateful that I got a glimpse at his sweet spirit, his sweet faith, and his trust in Heavenly Father. He is a strong spirit and I know he will need that strength in these tough times. But I hope that Gabe will always know he can turn to his loving Heavenly Father, and that he can remind me also that I need to always turn to Him.

Thank you for that sweet and tender mercy!