Sharpening the Arrows

By God's grace their hearts are filled, their minds growing in capacity and their souls enriched through the learning taking place...

in a small room, in our average house, equipped with the Sword and the hearts of those who have treaded before me and put their lessons to paper creating a place at which I can somehow, reach and instruct...

we are only 3 rugged weeks into daily picking up our crosses, putting on patience and love with discipline closely knit to my side, and putting pens to paper and ears that hear onto our heads so that we might school at home...

Not just the sharpening of children but me...my ears that hear them, a heart that feels them, and eyes that see their needs (they are not always academic needs during academic times)...

The refining and the sharpening of these arrows sharpens me as well...

The soul of a mother, often broken and lost but forever coming back to the Savior and the man he gave me to pull me through...

Oh, how I need him, the one God sent to me. His encouragement, his embrace, his love, his understanding and the victory he sees...my partner in this journey, the travels of the Christian life...

when my knees are lowly bent asking for resolve as we train up, school up, and bring up these blessings...

In His Holy Word, they are always God's blessing, a reward to His people, a sign of great wealth in the Lord...

I shall not take it lightly...Lord remind me daily... 



The arrows that start out dull with only a hint of purpose must be daily sharpened that they might fight the war waged between the spirit and the world...

They cannot sharpen themselves in order that they be at the ready...they must intentionally be made equipped, showing the marks of the sharpening, glistening in the sun light as a warning of their ever ready blade...

Psalm 45:

Thine arrows sharpened are,

Men under Thee to bring,

To pierce the heart of enemies

Who fight against the King.

Today, yesterday, tomorrow...they are just the beginning of this adventure of schooling at home...

I am confident it will be difficult, I will be tired, at times wanting to quit, but the reward of the sharpening keeps me forging on...

to continue sharpening the arrows even when the battles victory seems distant...

for them....
for me....
for Him...

For God is the craftsman placing the arrows the hands of those He's called, to form them, sharpen them, give them the PURPOSE He has called them to.  He equips the guilder with the tools they will need to sharpen each arrow for it's unique purpose.  God then takes up His bow, the war is being waged even among those things unseen.  He loosely grips the sharpened arrow and employs it purpose in His calling, in His kingdom. As the arrow dulls he again and again calls upon the guilder to refine and continue the sharpening process.  These actions are almost happening simultaneously as the craftsman takes up His bow and the guilder sharpens the arrows.  Without God as the Archer the battle will not be won. Without the guilder to sharpen the arrows the battle can never begin.

My son, observe the commandment of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother; bind them continually on your heart; tie them around your neck. When you walk about, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk to you.  For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light. Proverbs 6

Be Still

Projects from At The Well:

To be still.

Are you like me? Move, move, move. Go, go, go. My feet rarely stop moving from the moment I get out of bed until I lay my head on my pillow. This is exhausting! Also, I think that I do this sometimes because I feel that I have to take care of things, I have to get things done. If I don’t, then who will? What will happen?

During especially busy or stressful times in my life, I am continually reminding myself of my need to be still before the Lord. Psalm 46 is titled God Is Our Fortress. It starts by saying, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

The Psalm continues and includes this little line, tucked in near the end, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Most recently when I was reading this I thought about how when I am moving, moving, moving and getting things, I seemingly accomplish the tasks set before me in my own effort. However, sometimes when we are still we allow God to work and we get to see first hand His wonderful works and know that He is God.

Is there a situation in your life that you have been trying and trying to resolve with no progress? Could it possibly be an opportunity to be still and witness God do amazing things?

Be still with me this week.

Perfection

It's quiet now and my thoughts are racing. It's been so many days, even months since I last posted here, in my quiet, personal space. It is not for lack of need or desire but seasons.

Seasons breathe the flow of our lives and each season brings new life, new calm, and new storms.

Swiftly moving memories flash by as I lead my sheep through the day; dressing, eating, playing, learning, growing, challenging, kneeling, whispering, shouting, struggling, loving, embracing...

The movements never end but the days are always numbered. Each moment serves as an opportunity to create a memory, to instill in them qualities of love, laughter, joy, thankfulness and Him...the Creator of it all. Each moment is teaching them something, guiding them towards something, sinking deep a characteristic in them. Each is an opportunity...what I do with it is up to me.

What I value inside the moment is clear to them. Do I value me, my habits, my desires, my demands? Or

Do I value them, their growth, their hearts, their relationship with me, their imperfections?

Why can't I remember to whisper more, snuggle more, kneel more, embrace more, laugh more, forgive loudly, and see even the imperfections of life as JOY?

All of life cannot be smiles and falsely perfect, but life must also be imperfectly perfect. These are words that I must write on my walls.

I've long known that my heart lives for perfectionism. Since I was young I can remember redoing and redoing things until they were "right".

I often put this trait on job applications as a strength. I thought the Lord had blessed me with a desire and the ability to do things with perfection.

Now, as a mother I see, this trait has a hold of me. It keeps from truly being free. It burdens my children, my husband...

Oh Lord, you gave me, blessed me, overwhelmed my life with Annointed BOYS...and 1 Sweet, AMAZING girl...life is Messy.




There are qualities of perfectionism which I find useful and positive. Orderliness, organization, execution of tasks, successfully doing "things". But, where is the grace? The Mercy?

From Ann Voskamp at aholyexperience.com (she happens to be my favorite and speaks words my heart sings):

you can’t get to joy by making everything perfect. You can only get there by seeing in every imperfection all that’s joy.

The joy is in having the Beloved, not in loving what we have.


read it again:

you can’t get to joy by making everything perfect. You can only get there by seeing in every imperfection all that’s joy.

The joy is in having the Beloved, not in loving what we have.


My hearts cries out to the Lord that these words would sink deep in me....

Flood my mind and my heart with reminders....

Sit long with the spills, the wet pants on a baby girl child, speak softly with the failure to sit still for schooling, and the constant distractions, draw near and find JOY in the imperfections of life.

I see how much they soak in my heart. Those babes my belly swelled with, the life God knit together inside my womb...they become ME.

Why God?

How can I possibly shed my sinful heart enough, breath the air of YHWH and sink His Joy into their lives?

I have my own struggles and hang ups, my own lacking patience, my nagging perfectionism...How Lord, how will I teach them to

speak soft

love much

give wholly

respect others

serve the Holy

find JOY in the imperfections

When I struggle to reflect that to them...

The part about being a mother, a mother who loves deeply, gives sacrificially, devotes much to her children, is that being a mother doesn't remove your own flesh but rather reveals it to you.

It forges my life, refines my heart, and prayerfully I cry out that it doesn't destroy the ones I love.

Father, create in me a clean heart

Renew a steadfast spirit in me

Drive deep the things I MUST change

Give STRONG endurance that I might fight the Flesh and Plant RIGHTEOUSNESS into my sheep

Your mercies are New each morning..Father bring the morning.