Small prayers for small children / by Auleen B. Eberhardt Bb^rhani-fj flulefyfr* SHALL PRAYERS FOR SMALL CHILDREN By Auleen B. Eberhardt Nihil Obstat : CHARLES M. SMITH Censor Lxbrorum Imprimatur: f EDWARD D. HOWARD, D. D, Archbishop of Portland in Oregon July 14, 1949 (Single copies — fifteen cents) Benedictine Press ST. BENEDICT, OREGON FOREWORD One of the most important duties of mothers is to teach their children to pray. This collection of prayers is written especially for mothers—so that they may teach their little ones to know and love God. The prayers are in verse and can easily be memorized by the pre-school child. If they are the means of bringing children closer to God , the time spent by mothers in this service will indeed be golden , precious hours. 3 y PRAYER TO THE HEAVENLY FATHER We praise Thee, 0 Father, In heaven above. We thank Thee for blessings And give Thee our love. We worship Thee, Father, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy glory and goodness, Let all men proclaim. 5 A SIMPLE NIGHT PRAYER Good night, dearest Lord. Please guard me in sleep. Bless father and mother; In Thy love do us keep. MORNING PRAYER God, Our Father, bless Your Child, Make me good like You, and mild. Let me think of You today When I’m busy at my play. No harm then will come to me, For my thoughts will be of Thee. 6 PRAYER TO MARY Sweet Mother Mary in heaven, Look down upon your child. Help me to be like Jesus, Kind and meek and mild. GRACE BEFORE MEALS We thank you, dear Lord, For the food that we eat. For the bread and the fruit, The milk and the meat. We love you, dear Lord, Through the hours of the day, And we’ll find You in heaven If we follow Your Way. 7 A MORNING OFFERING FOR SUNDAY Thank you, 0 Father, for ray rest. And through the day I’ll do my best To please You. I’ll try to make the whole day bright With good, kind deeds and all things right, To praise You. 8 ANOTHER MORNING PRAYER Good morning, dear Lord. I now kneel to pray. Please keep me from harm And bless my whole day. J * WE KNEEL TONIGHT Our Father in heaven. We now kneel tonight To ask your protection Until it is light. Let no harm come to us Though no light we see; Send angels to guard us, We ask this of Thee. 9 A WEE CHILD’S NIGHT PRAYER Dear God, I kneel tonight to pray To thank You for the long, good day. Please bless my parents, kind and true, And bless my little playmates, too. Let angels guard me through the night And bring me safe to morning light. Courtesy of Today’s Woman 10 STARLIGHT PRAYER I like to pray at starlight time, For in the sky I see A million tiny shining lights That all were made by Thee. 0 You have made the great, wide world, And so I kneel to pray. To thank you, Lord, for everything You gave to me today. 11 A WEE CHILD’S MORNING PRAYER Father, keep me good today; Make me helpful, kind and gay; Keep me cheerful when I play; Make me anxious to obev. Courtesy of Today’s Woman PRAYER FOR OUR COUNTRY God, bless this land in which we live, God, bless our country dear. Keep it from dangers and from perils; To it be always near. God, bless our rivers and our lakes, Our plains and mountains, too. Keep people in this great, broad land Safe in their love for You. 12 THANKSGIVING PRAYER TO THE HEAVENLY FATHER I give Thee thanks for everything That Thou hast given to me, For parents, loving, kind and true, For all good things I see. I thank Thee, Lord, for sky, for trees, For meadows and for streams, For sunshine bright, for time to play, For rest and happy dreams. 13 EASTER PRAYER 0 Risen Christ, A little child Looks up to You with love. You are our God, Our Saviour, too. Our King in heaven above, CHRISTMAS PRAYER Little Fair and Lovely Child, Angels for You sing, As they kneel around Your earth, They call you their king. Bless me, fair and lovely Child, Make me good like You, Make me kind, and this I pray, To You I will be true. Courtesy of Today’s Woman 14 GOLDEN RULE PRAYER Let me think of others, Father, Through the day, Help me to be kind, unselfish, This I pray. Let my hours shine with good deeds, Helpful, true, And in this way I’ll reach Heaven, Home—with You. 15 \ i ' <3