His first prayer request...

I heard Caleb pray for the first time last night.

It was dinner time and I was in the kitchen.

(Dinner time is not my favorite part of the day)

Caleb was hounding me for food. Literally. Begging and whining and crying. Because I never feed him anything. Of course. Duh.

He'd already had snacks. Snacks (plural). As in more than one. He wasn't starving. But the tears and the whining had to stop. So I sent him to his room on time-out.

(Not my favorite part of the day. Have I mentioned that?)

I continued to cut vegetables for a salad while a pot of water boiled merrily on the stove. Then, from his bedroom down the hall, I heard:

"God? I want a banana. Pweese!"

It took a moment to register. I poked my head around the corner. Did I really just hear . . . ?

"Caleb, did you just ask God for a banana?"

Teary, snuffily sounds. "Uh-huh."

I started cracking up. Quietly at first. Then louder. I couldn't help it.

What's a girl to do?

Caleb heard me chuckling and came padding back to the kitchen.

"Oh sweet boy! You're in luck. God just changed Mommy's heart. You may have a banana."

How was I gonna say no after that?

Caleb happily sat down to munch his banana. I stirred the pot, still chuckling.

The banana was quickly gone, but then Caleb wanted crackers.

"No, Caleb. I'm making dinner. You need to wait."

"But but but, I want to ask God!"

Hey, it had worked for the banana. Why not try it again?

I paused to stifle more laughter. He wasn't going to give up easily, was he? I wanted to encourage his desire to pray, but at the same time let him know prayer was not some magical way of getting whatever you want.

"You can ask God for anything, sweetie, but that doesn't mean the answer will be yes."

"But," the tears were coming again, "but I want to change your heart!"

Oh my. Ooooohhhhhh my.

Well, he didn't get crackers. He sure prayed hard for them, but the Mommy's heart was unmoved. I sorta feel to blame. We've been asking God for snow all week. Apparently, Caleb wanted to see if "asking God" worked for other things too.

Jason and I had a good laugh when he got home. Then I called my mom and we shared another good laugh.

It's just so precious to see a little boy learning about faith and how things work. It blesses my heart. Truly.

Merry Christmas, friends! Happy December 2nd!