The conversation turned yet again to Enough. I kind of have a love/hate relationship with that word.

On the one hand it can seem so satisfying.

When my grandmother was alive, she always kept cookies on hand. Sometimes she would have a coffee can filled with her melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies. I loved if I saw my name felt-markered on masking-tape stuck to the can’s flimsy plastic lid. They were my favorite. “Did you get enough?” she’d ask. “Oh my – YES. Thank you Margaret!” I’d reply, wondering how in the world I ate half the can before even getting out the door. More than enough — for the moment. Just thinking about them makes me feel like I could use some right about now.

So I guess even satisfying-enough is momentary.

Because, that’s the story with things of this world and Enough – it changes on dime. Of course that’s the case with food: we’re hungry; we eat; we’re full; we’re not; and the dance begins again. But, that un-nerving cycle doesn’t stop at the dinner table. It bleeds into every do-all and be-all pressure or stress that surrounds us.

Especially in May. Especially as the school year draws to a close.

Anyway, the other day I was on the phone with my friend Courtney, whom I adore for so many reasons.. She had called to encourage me about my new book (Not the Boss of Us); which is about putting Overwhelmed in its place. It was on her mind because she had been dealing with some overwhelmed in her house that had found life in Enough. “Enough” – as in can I be –  had crossed the lips of one of her girls and was showing itself in stress-knots. So she called and we searched for perspective and Truth together and to put

Thankfully, by the grace of God working through a mother-lion mom who gets to the bottom of unsettledness, Courtney’s daughter called out an issue that plagues people decades her senior. She’s 8.

The sad part – she’s 8 and is already dragging under the pressures of enough. The happy part – she’s 8 and has said out loud, brought into the light, called out an overwhelming issue that can be tamed when re-framed by Truth. But to get there, lots of talk and listening and honesty and believing have to occur – as in believing Truth: you ARE enough. That the being and doing “enough” measuring marks are elusive and in perpetual motion – hard to land and impossible to maintain since Enough never seems to be.

I recently sat with my High School Junior at one of our school’s College Nights – arguably the epicenter of am-I-enough questioning and measuring. One of the Reps paused and addressed the filled auditorium before he answered a question from college counselor.

“Let me begin with this. You’re okay. I hope you’re listening. Let me say it again: you’re okay. You may or may not get into my school or other schools that you apply to, but don’t let any of this tell you you’re not okay because you are regardless of college acceptances. Are you listening? You’re okay.” Then he proceeded to share about his school and their admission process.

I loved that he outed the elephant in the room. It must be a big one that he sees often for him to open with it. And, how nice to tone down the stress/pressures and turn up Truth. Even nicer to do it together, alongside each other, knowing we’re all facing the same thing.

Then – as if on cue, Melanie Shankle (bigmama.com blogger, podcaster, NYT bestselling author) and Sandra Stanley (speaker, author, Northpoint Ministries) who came to Dallas for SaySomething Show’s Girl Talk outed these issues and poured on a load of inspiration and practical encouragement – along with a lot of laughter!

Melanie outs Enough right here at the 4:36 minute mark; then Sandra gives us practical steps to maintain Breathing Room in our lives – even in May.

I hope you’ll take the time to watch (or listen). No matter your age or life stage – these are pearls of wisdom worth putting on everyday before walking out the door.,

Thanks for walking the road with me!

-Kay

And if you’d like to be notified of future Girl Talk events (we’re putting one together right now for Summer) subscribe to our newsletter at saysomethingshow.com and enjoy a few chats while you’re there.

AND – if you have tween girls – PLEASE check out Courtney’s new Treasured Girlz

and podcast with Wynter Pitts. Both are SOOOOOOOOO GOOD!.

XOXO!!

Pin It on Pinterest