Ouch

Last night one of my daughters called me on the carpet. She took me to school. She laid me bare.

As I tucked her in she asked why we don’t pray anymore at bedtime.

She said she knows since I got this new job I've been really busy and sometimes at night have to get some “paperwork” done and don’t have time, but she misses it.

I had noticed, of course, that of late the regular, every single night, bedtime rituals had lapsed because of my work. It used to be like clockwork- short chat about the day, back scratch, prayer with each child individually, tuck in, kiss goodnight. Lately the 7 day a week ritual has dropped to…well…much fewer. Not good.

So, it was just kind of hanging there in the air when she asked the question. It took me a moment to recover. It was something that was bothering me in the back of my mind, but had it not confronted me yet. It did last night. I am recommitting to this important nightly ritual, even though its harder now as the four girls have 3 different bedtimes. It was easier when you could get a 4-for-1. Now bedtime is spread across a 1 ½ to 2 hour spread.

I will do it. It’s important.