"I want to pray!"

I hate losing things, mostly because I hate looking for things I've lost. Even more than I hate losing MY things and looking for them is having to look for things OTHER people have lost. It just makes me want to ROAR!

Sadly, I have been roaring a lot lately because, as a mother of small children, I am constantly looking for things that other people ::ahem--said children:: have lost. This morning was no exception.

We had approximately 4.2 minutes to get shoes on, grab briefcase, lunch boxes, and blankies and rush out the door to preschool and work.  And Benji couldn't find his shoe.

This fact is particularly annoying because looking for his shoes is a frequent occurrence; no matter how many times I stress "YOU NEED TO PUT YOUR SHOES IN THE BOX SO WE DO NOT LOSE THEM, OK?????" he forgets. Because he is three (a fact I need to remember more often).

Plus, even more annoyingly, he will. not. wear. any. other. shoes. At all. That kid is OCD about his shoes if there was a kid ever OCD about anything. Thank you, dear Husband, for imparting this wonderful part of yourself to our child. I am praying it manifests itself in more productive facets (such as your timeliness and organization) when he gets older.

Anyways, he couldn't find his shoe. I am mad because I am rushed, running late, and hate looking for other people's things.

Me: (roaring) WE NEED TO FIND YOUR SHOE!!! LOOK FOR IT! NOW!
Benji: (crying a bit) I want to pray.
Me: WHAT?
Benji: I want to pray!

I didn't actually fully comprehend what he said the first time, though I heard the words he said. The thing is, last time he lost his shoes, we looked for them for a very long time (30 minutes +) and I was ballistic by this point. Then that gentle inner whisper reminded me that I need to slow down, take a deep breath and ask God to help us. So we prayed. And we found the shoes.

My little son remembered that prayer and wanted to pray for the shoes today.

Me: (kneeling down and holding him) Do you want to pray?
Benji: No, you do it.

So I did.

We didn't find the shoe instantly but pretty soon after that. I was so humbled. When I was running around roaring like mad, my son's first instinct was to pray. Which I know should be my first instinct. I do actually pray a lot when I lose things--but not before running around, slamming doors, and muttering wildly inappropriate words under my breath. I know when I stop and pray,  it isn't about saying the magic words to suddenly make the item appear--it is about changing my attitude, slowing down, and realizing that I need help. And then I always find what I am looking for. I know God has used my habit of losing things to build my faith.

Praying for lost things was an attitude that I wanted to pass along to my boys as a way to build their faith.

And it did even more for me today. My sweet son, whimpering because Mommy was ROARING about losing that darn shoe, challenged me to stop immediately and pray.

I feel like I am constantly convicted about how I am not doing enough to teach my boys about the Lord and Christian character.

Well, today, my son taught me.

We found the shoe and hastily threw a "Thank you" up to heaven as we ran to the car.

And I'm thankful for more than that, right at this moment.