Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Your love be with me through the night, and wake me with the morning's light. That's what my daughter and I pray every night when I tuck her into bed. When she spends the night with her grandparents, she calls me before she goes to bed so we can still say our prayer together. It's a little different than the prayer I prayed when I was little. It went like this, Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.

How often are children tucked into bed with a prayer and a kiss? It's something I've done with both of my children since we brought them home. Sometimes we pray for other people or ask for Him to heal an illness but mostly it's just a goodnight prayer.

It's interesting the way my two children are so different when it comes to religion or spirituality. My youngest daughter learns from and emulates her big sister, so going to church is a definite, no. My oldest is way too old to be tucked in anymore and to say a prayer? Well, I think not. It's interesting because I went to church faithfully with my oldest. She didn't have a choice, if I went, she went. Her dad refused to go to church and she thought she could stay home with him, but I wouldn't have it. So she went to church with me every weekend for years. She even got baptized.

Fast forward about ten years and the second child later. Now I don't go to church at all which means that my youngest doesn't go either. We have been to church, but not on any consistent basis. She hasn't been as learned in religion as my oldest but believes more in God than my oldest. I've even discovered that my oldest's ex-best friend (thank goodness they're not friends anymore) introduced her to Wicca. I tried not to react to that and I hope I did well. I think she thought I would flip out, which I kind of did on the inside. She has a book he gave to her and she decided that she wanted to sell it. I suggested she put it in the recycle box. Anyway, I digress.

So my youngest who hasn't had a lot of interaction with the church believes in God more so than my oldest who went to church for years. What do you think about that? I think it has more to do with their environment, both at home and at school but mostly at school. Friends' thoughts and opinions outrank parents a lot of the time, at least with older kids. I let her have her own ideas, as I had mine. She'll eventually find her way. At least that's what I think. I believe that she accepted the Lord Jesus into her heart before she was baptized. If so, then she can never leave, right? Well, I mean, she can leave but He'll never leave her. I pray for her guidance and safety and the rest is up to Him and her.

Even though I no longer attend a church, it doesn't mean that I've stopped praying or believing in God. I can't say that I pray every day but I try to. What does that make me? I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. He's in my heart and I know He guides me—when I let Him, that is.

My husband and I have had many discussions about faith. I'm a faithful person. I believe that things happen for a reason and that God will pull me through any situation. My husband, on the other hand, doesn't understand how I can be so faithful, especially when tragedy strikes or something bad happens.

He watches a lot of the History channel and they have many shows about the Bible, which is another area of discussion we've had. I have not read the whole Bible, nor do I know the meanings behind most of the stories in the Bible. My husband believes that the Bible is just a book created to scare people into believing. I understand some of his points, but that's where my faith comes in. Whether or not the Bible was created by Man, I believe that the books in the Bible are what God intended for us to guide our way through life.

Then we come to the translation of the books of the Bible. My husband believes that a lot was lost in the translation. I understand his meaning and way of thinking, but here again, I am faithful in that what God intended is there. I say that everyone has their own translation based on where they're at in life. I believe they can have multiple meanings to different people. However, I do believe that some people translate or take things incorrectly. For example, those that believe they are one of the characters in the Bible. That spells mental to me. (I'm not trying to be funny or mean here.) Or people who live and breath the Bible and feel the need to teach others the way they believe.

For me, I believe if a person has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ into their heart they are bound for Heaven. I don't believe that one has to be baptized. In my opinion, being baptized is just a public showing of their acceptance. I think we are only to plant the seed about God to others, but I don't make that my mission. If the topic comes up I'll share my beliefs but I won't force them onto someone else. It's their choice after all. I believe the Bible was created by man with God's guidance. I'll always have faith that God will guide me. I just have to be listening.

So I'll continue to tuck my daughter into bed at night with a prayer and pray that she will eventually, one day, accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and let Him into her heart.

As for my oldest, the seed was planted and I believe He's in her heart. I hope someday she will come back around to believing in Him. But if she chooses to practice a different religion, I'm not going to ridicule her for it. I'll just keep praying for her. I put both of my children in His hands. That's all I can do as they are their own person and they have the same free will we all have and they are His children, as I am.

Now I lay me down to sleep ...