You Really Do Matter

"Are you even listening to me?"   Have you ever found yourself saying that as a parent.  I know I have many times.  It is frustrating, annoying and makes me wonder if I am even making a difference.

Do the little things you do and say really matter?

They do.

Every night we gather together for family prayer.  I will be honest, my prayers have become a little redundant lately, saying many of the same things, not fully putting my heart into it, just in a rush to get the kids in bed.

A couple of weeks back, one night, when it was my turn to say family prayer I stopped and really took my time.  I prayed for each person in my family by name, saying what I am grateful for naming  something good about each person.  By the end of the prayers I was in tears.

I didn't say anything, I didn't give a big speech or plan some elaborate lesson about the importance of prayer.

I just did it.

That night as my kids knelt by their beds to pray both Lucas and Alex named each person in our family by name praying for each person, and it has continued night after night.

They do listen.  It probably won't be during the lectures or the lessons it is those little moments, our actions, the things we do, the things that we pay attention to, spend our time with. the things we show that matter to us; that is when they listen.

They watch, they listen.

They are learning from you each and everyday.

What are you teaching?

You do matter.

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Linking up with Shell's Pour Your Heart Out