The Bible says that children are a blessing.  May the following things help us to pray and be thankful for our children.

"If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would that get me into Heaven?" I asked the children in my Sunday School class.
 
"NO!" the children all answered.
 
"If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into Heaven?"
 
Again, the answer was, "NO!"
 
"Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children, and loved my wife, would that get me into Heaven?" I asked them again.
 
Again, they all answered, "NO!"
 
"Well, I continued, "then how can I get into Heaven?"
 
A five-year-old boy shouted out, "YOU GOTTA be dead!" 
 

A PARENT'S PRAYER
 
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray my sanity to keep.
 
For if some peace I do not find,
I'm pretty sure I'll lose my mind.
 
I pray I find a little quiet,
Far from the daily family riot.
 
May I lie back and not have to think
About what they're stuffing down the sink,
 
Or who they're with, or where they're at
And what they're doing to the cat.
 
I pray for time all to myself
(did something just fall off a shelf?)
 
To cuddle in my nice, soft bed
(Oh no, another goldfish dead!)
 
Some silent moments for goodness sake
(Did I just hear a window break?)
 
And that I need not cook or clean
(oh well, I've got the right to dream)
 
Yes now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray my wits about me keep,
 
But as I look around I know,
I must have lost them long ago