I have a book that my mom gave me called "Minute Meditations for Women". I finally made it to the end of it recently, and the last entry was titled "Build Me a Son". The author quotes a prayer that General Douglas MacArthur wrote for his son, but she thought (and I happen to agree with her) that it would be so appropriate for a mom to pray this over her boys. The task of raising a strong, christian man is daunting, to say the least. What an amazing responsibility considering the impact that these little ones can have on future generations. I feel ridiculously inadequate. However, as I read in another book: I cannot be a perfect parent, but I can be a praying parent! The best we can do is to give them over daily to the only perfect parent there is! I really want to be better at this in the future. So, to all the mommies of boys out there, enjoy this sweet prayer. I can't wait to see what God has in store for my sweet boy!
Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son who will know thee and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.
Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.
Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, "I have not lived in vain."
