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A Prayer For Flying With Littles

Father God,

Parenting small children comes with

its share of absurdities,

and airplane travel with littles is

certainly a recipe for chaos!

Lord, I am going to need your help

to keep from losing my cool

somewhere on a moving walkway

in middle America.

Before we even leave for the airport, Lord,

would you fill us with patience and peace?

Would you help us be open-minded and adaptable?

When someone has a bathroom emergency,

or spills their airplane beverage down their only shirt,

when I am forced to hold the oversized stuffed animal

they promised they would carry,

when someone is lagging behind and I’m worried

we will miss family boarding,

when the sweets that kept them entertained

cause a meltdown an hour later,

when a stranger comments (yet again)

that I have my hands full,

help me laugh at the absurdity of it all

and remember that this day, and this phase,

will not last forever.

One day I will look back fondly

on the ridiculous outfits my kids chose to wear,

the silly and ill-timed comments,

the adorable lack of awareness,

the tiny hand holding mine in a crowd.

It is a gift, after all, to be carrying

the common stressors of needy babies

and trinket-laden toddlers.

So help us reject the frantic hurry

that often characterizes travel days,

and stay open to the gifts of

the journey itself.

May we laugh often and breathe deeply

the joys of simply being together,

wherever we find ourselves.

Amen.

FAMILY CONNECTION MOMENT

There is no denying how helpful screens can be during a long travel day! Download some new puzzle or game apps that you can do with your kids on the plane. Let screens be a point of connection, rather than just a way for everyone to zone out.

Author: Alli R. Dahlgren
Produced by: Dan Gummel

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