The Blessing Of Our Children Act, Take 5

Last week in my classes, we wrote the Blessing of Aaron as a memory verse. Found in Numbers 6:24-26, God commanded the first high priest of Israel to use these words to bless his chosen people:
"The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."
We spoke of the human need for approval and how parents can have such an effect on the self-worth of their children. We talked of bedtime rituals and how moms and dads can make their kids feel important and ease their fears. I told them about how my folks tucked us in when we were small, prayed with us, and kissed us good-night. With that discussion as background, I gave each student a sheet of paper and had them pen a bedtime blessing to the child they will bring into the world in future years. Tonight, in our final installment, I'll let some of them speak for me. The boys' blessings are in blue, the girls' in pink.

"My dear child, know that my love for you shall never leave you. In times of hardship, remember the Lord will always be with you, as I will be until the end. Strive not to be me, but be you and try your hardest in whatever that may be. Whatever decisions you might make, my feeling of love and pride for you shall never diminish, or cease to exist. Sleep well and peacefully and wake up knowing I will always be by your side. Goodnight." -Matthew D.


"My dear child, remember what has happened this day; God has blessed you. Remember, God has let you live another day. I want you to be your best every single day, even on the days you want to quit. Remember to love and respect your friends and family. The last and most important thing I want you to remember is God will be with you even when I am not. May God bless you and keep you through the night. Goodnight, my child." Devin F.


"Dear my sweet baby, Katherine, you are the greatest blessing God could give me. I want you to know you are God's work, and God, nor I, will ever give up on you. You are beautiful and don't let anyone tell you different. In your bed now, God watches over you, protecting His work of art. Words cannot even describe how in love with you I am. As mommy, I promise to strive to do my best, to keep you pure, kind, and gentle to God's other masterpieces. Throughout your life you will do well in school, be loving toward others, and most importantly, have a good relationship with God. Don't forget I can't wait to see how your life goes on, but please remember not to grow up too quickly. I know you will want to do everything yourself and learn to be an adult, but it is OK to ask for mommy's help. I will always be praying for you and dreaming about you. Just know I will always love you." -Kaitlyn B.


"Son, I always want you to strive to be the best you can be. Make me proud to be your dad. Don't strive to be the best, but the best you can be. Don't let anyone put you down, the only person stopping you is you. I pray you have faith that moves mountains. Always remember I will be there for you no matter what happens. God is your creator, He will never leave you or forsake you. Sweet dreams, buddy, and dreams do come true. I love you." -Cory G.


"My dear sweet angel, I want you to rest knowing I love you, but most importantly, God loves you and is watching over you. I will be there for you when you need a shoulder to cry on, and will always have open arms whenever you need a hug. Sleep well and dream big, my little princess." -Laura F.


"My son, listen carefully. I will always love you no matter what you do, just as your Father in heaven does. No matter what path you choose, God will lead you and guide you to make the right decisions. Your mother and I will be supporting you the whole way. Don't conform to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your faith." -Derrick C.

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
http://www.hawleybooks.com/
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com