“You have your hands full!”

As a mama of three young girls, I get a lot of comments when I’m out and about.

“Three girls?! Oh, just wait until they’re in high school.”

“You have your hands full!”

“That’s a lot of little girls!”

“Are they all yours?”

“Wow! You must be busy!”

I’m always left a bit speechless. These things aren’t said to upset anyone. They are innocent and meant to make conversation, but I think it’s important to remember to use our words wisely. For the mama who is juggling a cart load of groceries, a baby on her hip and a screaming toddler, a comment like this can feel like anything but innocent. Sometimes something so simple can instill fear, worry or frustration into an already busy life with young kids. The mom may think, “I can barely get my kids to cooperate for 30 minutes in the grocery store, how in the world am I going to handle them in high school?” or “Yes, my hands are so full and I don’t feel like I’m doing any of it well.” Instead of feeling eager to take on the challenge of motherhood and seasons to come, it may make her wonder if she should be dreading the journey.

Whether you are a mom of boys or girls or both, I encourage you to embrace exactly what God has given you and to ignore the comments from outsiders. He knew when you birthed those babies, that with His help, you are capable to mother those children well. Does that mean they will be perfect? No. Does that mean that we won’t make mistakes as moms? No. Does that mean that there won’t be struggles or trials? No.

Jesus says in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” As moms, we should expect that there are going to be so many challenging seasons, but we should also look at these times as opportunities to train our children and point them to Jesus.

If you’re a seasoned mom, a grandparent or not quite in the season of parenthood, I encourage you to lift up that busy mama in the grocery store. Most likely, she knows she has her hands full so tell her instead that she’s doing a great job! She’s probably exhausted and feeling overwhelmed in her current season, and a simple statement might make her question if she’s cut out for the job. If you’re a fellow mama friend, you are cut out for the job! Our hands are full and our hearts are even more full. The days can feel long, but the years are oh so short. Let’s embrace it!