Prayer

Let me begin by explaining this picture.  A year or so ago, while visiting my mom during the summer, we (myself and my three, my 2 sisters and their 2  kids each, and a friend and her 1) headed up the street to the Elementary school where they serve free summer lunch.  Can you think of anything more exciting as a kid, than a come-and-go FREE lunch?  Maaaaaybe Disneyland.  But, still....FREE lunch.  You don't even need an adult with you.  Actually, all are welcome except adults.  They have to sit and watch the kids eat.  My kids get very excited about this event.

We got our food, sat down, and it wasn't 5 seconds before the inevitable happened....someone need to go to the bathroom.  Well, the bathrooms are somewhat inaccessible.  You have to walk out of the lunch room, into the school, and down the hall.  The problem is, the lunchroom doors lock from the other side, so someone has to stand RIGHT by the door, and wait for the little peoples to return.  So we decided they all should go whether they needed to or not.  So off they went, the 7 of them (Corbin stayed behind).  All oblivious as to what was about to transpire, and give them all nightmares for years to come.  The gatekeeper that day was supposed to be me.  I did okay for the first 2 minutes.  Then I saw something shiny.....  Well, a friend from high school that I haven't seen in ages.  I suddenly forgot all about the little band of children that were trapped on the other side of the door.  About 5 min later, unbeknowst to me, the children returned and were knocking quite politely on the door, to alert the gatekeeper.

 The gatekeeper had left her post, leaving no chance they would be heard.  Let me also remind you it's lunch time and the noise level in there made it impossible to hear.  Which is why someone needs to stand right. by. the door.  They took turns knocking, and then when panic set in, they all began pounding/screaming/crying/yelling, whipping each other up into a frenzy.  5 min later, my sister asks me where all the kids are.  I ACTUALLY FORGET FOR A SECOND....then as this sister opens the door to go look for them, I hear the wailing and panic stricken voices.  They come flying through the door, tripping and pushing over each other, trying all at once to explain what they had just been through and wondering why they had been abandoned. 

This event has been the sole source of nightmares at our house for the past 2 years. So back to the picture:  This was taken on Mother's Day after I had had yet another conversation with Boston about his reoccurring nightmare, about being trapped in the bowels of an abandoned elementary school.  I suggested he pray and ask Heavenly Father to help him have good dreams.  Kevin tells him to ask for a dream where he's SUPERBOY and can open any locked door.  That was sort of genius, I thought.   I came up the stairs after locking up and turned the corner to find him on his knees.   Pretty sure this prayer is a plea for a pleasant dream.  Poor thing.

Prayer is a an actual physical force, that can act upon things. The more prayers that are offered in request of a certain thing, the greater the force upon that thing.  God willing, of course.  Prayer can change hearts, heal hurt, bring about miracles right before our eyes, and free us from our own personal prisons.  It can be realized, in desperation, as the most fundamental coping skill we have. Prayer is all encompassing. It is a literal conduit of communication linking this world to heaven.  No righteous desire is too small, and no impossible trial is too large. Not even a request to be SUPER-BOY, for just one night.