Letters from the Armory

It must be a rough day at our house if I liken motherhood to a battle. And while many of my days are spent battling Chaos, I'm not talking about those losing battles in the ongoing war of Order with 5 - 5 and under.  While many of my days are spent battling Grime in my 100 year old house, I'm not talking about the dust bunnies that have retreated under my couch to strengthen their numbers and attack my (almost) crawler another day.  I'm not referring to the Battle of Wills or dirty diapers, I'm referring to the battle against the forces of darkness.

"Oh, you're just being melodramatic."

Am I?

We live in a world that values nothing less than children.  As Rachel Jankovic observed:

Children rank way below college. Below world travel for sure. Below the ability to go out at night at your leisure. Below honing your body at the gym. Below any job you may have or hope to get. In fact, children rate below your desire to sit around and pick your toes, if that is what you want to do. Below everything.

When I agree with what God says: children are a blessing, I am bucking the system.  I am challenging convention.  I am looking my enemy square in the eyes and saying: you're wrong.   

When I do that, I am starting a battle.  Them's fightin' words. 

And when I am the aggressor and my opponent has nothing to lose, my opponent will fight harder.

Wouldn't it stand to reason that if I value what God values, The Enemy hates it even more?  So what's going to happen?  I am going to come under heavy fire.  My enemy is going to pull out every stop.

As Mothers, so many of us deal with depression, fear, doubt, anxiety, money problems, ridicule, lack of support, unfaithful husbands, and so on.  Why are Moms facing all of this?  Our biggest problem should be what's for dinner and keeping snotty noses wiped.  We're some of the hardest working members of society under "normal" circumstances, but I think we face more than our fair share because we're dangerous.

We are our enemy's worst nightmare because we are responsible for the honing of weapons... arrows.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.  Blessed is the [Mommy] who fills [her] quiver with them! [She] shall not be put to shame when [she] speaks with [her] enemies in the gate.  Psalm 127: 4-5

Arrows aren't cute little accessories. 

Our children (cute as they may be) have a role in God's kingdom and my role, as a Mom, is to help them find their role and equip them to do it well. 

Once those arrows, my children, are released with precision, they will pierce the darkness.  They will bring good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, and comfort all who mourn.  

It might look like I'm washing plastic plates and folding tiny tshirts, but I'm working in the armory getting ready for battle.    

Photo credit.

So I'm changing my blog title (again).  The content will stay the same: funny stories, stories of God's faithfulness, frugal stuff, and more.