"The End"

When I was a kid I had on occasion spent the night in my Grandma's bed with her, while she briefly lived with us. She would always pray with me on those nights and I have never forgotten this memory. Probably because it was so terrifying.

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
if I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Parents, do not pray this prayer with your children. Every time Granny would pray this with me I would lie in bed terrified that if I fell asleep I wasn't waking back up!

Now that I am older and have kids of my own, I need to take hold and steer them to the Lord. Hannah and I have recently begun bedtime prayers. We hold each other's hand and they go something like this:

Dear Lord, Thank you for Daddy, Mommy, Hannie and Buddy. Thank you for Molly and Ham & Cheese. Thank you for Grandma, Mammie and Gampie. Thank you for Uncle Chase, Aunt Angela, Makayla and Jordie. Thank you for dying on the cross. We love you, In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Then after this Hannah says, "I want to hold her's fingers." She holds my hand and begins her prayer:

Mommy, Daddy, Buddy, Ham and Cheese, Aunt Angela, mumble, mumble, mumble, Mammie, Gampie, Jordie, more mumbling, Uncle Chase, mumble, mumble, mumble. The End!

In which I try to stifle any laughter because it really is just the cutest thing. I again say "Amen" when she's done and she'll say again; "The End." Cracks me up every time. It fills my heart with joy that she wants to say her own prayer.

Hopefully I'm going about this the right way as I have no experience in Toddler Theology.