My Quiver IS Full

 "Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
         The fruit of the womb is a reward.
 ⁴ Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
         So are the children of one’s youth.
 ⁵ Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;"  Psalm 127:3-5

Not a day goes by that I don't find myself admiring and treasuring my children.  Every. Single. Day.  And that's sooo not an exaggeration.  I adore my children, and I often find myself just wanting to spend time watching them interact together- even if it's something as basic and simple as going for a walk or playing a video game.

The other night we had a thunderstorm and with the first crack of thunder Zander came dashing into our bedroom, looking for some snuggles.  I was not about to miss this opportunity to comfort my little boy.  He's growing so fast, and the day will come where he does not need such comfort in the middle of the night.  As I held him and snuggled him, I thought about his first few years of life and how we spent so much of our time in the very same position- snuggling and loving.

They are just such cool people!  I frequently get asked by other people why we haven't decided to have more children- because what could be better than having MORE of these cool little people in our family.  The fact is, that after Zander was born, our family felt complete.  And it still feels complete, and when I read the verses in Psalms up above, I can most assuredly say that our quiver is full to overflowing.   It's been argued many a time that the more children a family has- the more full their quiver is.  But I have to disagree.  A soldier in battle does not truly care about the quantity of arrows in his quiver- he is more concerned about the quality of those arrows.   Two of the most expertly made arrows will be able to be used again and again, and will bring down a foe with one shot.  The quality of the two arrows that God has blessed Andy and I with is staggering.  They are of the finest workmanship- created to be just like Jesus in every way possible.

I could honestly and truly go on for days talking about how wonderful my children are.  And that wouldn't even just be the pride of a mother talking, it would be absolute truth.  They are such willing helpers, and caring people- they want everyone to be included when they play something.  That makes it very interesting when we have a houseful of kids that range in age from 18 months to 10.  My kids are so insistent that even the littlest one be included- sometimes I can honestly say that they have the mind of Christ, saying "let the little children come to me".

My children truly are a gift and a blessing. They are going to be incredible people when they are grown and leave the nest, and while there is a part of me that is eager to see the path that God has planned for them.  Every once in a while I will catch myself about to say something to that effect- telling them they are going to be a great this or that.  Thankfully I always catch myself, because God's plans are between Him and them.  I am not going to cause confusion for them and say something like "someday you'll make a great Preacher" to Zander.  God may very well have plans for him to be a preacher, but God may also have plans for him to do something else with his life, and the last thing I want to do is plant a seed of an idea that shouldn't even be there.  What if Zander is to be a doctor or a marine or a politician?  If I spend time encouraging him to be something he isn't meant to be, that could cause great problems for him down the road.  So what do I do when I see him doing something and I want to say something?  I follow the example that Mary showed to me long ago:


"But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart."  Luke 2:19

I keep these things in my heart.  For Abigail too.  Every once in a while I get a small glimpse of what God might have for her future, and I keep my mouth close.  I ponder them and treasure them in my heart.  And if the day ever comes where we need to have a conversation about the future- and career paths and such- we will sit together and pray about it, and ask God to show my child the direction they should take. THAT is my goal with my children.  I am not educating them at home to steer them in any particular direction.  Oh, I have plans for them- make no mistake about that- I have a path for them through high school, and I know what I want them to do beyond high school.  BUT, that is for me to know and for them to work toward.  And when the days come that those plans need to be made, we will see if that is still God's will for them.  It could change, and that's perfectly fine by me.  What's important now is that today we do what God wants us to do.  And tomorrow, we'll do what God wants us to do.

And for today, I will love my children with all my heart, and together we will live life and enjoy each other's company and love.  I will enjoy the gifts that God has given us, and enjoy the fact that my quiver is not only full, but it's full to bursting.