My four year old struggled to write his name. He knew that U doesn’t look quite right. His frustration turned into tears. I stood by offering encouragement. The U is one of the best he’s done. It’s not perfect, but it is good enough. He’s only been writing letters for a few months, after all. He didn’t listen to me encouraging him. He was overcome with how he couldn’t do it right.
I realized I was doing the same thing. I had work to do, and I knew it wasn’t perfect. I was trying my best, but I just wasn’t getting to the level I wanted to be at. When God told me it was good enough, I wasn’t listening.
If I’m trying to do my best, and more importantly relying on the Lord to make up the difference, then my work will be good enough. It might look like the uneven wobbles of a four-year-old just learning to write. But if I keep trying and not get overcome by discouragement, my efforts will improve. I know that they have improved in the past. I can be happy with where I am at now.
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I love this. I’ve thought along the same lines before–how my kids get so frustrated and how I just want them to slow down and know it’ll be okay. Bo is really good at writing his name now–which is ridiculous because it’s basically one letter and a circle. Mae still struggles with things sometimes, or gets upset if I try to correct her. But I really want her to know that it’s not that I’m mad (most of the time), it’s just that I’m wanting her to learn and I know she can learn.
I think I’m making more positive steps about not being so frustrated with myself. That I am doing all right.
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