“Teach [the Word] to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates…” -Deuteronomy 11:19-20
Faith is the foundation of our family. We are very open in our household in our worship and prayers to God. We pray at every meal, before bed and occasionally throughout the day. We noticed Rylie watching us at a very young age and we were intentional to describe why we worship and pray. As Rylie has gotten older, she will ask, “pray?” and fold her hands. She refuses to let any of us begin until everyone has their hands folded and she loves saying, “Amen! YAY!” following the prayer. Within the last couple of months, she has begun to worship on her own as well. Whether we’re attending the online campus for church or listening to worship in the car, it doesn’t take long for her to raise her hands and yell “YAY JESUS!!!” after the song is over.
And just to take the sweetness one step further, Rylie loves to “take notes” with me if I’m watching church online. It doesn’t last very long, but it’s still so precious!
Last Sunday (2.24.19), Rylie was playing with a baby doll and I heard her say, “pray? Okay. **some gibberish** Dear God, thank you for family. Thank you for God. Thank you for **more gibberish**. Amen.”
I share all this not to boast, but to encourage and remind you that your children are watching! They are sponges, soaking up every drop of us – our actions and our words. It should be a humbling and purifying experience for us as parents as we strive to teach and raise our children to love the Lord.