Start 'em Off, Take 2

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Proverbs 22:6

It's time for Start 'em Off Round Two!

In case you missed the kickoff, you can catch up here.  In a nutshell, Start 'em Off is a series of posts aiming to share ideas about how we can "start our children off on the way they should go."  Through the Start 'em Off posts, I'm hoping to pick your brains and your thoughts and come up with some fun and enriching ways to teach our kiddos how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. (Ephesians 3:18-20) No idea is too small or too big or too simple or too fun!  A craft, a prayer, a verse, a song, a book, anything.

If you've got something to share, leave it in the comments at the end of the post or, better yet(!), post about it on your blog and leave your blog on the Start 'em Off linky list so we know where to find your ideas! If you write a Start 'em Off post on your blog, be sure to give us a hollah and link back to Sprinkles & Wrinkles so your readers can get in on all the ideas connected to this post too. =)

 Without further ado...

Ever since Newbie was born, I have been a praying machine.  I love how Shauna Niequist puts it in her short story "Mother Prayers" from her book, Cold Tangerines. (You're going to want to click on that hyperlink because it will take you to an online version of the book through Google Reader...WOOHOO!)  Shauna talks about how she prayed for her son each night after they brought him home from the hospital "'Dear God, please please please keep our baby healthy and alive through the night. Thank you thank you thank you for him, and please please please keep him safe in the night'. I wasn't creative in my language, but what I lacked in vocabulary, I made up for in intensity. I became downright televangelist in my prayers. Babies must bring out the inner charismatic in all of us."

I laughed out loud when I read "Babies must bring out the inner charismatic in all of us" because that is so me.  I pray like crazy over Newbie each night, and I have a couple fun things to share that I plan to start using during our prayer time on the nights when I feel like digging a little deeper than the "please please please" and the "thank you thank you thank you". =)

While They Are Sleeping
The first resource is a book I fell in love with this weekend at the Family Life resource center.  Its on my gotta-have-it list, and it's called, While They Are Sleeping: 12 Character Traits to Pray for the Children You Love by Ann Arkins and Gary Harrell.  The book outlines 12 character traits and has various prayers under each trait with blanks to write in your child's name.  I'm not explaining it well, but I flipped through it at the store and absolutely loved the idea, so I'm stashing away my pennies and can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

Image found at Amazon.com

 Pray 7 x7

The next item in the grab bag this week is Angie Smith's 7 prayers a day.  If you haven't fallen in love with her blog yet, check her out here and fall.  She is married to the lead singer in Selah, and she's got such an incredible heart for God. I can't say enough about what I've learned from Angie by reading her blog....do you like how I talk about her like we're besties even though I've never met her? Ha! She recently wrote a book about her story, and I am just waiting for her to write a book on parenting.  I would follow every word. 

A couple years ago she wrote a post about how she prays over her little girls.  You can click the picture below to go read the post in its entirety, but I've copied the prayers here.  The idea is to pray over your children seven times a day, seven days a week.  I'm planning on printing out each prayer, filling in Newbie's name, and pasting them on index cards in places throughout the house so I can be praying for him throughout our day. Easy. Practical. Prayer-filled.  Just the way I like it. =)

  

"1.  When they wake up: "Let the morning bring (child's name) word of your unfailing love, for she has put her trust in You.  Show (her/him) the way (she/he) should go, for to you (he/she) lifts up her soul." (Adapted from Psalm 143:8)

2. When they are getting dressed: "Therefore, as God's chosen child, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Lord, help (him/her) bear with others and forgive whatever grievances (he/she) has against others.  Help (him/her) forgive as the Lord forgave (him/her).  And over all these virtues, help (him/her) put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Adapted from Colossians 3:12-14)

3. While they are eating: "Teach (child's name) the secret of being content in any and every situation whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  Teach (him/her) that (he/she) can do everything through him who gives (him/her) strength." (Adapted from Philippians 4:12-13)

4.  When they go out of the house: "(Name of child), do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will." (Adapted from Romans 12:2)

5.  While they are taking a bath: Lord, give (name of child)  clean hands and a pure heart, and let (him/her) not lift (his/her) soul to an idol or swear by what is false. Let (him/her) receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God (his/her) Savior.  Let (him/her) be part of the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. (Adapted from Psalm 24:4-6)

6.  When they are going to bed:  "The Lord Your God is with you; he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, be will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)

7.  While they are sleeping:  "I pray that (name of child) will do everything without complaining or arguing, so that he/she may become blameless and pure, a child of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which he/she shines like a star in the universe as he/she holds out the word of life-in order that he/she may boast on the day of Christ that he/she did not run or labor for nothing." (Adapted from Philippians 2:14-16)"

I just love love love that.  In fact, I'm going to try to get these up on the wall by the end of the week.

I'm off to grab a few last minute groceries for a little shower I'm hosting for at Play Group tomorrow.  Somebody's due to have an April baby, and we're using it as an excuse to shop at Target and eat some delicious breakfast goodies. =)  

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

*If you have an issues with the linky list, leave me a comment and let me know how it is working....we're taking it for a test drive this week. Thanks!