Speak, he is listening

This blog post will probably only resonate with those who believe in a higher being.  I do! I believe we had a beginning, I am in the middle of my eternal journey, and one day I will be able too see my Heavenly Father again, and hopefully be found worthy enough to live an eternity with those I love.  While thinking of the many topics going through my head tonight, I was struggling to pick just one.  As I began my post a thought came to my head, "Pray he is there, speak he is listening, you are his child, his love now surrounds you", for those of you who don't attend an LDS Ward the line comes from one of our primary songs, A Child's Prayer.

It is actually one of my favorite church songs.  I have gone through times in my life where my best friend is my Heavenly Father.  I have relied on him to listen, to plead with, to humble myself, and to answer my prayers.  We all go through periods where we rely on the world more than the one who is creator.  It is at these times that I noticed my prayers become redundant and meaningless.  I seem to go through more of the motion than sincerely speaking to my father in heaven.

Each night we come together as a family, and at this time each of our children will say their individual prayers and then we will alternate family prayer.  I listen intently to each of the prayers.  I have children at different roads in life, so it gets interesting while listening to them.  Last week I noticed as a parent when I am not as close to my father in heaven as I should be, that I want to rush myself and the others in my family along with prayer.  Not only I go though it, but at times I have heard a few of our family members in a rush mood during prayer.

One of my children seems to take a 15 minute increment of time to finish his prayer.  One particular night it was late and we were all moody. I had the desire to tell him to hurry, and at that moment I felt something come over me.  I just listened. I was overcome with the spirit.  I knew that my child had a personal relationship with my Heavenly Father.  It was then, I knew something with our prayers needed to change.

The next night my husband was home with us, and one of my sons started his prayer.  He began to bless some little things.  Some of which seemed silly and started giggles in the room.  It was then that I noticed my husband get almost angry, and he told my son he didn't need to pray for those kinds of things.  I stopped my son for a moment, looked at my husband and said, "what are we teaching our children, if we don't let them have a relationship with their Heavenly Father? Even though we know he knows us and our hearts desires he wants to listen to us, and if we don't teach them they can pray for all things they won't rely on him as they should", then urged my son to finish.

Although we still had giggles, the prayers were different that night.  We didn't focus so much on just getting the prayer said or what should or shouldn't be said, but we let our children know that they could pray for everything and our Heavenly Father would listen.  In the last week, each of my children's prayers have taken on more meaning and feeling.  I can feel their sincerity and I know they are being heard, and my children know they will be answered.  Even our 5 year old takes time to pray with pure intent.  It is amazing to hear a child say their own prayer and remember things we might rush through or overlook.

Today I am finding Joy in my everyday prayers.  I can talk to my creator about everything, and I can gain a relationship with my Heavenly Father, and through my prayers I am reassured that he hears and answers me when the timing is right.  Joy can be felt when I know he loves me and I am reassured I am his daughter.