Enough is Enough

Ever said those words? We've prayed for changes to the point of exhaustion, but it seems our prayers are only hitting the ceiling. We feel hopeless and disappointed. The sheer monotony of it all is tiring! Maybe your "enough" is one more day of isolation or home-schooling or face-mask wearing. I noticed that the quarantine is far more stringent in Austin than has been in Frisco where I live. Any stores opened, required face masks. I had never worn a mask until I saw this "must wear a mask" sign. I wore the "eye" mask in my car that I keep on hand in case I need to pull off the road for a little R&R! And what about the quarantine frontliners? I saw the marks on their faces. They might be saying "enough is enough"!

Then there's the enemy of our souls who taunts us with "You’re not good enough, young enough, smart enough”. You’re NOT enough”. I get that. Praying, giving and caring for others just doesn't seem enough. Doing the right thing doesn’t seem to be enough. We take it as long as we can then we declare: "ENOUGH already!"

Truthfully, those thoughts are likely right on. We aren’t enough and we don’t have to feel guilty for the frustration. Even Jesus admitted in the Garden that He would rather have the cup pass from Him. He understands us and, mercifully, we don’t have to be enough because He IS enough! His love for us is inexhaustible. No matter how much of God’s generous love we experience, there is always more available for the asking. St. Paul, instead of declaring "enough", gave us the key to survival: "He (God) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

I was a co-narrator for a Jewish Seder Passover Meal at my church. A beautiful prayer recited during the meal, included the refrain “Dayenu” which translates to “It would have been ENOUGH for us.” Here is an excerpt from that prayer:

“God, if You had only created us, it would have been enough for us. If You had only freed us from slavery in Egypt, it would have been enough for us. If You had only given us your wise Law, it would have been enough for us. If You had only fed us with manna, it would have been enough for us. If You had only brought us into the Promise Land, it would have been enough."

The prayer lists many more of God's blessings that were poured out on His people. It concludes: “How much more do we have to be thankful for the manifold and unbounded blessings of our All-Present God!” That is a prayer for us today! No matter how much we realize the goodness and mercy of our God, there is always more. I'm sure we have been blessed in ways that we haven’t even noticed. There is never a reason to doubt that God wants to give us more, and in fact, is likely orchestrating the presentation of that MORE right now!

Maybe we should come up with our own "Dayenu" list. We should think of the ways our Heavenly Father has provided for us, blessed us, and revealed His love to us.

“Lord, if you had only forgiven my sins and removed my guilt, it would have been enough. But You have done so much more. All praise to You, my God of MORE THAN ENOUGH!”

Go Outside and Make Soup

“I’m so bored!” Famous words from kids during their summer vacation. Did you complain of boredom when you were a kid? I did. My Mom’s reply to that – “Go outside and make soup.” WHAT? Oh, I knew what she meant. She wanted me to go outside and play, because that's where we had lots of "play grounds" that resolved boredom. Playgrounds that offered great imagination and adventures. We had a Mimosa tree in our front yard. We kids would take the bean pods from it and break it up into a big bowl. We’d add the leaves, seeds, pods and flowers from it and other trees, and add a little dirt for seasoning. We didn’t eat it, but we had so much fun pretending we were cooks. That little pretend scenario was one of many we imagined. We pretended to be school teachers, and sometimes we did some things that required bravery – like riding our bicycles – no hands, or climbing trees to get into our "club house". Sometimes our imagination went too far. I’ll never forget the trouble my friend and I got into when we wanted a swimming pool and dug an 8 foot by 8 foot by 1 foot hole in my backyard. We were finally caught when we were adding water to “our pit”. I’ll bet you can remember some wild and crazy adventures when you are a kid. Those adventures sure did break up monotony and boredom.

Even more so as adults, we know that adventures break up monotony and the same oh, same oh routines. That’s why our family loves fishing in lakes, ponds AND in oceans.

"Boredom” isn’t a word used in my vocabulary any more. I seem to be flying by the seat of my pants….quite regularly. In a moment’s notice, you might find me hitting the road to go see my kids in Texas, or taking off to a fun location or venue with friends, or volunteering for yet another ministry outreach.

Here’s the thing -- God didn’t create us for boredom! In John 10:10, Jesus said “I have come to give you LIFE, and LIFE more abundantly!” The question is “Are we taking Him up on His offer?”
We are always being “pushed” to be more, do more, experience more, celebrate more, live life larger than ever before. Here’s another great verse. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing and they will do EVEN GREATER things than these because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12

So, why sit in the pit of boredom, complacency, and idleness when there's so much to see, so much to do and so much to experience? This world is the greatest ";playground". Why be "dead men and women walking", instead of people who are alive, imaginative, creative AND adventureous? After all, this ABUNDANT LIFE is ready for us to enjoy it to the fullest.