God has been bringing me back, through multiple sources, to Genesis 1 and really to Creation and our role in it.
One of the gifts God has given to us is this amazing food source in plants that actually produce the seeds that then produce more food for us. (go read this sequence in the Creation account). What struck me today is how God chose to use slow and steady growth to produce these amazing resources. Think about that.
He does the same with us. Think about the life of a baby. First in the womb. Then as a newborn. Eventually mobile. Fast forward a bit and you are teaching your oldest to drive and having deep theological conversations… but there are a million days in-between.
This gives an insight into amazing parenting. Time and showing up every single day is the key. You cannot work all the time and then coach little league and call it even. You cannot be so busy that you never connect. You can’t make up for not making time for your kids with really cool vacations or gifts. It is slow and steady, ongoing, showing up and being there every single day. And it is so worth it.
p.s. This is a great thing to bring up every time you make a big decision. Will this choice (job change, activity, move, etc.) increase or decrease my ability to show up and be there daily for slow and steady growth. Will this increase or decrease my quality time. It leads to some difficult decisions, but better a thousand of those than one huge regret you can’t change many years from now.