Honey, please don't shoot anyone in the face.

So on my daughter Ainsley's 4th birthday I bought her a bow and arrow.  Mind you, this was before Hunger Games, Brave and the t.v. series Arrow even came out.  I was like a hipster dad. I am not talking a plastic shaft with some elastic string and suction cup darts here, I mean a real bow and arrow.  This thing had enough power when shot properly to pierce a pop can or her sister.  You should have seen the look on the faces of the other mothers (including my wife) at the birthday party.  You would have thought they were going to call child protective services and lead me away in cuffs.  I thought it was one of my better moves.  Here is why...

As  a father of daughters, I am always looking for ways to spend time with my kids that is unique and fruitful.  In other words, I love creative hobbies with a purpose.  Sure, we play dolls and the usual sports, but we especially have fun when we learn something together.  I had no idea how to shoot a bow and arrow.  Archery for me was about Robin Hood and Hunger Games, neither of which personify real great parenting.  But, here is what I learned...

Archery is about posture and breathing.  It is about muscle control and patience.  It is about self confidence, intentionality and individual goal setting.  It is competition really only with yourself and the instrument.  Shooting a bow and arrow well demands taking in all the elements and determining a planned approach.  It is about self control.  Bingo.

I long for all my daughters to embody all of these values.  It isn't that I just want them to be and do these things, I mean I want them to become models of patience, self confidence and intentionality as they grow into young women.  I do not want them to be mastered by other people (especially teenage boys), but to be at peace in the elements and live intentionally.  I'm not sure there is a more beautiful activity that my children could be a part of.

As a result, all of my daughters now own a bow and arrows.  Like any man that decides to engage a new hobby, I have a number of archery devices.  My girls and I love it.  My wife, well lets just say she is coming around. When the season is right, we go outside and make up fun games.  We set up a range at the house and set goals for ourselves regarding self-improvement.  We play battleship and a game we made up called Robin Hood (which is basically like the basketball game Horse, well you get the idea). Safety first, but creativity is a close second.  In the end, I can only hope the disciplines of the sport become spiritual disciplines in my children's walk of faith.