“Anything worth doing is worth doing right!”

I heard that so many times growing up and so often it STILL resounds within me.  It happened today as I was sharing my Jiminy story at Valley Church where my son is pastor.   Did I read it right or was it boring? Should I have just told the story instead of read it?  Did I present it right?

It happened earlier this month when I was weeding…honest!    Am I weeding right?  Which ones are the weeds?  I mean, who decides that?  What if the person who KNOWS, comes to my house and sees that I don’t REALLY know how to weed RIGHT?

 That led me to all the other times that question has come to me.  It is downright embarrassing!   Did I make the beds right? Did I cook that meal right? (I JUST found out this summer that there are different measuring cups for dry and liquid measures so, clearly, I haven’t been baking right!)  Did I buy the right gift?  Do I hostess right?  Did I play the game right?  Did I do that dance step right? 

 DID I DO IT RIGHT?????

I honestly was 30 years old before I realized there was more than ONE RIGHT WAY to make a bed; I was going on 60 before I realized that it doesn’t matter!

What DOES matter is how you impact others by what you do.  Not the bed or the weeds or the food or the game or the dance but WHO is affected by the way you do it.

THAT is what makes it right or wrong.

“DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.”

My mother really cared about her garden, her home so when I was in her home, I tried my best to do it her way.

If I have you in my home or get you a gift, I should think about you and what would please you even if it means I BUY the cake and MAKE the gift!

If I choose to play on the team, whatever the game, then I owe my best effort.

If I am going to share a faith message then I need to let go of ‘me’ and let the ‘message’ emerge.

If I am your dance partner on the dance floor… or in life… I ought to do all I can to not step on your toes…or your heart.

God wants our best but I believe there are many right ways to get there…and if I can quit worrying so much about doing what DOESN’T matter the right way and just start doing what DOES matter the right way…treating others the way I would like to be treated…in other words, being faithful…

….well, then, that IS worth doing.

RIGHT?