At Weight Watchers, they had a quote up, from Winston Churchill, "Sometimes doing your best is not enough. Sometimes you have to do what is required." You can guess what their drift was.
It's a statement that is certainly meaty! (no pun intendend either!) I recently completed my clear credential - I have been plugging away at this for 5 years and this summer, since time was almost up, I took two classes online to meet the requirement. Then last week I took CPR. I had my appointment at APU with the advisor - who had neglected to tell me that the check I needed for the state (there is always money collected by the state!)- had to be a cashier's check or money order. So I had to hustle over to the local 7-11 to stand in line with all the riff-raff and buy my money order. Of course, that was the day there was a lightning and thunder storm - and a big rig jack-knifed on the 210 by Mountain - so the traffic on Foothill was horrendous - and the lightning had also knocked out power, so the traffic lights weren't working. You can see this ugly picture in your minds I am sure! But I finally left with a light heart, thinking, "Yes, I'm done!"
Yesterday I got the form back in the mail. I had not dated the signature page!! My best was not enough - the date, in my handwriting, was required!!
Then Wednesday I left school early to go give blood at Ryan H.'s Eagle project. My hematocrit was 37 - the requirement is 38. Needless to say, they wouldn't take my blood, regardless of my efforts to come and be supportive of Ryan and the Scouts.
I think you see my drift. I thought, well, this could discourage someone. There are some times when trying your best is sufficient. A poor math student who studies his or her heart out but still gets a C, is probably doing his or her best. And unless they need a specific GPA for something, a C in Calculus won't ruin their life. But what if they do need a specific GPA for a program or job - then the best you can do doesn't cut it - the requirement needs to be met.
So now I'm seeing things a little differently. And I'm thinking that trying to get my visiting teaching done, my scriptures read, my prayers said,my calling fulfilled, just may not be enough. The Lord asks more than just doing our best - there are requirements. And those requirements should drive our thoughts and actions.
On the plus side, fulfilling those requirements will bring great blessings - well worth the extra effort required.
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A wise philosopher once said, "Do or do not, ther is not try." Master Yoda was a wise Jedi. Karen told me to read your post because she thought I might find it interesting. I have often quoted Yoda to my students when they tell me they will "try" to bring their scriptures to class. I respond in a kind way with something like, "What you really mean is that you are not really going to bring your scriptures, right?" They then say, "Yeah." I will then tell them the difference between "trying" and striving. Striving is sincerely doing your best. While "trying" is merely an excuse.
Let me run spell Czech on my Yoda quote. "Do or do not, there is no try." Sorry.
I love it when I post a comment and then I read it published and I realize that I have spelled at least 10 words wrong. Hi Jeff!
So Mom, you are saying that I need to get my tail in gear and actually magnify my calling, not just meet the minimum?
Interesting remarks, Babs. Sometimes it’s difficult to find balance between doing “all that is required” and doing all that you can do. I know Heavenly Father knows the difference between when I’m doing all I really can and when I’m doing all that I feel up to doing. But it’s hard for me to tell the difference!
well i'm so glad i checked your blog - i think i'll have to quote Master Yoda once in a while.
I'm glad you got your clear cred done - nothing like a deadline to get us moving.
I also don't alway try my best - actually to be honest - I never try my best. i usually can get away with a good effort. I will STRIVE to do my best from now on. That means getting off the computer and playing with my children i guess.
I'm not saying that we all need to lay a guilt trip on ourselves. I'm saying that it's important to know what is required, so we can do it - that is, if we want the result from the requirement. Like the WW people say, you can talk all you want about doing your best, but if you don't adjust your eating and exercise, don't be upset about not losing weight. If the temple session starts at 5, don't be upset if you get there at 5:15 and can't get in . If the recipe calls for baking soda and you use baking powder, don't be alarmed at the results. I guess wisdom is when you can tell what a requirement is - and what isn't!
Appreciated your thoughts. There are many times that I wonder what is really striving to do your best and what is just doing trying to do your best. I guess we have to rely on the spirit in this situation. I think that we will know when we have done the things that are acceptable to the Lord.
Maybe this is a little off topic, but I think it relates somewhat:
I don’t remember exactly how Pres. Faust put it in his talk Sat., but he was talking about how R.S. sisters set up tables with nice cloths, flowers, etc., although the men don’t display “so much as a shriveled dandelion”—and he said that sometimes women, for all their hard work to put on a good show, are too hard on themselves. But, “Your offerings are not only acceptable, but pleasing to the Lord,” he said (in so many words). I loved that. I loved it. Because, I’ll be honest, I don’t always have a great display on my table (certainly not since I started teaching the 12-year-olds), and the kids, for that matter, don’t always put on a great display of appreciation.
But I work hard on my lessons and pray that I’ll know what to teach them, and it’s important to know, especially when the kids aren’t exactly showing their approval (although they are great kids), that God accepts and is pleased by what I offer.
Teaching is something where it’s harder to measure “all that is required,” so sometimes you just have to do what you think is required.
That said, it’s still hard to meet the requirements for some of the more obvious things, such as losing weight or getting to the session on time.
I can just picture God up there watching and smiling at us as we fumble through our tasks. Accepting and pleased when we work hard, and certainly empathetic and compassionate at our missteps and sorrows, but smiling sometimes at how silly we can be.
I'm glad that I used baking powder correctly.
But next time, I'll do what is required... i.e., put in the flour.
Sometimes we are not aware of what our best really can be.
So I say thanks to all the Teachers, Coaches, Drill Sargents, Bishops, and others who not only make us stetch for and fulfill the requirements but help us reach a new level of "The best that I can do or be".
I was teaching 1 Nephi 17 last week and came across verse 15, which says "Wherefore, I Nephi, did strive to keep the commnadments of the Lord..." I know that not everyone who uses the word try in their vocabulary is not insincere, but I do think striving implies a greater comitment in in fulfilling what we have convenanted to do.
Another scripture comes to mind for those who may feel some guilt at this type of conversation, Mosiah 4:27. Finding the right balance between being "anxiously engaged in good causes (D&C 58:27)and being a slacker is one of the life's greatest challenges. May each of us find that balance and recognize the extremes on each end of the strive/try continuum.
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