Bow and Arrows

"We fly the highest after we have been pulled back and stretched, sometimes even more than we think we can bear." -Mica May

This quote comes from an online article I stumbled across; the article was about moms with Down Syndrome children who started meeting to support each other and ended up getting tattoos together. The article was so exuberant that even I said to myself, "If my baby has Down Syndrome, I am totally getting a tattoo like that." The tattoo is simply three V's (signifying arrows) pointing in the same direction. (And I am NOT a tattoo person. Never before had I ever wanted a tattoo of anything. But that's beside the point because…)

More than the thought of getting a tattoo, this quote stuck with me. Whether or not my baby has Down Syndrome, the thought of having an eighth child in a less than eight weeks sometimes bowls me over. If I allow my fears and anxieties to take over, I would find myself hyperventilating in a paralyzed state of complete helplessness. And whether a person has one child or twenty children, don't all parents feel like that sometimes? My husband and I led a mini parenting workshop last night to sixteen parents who were at different states of helplessness. And they thought that my husband and I were exempt from this feeling. But ALL parents live in a state of worry. We carry a HUGE burden. We are constantly stretched. We may or may not admit this out loud, but deep down, we know that we are sinners and very capable of failing as parents.

So, what to do? 

If we lean on the One who gave us our children, He will also provide us with all we need. If we rely solely on our own strength, we will grow ever weary, anxious, and resentful.

A few years back, I used an Etsy gift card to buy myself a necklace with a small arrow charm. At the time, I had just had my sixth child, and I needed the arrow to remind me that, 

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. 

Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!

Psalm 127:4-5

Now, Mica May's quote reminds me that it is time to wear that necklace again. I did not anticipate having a seventh or eighth child. But no matter. I can have twelve children and God's promises will never change. He is the one aiming my "arrows" at the bull's eye. My task as mom is to be the "bow", the one who points my children in the right direction. And with God's strong arm, pulling me back and stretching me (sometimes even more than I think I can bear), my arrows will fly far, high, and true.

The Bug Lost and Found

For years now, I have been writing stories for my family members and friends. Stories, for me, are like paintings or photographs or songs. What I see and experience inspire me and move me to create something that attempts to capture that feeling. Many of my stories are directly influenced by the people in my life: my children make me laugh and remind me to imagine; my husband teaches me to see the world through God's eyes; my friends encourage me. So when I give a loved one the gift of a story, I am giving him or her a piece of myself.

Many years ago, I wrote four short stories as a Christmas present for my kids. Now, for the first time, I took the bold step of asking my talented sister to illustrate these stories so that others may enjoy them too. My new children's book took most of 2017 to rewrite, edit, lay out, illustrate, and design (and I added a new story too!) I am super-proud of this book, not only because it's a major project checked off my list, but because I want to shine my little candle in a world that seems to grow darker by the moment, especially for our children.

You can learn more about my new book by clicking on the link on the right. And here is a sneak peek at my sister's beautiful  and adorable watercolors! This book would be perfect for children ages 4-8.