Helps for Orthodox Mothers: Prayers

Below I have several prayers for mothers to pray for their children. I know it can be difficult to read lots of long prayers when you’re intending to relax by reading a blog or two. So, maybe just scan the titles and see if one catches your eye. Or maybe leave it up and read one here and there. The last prayer is for an expecting mother (I just did one out of three I have). So, that may or may not apply to you. If it does, and you want the other two, just let me know and I can send them your way somehow!

As my sister-in-law Lisa commented on the introduction post, praying for our children is the most important thing we can do. There are lots of ways to do that. These are a just few prayers the Orthodox Church has given us.

Lisa emailed this to me in a post somewhere around the time my daughter was born.

A Mother’s Prayer

O Lord Jesus Christ our God, who didst come into this world not to be ministered unto but t minister and to give Thy life as a ransom for many. Help me, I beseech Thee, in my ministry of caring for the children Thou hast given me. Enable me to be patient in tribulations, to instruct with a meek and gentle spirit, to reprimand with inner tranquility and a sober mind, and to serve in humility of heart with love. May I thus live in Thee alone and for Thee alone showing forth Thy virtues and leading my family upon the path of Thy saving commandments. That we may glorify Thee together with Thine unoriginiate Father and Thine all-holy and life-giving Spirit both in this world and that which is to come. Amen.

I read this in the book Children in the Church Today, loaned to me by Lisa.

O Lord God, only Thou knowest this Thy child, his/her heart, his/her needs, his/her future. Help me not to make a mistake in my dealing with her today.

(I pray this for each child individually and then pray about any current issues I am having with that child.)

I saw this on Molly Sabourin's blog.

Orthodox mother’s prayer for her children

Holy Father, Immortal, from whom all goodness and gentleness comes, penitently I pray Thee for the children whom Thou hast given me to bear. Keep them in Thy grace and holiness, that Thy name may be glorified in them. Direct me by Thy grace to raise them toward the glory of Thy holy name and the benefit of other people. Grant me the gift of the patience necessary to do so. O Lord, enlighten the mind of my children with Thy Wisdom to learn to love Thee in their souls and thoughts. Instill in their hearts the fear and abhorrence of every vice, that they may be able to go the right way without sin. Adorn their souls with purity, goodness, humility, diligence, patience, and every virtue. Guard their lips from all slander and lies. Bless my children, that they may progress in virtue and holiness, and grow under Thy care into honest people. May their guardian angels be with them and protect them in their youth from misleading thoughts, from the evil and sinful temptations of this world, and from the traps of all unclean spirits. And when my children sin before Thee, do not turn away Thy face from them, but according to Thy great mercy be merciful unto them, for Thou alone art the one who cleansesth people from all sin. Reward my children with worldly good things and everything they need for salvation. Keep them from wrath, anger, misfortune, evil, and suffering all the days of their lives. O good Lord, I pray Thee, grant me joy and happiness from my children. Keep me in righteousness and justice, that with Thy children I may stand before Thee in the day of Thy dreaded judgment, and that without fear I may say: Here I am, Lord, with the children whom Thou hast given me, that together with them I may praise Thy most holy name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, unto ages of ages. Amen.

There is also the Akathist to the Mother of God, “Nurturer ofChildren” which is full of petitions to Christ and Mary to guide children on the right path. I try to pray this weekly during one morning before the kids get up.

And lastly, a prayer for expectant mothers:

O Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ our God, the source of life and immortality: I thank Thee for in my marriage Thou hast made me a recipient of Thy blessing and gift; for Thou, O Master, didst say: Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth. I thank Thee and pray: Bless this fruit of my body that was given to me by Thee. Favor it and animate it by Thy Holy Spirit. Let it grow a healthy and pure body, with well-formed limbs. Sanctify his body, mind, heart and vitals, and grant this infant which is to be born an intelligent soul; establish him in the fear of Thee. A faithful angel, a guardian of soul and body do Thou vouchsafe him. Protect, keep strengthen and shelter the child in my womb until the hour of his birth. But conceal him not in his mother’s womb; for Thy hands fashioned him; Thou gavest him life and health. O Lord Jesus Christ, into Thine almighty and paternal hands do I entrust my child. Place him upon the hand of Thy grace, and through Thy Holy Spirit sanctify and renew him unto life everlasting that he may be a communicant of Thy heavenly kingdom. Amen. 

