Jared's prayer

I asked Jared to put the silverware away for me as I unloaded the dishwasher. We had just gotten back from a day at the temple and were trying to finish things up, eat dinner and get ready for bed.  He started putting away the silverware and quickly dropped a fork and it landed on his foot. Not a huge deal but still painful. He was really tired from being out all day and riding in the car so much that I fully expected a huge meltdown as is his norm.  To my surprise he calmly walked away.  Not a sound after the initial "ow!"

About 1 minute later he walked back into the kitchen calm and smiling. I asked him if he felt like screaming into a pillow (which I often want to do when something stupid happens like that) and he said:

 "No, I said a prayer and felt better"

I melted. I pulled him over to me and asked him what he prayed for.  He said he went into his room but would have to turn on the light so he walked out, looked at the front room, decided it was perfect and went there to say his prayer. He said something along the lines of:
"Heavenly Father, Thank thee for this day, help me to not have any bad moments and feel better."

I asked him if his prayer was answered and he said yes it was, he felt much better.  We talked a little bit about prayer and how sometimes prayers are answered really quickly like his and other times they aren't.  I asked him if he could pray anytime he wanted, like when he was at a school and needed help.  He said yes and that he didn't even have to say the prayer out loud just in his head.   It was such a special moment. He then put the cherry on top by saying.  "I feel like I want to cry." I said "because your foot hurts?" He said "No, because I feel so good inside, I think that was the first time I felt the spirit."  So sweet. What a great example to me. I was being totally worldly about it and he put me in my place (unknowingly and very sweetly).  I asked him if he wanted me to write a blog post about this experience so when he was older he can read over it and remember that special feeling.  He asked me to please write that he was 5 years old. (Done.)

Parenting is hard. It really is. But there are these special moments that really help make it worth it.