Sunday, February 11, 2024

Praying Meaningful Prayers with Our Grandchildren

Grandparents often have such a huge influence over the lives of their grandchildren. My grandparents played a very important role in my life. Now that I have a grand-daughter of my own, I pray often that I will be just as important in her life as my grandparents were in mine. One way we can build close relationships with our grandchildren and help them grow closer to the Lord is to pray with them. Here are several ways we can start praying meaningful prayers with our grandchildren.

Praying Meaningful Prayers with Our Grandchildren

Pray over them from the day they are born.

We can begin building a culture of prayer for our grandchildren on the day they are born. Praying over them should be just as natural as holding them. As we cuddle those sweet newborn babies, we can breathe them in, hold them close, and sing to them, but above all, we can begin praying over them. As our grandchildren grow, knowing we will pray over them should be just as natural to them as knowing we will feed them.

Take interest in their lives.

My grandmothers were always interested in whatever was going on in my life. It didn't matter how small or insignificant the issue was. If it was important to me, it was important to them. The same is true for our grandchildren. Their problems may seem small to us, especially if they are still very young, but if their problems are huge for them, then they should be huge for us. We can take opportunities to talk to them about the things that are important to them. We should never miss the opportunity to pray with them over those things. If they are very young, we can take a few minutes to pray a few simple sentences with them. As they grow older, we can pray more deeply and more specifically over the struggles they face. I know that my granddaughter will face many struggles in her life. I want her to know that I will always be a good listener and I will always pray over her life.

Pray sincerely.

As we pray over our grandchildren, let's make sure we are sincere in our prayers and they know it. I want my granddaughter to know that my prayers for her will never be half-hearted. I want her to know that when I pray over her life, I will pray sincerely and boldly. I don't want her to grow up thinking, "Maybe Nonnie will pray for me." I want her to grow up thinking, "I need to talk to my Nonnie. I know she will pray for me."

Allow them to pray their own prayers from their own hearts.

I titled this post "Praying Meaningful Prayers WITH Our Grandchildren because I wanted to emphasize the importance of praying together. Part of praying with our grandchildren is teaching them to pray. Those cute little poetry prayers are OK in the beginning, but we didn't say those too much with our own children and I don't want us to say those too much with our grandchildren. Those repeated prayers are good tools for teaching, but we need to encourage our children and grandchildren to pray their own prayers from their own hearts as early as possible. Let's teach our grandchildren that prayer is simply talking to God. Let them talk to God and we can be involved in that conversation with them. Pray together.

Pray the Scriptures over your grandchildren. When they are with you, make sure they hear you pray.

Pray the scriptures out loud over your grandchildren. There is something powerful about hearing the very Word of God spoken over those who we love. For example, let's read Psalm 3:3-5.

But You, Lord, are a shield around me,
My glory, and the One who lifts my head.
I was crying out to the Lord with my voice,
And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah
I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.

Psalm 3:3-5

Based on Psalm 3:3-5, our prayer will be something like this:

Father God,

You, Lord, are a shield around (your grandchild's name).

You are (his/her) glory and the one who lifts (his/her) head.

(He/She) may cry out to You in the wilderness of this earthly life,

And You will answer (him/her) from Your holy mountain.

(He/she) will lay down and sleep;

Then (he/she) will awake for You sustain (him/her).

Thank you for protecting (your grandchild's name) wherever (he/she) may go.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

Pray prayers of thankfulness.

Let's teach our grandchildren to pray prayers of thankfulness even when God doesn't move in the way they ask. We need to teach our grandchildren that God's timing is perfect and His ways are higher than our ways. Asking God to move a certain way is OK, but they need to know that his answer is not always "yes." Sometimes, God says, "OK, but not now." Sometimes, He says, "No, child, but I have something so much better planned for you." Let's teach those sweet babies to trust God completely with their lives and look forward to the day each of them surrenders to the Lord and begins his or her relationship with Jesus. Then, we can rest in the promise of spending eternity with them.

One day, when my granddaughter (and future grandchildren) say goodby to me here on Earth, I want them to know without a shadow of a doubt that this is only a "See you later, Nonnie." May they remember for the rest of their lives the many prayers we prayed together over the years.

If you aren't sure how to start praying for your grandchildren, The Power of a Praying Grandparent is a good resource.

The Power of a Praying Grandparent is available here.

