Issue 21 · September 2026 · Wonder
Observing Our Children
We spend so much time with our children, watching them at the playground, sports games, recitals, doctor’s appointments, or school. But do we really see them?
Each child is a mystery – not a problem to be solved, but a depth of possibility we can never fully know. Observation invites us to slow down and receive that mystery. To observe is to set aside what else we are doing and carefully notice. Over time, careful observation can help us see our children more clearly … and perhaps begin to glimpse how God sees them: with love, delight, and hope.
What if observing your child could help you better understand and appreciate their gifts? What if it could become a form of prayer?
This fall, Grace Space Families invites parents and caregivers to join Observation to Contemplation: Beholding Mystery, a four-week online course exploring the practice of observing children.
In the course, you’ll learn simple ways to slow down, pay attention, and receive what your child is showing you, without immediately correcting, judging, or explaining. You’ll practice observation on your own and with your children, share your experiences with a small cohort, and gather online with an instructor for prayer and reflection. Paula Rush, our instructor for the course (and author for this month’s Grace Notes!) will gently guide you into the joyful, prayerful practice of contemplation. Sign up now! Be sure to register before October 12.
In This Issue
This month in Grace Notes, we have an introduction to the gift of observation, with a suggestion for a way your family can observe and celebrate one anothers’ unique gifts!
Family Celebrations: Observing Symbols
The practice of observation does not have to be complicated. Try this simple family celebration as a way to pay attention to one another. You might use it for a birthday or another milestone, or just gather as a family and repeat it over several days or weeks, so each family member has a turn to be celebrated.
Learn about this and other observation practices in our course, Observation to Contemplation.
Gather the family around a table, or a blanket or cloth spread on the floor..
Introduce the subject: “We know each other so well because we are family, but we can always learn more! Today we will focus on [name].”
Gather symbols: “Let’s close our eyes for a moment and think about [name]... What are some things we can we place on the blanket to help us think more about them?”
Invite each family member to retrieve an object that seems just right for that person: it might be something they use often, something that reminds you of them, or a favorite book or pillow. Try not to direct the choices too much.
Observe the objects: Invite your family to look at the objects as though you have never seen them before. “What colors, shapes, textures, and details do you notice? What else do you notice? What words come to mind?”
Wonder: “Are these objects telling us something about [name]? What do they want us to know?”
Ask the person being celebrated, “Is there anything you want to say? Is there something that should be on this blanket but is not here? Did you learn something new about yourself?”
Imagine God’s view: Light the candle. “When God looks at us, God sees so much more than objects or symbols. When God looks at us, God sees so much more than we see ourselves. God sees all of this and more: God sees our hopes and our dreams. God sees all the possibilities. We can wonder…when God looks at [name], what does God see?” Pause for silence or to let family members speak.
Blessing:
“We thank you, God, for the gift of [name]. We ask you to bless them.
May God, who creates you and loves you and gives you to us as a gift, bless you.
May God, who calls you always toward more and more life, guide you.
May God, who delights in you and looks forward to what you will do next, give you joy and peace.
Thank you, God, for this time of celebration for our family.”
More details, scripts and tips for observation can be found in the course: Grace Space: Observation to Contemplation. Sign up before October 12! We offer a sliding scale for registration fees to try to make our courses accessible to all.
Family Prayer: Observing as Prayer
If this simple activity makes you want to practice observation more intentionally, Observation to Contemplation: Beholding Mystery is a great place to begin.
Over four weeks, you’ll explore observation as a spiritual practice, try activities with your children, and learn alongside other parents and caregivers. You can work at your own pace and share your experiences in a private online forum whenever it works for you. At the end of the course, we’ll gather live on Zoom with the instructor to reflect, pray, and share what we’ve discovered together.
Observation is a discipline and therefore requires practice. As with any discipline, it helps to practice alongside others. As we share our experiences, they will become more concrete for us. We’ll learn together.
We encourage you to try this course as a means to understand the mystery of your children and to deepen your own prayer life.
Come practice seeing your child with fresh eyes and discover how observation can become prayer. Sign up before Oct. 12.
Grace Space Shelf: Books for Children & Parents
A Note These Links
Look for these books at your library or local bookstore first. If you purchase using the Amazon links below, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — thank you for supporting our work.
AGES 3+
God's Quiet Things
“Listen! God’s quiet things are yours to know.” From the sound of butterfly wings, raindrops on water, wriggling earthworms to falling darkness, the author invites us to look and listen for God’s quiet things. A beautiful invitation to be attentive and seek out God’s quiet presence in all of creation.
AGES 2+
Chime
A chime may be struck at the beginning and end of a few moments of silence to help draw children and adults into the stillness that opens our hearts to peace and joy. A gentle tap of the mallet and this well balanced chime emits a lovely tone that lasts and lasts until it fades into silence.
Adults
Parenting: A Sacred Path
Parenting is a challenging call. Many resources for parents focus on the child. This short book by Patience Robbins centers the parents and their experiences. It gently invites parents to grow in faith, love, trust and compassion to deepen relationships.
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