Tonight in Simon's bed, instead of automatically praying for him, I asked him if he'd like to pray. He asked, "What should I pray for? Do we know anybody who is sick?" I said, "I'm a little sick. I think I have a cold." So he agreed and then asked, "What else?" I racked my brain for what needs might resonate most with him and remembered the stories on the news about severe famine in Somalia, Africa and the large number of children who are suffering and dying from starvation. He agreed that would be a good thing to pray for, so he began:
"God, I bless that you would heal my mom's cold and make her feel better and that you would give the kids in Africa some food to eat. Amen." Then he turned his face to me smiling, and said, "He said yes, Mom." I smiled back and said, "Did he Simon?" Explaining, he continued, "We ask God for stuff and He always says yes." This was such a sweet thought but I know it's not always true, otherwise, there would be no sickness, no death, no starvation in the world. So I told Simon, "He doesn't always say yes...sometimes, if we ask for the wrong thing, for the wrong reasons, or if He has a different plan in mind, He will say no because He always knows what's best." Of course, this moment was somewhat serious and Simon had to turn it into sillyness.
"So if I asked God for poop, would He say no?" (Grinning from ear to ear and holding in an enormous giggle...all his jokes are about bodily functions these days!) Then he began his hilarious, unholy prayers, "God, please give us hundreds of poops and hundreds of toots! And thousands of peeee!!!" Checking out my face to see if I would play along he began to ask for lots of tongues and eyeballs too. It was a very boyishly boy moment. But I laughed and I imagine God got a chuckle too...
