When my children were young, my wife and I started a tradition of blessing them each night when they went to bed.  After prayers, we would make the sign of the cross on their foreheads, praying all the while that the Holy Spirit would protect them and that the seeds of God’s love and truth would find fertile soil within their hearts and minds.

Fast forward forty years.  One of my daughters shared a recent story about her young sons.  She too had continued the family habit of blessing her children at bedtime.  But one night, after receiving his nightly blessing, her youngest son had a special request.  He pulled back the hair that covered his forehead, looked up at his mom and pleaded, “Mommy bless me one more time with the Jesus cross!”

ONE…MORE…TIME.

Hearing of his unpretentious request quickened my spirit. Out of the mouths of babes do we hear profound truths, convicting words, and soul-stirring encouragement. Yes, my dear grandson, oh that we all would have the same plea, oh that we all embraced the cross of God’s Son with such heartfelt and childlike desire.

Yes, Lord, bless me one more time that I might be a blessing to others.

Amen.