If My Child Marries Your Child

So this morning, Traci and I were talking about teaching our kids to be responsible so that when they get married they can take care of themselves and not have to rely on their spouses.

I pray for my kids and their future spouses but hadn't really thought about praying for their parents. If my child marries yours...I want you to know that I'm praying for you. Here's part of what I read recently.

I'm praying that you'll stand firm against the pressures to over commit and hyper-schedule, that you'll shut out the voices that tell you you're not doing enough, that your kids aren't doing enough.

I'm praying that you will take them to church...that the mothers and fathers of our future grandchildren will grow up knowing what it means to worship, even when that means missing out-of-town basketball tournaments and marathon sleepovers.

I'm praying that you take lots of pictures so that I can see where our grandchildren got their sticky-out ears and their mischievous grins.

I'm praying that Jesus will give you enough strength each day to keep you from losing it but not so much that you forget Who that strength comes from. I'm praying that we will be friends.  May you feel these prayers when you need them the most.

Because your child will fall asleep next to mine for fifty-some years. Your child will be the one holding my child's hand when our first grandchild is born. When they face the darkest days of their lives, it will be your child and mine, facing it together.

Someday, one of the hearts will crash into one of your love-crafted hearts, and what spills out as a result of that jolt...it's kind of up to us.

I promise to plant Jesus seeds in these hearts every chance I get. And I promise to keep praying for you. I'm praying that you will hug your boy tight when he's sad or lonely or scared.

Because someday, my girl - all grown beautiful with babies of her own - will be sad or lonely or scared. And he'll need to know how to hold her. Teach him.

Let your daughters hear you speak righteous words that bring life and hope. Someday we will sit on opposite sides of the aisle...all fancy and with gobs of tissues tucked into our fists.

We'll watch our silly, sticky, sweet kids somehow transform into brides and grooms and make the same promises to one another that we ourselves have kept...against all odds and only by His grace.

Today I'm thinking and thanking God for you.

[EM]