The Blessing

Here is the blessing blog I promised earlier.

Not too long after I was unceremoniously discharged from my first and only marriage, I began to realize that I would no longer be "there" for my children. My ex says that I can have them anytime I want them, but when I tell her I want them everyday for the next six months, she stutters and stammers and says uh, no. So, I tell her that she is lying when she tells me that I can have them anytime I want. I longed for some way to give them and me, comfort, while they were with her. I frequent bookstores frequently. I could spend days in a bookstore, but they close the doors at 11:00 pm and always ask me to leave, so I do. While I was perusing the self help section one day, I came across a small volume entitled, Blessing Your Children by Jack Hayford. I bought it on instinct and am glad I did. It is a excellant little tome, filled will biblical references, but I wanted a children's blessing. In the book, the pastor tells of his young family and finding and using a blessing for his children. He says that when he was out of town and called home, he always blessed them before he hung up. He blessed them every night. He says that when his children got older and moved out on their own, they would call and get a blessing from him every day. I read this part of the book with great interest and emotion. I know that God is always with me. I know he is there watching me at every turn. I know that he protects me always. I have always known this and it is always in the back of my mind. I don't worry much because of this ever present thought. I wanted to express this to my children. I wanted them to know without a doubt that they were always being watched over, since I could no longer be "there" for them. So, I skipped some of the good pastor's book and cut to the chase. I found what he was talking about and what I needed to help me. It was a simple little blessing from the Bible, Numbers 6:24-26. I had said it many times when we went to church as a family. Every new child presented during the service was blessed in an abbreviated form of the same blessing. Here is the form I use:

May the lord bless and keep you,
May he make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious unto you.
May he lift up his countenance to you,
and give you peace.
In the name of the father, son and holy ghost, Amen.

Always add the child's name to the end of the first sentence, where I put the comma. And I always end it with the last sentence. I am not catholic, but I bless my children in name of the trinity. It is easy to learn and easy to say. I have blessed a number of adults also. They look at me kinda strange when I ask to bless them, but so far only one person has said no. It was you know who, after the divorce. My children ask me to bless them when they think I have forgotten to do so at bedtime. I may be tired and sleepy, but I never forget. And anytime I call them on the phone at their mother's house, I always bless them all before I hang up. I know that God hears the blessing and I feel comforted knowing that he is looking after them for me.
From a father to any parent who will listen: Bless your children everyday and thank God above that he has given you the greatest treasure mankind can surely know.