Not the Best, but Enough

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Recently, my son had a little event at his school where each student presented their mom with an award. It said, “My mom is the best because… Most kids had dictated things like, “We go to the park” Or “She gets me ice cream.”

My kid wrote, “I like to draw pink.” Not me… him. He was drawing with pink on the picture when they asked him, and he was probably stuck in that moment. I didn’t expect deep though because… well,  he is a goofball! After hearing his classmates say it during the presentation, he kept repeating, “You’re the best!” It was totally cute.

That same week, I had my middle school class make Mother’s Day poetry pop up cards. Anytime I do something family related I preface it with, “Every family is different. Do what works best for your situation.” My students have a variety of home situations. Moms, step moms, grandmothers, dads who take up the role of moms, and some who have lost their moms altogether.

Mother’s Day can be painful. It can open old wounds. And when we compare, we all fall short.

Comparison is also the thief of our joy. Competition is great for business and sports, but not motherhood.

I’m not the “best” mom. In fact, the morning my son presented me with my award, seriously lost my cool because we were late. Really late. Again.

Sometimes we lose it because of the expectations heaped upon us from others. But most of the times, it because of the expectations we lay before ourselves. The type of parent we want to be, what we want to achieve, the to-do-list we want to complete, the goals we want to meet. Before long, we realize there aren’t enough hours in the day, we can’t physically do everything, and we have created disorder. In the midst of our struggle, we have lost our joy.

Our God is not a God of disorder but of peace. -1 Corinthians 14:33

My floors are dirty, I have epic laundry piles, I can’t make it to every school event, and I’m just so tired some days. I’m great at some things, and stink at others. But, I am enough. I am enough for my children. I am enough for my family. I love them with all my heart. I can celebrate love rather than perfection.

So, remember you are enough.

Love continually.

Laugh hard.

Take blurry photos.

Enjoy the moment.

Celebrate love.

Cultivate peace.

Perfection is overrated and exhausting.

May the God of peace be with you on this Mother’s Day.