perhaps the blur of the past year kept me preoccupied from noticing. or maybe outright denial played the biggest part. but the past months of maturing in these boys of mine has made me sit up straight and take note of how time has seemingly skipped right over any tangible, mind-grasping sense of reasonable. they've gone ahead and shot up several inches combined, faces suddenly man-chiseled, with the oldest now driving and taking on all sorts of responsible.
it's not that I mind all of this growing up..I am fiercely proud of each of them, growing deeply in their walk with our Lord. but I am reminded to fervently pray. to pray for their minds, that they would stay fast ahold of truth, never wavering. for their hearts, that any strings pulled would be sewn only by God himself, and that above all else, they would guard it. and as I pray, I'm reminded of who these boys are to me.
God describes them as arrows in the hands of a warrior. and I'm hit with the truth that these boys entrusted to my care are no longer on my hip, carried in the quiver, sheltered away from the cares of this world. no, they're out, exposed for the world to see, carefully placed across the bow. I'm reminded to hold them there, poised delicately, ready to draw.
but not quite yet. this is the time for sharpening, to make certain their arrow is sharp enough to pierce the toughest circumstances the world may bring. this task isn't meant to be easy. it sometimes means long conversations, guidelines put into place, and tears..from both of us. but one thing I promise.. we refuse to let them drop, carelessly onto the ground, trampled upon, in a desperate attempt to figure it all out on their own.
and when the time is right, the draw back will begin. and it will take strength..unbelievable strength, with tension mounting, independence desired but not fully attained. but the further back their daddy and I pull them, the closer they'll be to our hearts. and then there will come a day ..beautiful and right.. when it's time to make the shot ..and aimed towards Christ, dancing on the whispers of our prayers,..
..the closer they're drawn towards our hearts...
... the further they will fly.
