Guide My Feet

I love this little gem of a book. A Christmas gift, I first read it (an earlier edition) over the Christmas holidays of 1997 and can still remember the powerful impact that many of the prayers had on me as I read them in the "calm before the storm" when my children awoke for the day. More times than I can remember I have quoted a prayer or passage in a talk or lesson, so Ms. Edelman's words have impacted hundreds of others besides me. One of the most powerful is Ina Hughes's prayer for children, and I have often shared sections of it with my psychology students as a reminder of the responsibility that all of us share for the children of the world, not just those in our own homes. And speaking of our own homes, it became a tradition on the first day of school each year that I would quote Ms. Edelman's simple prayer: "God, I thank You for my children. Please be with them today in all their coming and going and in all their thinking and doing." Even now, I find myself whispering, "coming and going and thinking and doing," and I know that God hears and understands my request.

I have no children, yet I seek to pray for the children of the world. Marian Wright Edelman has helped me to do this, more, and better.Her preface to "Guide My Feet" is worth the purchase price alone. The mini-biography of how her family, faith and community supported her struggles through the black/white segregation in America and how she broke through to become a woman who has brought social reform to our country is a notable portrait indeed. Her collection of prayers are poetic, pensive and will penetrate through our hectic, occupied lives: "Lord , let me not be so busy working to buy the things that my children want that I cannot give them the time and attention and love they need." Just before I picked up Edelman's book, I finished reading Eric Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" (Highly Recommended - see my review). As Marian Edelman worries in every fiber of her being, "about our many children who, lacking a sense of the sacred or internal moral mooring are, trying to grow up in a society without boundaries" and the "relentless cultural messages glamorizing violence, sex, possessions, alcohol, and tobacco", Schlosser will, if you read the books in tandem, show in "Fast Food Nation" that we all need to increase our concern and prayers towards the omnipresence marketing efforts directed daily at our children. Yes, prayer works, but so does responsible parenting. These two books should be read concurrently. As Schlosser notes "the typical American child now spends about twenty-one (21) hours a week watching television - roughly one and a half months of TV every year. About 25% of American Children between the ages of two and five have a TV in their room". Marian Edelman's prayer, "God help us to shut off television and radio and computer and phone so that we can communicate with each other." is timely indeed. Every month 90% of American children between three and nine visit a McDonald's. Each year fast food chains annually spend more than $3 billion on television advertising directed at children. A taste for fat developed in childhood is difficult to lose as an adult, and obesity is extremely difficult to cure. That said, and noting the above statistic, please remember that over one-quarter of all American children are obese or very overweight (African American children leading this group). Perhaps, besides prayer, we should also use modified Biblical quotes to protect our children; "McDonald's get hence behind me".The prayers of this book plead with, and petition God (as most prayers do) in a raw, honest way that comes from the heart of a parent who desperately loves her children. The wisdom and prayers found in this book will affect you and hopefully infect you with the same raw honesty needed to raise a child today. Highly recommended.

A delightful and tender book. Filled with affirmations for all of us who feel like we "blew it" today with our kids. Marian's book gives us permission to be human, make mistakes, and still love our children fiercely. It gives us strength to start new tomorrow. I give this book to every new parent and grandparent. My copy is never out of arms reach. An also must is Ms. Edelman's THE MEASURE OF OUR SUCCESS.

Whenever we move or my boys move to a different classroom, I give a copy of this book as a gift to every teacher and/or caregiver that my boys have had - it shows just how special and precious these people who care for my children are. I keep a copy by my bedside too - it really is a great little book. I wish the spiritual power behind these prayers and poems could stop all the child abuse & neglect in this country. Thank you Marian for a truly wonderful gift!

At a time when I was feeling discouraged about my ministry with children, this book lightened my load. I found prayers, insights, and inspirations that allowed me to attack my work with new-found zeal. As a parent, it helped me find the strength and patience to grow my own children instead of just raising them. To read this book is to grow in love