Originally printed in the Custer County Chronicle on Feb. 25, 2026

We bought bulls recently, part of the yearly refresh on the bull herd, to replace those culled due to age, injury, or lack of get-er-done-ness (technical terminology). Purchasing bulls is one of those yearly high-stakes decisions – costly, and with potential significant cascading effects. A bull with good temperament and genetics leaves a good lasting effect on the cowherd over time. A bull with poor temperament and genetic defects can have a poor lasting effect. So it is a decision that is approached carefully, and the bulls are chosen with intentionality and wisdom.

But quality bulls and that associated cost are only a part of the equation when it comes to the long-term thriving of the herd. A million smaller decisions have arguably a greater impact, as important as it is to maintain a quality bull herd. Nutritional inputs, whether it is good feed, healthy pastures, or appropriate mineral supplementation, play a huge role in the health of the cows and, consequently, the health of the babies, and we will see that in spades over the next weeks and months as we wade into calving season. How far they have to walk to water, how rocky the pastures are, how the cattle are handled, just to name a few examples, can affect their demeanor, their stress levels, can cause injury or physical breakdown, and I could go on. The little decisions, cumulatively, over time, aren’t so little after all.

There are a handful of decisions that most people make in the course of their lives that are understood to have long-ranging effects – college, career path, employment, spouse, where to live, things that will have some impact on everything downstream. We approach those big decisions with gravity, and not a little trepidation much of the time.

But I can’t help but wonder what would happen if we approached our little decisions with the same gravity. We may only make a half dozen big decisions in the course of our life, but we make countless little decisions. Might the million little decisions, cumulatively, not have as big – or bigger? – of an impact than the half dozen weightier ones? Might the management of our daily energy expenditures have, cumulatively, as great an influence as those high-stakes ones? 

Everything we do requires energy expenditure of some kind and will have some effect on our health – physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually, or the health of our family and those closest to us. Work costs energy, obviously, whether it is the kind of work that results in a paycheck or the kind of work that keeps a house running smoothly. Recreation takes energy, both immediately but also often tapping past efforts in the form of money spent. Mindlessly scrolling social media costs time and energy, giving nothing in return. Sharp words are thieves of the energy that could go towards building a marriage or relationship. Kindness often takes energy but is life giving to both the giver and the receiver. Even the act of resting requires an input, in a way, and in certain situations can almost feel like work.

So many times over the last 4 months, I’ve been faced with choices that ultimately are a question of short-term versus long-term benefits. For instance, the choice between setting my sleeping infant down while she sleeps so I can get something done, or continuing to hold her because that’s what she needs, and cherish the time. I’ve been faced with the choice to rock her to sleep and savor being needed, or let her cry it out and learn to “self-soothe” and sleep on her own faster. I’ve been faced with whether to hand her off to someone else so I can do X, Y, or Z, or be content with less productivity with her close by knowing that this season is short. I’ll let you guess which I have chosen in each of those situations.

Sometimes I feel the need to apologize for or justify my lack of things accomplished in a day. Sometimes I wonder what it would have taken to have “bounced back,” to look just like I did before or accomplish the same to-do list or not sacrificed some income. But then I think of where my energy has gone, and what downstream impact there might be for a child who has been nurtured and cherished and given as much of a sense of love and belonging and safety as I can give. And I can tell you something certain: I haven’t regretted a moment holding her. I haven’t regretted a single morning snuggle to soothe her back to sleep or the cold coffee that I come back to afterwards. I haven’t regretted rocking her and wearing her and carrying her everywhere, even if it means a little less of what some might consider “productivity,” or having to sit on the sidelines for some things. Because in each of those instances, one of those choices would have longer-reaching impact than the other.

A spotless floor or crumb-free countertops or an always-empty sink demand time and effort, and only last for so long. I doubt I’ll ever wish I’d redirected my energy expenditures and set my baby down more often so I could wash the dishes more faithfully. I doubt I’ll ever regret the less-thorough job vacuuming the house because I was hampered by wearing my baby. I doubt I’ll ever regret setting some personal projects aside in favor of nurturing this new endeavor.

And how many choices like that we are faced with, day to day!

Whether to speak impatiently or with forbearance to a spouse or a child? Choose wisely.

Whether to flounder in your failures or give thanks for God’s grace? Choose wisely.

Whether to rehearse your spouse’s shortcomings or rejoice over their successes? Choose wisely.

Whether to respond eagerly or with reluctance to meet the needs of your child? Choose wisely.

How to spend the cumulative hours made up of spare minutes of the day? Choose wisely.

Whether to pick up a book or pick up your phone? Choose wisely.

Whether to doom scroll the misery plaguing our world, or fill your mind with good things? Choose wisely.

Whether to wallow in the mire of the evil that is done upon the most vulnerable, or pour out your energy in protecting your most vulnerable? Choose wisely.

God only gives us so much time – Each day, and in our life. Every day we live is one day less that we have left. Every ounce of energy spent is one less ounce we have to spend between now and eternity. How will you spend that time? How will you expend that energy? It goes somewhere. Every choice we make demands certain inputs. Might we choose those things that have the best lasting effects, the greatest impact for good, and are the best stewardship of the time we’ve been given. May we choose wisely.