A Child's Prayer

     I believe it was the winter of 2001.  Our son Christian was 4, Elizabeth was 3, and Ashton was just over a year old.  We were happily living in Allegan, Mi. getting ready for the Christmas season.  A few years prior my husband introduced me to Battle Creek's Festival of Lights display.  As a child my family would take me to Frankenmuth to see the lights of Bronners, "The Worlds Largest Christmas Store."  Now that we lived on the west side of the state we don't get to see the wonderful lights of Bronner's that much.  So my husband showed me the next best thing, The Battle Creek International Festival of Lights.

     We seen many displays of Christmas lights.  We walked along paths that showed the images of the "12 Days of Christmas" and other traditional images of Christmas like snowmen, elves and, of course, Santa and his reindeer.  One of our favorite displays was of a lighted waterfall on a lower part of a building that appeared to flow under a pedestrian bridge.  All of the displays were really spectular. 

     While heading back towards the van we passed along the religious display of lights.  It was already getting chilli as it was late at night and Ashton was getting fussy and tired.  I was holding Elizabeth's hand when she started pulling away.  I grabbed my hand tighter to hers and let her know that we needed to head back towards the van.  She pleaded with me that she had to see something.  Her small mittened hand slipped out from my grip and she dashed towards the lights.  Brian tried calling her back but she failed to listen. 

     She stopped short in front of the lit cross and without hesitation she kneeled down in the snow, put her hands together and started to pray.  Brian, who was shortly behind Elizabeth getting ready to catch her, stopped dead in his tracks.  We understood what she wanted so desperately to do.  She wanted to pray to Jesus.  A few people that passed by took notice of Elizabeth praying and commented on what a precious family we have.  I have to agree, I felt very proud of her actions that night.

Even though Elizabeth's image was too dark to show up in the picture
I still know she was kneeling down in front of the cross. 

     It is amazing what a 3 year old can teach us.  That night she didn't care how cold the snow was.  She didn't care who was around watching her.  She didn't care that I tried to hold her back of her unknown actions.  She needed to pray to Jesus.  I never asked her what she prayed about.  I figured it was between her and God.  Seeing her in front of the cross praying made me examine my own walk with the Lord.  Do I hide Jesus in my life?  Do I openly pray and not care what others think?  We should always have the Lord on our thoughts, in good times and as well in times of hardships.  It is something so simple that a 3 year old can understand that.