rainbows

In the last few months, I have tried to encourage Wesley to pray when he feels sad, scared, happy, or if there is something he needs help with.  He’s had some pretty awesome experiences with having prayers answered.

This morning, Wesley and I had been talking about his class trip to the zoo and how it might be canceled due to the rain.  We sat down to do his nebulizer, and (with the nebulizer on his face and no prompting from me) he folded his arms and said a quick prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please take the rain high into the sky so it doesn’t rain at the zoo today.

Say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I asked him if he thought Heavenly Father would keep the rain from coming while he was at the zoo, he said yes.  We talked a little bit more about it, and he got quiet.

Then again, through the nebulizer, with his arms folded, comes this:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please send me a little brother to play with.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I asked him to tell me what he prayed about.

He said he couldn’t because it was a secret.

So bittersweet.

Bitter because I understand the ramifications of his request.  Bitter because I would love for him to grow up with a brother, lots of brothers, and sisters too.  Bitter because he has to deal with consequences that are not from his actions.

Sweet because it gave me a glimpse of the faith of a little child.  Sweet because his secret prayer reminded me to have faith in miracles and to have hope in the future. 

It is funny, even as I write this, as it is pouring rain, I am thinking about how to talk to Wesley if his Zoo trip gets rained out. 

I think I have a lot to learn from my 4 year old.    


*****postscript*****

Just a few sprinkles at the zoo today.  Yep.