Praying for my Kids, Snails and S'mores

I've been so convicted over the last few months about praying for my children. Of course I've always prayed for them to be saved when they understood, and to follow God all their days. I've prayed for them in the here and now--please God, PLEASE, help them to obey today--but I haven't really prayed for specifics in their future lives, much to my shame.
 The great thing about the Christian life is that God is so forgiving of our shortcomings and he gently guides and leads us along. At the age of 20 I became a Mom and it's been a roller coaster ever since, a daily, weekly, yearly learning experience.

 I never parented before 2007 and even though I thought I knew a lot about raising kids being the oldest of 9, I knew nothing. Nothing. I knew logistics. I knew the general Biblical principles of raising kids, how to train them and love them, but now I have 3 very big teachers: my own kids. Each one is different and unique, needs to be disciplined, loved and cared for in the way that best speaks to their love language and personality.
 That is why I realized (or God spoke in his still, small voice) that I needed to pray for their specific personalities concerning their futures.

 For instance, Joe Joe has been loud from the minute he came into this world. He let out a piercing wail when the nurse took him away from me to clean him up after he was born, and he's been talking, yelling, laughing and joking around very loudly ever since. He's the life of the party. He loves to be funny, he speaks unashamedly to strangers, telling them whatever comes to mind (which can be really embarrassing at this stage!). So I've started praying that God would use that for him--that he would tell others about God and not be ashamed, that he would proclaim God's Word to all who will hear, that he would win many souls to Him because of his bold witness.

I do the same with my other two, praying that God would use their specific personalities and good characteristics for his honor and glory.

The past few weeks have been full of adventures. Eating under a tent in the living room, catching snails and watching and waiting for them to come out of their shells, s'mores on a Saturday night after working on the yard all day and lots and lots of playing the beautiful sunshine.

I have a very special post coming later this week. Can't wait to share!