"If you can't do it right, don't do it at all!"

I think that is the worse advice ever.  Horrible.

Recently I have had conversations with three different people who said the afore mentioned phrase or something really close.  Each time I thought to myself "that doesn't seem right".

Rather than tattle on my friends, I'll speak hypothedically about general topics.  You'll get the picture. 

Doctors recommend working out at least 3 days a week. If you operate under the "do it right" principle and you can't go to the gym or run three days a week, then you should just skip it and wait to exercise until you can commit to all three days.

But what if you can go one day a week and work hard?  Is that not worth anything?  Is your body not getting a little something?  The correct training schedule for a 1/2 marathon is between 8-12 weeks, depending on your fitness level.  I didn't have time to follow the schedule so I just winged it.  I did what I could, I made it up as I went,  and I figured out a way to get my body ready in just one month.  If I had let this "do it right" stuff get in my way, I would have missed out on the great opportunity I had to train and run a 1/2 marathon.  It wasn't "right" but it worked.

I started going to a women's bible study, I have great intentions of doing my study each day and attending regularly but due to one thing or another I have only made it to the meetings every other week.  A friend of mine was in a similar situation and decided rather than continue to come when she can, she wanted to stop coming until life settles down and she can get in there and do it right.  

Maybe you can't watch every video and maybe you are slightly lost on the lessons, but when you are there you get something out of the lessons you are doing right?  God can speak to your heart, and reveal to you just what you need to hear if you show up once a year or once a week.  He has something for you every single time you come ready and willing to listen.  To claim that you can't take part in a study because you can't show up every time or do every lesson is really just cheating yourself.  Give Him one hour and he will show up.

I was baking with my Aunt, well she was baking and I was watching and learning, and she asked me if I had a kitchen scale.  No I do not.  She was not surprised because throughout the baking experience I lacked about half of the things she needed.  When she realized she was going to have to estimate the weight of the ingredients she commented that she liked to do it right or not at all!  She was a little flustered for a minute by my inept kitchen, but she estimated just fine everything turned out perfectly!  What if she took inventory before the adventure and decided not to bake because we couldn't do it right?  Ahhh I would have been out some super delicious pie.

How many delicious recipes have been created because an ingredient was missing?  One time I didn't have milk for scrambled eggs but I had cream.  Yum.  Methods of cooking, ingredients, tools can be improved by that one time that you don't have what you need and you find something else to fill the void.  

If we wait to take on new challenges until we can do it right, until we are ready or until life slows down, we may never have the opportunity to succeed....or to try and fail.

Sometimes trying and failing provides just as much growth, entertainment, or pleasure than succeeding as planned.  When I only run one or two days a week, I can't run as far or as strong because I'm out of shape but I'm working so much harder for that 3 miles than I used to work at mile 6.  You absolutely cannot just omit the oatmeal from chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.  It doesn't work, but now I know you can edit things like nuts and raisins but not hearty ingredients like oatmeal and flour!  You probably cannot lead a small group if you don't show up regularly, but if you listen intently when you are there you can passionately spread that same message to a friend who also needs to hear it.  And you cannot just drill four spindly legs on a hollow door and expect it to turn into a desk.  But, you can consult your dad on ways to make it work and come up with a new plan.

There is some truth to the do it right idea, but it is not a rule to live by.

A very wise mentor once advised me to do my best for today.  My best today may not be as good as my best was yesterday or will be tomorrow but it will be my best.

I know it is still October but...I accidentally sang Drummer Boy today and now it seems so fitting.  I'll spare you the pa rum pums.

"I have no gift to bring, that's fit to give a King, shall I play for you on my drum?....

I played my drum for him, I played my best for him, then he smiled at me...pa rum pum pum pum"

Give the best you have in all you do and your reward will be encouragement to give your best again, and again, and again.