A sacred time & place.....

Almost every summer that I can remember I spent at least one week at camp.  I loved the feeling of acceptance at camp.  My absolute favorite part of camp - either as a camper or a counsellor was bedtime.  Not for the reason that you are probably thinking.  

At the end of a busy day, as quiet comes over the campground and the lights are turned off for the night - that was when the most honest and real conversations would happen.  As I camper I loved this sharing time, as a counsellor I looked forward for the opportunity to speak truth and encouragement into the girls lives.  Those are the moments that I continue to cherish today.

​It is those camp experiences that inspired the bedtime moments with our daughters.  Every night I make time to spend time praying with and listening to our daughters.  It has become a part of our daily routine, they give their Dad a hug goodnight and I get to spend time with them individually.  As we sit on their bed it becomes our sacred time and place.  

Some nights it's just prayer time and tuck in, some nights it's sharing a burden or situation.  They know that this is their time with Mom and that it happens everyday.  They don't have to make a special time to talk with me, that may be awkward or uncomfortable.

I am so thankful that even now that they are teenagers they look forward to this time, and they miss it when they are away at a sleepover or camp.  

I wish I would have kept a journal of all the prayer requests through the years.  We have had the privilege to pray for so many friends and family.  So many moments that have encouraged and shaped us.  Admittedly, some nights I use this time as an opportunity to talk to them about some choices that they have made that may have not been the best use of their gifts and talents.  But mostly this is our time to pray and be thankful for our day.

My oldest went through a difficult time in school and many nights she would cry herself to sleep.  This Mama's heart broke repeatedly and I felt so helpless.  I read as many books and articles that I could to find a way to help her hurt.  Somewhere along the way I read that in order to wake up and start your day with a positive attitude you need to fall asleep with a positive attitude.  So each night I would ask her what her favorite part of the day was.  She would usually start telling me about something negative that happened that day, but I would encourage her to find something good.  After a few weeks it was easier to start finding the good in her day and it even got to the point where the list would get so long that we would be chatting a long time.  Maybe it was a ploy to stay up later, but the changes I began to see in her was such an answer to prayer.

Bedtime is my sacred time and place with my daughters.  Is this something that you can create with your daughter(s)?  Your daughter(s) need this space and time with you.

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