May today be its own unique story.

May we remember that these kids aren’t an interruption, a distraction or a nuisance. May we open our eyes to this morning and remember that the two sleepy heads crawling into our bed are a gift.

May we wash out bottles and fill them up with milk and extra doses of patience as we stumble through the pre-dawn dark without our contact lenses and lean over baby beds to whisper good mornings and offer comfort and welcome for the day.

May we find joy in what delights our children as you, Lord, delight in us.

May we make breakfast, lunch and dinner and feed them heaped helpings of love sandwiched between Graham crackers and grace.

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Give us the strength to hold onto our run away tempers with both hands. Give us the wisdom and the will power to take our own time outs and a sense of humor when we’re about to lose it.

Remind us that we’re the grown up and give us the strength to act like it.

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Help us load the right words in between the loads of laundry today.

And for all those hours spent working and commuting and living the day out in a cubicle away from our kids, please parent our tiny treasures wrapped up in skin with your Holy Spirit and His grace in our absence.

Because when our kids are with the Father they are held when we can’t hold them. They are sung over when we can’t sing to them. They are beloved when we aren’t there to love them.

Help us not to rush through today or to wish it over.

Help us to open our arms to all the stop-go, stop-go, stop-go pace of parenting.

Teach us to take time to focus on what matters to a four year old.

Give us eyes to see the wonder in a sidewalk chalk masterpiece.

Unwrap the mystery and miracle of these tiny humans you’ve interrupted our lives with so that we can see all that eternity walking around with skin on right here in our messy living rooms.

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Remind us to dance.

Remind us that the laundry and the crumbs and the dirty sofa cushions can wait but that some days a toddler really does need to host a tea party for all her dolls and that being the guest of honor isn’t a waste of time, it’s the best half hour investment we’ll make today.

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Give us eyes to see our bodies and waistlines and grey hairs through your lens – the glory of having co-created life with you – and that life needs room to grow.

May we love who we are growing into because of these children.

May we love the way they help us forget ourselves.

May we look up from our to-dos long enough to remember who we’re doing it all for.

And tonight, when we tumble back into bed, and wonder what we got done today, may we hear your words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” and be satisfied.