Raising Arrows
Lately I've been on an arrow and feather kick. I just love all things arrows and feathers and find ways to incorporate them into my wardrobe (hence my new feather Lularoe leggings 😀) and the signs I paint on a regular basis. So when I ran across Psalm 127:3-5...
I really started thinking about children as arrows in the hand of a warrior. We don't rely on our children to physically protect us from enemies the way the Israelites did in the ancient world. But don't our children still "protect" us?
My children protect me from myself.
They have made me be a better person, helped me to make better decisions, and in so many ways they have (and continue to) save me from myself. They help me battle meaninglessness, self-centeredness, and other unhealthy thoughts. Just one glance into the eyes of one of my children or sound of their laughter brightens my world. When the world makes you feel replaceable, a child makes you feel irreplaceable.
Have you ever shot a bow? If not, take my word for it, it takes some muscle. Sometimes as parents we get so caught up on pulling back the string that we forget to aim. We let the mundane everyday tasks and responsibilities consume us and we forget that these everyday activities that seem so irrelevant and sometimes even boring to us are the very moments that help craft our arrows.
As parent we must focus on direction and destination before we launch our little arrows out into the world to be a light in the darkness.
Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
My children protect me from myself.
They have made me be a better person, helped me to make better decisions, and in so many ways they have (and continue to) save me from myself. They help me battle meaninglessness, self-centeredness, and other unhealthy thoughts. Just one glance into the eyes of one of my children or sound of their laughter brightens my world. When the world makes you feel replaceable, a child makes you feel irreplaceable.
Have you ever shot a bow? If not, take my word for it, it takes some muscle. Sometimes as parents we get so caught up on pulling back the string that we forget to aim. We let the mundane everyday tasks and responsibilities consume us and we forget that these everyday activities that seem so irrelevant and sometimes even boring to us are the very moments that help craft our arrows.
- The kindness we show to a stranger in the grocery store.
- The way we handle stress.
- The love we pour into our families by serving each other in everyday tasks such as cooking meals, washing laundry, packing lunches, etc.
- The way we scoop them up and hug them when they get hurt
- Or even the way we discipline them when they are wrong.
As parent we must focus on direction and destination before we launch our little arrows out into the world to be a light in the darkness.
Comments
Post a Comment