In a previous post I listed a number of tasks and duties of managing a home and family that I have had to learn to do after my wife died!

After Diane was gone, I suddenly discovered that many or most of the details of managing our home and family somehow got done with little or no involvement from me.

Things like grocery shopping, washing and drying clothing…

Things like preparing meals, buying clothing for the toddlers, bathing and grooming the toddlers, decorating the house…

The list of tasks goes on and on!

So, now I’m having to learn to do all these things.

I was searching through some drawers the other day and opened one in the nightstand by the bed that is filled with small notebooks, journals, and assorted slips of paper.

As I stared at the drawer full of notebooks, I suddenly I realized that my list of household tasks and duties that I now have to perform is incomplete!

One of the tremendous responsibilities Diane carried out that I, in all my busyness in trying to do all the other tasks she performed, have neglected to do is PRAYING FOR THE CHILDREN!

You see, Diane was a prayer warrior for our children and grandchildren.

She constantly prayed for them.

And she wrote down many of her prayers.

And those little notebooks and journals and assorted slips of paper in that drawer are filled with the prayers for her children that she prayed and wrote down.

She was always writing Bible verses and prayers in little notebooks and on slips of paper.

Most of the journals are labeled with each of the children’s names.

Yes, there’s even one with my name on it!

And now I have all those prayers packed in a drawer in the nightstand beside my bed.

So you may wonder what good all those prayers are doing packed in that drawer?

I believe there is still power in those prayers!

And all those prayers did much good at the time they were prayed and written down!

I have no doubt that God heard and answered her prayers and protected and blessed our family.

As a family we have certainly faced some challenges over the years. But her untimely death from cancer was the only real tragedy to strike our family (and now I wish there had been a prayer journal with her name on it).

So, now the question is, who’s going to sustain this prayer vigil over our family? Who’s going to pray a mother’s prayers for our children and grandchildren?

Do you remember the story from the Bible of Jesus coming to visit at the home of the sisters, Martha and Mary?

While her sister Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to what He was teaching, Martha busied herself serving all her guests and became distracted with her many duties and tasks.

So Martha complained to Jesus that her sister Mary was not helping her serve their guests as she should.

Jesus told Martha that while she was worried and upset about many things, only one thing was really important.

Then Jesus told Martha that Mary was doing the right thing! Mary was the one that had her priorities right!

Well, that pretty much puts it all into perspective, doesn’t it?

I seem to be acting like Martha, overwhelmed with all the tasks of managing home and family and not considering what’s really important.

Sure, I’ve been busy taking on all the other tasks Diane did. But, while doing all those things, am I neglecting the most important thing?

Because somebody has to keep praying a mother’s prayers for our family; somebody has to keep praying for the children!