Raising Arrows

On my way to school this morning I noticed a decal on the car's window in front of me. It caught my attention.

I like arrows. 

There is pallet art hanging in our hallway bathroom.

We were recently given some arrow art from Joseph's friends, David and Stephen.

Joseph and I both have arrow tattoos on our arms.

Joseph got his arrows first after he told me what he wanted and the backstory behind them. 

His arrows are identical in design, but one arrow is drawn further down his forearm than the other. 

For my 37th birthday (2016), I made an appointment to get a tattoo after I took off a half day. I didn't even tell Joseph about it. I showed him when we went to bed that night. There were so many arrow images I liked so I chose two different ones- one masculine and one feminine. 

“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. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.” Psalm‬ ‭127:3-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Back when I was single, I had just moved to Athens, Ga, and didn't know I would meet Joseph a month later. I remember having a conversation with my daddy over the phone. I told him I didn't want to have children. I reminded him that he used to say the same thing. "Remember, Mama gave you the engagement ring back when she found out you didn't want to have children." He changed his mind because he decided he wanted to leave children as "his legacy" once he was gone.

When I met Joseph, I made sure he knew I didn't want to have children, in case it was a "deal breaker", as Dr. Phil would call it. He didn't care either way. Well, after we got married and "became one", I wished for a part of Joseph so we made a little boy two years into marriage.  

8-weeks pregnant with Lincoln

25-weeks pregnant with Lincoln

“Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him." As I type this post, I hear...

"Mama, can you get me some water?"

"I want more goldfish."

"I don't want to go to bed. Not yet, Mama!"

I'll say it again to remind myself.“Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him."

I skip the part in the scripture that says, "Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." Ha! Two is enough!

Joseph and I both had arrows tattooed on our bodies, one for each child, as a visual reminder of our responsibility to prepare them for when they will be let go, sent out into the world. Arrows aren't meant to sit in the quiver forever. One day they will be launched out into the world, and we want them to be fierce and powerful as weapons.

I was watching my two children sit on the front row in the sanctuary by themselves this past Sunday. Neither their daddy nor I were sitting with them, but they were both listening and watching the worship going on around them. I was a few rows back and I had a proud mommy moment. They love going to church, they love singing the worship songs, and watching the musicians.

I hear Grey walk around the house quoting the scriptures she is learning at church, "For the Lord our God is with us wherever we go. Joshua 1:9" and "God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1"                

Grey took her New Testament to school this week because Jesus starts with the letter "J". 

Lincoln goes to Good News Club after school at his elementary school. When he gets home, he is more excited to complete these activity sheets about the Bible than his homework.

When the kids say a healing prayer in their own words when we are sick, it melts my heart. When they make up their own dinner prayer instead of the generic memorized recitation, "God is great, God is good..." Joseph and I smile across the table.

When they hear 91.9 FM His Radio playing in the van, they say "Turn it, Mom! This is my favorite song!"  We sing along together to the familiar songs.

Sometimes I call out "Lord, help me!" or "Thank you, Jesus!" so they hear how reliant I am on God in the midst of the good and bad times.

My hope is that training them up in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6) now, by practicing these spiritual disciplines early, they will not depart from it. I pray that their discernment of truth will not waver even if it means choosing Christ over life. I want my arrows to be aimed at the right target...Jesus. 

R