I Only Have One Shot

Some things in life I only get one shot to hit the target. There are many things that I can redo. I can redo the country decor in my home and bring it up to date with a more modern look. Many times I've looked in the mirror to redo my hair because I'm trying to cover up the wisdom that is starting to show through my black hair. One thing I can't redo is the watching my children grow up. I only have this time once.

Sarah is 12 today. She's at a fun age. It seems as though it was yesterday that I held her in my arms and nursed her for the first time. Those past years are gone and I can't redo them. Although sometimes I wished I could. Like the morning when she was 5 years old. I was impatient with her because she didn't read "Dick and Jane" the way she read it the previous day. Reflecting back on it, how silly of me. We live and we learn.

Don and I have spent countless hours late at night talking about our marriage and children. Guess you could say we communicate a lot and I believe that plays a huge part in our success here at home.

He was telling me about the peace he has at work because he knows I'm here taking care of home. We got into a conversation of me working outside the home. Only because I brought it up. It's the farthest thing from his mind. I'm not sure why I wanted to talk about it. Maybe because it's considered the normal thing for a woman to do once her kids are older. After all, my youngest is 12 and I've received enough hits from other woman that it may be time. Struggling to overcome my man pleasing and wanting to fit it, reality hit.

Reality hit when Don reminded me the passage of Scripture in Proverbs 29:15, "The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother."

I was so blessed to hear how much he appreciates me and the things I do around here. Things that I thought go unnoticed. He reminded me how valuable I was in the home. He said without me, there would be no home. It would just be a place to live. I couldn't help but blush and bat my eyelashes. He praised me as a mother to his children and remarked that they are the way they are largely due to the sacrifices I've made.

At one point in my life I didn't think I could be a good mom. When I started having children, I was young. Real young. One thing I knew for sure, I wanted the hearts of my children to belong to Christ. Which meant I had to do my part.

God had given me the right arrow (His Word) to target the core of their hearts. It was up to me to do the right thing with the arrow. I only had one shot. I couldn't go back and redo this. I had to take time to study the hearts of each one of my children to make sure I didn't miss the target. I couldn't be wrapped up in myself. The time is at hand right now.

There are so many things trying to capture the hearts of my children. The things of the Earth have their arrows ready. Waiting patiently for their moment to target the hearts of my children. I must take on the role that Jesus did. He became a mediator between God and man. I must be a mediator between the world and the hearts of my children.

I have my arrow in hand. I may miss out on shopping trips, extended vacations and dining out, but I won't miss my target....the heart of my children.