Family Prayer

One of those daydreams that I have when I think of us with our kids is how we are going to help to form their faith. Teaching religious education this year has solidified my views on the importance of faith formation beginning at home. If we aren't showing our kids how to pray or being examples of how to participate at mass, how are our kids going to learn these things? Yes, school (if a Catholic school) or religious education can help to reinforce what we have already taught, but it is truly up to us to begin and continue to be a driving force in that process. I was blessed to grow up in a family who prayed before meals each night and spent every Sunday morning at mass. I knelt next to my bed each night to say my prayers, and I always loved setting up our nativity scene for Christmas. I have my parents to thank for leading me in the right direction to growing closer to God. And they continue to be that great example for me by praying for Dan and me and our (hopefully) growing family, through their selfless actions for those they love, and by playing active roles in their parish for years.

Before Dan and I got married, I remember being reminded that an important part of being married is that you are working to get one another to Heaven. Now I truly have a greater understanding of that. I am seeing God's work in action through the conversations we have and the desire to learn together. Dan pushes me to be a better person and to strive to have a better prayer life. I have realized that I still have so much to learn and I have this genius living in the same house as me. Wanna learn more about our faith? Pick my husband's brain. He is so incredibly knowledgeable and just loves sharing that knowledge! He makes me a better person by being an example day in and day out of living the faith. Our kids are going to be so lucky to have such a strong faithful man to guide them.

I realize now, more than ever, the importance of our kids' faith formation starting at home. It begins day one. Kids are born to absorb information like a sponge. And we are the ones they will be looking to most. I have also realized that I need to start practicing this better prayer life now. I'm guilty of letting my day pass by without any true quiet time to really pray. I was good for a while, praying the chaplet, but I haven't even been great about that lately. I have found myself getting jaded with the adoption process.  Unfortunately, in turn, that has been part of the reason that I let my prayer life go a little bit. It can be hard praying for the same thing day in and day out and not feeling like you've received a direct answer besides "not right now". While talking with Dan yesterday, I was reminded of how incredible our faith and our God is. I have so much to learn AND so much to be thankful for. God deserves more of my day than the two minutes I spend begging for a child. He deserves a thank you and some prayers of praise and also penance. 

So yesterday, Dan sent me a link to a blog on how to start a family prayer altar in your home.  We actually have the perfect place to do it on a small table in our front room. Right now, it has our beautiful nativity scene. I think we are going to give this prayer altar a try. Hopefully it will lead to many more discussions and nights of family prayer. While looking at the site he sent, I came across this blog post on praying a family rosary and loved it! I thought I'd add the link here: Tips for Praying a Family Rosary (I particularly like tip #8).  

It's funny. I hate this whole waiting thing when it comes to having a child of our own, but I have seen God move mountains in my life. Little by little, he is molding me into a better mother each day. So despite my frustrations, I can see how He is working constantly preparing this loving home for our children.