I've taken to changing words in Primary songs to make singing/sharing time more bearable. I've been working in Primary (the LDS church's children's organization) for over a year. It's where they tend to stick young married couples in, and after mouthing off to my bishop about my issues with the church, I guess they assume it's a reasonably safe place to leave me. It's not bad; the eight to ten year olds we teach are fun, and I can alter the lessons to teach about the love of God, compassion, that being different is ok, etc. But when the whole Primary meets together and is taught the party line of obedience to leaders, Mormonism as exclusive truth, gender roles, and on and on. So in order to not lose my mind, I try to make things more female-friendly. I got the idea from this blog
My most recent is this:
I kneel to pray everyday,
I speak to Heavenly Mother.
She hears and answers me,
When I pray in faith.
I begin by saying dear Heavenly Mother,
I thank her for blessings she sends.
Then humbly I ask her for things that I need,
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Despite the prayer structure that seems unnecesarily formulaic, the idea of a woman hearing and answering my prayer is incredibly beautiful. I never realized the lack of the Divine Feminine in my life until I started adding her to my vision of God. It gives me a connection to God I've never had before. Like Sue Monk Kidd says in The Secret Life of Bees "Everyone needs a God who looks like them."
I also really like redoing a Child's Prayer
ReplyDeleteHeavenly Mother, are you really there?
And do you hear and answer ev’ry child’s prayer?
Some say that heaven is far away,
But I feel it close around me as I pray.
Heavenly Mother, I remember now
Something that Jesus told disciples long ago:
“Suffer the children to come to me.”
Mother, in prayer I’m coming now to thee.
Pray, I am here
Speak, I am list’ning.
You are my child;
My love now surrounds you.
I hear your prayer;
I love my children.
Of such is the kingdom, the kingdom of heav’n.
thanks for that! I love it!
ReplyDeleteWith my kids I try to add both Parents in when ever possible. With the primary program song "I Will Follow God's Plan." I sing it to my kids with God as plural, so I am following Gods' plan and they know "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" as "My Heavenly Parents Love Me."
ReplyDeleteI always thought primary was a dangerous place for someone like me. In sunbeams I found plenty of opportunities to bring in Mother in Heaven.
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