Inch by Inch

Yesterday, while packing the kids in the car after church, I noticed a little green something on my sleeve. After refocusing on what I thought was a praying mantis (freaked me out for a second) I realized it was an inch worm. I didn't know how in the world it got there but I immediately fell in love and named him Inchie. Creative huh?
By the time we made it home our whole family was entranced by this tiny creature.

Kevin wanted to see it and the girls wanted to touch it, and I'm sure Toby was plotting some sort of devious scheme that involved Inchie as a mid-day snack. I was afraid he wouldn't last very long with so many curious fingers around him. After we let the girls observe Inchie doing his inching, we decided to set him free on a bush in front of our house. On the way to family dinner I continued to talk to Kevin about our little insect friend.

"Can you imagine being that small and only being able to move one inch at a time?"

"I'd go crazy, I'd probably just give up."

"Yes, I would.... I would lay myself out in the sun to roast and sprinkle a little salt on me for taste, hoping a bird would spot me."

Once again the Negative Nelly in me was rearing her ugly head. I had to stop myself and really think about what I was saying. Yes, in a way I was just joking, but it didn't take long for me to realize how detrimental that kind of thinking is. How many times in my life have I witnessed small and simple steps leading to something greater than I could have ever imagined? At school, work, in church and in motherhood, my list could go on and on. While patience isn't my best quality I know that I would never fully experience life if I could just speed through all the steps, even though some days I wish I could. Each small progression in my life ultimately brought me to where I am today. So thanks to Inchie, I was reminded to be a little more determined and happy to take life one inch at a time.