There is Enough

Have you ever watched Hoarders? I admit this program is a guilty pleasure. I have known a few hoarders in my life. I like to watch it of course for the shock factor but mostly because I am fascinated by human behavior. These homes of varying sizes are packed to the rooftop with 5 or 10 times the amount of material that the space can accommodate. Even the physical structure is broken by the overwhelming weight of the items. For these people, there isn't enough. I've known a few alcoholics, drug addicts and compulsive gamblers in my lifetime. They never had their fill. We seem sometimes wired to gorge ourselves on something, anything that makes us feel better. The world is filled with broken people trying to get by and so often they remedy they seek is destructive in there never ending search for more. For most of us, we may have avoided those extreme pitfalls. Maybe we aren't as broken as some, maybe we have more self control, maybe we have tools that help us cope. Still even when we aren't walking in this exaggerated state of too much we can still feel like there isn't enough, not enough of something. We tend to look over our neighbor's fence, or linger too long over photos posted on Instagram and we want what someone else has, we want more. If we let it fester it can eat away our contentment. The Commandment to "Not covet your neighbors' goods" is the last of the 10. God took the time to include it. It may seem like a lesser sin than taking a life, but it many ways, it is our own life we sacrifice when we spend it in a state of envy. Envy is the sin that led Satan to fall from Grace. It literally made the Devil who he is. How much more content are our lives when we can we see our neighbors life and be joyful for them? How much more do we build our life, and grow in all the ways we wish we could when we spend our time watering our own grass, instead of envying our neighbor's.

We don't need to fill our life with things, it will never bring us lasting joy. We don't need to pollute our bodies or minds, all that we attempt to escape remains with the pollution wears off.

What we need to consider is that there is enough. The world is not one pie that we are all scrambling to consume. You can bake your own pie. If we cast our gaze to our own life, our own marriage, our own children, and overall our own joy and peace of mind we will have enough. Do you recognize when it's "enough" in your life? I still find myself working through this sometimes. I have an incredible marriage to a really good man. You know what, my husband isn't very romantic. He can't think of anything fun to do on a date. He doesn't plan dates or getaways. He goes into a panic around gift giving holidays, like Valentine's Day - torture. He is just not good at this. He wishes he were (and so do I sometimes) but after 21 years of marriage... yeah he isn't getting any better at it. It's okay. He is a million other things. He does the dishes and after about year 12 he started doing them without me asking. He is kind and funny and he will get me anything, and do anything I ask. He just can't decide on a place to go for a nice dinner. We have enough, our marriage is enough for me. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Our home is not a McMansion, but it's enough. The hardest part I think for me on accepting and walking in gratitude for the life I have was accepting that I am enough. Oh my friend, I can't tell you the struggle feeling like I am not good enough has been in my life. Do more. Accomplish more. Impress more. Be the best. So many women find their 20's and 30's marked by this idea that you need to be and have it all. You don't. You just need enough. There is enough for you. You need to cultivate it. You need to grow it. You need to love it and you need to recognize it. There is enough, you are enough. His grace is enough. This is a big word for just 6 letters. ENOUGH. We tend to only use it in the context of I HAVE HAD ENOUGH! But it's much more peaceful and contented a word than that expression. If you have some time, pray on "enough". See where it takes you.