I do not mean to dis the shoe industry, but I was driving to school a month or so ago when I heard a radio personality discussing the new kind of tennis shoes that tie themselves! Really? Yep, they are rechargeable by placing them on a special pad every ten or so days.

When I heard about the self-tying tennis shoes, I thought, “Who is their target audience?” I surmised the interested group might be parents of young kids, athletes, and older people who have a difficult time bending over.

 I truly do understand there are some who would benefit from this shoe, and I mean no disrespect to those individuals, but I thought about the general public and how we do not need those. Are they a need for most? Absolutely not, yet many will purchase. Why? I believe because Americans just can’t seem to understand “enough”.

Very and Really

 As a middle school teacher, I know I have had enough of several things. Why is it that when one person gets permission to go to the restroom, another ten need to go? Another example is the use of the word very. You know you’ve seen it. “I want to get a dog very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very much.” Occasionally, the kid will slot the word very for the word really:”I really, really, really, really, really want a dog.” I am thankful for elementary teachers who have helped kids learn the verys and reallys are a little too much. I guess somewhere along the way some elementary teachers had had enough! I now notice that as kids get older they move away from using very over and over to capitalizing an entire word. Like the example below:

Capitalizing

My poor little dog Lily. I BACKED OVER her one cool, fall morning. I was in a HURRY, and I do NOT think she heard my car crank. She was hurt BADLY, and I thought she was going to DIE! It was a LONG recovery, but for the most part, she is FINE. Because of the accident, she often has bathroom problems. YUCK! When I leave my house almost EVERY morning, I find a BIG SURPRISE on my front porch. UGH! It is kind of GROSS! I LOVE her, but I have certainly seen ENOUGH of DOG POOP on my porch to last me a LIFETIME!

Enough is Enough

Speaking of the word enough…If I had a nickel for every time Mom  said, “Okay, girls! Enough is enough,” I would be quite wealthy. Maybe even ENOUGH to buy some of those shoes! My interpretation of Mom’s familiar saying was “Karla, you had better find your stop button fast!” So, I did in those moments because Mom was serious about the line between playing around and when it was time to stop! Though the limits may be unclear at times, there is much importance in learning when to draw the line. Those words have helped me develop an internal stop.

By the way, the phrase, “I’m not feeling well ENOUGH to…” was a no go with my mom also. She would say, “Well, get up. Wash your face and brush your teeth. Then you’ll feel better. Even if you don’t feel good ENOUGH to do all you need to, you can feel good ENOUGH to do some things.”

More Than Enough

God knows I struggle with the enough button with certain foods. Yes, I am going here…Put some GOOD OLE, garden fresh vegetables and cornbread in front of me, and I can eat until I realize I have had MORE than enough. Perhaps, you know the feeling? It is not just vegetables. I sure LOVE cousin Marlene’s coconut pies, Aunt Anna’s chocolate delight, and my Nana’s—- oatmeal brownies, rice crispy treats, $300 cake, and Ophie pound cake! Sometimes, the ONLY enough button I have with these scrumptious treats is when I arrive late in getting to the dish and it is almost gone.

God’s Enough

I think God has some ENOUGHS also. I am sure He has had enough of our BAD CHOICES. But, He never says, I’ve had enough of YOU!

Because when it comes right down to it: 

GOD never tires of us bringing our PROBLEMS to Him in prayer.  

And WE can NEVER get ENOUGH of HIS WORD, HIS LOVE, and HIS FELLOWSHIP!

(Bold words are another way kids love to show emphasis in their writing.)