The power of prayer

I don't know why God gives us the gift of prayer, the ability for mere humans to communicate with God.  It's really humbling and amazing.  So often, I focus on praising for answered prayer and it SHOULD be praised.  It is such a beautiful thing when God answers the desires of my heart, when he answers the smallest request and I can only stand in awe realizing that HE cares about the minute details of MY life.  But today I am just praising God for prayer in general, for it's heart changing power.

How many times to I go before God to pray about someone or something and just being in his presence changes my heart?  He points out my unforgiveness, my selfishness, my anger...always gently, always clearly.  I go before him full of angst and just being before him brings peace and clarity.

Last night, it wasn't my prayer that blessed me.  It was my sons. 

Yesterday wasn't a great day.  I've had worse, certainly, but I've also had MUCH better days.  The kids just weren't listening...like at all.  Phin drew all over his carpet with blue marker that accidentally kept slipping off the toys he was writing on....that excuse somehow didn't really satisfy me.  He's four and a half, knows markers don't go on toys, etc.  I though the "Paper ony" lesson was absorbed two years ago.  Chloe was well...Chloe.  She is "highly sensitive" I am figuring out- everything or anything could set her off and yesterday it was definitely everything- from cutting the strawberries (I mean that is a CRISIS when your mom cuts the strawberries on your plate instead of leaving them whole) to having the nerve to wash her favorite sippy cup...nothing seemed to please her. 

Bedtime came and I was thankful.  I was admittedly rushing through it.  I was D.O.N.E. and ready to put them away for the night and have some stillness.  I was so mad at Phin about the marker that I left him until last.  I told him to get his pajamas on, get in bed, and wait quietly until I came.  He did...finally some obedience!  I sang to him and prayed for him and then he asked to pray.  Usually he prays before me...I guess I was rushing a bit too much;P  Anywho, my little boy prayed and I almost wept as he said, "Jesus help my ears to be open tomorrow because they were closed today."  Heart melting, anger thawing....sure he had a bad day but the softness of his heart in the presence of God softened mine.

I started bedtime wondering why in the world I became a parent and half hour later they were all tucked in and I sat thinking, "I am the luckiest woman in the world to witness these moments."