When we found out we were expecting our 4th boy, I came directly home and journaled the moment right away. I felt led to Psalm 127
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
Psalm 127:4-5
Unexpected Blessings
We were a bit surprised to be pregnant this time around. It took me a little while to come around to the idea of childbirth and sleepless nights and all the things that come with adding a baby once again.
I was starting to feel a little older. Not necessarily because I was old (only 32 at the time), but because we started having children early. I was 20 when our first was born. Technically, he was born and 11 days later, I turned 20.
We were entering teenage years with our oldest and the others were becoming independent and so I was beginning to feel like I was getting a bit of “me time” back.
Perspective
This verse helped remind me how truly blessed I am.
We have healthy boys. They are all learning to walk with Jesus and develop their own faith in God. They are kind and considerate of each other and were anxious to gain another brother!
Trip to Africa
On the opposite page is an entry I did upon arriving home from a missions trip to Africa. In fact, it’s on the page that the verse is found on.
Remembering back to that trip was also a huge eye-opener.
Remembering my value
While there, I was completely overwhelmed with understanding the value of being a mother. The children we were serving were orphaned by war and poverty. There were over 100 of them living together and doing their best to care for each other, with only a few adults helping to run the children’s home.
I sat on the dirt and held little ones while they coughed and were sick. Sometimes they fell asleep in my arms and I was awakened to the fact that they don’t get to fall asleep in the arms of their mother’s or in anyone’s arms for that matter.
I cried and mourned the losses of these children’s parents. I mourned for them that they don’t know the feeling of a mother’s gentle kiss and being scooped up, hugged, and tickled by their dad.
For the week we were there, we were their surrogate parents. We were able to show them that love. And every time a group goes back there, we get to do it again.
Every day is a gift
But that’s not the end of my mothering. I am blessed to GET to be a mom every single day. And my children are blessed to have a mom every single day.
perfection isn’t a pre-requisite
Every day may be a gift but I know that every day I am not a gift. I have days where I feel like an amazing mom and days where I feel like I’m completely failing at everything. But know what?
I’m here.
I’m present.
I’m alive.
And even a mom who “fails” every single day is still a mom.
So pick up those babies and smooch their cheeks.
Snuggle the toddler on the couch.
Hold hands with your pre-schooler.
Put your arm around your pre-teen.
Write notes of encouragement to your teenager.
It doesn’t take much, just be there. Don’t give up even though it’s tough. Be grateful if your quiver is full and do your best to guide your little arrows in the direction they should go.
Bible Journaling Details
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Africa page
The Africa page was done with photos that I printed on regular, white printer paper at home. I then tore the photos off the page and used washi tape to stick them in my Bible.
I used a gold Uni-ball Signo gel pen for the lettering and then outlined each letter with a black xs Faber-Castell Pitt Pen.
Arrow Page
For the arrow page background, I used cheap watercolors from Michaels Craft Store. I simply got the cakes wet with a wet paintbrush and painted random strokes of varying colors all over.
Then I did some splatter-painting by applying quite a bit of water to a brush before getting color on it. I tapped it on another paint brush handle and it splattered. I repeated this process with a couple different colors.
I googled pictures of quivers (and the definition) and decided to draw the one I did. I used a pencil first and then painted it with the same paints as the background.
The arrows represent each of my boys so you could change that depending on the number of children/grandchildren you have.
I outlined the arrows and quiver with a size small Faber-Castell Artist Pitt Pen.
The lettering was done with a black size M Faber-Castell Artist Pitt Pen and the word Blessed was topped with a white Uni-ball Signo gel pen on top of the black.
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