What I love most today is Prayer and Beans...

Do you ever wonder who prays for you?  I mean besides those in your life that remain a constant support?  About a week after my son William was born I came home from the hospital and one evening our family decided to put together a prayer list.  There are many people to pray for, so many more than are on this list, but at the time these were the people that we knew needed our prayers.

As parents we are constantly trying to help our children to gain strength in their testimony for prayer.  To say their prayers morning and night, to put thought into their prayers.  What I have loved about this list is that my children remember these people in their own prayers.  Some of these people my children really don't know or just know by name.



This I believe, is exactly how Heavenly Father would want it.  I know that people I don't know far and distant were praying for us during our summer of distress.  I could feel the burden lightened, the will and motivation to keep loving life and to move forward.  We are all brothers and sisters and we all need help from time to time, if not always.  I am making a new friend here, she so graciously explained that she had heard of our trials from another blog and had been praying for us.  And, that you don't need to know somebody to pray for them.  This is so greatly appreciated and uplifting.  We've  been so grateful for the prayers on behalf of  those that are close, and from those that don't really know us.

On a similar but separate note, this is our family bean jar.  As a mother, something I want for my children the most,  is for them to know how to serve others.  I decided to start the bean jar.  This has been one of my favorite family cooperatives (if you will).  The idea is that a bean goes in the jar when someone serves someone in our household.  But, the service has to be out of their own volition.  It has to be something they've done without my prompt or asking.

When we discussed what service is, of course a lot of the children said things like, "I can make her bed for her," or "I'll clean up after the babies."  And yes, this is service, no doubt.  But, in our household we are in need of refining the way we communicate with love.  Even so small as the way we look at each other, the way we respond to one another.  The jar has been wonderful!!!  If I see two children playing together for longer than five minutes in peace, they get a bean.  If I hear them willing to help each other, a bean goes in and I tell them, "I really appreciate you helping each other, this is what serving is."

It's hard to believe with these pictures that the bean jar has been in action for one month now.  I have to keep in mind that the mason jar is huge and the beans are small.  There is a black line you see.  It's about half an inch away and that is where we will reward the children.  What I love is that if I hear bickering I will say, "are you thinking of the bean jar?"  And, I have no doubt that in five years I will still say, "are you thinking of the bean jar."  And, I'm sure inbetween now and then, the bean jar will have to be put back in action.

For now though, what I see is that the bean jar has helped service become more of a habit in our home.  We are always a work in progress, every single one of us.  It's my souls delight to see through my children how to be kinder, to be better and to think of ways to help them a long this journey too.  Whether it be through prayer, helping a sibling or giving a smile....so, today what I love most is prayer and beans.