Fruit of the Spirit

I want my kids to live lives that display the Fruit of the Spirit.  To be children who learn to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, gentle, faithful, good, and self-cotntrolled.  To become adults, in the long run, who have been practicing these things for as long as they can remember.

Lord; this is your work.  I pray you'd grow these in my child. 

I know only the Spirit can develop those in them, but as a parent, I can be the gardener that provides the proper soil, light and water to ensure optimal growing circumstances. 

I pray for wisdom to provide that, and for your Spirit to work in me to grow those so I can be a great model of what it should look like.

Being Thankful

May I grasp spiritual truths and live them in a way that she also may fully understand.

May she learn to be thankful, to see each moment and all of life's happenings as a gift from you.  May she fully live as she learns to be fully grateful.

Older & Younger

Even now, Lord, may my child know the importance of having friends who are older and friends who are younger.

People to watch and learn from, and people to set an example to. 

May she have mentors worth following and may they be aware of their responsibility in her life.  May she understand that those who follow her are given by God for her to love and be kind to.

Passing it On

My prayer today comes from Deuteronomy 6:4-9.  "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

May we as parents not neglect this passing on of our faith.  May we do the job well enough so they are equipped to teach and train their own children.  May they love you with all their hearts, all their souls, and all their strength.