Can or Will?

I am typing for the first time with wrist braces on. My hands have been falling asleep lately and it is very painful at night. I am tossing and turning just trying to be comfortable but the pain is, well, a pain. Dave has a couple of braces and mentioned having some of the same problems so I thought I would give it a shot. Typing is quite odd but my hands aren't numb so that is good and if I can sleep I will be quite happy.

I went running this morning. I thought I had run a little further then I actually had but was happy with 2.1 miles on the open road. As I was heading towards my folks house I was facing an uphill and had walked for a bit. I was ready to run again and started with a determination to run the remaining distance. I said to myself that I could do it. After a couple of steps I said to myself I will do it. I can do it or I will do it. What a difference one little word makes psychologically. I repeated I will do it several times as I ran the remaining difference. I thought about can and will - just because we can do something it doesn't necessarily mean we will do something.

As many of us may remember there was a recent political campaign that was all about hope and change. The call often heard from this campaign was "yes we can". I think perhaps a better motto would be "yes we will". As is typical with politicians there is a lot of talk about what one can do but what actually gets done leaves us wanting.

There is an entirely different level of commitment between I can and I will. I couldn't help but think about the good old missionary commitment pattern. We used to repeat an abbreviated version that simply captured the basics. It went something like this: How do you feel? I feel. What do you think you can do? I can. Will you? I will. Isn't it a process? First recognizing that you can do something and then making a determination that you will do it? I don't know. Perhaps I have put to much into this thought. Maybe I think too much when I am out running on the open road.

I have to say a few words on my kids. They left for Alaska today. I actually did pretty well with it. They were all excited to go and I hope that they will have fun and enjoy their time with their mom. I worked late and then had to run to the store. When I got home I went through the house and looked in Natty's room and then the boys room and I was sad to find myself alone.

I don't know what I can do for them while they are away. I thought about it and figured that I can pray for them daily. I will do that. I can also make a weekly trip to the temple. I will do that. I am going to go on Thursday evenings. I figure that by making this a priority and serving the Lord there he will be quick to bless and I will seek those blessings for my children. I can pray for Rachel and I will do that. I figure that she needs strength and I need her to have strength to be able to take care of the kids while they are with her.

I guess in life there are a lot of things that we can do the only question is will we?