Bedtime Blessings Chapter V

(Dad, Dave, Mom, me.
1012 Kiplinger, York, Nebraska)

We worked on one of my favorite memory verses in all five classes last week. All of my 90+ students wrote The Blessing Of Aaron for a grade as a memory verse and repeated it on their test. 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 our 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. The next several nights, I'll let some of them speak for me. Boys are in blue, girls in pink, all are used with permission. Tonight, we have a mixture of juniors and eighth grade blessings.

To my daughter: I am happy to have you come into this world to live a happy life. I will raise you from a Godly perspective just as God would want me to. I will do my best to raise you and when you get older, you will be the young lady as I've raised you to be and become anything you want. I will pray over you 20 years before you are born that you can grow up health and spiritual.

                                                                                    Love (Rachel Bailey)

Dear Selena: Always work hard at what you want in life and never lose sight of who are and who you want to be. Always know if you have the fruits of the spirit in your heart, you will be safe from all danger in your life. If you will not try your hardest at something, then don't try at all. May you have success as you grow and get everything you deserve in life. (Jarius Gillon)

Dear Baxter III,

Whether or not you think I love you all the time, the fact is, is that I do love you. No matter what you do, I still love you. Whenever in life you are down and sad, remember how fortunate you were to be born to me. Everything I do is out of love and foresight. Keep this blessing with you and when you are old and cynical, read this and remember me.

      Sincerely, Baxter II (Baxter Montgomery)

My love,

My prayer for you is that you might love me as much as love you. I pray the Lord will bless you with a brilliant mind and capacity to love many, many people. I pray that you remember what a beautiful person you are in mine and God’s eyes. I pray that you remember how important God is and know He is real. I know He is real, because He gave me you. He that thou knowest thine. Pa
(Tre' McLeod)

                                                                                                         

My dear sweet baby boy: I love you so much and I will always cherish you in my heart. I am so grateful to God because He blessed me to be able to call you my son. I promise to always be by your side and I will always try to be the best mother for you. Remember to always love God and grow up to be a strong Christian man and know that you can do all things through Christ. I need you to grow and be the best man you could possibly be. Make your daddy and me proud and no matter what, you will always be the world’s greatest son. You are the best gift I’ve received in my life and I can’t even put in words how much you mean to me. I thank God for you everyday and I still don’t feel like I am able to thank Him enough. Sweetheart, there is nothing that I wouldn't do for you to in order to keep you safe and happy. I would give anything to be able to keep you wrapped in my arms and to know that me holding you, nothing could ever hurt you. But I have to pray and ask God to hold you in His arms because He can keep you safer than me and daddy can. I love you, baby boy, and nothing could ever take my love from you. You are my everything and I love you. Make your dad and me proud. But more importantly, make God proud. I love you, my sweet baby boy. Always have and always will.

            Your mommy forever and always,

                        (Jazzmin Momon)

 My dear child: Many days in my young life, I imagined what you would be like and it feels like just yesterday I would fantasize about what I would name my girl or boy in the future. I hope that by the time you’re my age and have kids of your own, that you will still be in the Lord’s path and that you instruct your child in the path, too. Never do I wish that you feel alone, because I will be here to help you up when you fall and stand by you when you need my support. I love you and never think that I will abandon you. I thank the Lord for giving me you as a blessing. You're going to grow up to be something great. I’m proud of you!  Just by looking at you, I tear up because I can't believe that I am honored to call you my child and to be able to say that I am blessed to have you. Keep word of the Lord in your heart and your life will be great.

                                    I love you!

                                                ~ Mom (Gaby Portillo)

My son, I do love you unconditionally. You will fail and you will succeed. Don’t measure anything by how well you did but how much you tried AND how well you did. God is watching you and He has a plan. Just believe in yourself and believe in God. I may get mad at you or even hurt you but remember that I love you. I am proud to call you a Bhidé (never forget the accent on the “e.”) All I say is to believe in yourself, never give up and I love you Shiva.

Your loving dad,

Arye Bhidé

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