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Friday, February 9, 2024

Valentine's Day Date Night Ideas for Busy and Tired Parents

Hey busy and tired parents! With Valentine's Day approaching, you might be sneaking in your secret Valentine's Day gifts for your spouse or frantically grabbing those delivered packages from your front porch before your husband or your wife finds them. You might be trying to figure out how to spend a few hours of romantic time alone on this special day, but with a growing and active family, finding time alone can be challenging. Then, you might have to pay a baby sitter so you can enjoy a meal at your favorite restaurant. Valentine's Day can be a lot of fun, but it can also be expensive and even a little frustrating when you're trying to make your plans work out. However, Valentine's Day dates don't need to be extravagant. There are plenty of ways for you to celebrate the holiday without even leaving your home. Here is a list of Valentine's Day date night ideas for all you busy and tired parents out there.

Valentine's Day Date Night Ideas for Busy and Tired Parents

Many of us can relate to the feeling of exhaustion that comes with parenting. Between changing diapers, preparing meals, cleaning up messes, and trying to keep the peace, it's no wonder that many parents feel too tired to even think about planning a date night. However, date nights are essential for maintaining a healthy and strong relationship with your spouse. They provide opportunities for couples to reconnect and remind each other of why they fell in love in the first place.

So, here is a list of simple and enjoyable date night ideas that won't leave you feeling more exhausted.

Have a picnic in your living room. It's simple, inexpensive, and you don't have to worry about finding a babysitter.

Watch a movie or a TV show together after the kids are in bed. The Lost Valentine is a good move suggestion. You can watch the movie trailer here.

The Lost Valentine is available here.

Have a game night. You can play board games, card games, or video games

Do both you and your spouse enjoy cooking? Try a new recipe together. It's a fun way to bond and you get to enjoy a delicious meal at the end.

The Valentine's Day cookbook is available here.

Go for a walk or a jog together. You might need a baby sitter for this one, but it's a great way to get some exercise and enjoy some fresh air.

Have a karaoke night. Just don't sing too loudly or you'll wake up the kids. 😀

Do a puzzle together.

Have a book club night. You can read the same book and then discuss it together. You'll have to plan ahead for this idea so you'll both be finished with the book by Valentine's Day.

Love Dare is available here.

Have a craft night. You can make something together, like a scrapbook or a piece of art.

Have a gardening night. You can plant something together and watch it grow over time.

Have a meditation night. Calm your mind and relax your body by memorizing scripture together. Choose several verses that you both consider favorites. Then, meditate on them and memorize them together.

Have a stargazing night. You can look at the stars and learn about different constellations while marveling at God's creations.

Have a DIY pottery night. You can make something beautiful and functional together. If you don't have a real pottery wheel, you can find clay suitable for molding in most craft stores.

Here is another suggestion.

This pottery wheel kit is available here.

Remember, date nights don't have to be expensive or extravagant. The most important thing is that you are spending quality time together, reconnecting, and having fun. So, this Valentine's Day, try one of these date night ideas and enjoy a relaxing and enjoyable evening with your spouse.

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Happy Valentine's Day!

Tina

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Valentine's Day Projects for Kids

January is always a long month, but we made it and now it's February. This means it is time for fun Valentine's Day projects for kids. If you need a little inspiration to come up with some great ideas, I'm here to help. Here's a list of great ideas for Valentine's Day fun with your kids.

Valentine's Day Projects for Kids

Let's start with a heart shaped sun catcher from Happiness is Homemade.

Here's an adorable paper plate fish craft. This adorable fish sports heart shaped fins. You'll find it at Artsy Momma.

These thumbprint heart glass magnets are so pretty. This idea is from Rhythms of Play.

Create a Love Letters from God bulletin board like this one I found on Pinterest. It's a great way to teach children Scripture verses.

Valentine's Day Craft Kits - 24 Sets Available Here!

Check out this 3-D Heart Valentine's Day Craft that teaches children about love according to 1 Corinthians 13. You'll find it at The Growing Creatives.

Help your kids attach small wrapped pieces of candy to these Valentine's Day Scripture printables. Then they can hand them out to their friends. You'll find them at Not Consumed.

These thumb print Mason Jars are so cute. Learn how to paint them here at It All Started With Paint. After the paint dries, your child can add his or her favorite flowers to enjoy.

What is a craft day without at least one toilet paper roll activity? Check out these Love Butterflies at Christianity Cove.