An amazing 'grace'

Andrea has always been funny about prayers - saying them, not saying them, not letting anyone else say one, all the funny things she prays for, and on & on. At one point she was so excited to tell me, "Mom, did you hear me? I said 'We say these things'!!" -- as in 'we say these things in the name of...'
She was feeling really grown-up and proud of herself that day. Hilarious.

Then came the prayer that I did not expect. I was completely humbled. In absolute awe I witnessed my child, who had been happily playing along, stop so suddenly that I thought she'd stepped on something or hurt herself somehow. Instead, she said to no one in particular, "I need to say a prayer." Then she dropped to her knees and started to pray: she gave thanks for the day and for her health, for each member of the family and for a few favorite stuffed animals; she asked a blessing on the food; and then with a sincerity characteristic of only a child she asked Heavenly Father to help her to not be afraid of monsters or bad guys and to be able to sleep at night without being scared; then she ended her prayer. And just as suddenly as she had stopped she began playing again.

If I ever doubted before the importance of my role and influence, I will never doubt again.