Hitting the Mark

Neil and I have enjoyed reading books such as Tender Warrior and Wild at Heart.  In doing so, Neil has had a desire to bring own son into Manhood at the right times with the right markers and themes.  So with finishing Kindergarten and stepping over that hurdle, Neil took Justus out for his first Manhood experience.

They went out to a field and Neil spoke to Justus.  Here is what Neil had to say:

"We started around 6:30am to find a good spot up the hill from our neighborhood, a place where we could get by ourselves to talk about life and what God is doing in us as father and son.  We opened up the back to the Jeep and there Justus saw the target on a large box, the bow & arrows and of course a bible.  He sat next to me full of excitement, ready to grab that bow and start shooting.  Before we started, I grabbed the bible and reminded him how important God’s Word is in our lives, that it contains God’s instructions to us and helps us to know God more and more as we read and know it.  I started with Proverb 22:6 which talks about how we should train our children in the way they should go.  I mentioned to Justus how mom and I are always looking to train him properly.  This will help him as he grows and starts to “go” on his own such as big recess time in first grade or playing a sport or even leading his sister.  I then transitioned to the arrows and turned in the bible to Psalm 127:4 which talks about how children are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.  Justus seems to grasp that one!  I told him how the bible was comparing him to an arrow.  As my son he’s what I’m aiming to hit the right mark…that if I train him properly, aim him properly, he’ll hit the bullseye.  But if I aim him in the wrong direction, he’ll miss that mark.  In hitting the mark, he’s being a leader and he’s helping to defend.  We spoke about what he’s defending…1) his family  - specifically his mom and sister, 2) his heart and mind – as he’s aimed at Christ and God’s Word to better know God and come to a point of humble obedience and faith in Christ, 3) others in the world that he comes along side whether at school or in the neighborhood.  Lastly I turned to 1Corinthians 16:13 where I explained Paul the apostle was urging the people of Corinth to be on guard, to stand firm in the faith, to be strong and do everything in love.   With that I asked him if he was ready to act strong and take aim at the target…and after a couple tries Justus nailed the target.  This will be first of many I told him.  I want him to his many targets in his life, like recently completely kindergarten, or the Tae Kwon Do ceremony we were headed to that evening for his next “belt”.  On the way him I told him we’d take one of the arrows and put it up on the wall in his room to help remind him of how God wants him to hit the target and not stray.  With that we grabbed some oatmeal at McD’s and stopped by Starbucks to take home a treat for mom."

Im so glad for a husband like Neil who is such an amazing father!!