A Prayer for our Children Dear Lord, I come to you tonight, With sadness in my heart, Not for me, But for our children. You know the ones, Those children who have trouble concentrating, Who often have trouble with sports, Who have very few friends Because others find them strange, And who come to us with tears in their eyes Wanting to know why the world is at it is. What is to happen to them my Lord? What are we to say to them? Is it fair to them that we brush aside their worries? Or that we say things will get better, When even we doubt they ever will? Why is a child tormented because he cannot play ball, Or she cannot tell you what the teacher has just said? Why do others laugh so hard when our children make a mistake And yet condemn us for doing what we think is best for them? I know there are no answers my Lord, So we will love them the way they are, And comfort them when they cry, Doing the best to make them grow So maybe the next generation of children Will not know the sorrows our children know. So I ask you Lord, To bless us all As we struggle to overcome the fears of our society, As we fight for our children, Be there with us and give us strength And remind us of your presence, Lest we forget, And most of all, Be with our children. Amen By Odis E. Shultz August 10, 1999