One night with some out-of-town house guests, a little boy was asked to pray during the usual family worship before bedtime.
The boy protested: "But I don't know how to pray!"
His father said: "Surely you have heard how Mommy and I thank God and pray for our family members, friends and neighbors, and the poor; how we ask God for help when we or others are in need, and for forgiveness for anything wrong we have done as well as for mercy for people who have done something wrong to us."
After further coaxing from the old folks mixed with protestations from the young one, the little boy finally agreed to pray.
With eyes closed and hands folded together in an attitude of prayer, he said: "Dear God, thank you for our visitors and their children, who finished all the cookies and ice cream. Please bless them, but please try hard to not let them come again. Please forgive our neighbor's son, who undressed my sister and wrestled with her in her bed. Please send clothes to the poor naked women in Daddy's Blackberry. And please provide shelter for the men who share Mommy's room when Daddy is not home. Amen."
In another family. . .it had become the family's custom every weekend to invite strangers and visitors for lunch after church. One particular weekend, with the family and the invited guests all seated around the nicely set table, little 6-year-old Susie was requested, for a change, to say "grace" before the meal.
Little Susie said: "But I don't know what to say!"
Her Mom said: "You can just say exactly like what you've heard me say before."
With that encouragement, Little Susie prayed: "Oh God, why did I bother to invite all these people?. . ."
Authors Unknown
The boy protested: "But I don't know how to pray!"
His father said: "Surely you have heard how Mommy and I thank God and pray for our family members, friends and neighbors, and the poor; how we ask God for help when we or others are in need, and for forgiveness for anything wrong we have done as well as for mercy for people who have done something wrong to us."
After further coaxing from the old folks mixed with protestations from the young one, the little boy finally agreed to pray.
With eyes closed and hands folded together in an attitude of prayer, he said: "Dear God, thank you for our visitors and their children, who finished all the cookies and ice cream. Please bless them, but please try hard to not let them come again. Please forgive our neighbor's son, who undressed my sister and wrestled with her in her bed. Please send clothes to the poor naked women in Daddy's Blackberry. And please provide shelter for the men who share Mommy's room when Daddy is not home. Amen."
In another family. . .it had become the family's custom every weekend to invite strangers and visitors for lunch after church. One particular weekend, with the family and the invited guests all seated around the nicely set table, little 6-year-old Susie was requested, for a change, to say "grace" before the meal.
Little Susie said: "But I don't know what to say!"
Her Mom said: "You can just say exactly like what you've heard me say before."
With that encouragement, Little Susie prayed: "Oh God, why did I bother to invite all these people?. . ."
Authors Unknown
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