The boys have spent the past nine days in the woods in hopes of filling our freezer with meat for the winter. We prayed for the Lord’s will for the season. We prayed for safety. We prayed that our family could become a closer unit through the week.

With this I know – that our freezer will be full of meat for the winter, if not with Venison – then Price and Pride will keep me well stocked with their meat bonanza deals.

We experienced a near fatal accident this week, that immediately had our boys thankful to the Father for sparing their life.  The ramifications of near death – known salvation – in a tangible way – has strengthened the boy’s desire for their Lord.  Questions about the Holy Spirit and His Gifts  – Questions about Prayer – have poured out in casual conversation  – with an intense need to know, that I had not heard from them before.

We have also felt the pull between men and boys – the groaning of their growing while becoming men. We have prayed that they will be as plants grown up in their youth. We will continue to pray that the balance of father and friend, leader and coming along side helper will be seen. Praying that the line drawn between instant heartfelt of joyful obedience and trust – and the ability to discuss, negotiate, and understand will stand in place.

By the end of the time together, the littlest one was feeling the pull the most. The desire to remain a boy. The desire to have pride and a selfish spirit, in such a young inexperienced body an mind. The verbal threat was given to Take a Trip to the Woodshed. My husband had grown up with the sporadic emotionally driven unfounded over use of the woodshed. He tempers his temper almost too much with the boys from the fear that he will follow where after his father’s teaching. And yet – discipline is there. On the last days of hunter’s vacation – the words were spoken, the line was drawn, and Darren had to step over to pull his young son over to his side. I thought they went out to fulfill the threat. When I looked out the window – this is what I saw instead. 30-45 minutes of chopping hardwood, chipping away at the pride. The Selfish Side. The wise words a father to his son. The growing into a man.

Psalm 144

9 I will sing a new song to you, O God;
upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
10 who gives victory to kings,
who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me
from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies
and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12 May our sons in their youth
be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars
cut for the structure of a palace;
13 may our granaries be full,
providing all kinds of produce;
may our sheep bring forth thousands
and ten thousands in our fields;
14 may our cattle be heavy with young,
suffering no mishap or failure in bearing; [1]
may there be no cry of distress in our streets!
15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!
Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

I am thankful for an earthly and heavenly father, that walks along side me, with mercy and grace –
gently leading me to the path that I should follow. I am thankful that the Boys will experience that in their life as well.