Consistency

This post is part of my thoughts on how to teach the kids to work.

The other night, as I was tucking Spice into bed, she said, "Mom, I'm not a very good girl because I keep messing up.  I keep saying sorry for being grumpy and then I do it again the next day.  I just can't do it!"

I told her that she was making progress even if she didn't realize it and that as long as she was trying that she was being a good person.

The very next day I opened up the New Era to read a little excerpt from General Conference during morning devotional.  I came across these words:

"Sometimes in our daily efforts to become more Christlike, we find ourselves repeatedly struggling with the same difficulties.  As if we were climbing a tree-covered mountain, at times we don't see our progress until we get closer to the top and look back from the high ridges.  Don't be discouraged.  If you are striving and working to repent, you are in the process of repenting." -Neil L. Anderson

These words had an impact on Spice.  They had an impact on me as well.

I think all of us have days where we feel like our goals are too high, and our best just isn't good enough for what we'd like to accomplish.  I think of the schedule I set up for myself.  The schedule isn't the goal, but it is a means to many of the goals that I have for myself and my family.  Yet, I don't think I have ever had a day where I have stuck to it 100%  I haven't exercised cosistently in months (maybe I'll get back to it when baby starts sleeping through the night again!)  and usually we end up skipping something or shortening it because of lack of time.

I haven't been discouraged though.  I like having that plain, measurable guide to help me strive towards my goals.  I don't think Yoda's adage, "There is no try, only do" applies here.  I don't think "consistency" is always doing everything I set out to accomplish, but it's consistently trying and not giving up.   I think that is why I liked Machiavelli's quote so much:

A wise man ought always to follow the paths beaten by great men, and to imitate those who have been supreme, so that if his ability does not equal theirs, at least it will savour of it.  Let him act like the clever archers who, designing to hit the mark which yet appears too far distant, and knowing the limits which the strength of their bow attains, take aim much higher than the mark, not to reach by their strength or arrow to so great a height, but to be able with the aid of so high an aim to hit the mark they wish to reach.

I think my efforts "savour" of my ideal and I like it.  Slowly, we are moving forward and every once in a while I get a glimpse out from the "tree-covered mountain" and I see that we are making progress despite my many faults, failures and inconsistencies.

It is so fun to enjoy the little things in life, to treasure the priceless moments, and at the same time, know that I am moving forward as I consistently try to improve and reach for my goals.

Like my good friend, Diana, likes to say "Life is not in the destination.  It's in the journey."