Prayer rock

Emma loves Sunbeams.  She loves Sis Hiatt and the fact that her teacher "has a baby in her belly!"  Last Sunday Deke picked her up from class and she came running up to me holding up a little pink plaid sack.  "Oh that is pretty" I told her, "did your teacher make that for you?" She grinned, "yep and inside is my special rock.  It's a prayer rock."  She dumped out the bag and a rock fell into her palm adorned with stickers and her name written in marker.  "I have to put it under my pillow and then tonight I will bonk my head on it and that reminds me to say my prayers." "I love my prayer rock" she added and then hurried over to show Avery and Hunter.  We headed home and sat down to eat lunch, I went in to get Emma and overheard her talking to the rock as she got it all situated under her pillow.  I was so proud of her that she had not only listened to her teacher but she understood the concept and was being so obedient hurrying in to put her prayer rock under her pillow before she did anything else.  

That night I went to tuck her into bed and she started to cry.  "Mom, I laid my head down and bonked my head and then I said my prayer."  I was confused.  "Good job Emma, you remembered what to do and said your prayer.  You are such a good listener, why are you sad?"  "I love my prayer rock but it hurts my head" she told me clearly feeling conflicted. Realizing now what was going on I reached my hand under the pillow where the rock still lay directly underneath her head. I went and grabbed the little poem that had come with the rock. "Oh Em, remember after you say your prayer you toss the rock on the ground so in the morning you will bump your toe on it and it will remind you to say your morning prayer??" "Now that you said your prayer you need to toss the rock on the ground for in the morning."  She looked at me and smiled with relief, "oh ya, that's right silly Emma" she laughed and then gratefully pulled the rock out and tossed it to the floor.  She rolled over to her side, "Night mom, night Ariel, night Elsa, night rock."  Oh my goodness little gal I could not love you more.  As I walked back to my room I couldn't help but be touched spiritually by my little three year old.  It was important to her to be obedient.  She was going to sleep on her rock even if it hurt or was uncomfortable because that was what her teacher and mom and dad had told her to do.  I am often amazed by my children's desire to do good and be obedient. I am glad that Emma wants to talk to Heavenly Father, that it is a priority in her three year old world to make time for that everyday.  Emma I hope that you always continue to love praying and keep good communication with Him.  Her love for Him is so pure and genuine.  My kids are so humbling to me with the amount of faith that they so easily seem to have.  It definitely makes me want to do much better for myself.  Time to get outside and find me a rock I guess :) :)