Coco, our dog, had been struggling to walk for last couple of days. At fourteen years and counting, she wasn’t as limber as she used to be.
Listening to my husband describe our son’s prayer, eyes welled up with tears. My firstborn modeled the exact form of prayer Jesus used with his disciples. And he wasn’t thinking of himself. He wasn’t asking for a new Lego set or a video game.
He was petitioning on behalf of our dog.
Even through all my doubt and questioning, God was working in the heart of our son. We were doing what we could do, but God was moving this little seven-year-old’s heart in ways only he could.
When we second guess the past, we often miss what God is doing in the present.
I’m still learning day-by-day, and here are two things I’m seeing:
- The time and love we pour into our kids glorifies God as much as the milestone victories.
No, we may not see fruit right away. We may have to repeat the same lesson a hundred times before it sinks in. But one day when we least expect it, they will recall something we spent hours trying to teach. And that moment will be worth every night of frustration and tears.
- One of the best gifts I can give my kids is being present in their lives.
When they’re trying to talk to me and my mind is somewhere else, they notice. When I worry about tomorrow, my firstborn worries too. But when I’m fully engaged in the beautiful gift that is right now, they notice that too. And in the best possible way.
Parenting is a tough road. There are days when we wonder if anything we are saying or doing is making a difference. In moments of frustration it’s easy to play the past on repeat.
That night, God gave me an invitation to live in the now. To be present with my son as he prayed and grew and loved.
No matter what the future holds, I don’t want to miss it.
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This article originally appeared at AbbyMcDonald.org.