Helps for Orthodox Mothers

Things were a bit rough when my first child was born. I constantly stressed about everything. My mother gave me the best advice: “she only needs food and love.” That became my mantra, and it got me through those very difficult first few weeks.

I love being a mommy, but motherhood is hard! No way around it; it just is. I’m thankful that along the way I have gotten great advice from family, friends, and outside sources.

With Mother’s Day being in the month of May, I want to use this month to share some tools that I have found very helpful. Each Monday I’ll share something from books to prayers. My hope is that you’ll find them useful too as we walk through the delightful, yet demanding trenches of motherhood.

What’s the best mothering advice you have received? 

Growing Pains: spring thoughts

I should have known when we decided to move here, it would mean that this year would be hard. For me, most of my growth has been to accept slowing down, yet maintaining peace when things are busy. And also to have patience when projects take more time than I want them to. Those are some things I probably would have gone through no matter where we were. And they will probably be lifelong things anyway. 

For my husband, he’s had to be even more of a leader since we have taken on more projects. He’s also had to learn to be handy. All while working more than full-time, as in 12 hour days, 7 days a week, and sometimes traveling on the weekends. All of this has been an adjustment for sure, involving some growing pains here and there.

So, what projects might you ask?

1.   Wood stove. We have a wood stove, which is amazing, but it takes lots and lots of wood, of course! So my husband has had to add wood collecting and cutting to his list of things to do. But he got to buy a chainsaw and ax out of it, which I think he’s pretty happy about. Still working on finding a truck! We don’t need wood now since it’s warm, but he’s still making it a weekly habit of collecting so we’ll be well stocked come winter.
2. Maple syrup.  We teamed up with my parents to tap some maple trees on their property. It was our job to empty the sap into buckets. My dad would simmer it in a huge pot on a hot plate outside for a long time. When it was getting close, he’d bring it inside, we’d split it, and then we each boiled it down all the way to syrup. Ahh, I loved the smell of it boiling down. And you know what? We got over a gallon of maple syrup! It won’t last us all year, but it’ll get us through most of it.
3. Chickens. At first we were taking turns feeding the chickens at my parents’. One weekend my dad and my husband moved an old coop to our place. Fencing was on the way. As the weather got nicer, more chickens escaped their home at my parents’. My mom asked if we could move them early and just keep them in the coop until the fence came. April 2^nd, they moved in! It was work initially for my husband, getting everything set up, but now I do most of the care, egg collecting, and storing. My parents pretty much gave us a small business. We’re selling eggs to friends and church members. My main hope is to break even (and have eggs for us, which is a profit in its own way), but if we make a little extra, that would be helpful. So, yeah, we have chickens!! Didn’t think that would happen for another year or two, but it practically happened overnight!
4.  Garden. My husband has done all the planning for the garden, outside of my ideas for what to plant. I know this was work for him because he’s never gardened. Our yard is thick with years of grass that had not been mowed. He worked a few mornings shoveling out a border around the area we choose. God blessed him with neighbor driving by on a Bobcat. My husband promptly flagged him down and asked him what he could pay him to plow that plot. Fifty bucks and it was done. It was well worth it! It has taken trials to get the lot tilled, but it is finally tilled (thanks to a friend and my father) and we have some spring things planted!

It’s been really neat to see this land come alive in the spring. Who knew we had flowering trees in the front? I think we’ll have irises and maybe another bulb flower. There is a rose bush trying to revive. And this lovely plant below.

There have been many ups and downs with this move. There still are. But the vision is coming together. Our hard work is paying off. This is the exciting time. This is what all of our day dreaming and planning has been for. It’s such a blessing to see a little fruit from our efforts. I pray God continues to guide and bless us along this new journey of ours.