“The best you can do is always enough.”

I said it this morning to my oldest daughter, my mini-me, my budding perfectionist. She had tied her own shoe (correctly). Was it right? she wanted to know. Was it good enough?

Yes, Erin. Your best is always good enough. I sent her for the other shoe. I said, “Do you know why your best is always enough?” No.

“Because God is always more than enough. Just do the best you can, don’t expect perfect, because He will always fill in all the places where we aren’t enough.”

I’m trying to teach her. I’m trying to teach me. I don’t have to be or do or act perfect. I just have to do my best, offer my best, and then let it go so that God can use it however He wants. My best is just rags. But He wants them anyway. Because He can fill up my “rags” with His own righteousness and then, amazingly, use them to further His plan, His glory.  He wants me to co-create with Him. Just my crayon scribbles, but He can make them a masterpiece. Such grace.

So I want her to hear it. To get it. Long before her hard-headed momma has, so I said to her again, “Your best is…” She said, “..to try!”

I said, “Your best is…” She said, “to learn!”

I said, “Your best is always enough. Because God is always more than enough.”

We’ll learn it together, Erin-girl. We’ll just keep learning it together.