Friday, May 25, 2012

Heart Full

As my belly gets bigger, my patience level for unfiltered comments gets smaller.  I've gotten all kinds of comments from "this is your fourth?!?" stated in a very loud and incredulous voice, to "What are trying to do, keep up with the Duggars?"  All I'm sure are meant in good humor and I am able to shake it off or have a little jovial comment in response.  But there has been one comment of late that has really irritated me more than anything else.  The comment usually spews out of an ignorant mouth when I am out in public with one or more of the kids.

"Well, I guess you're really going to have your HANDS FULL"

Sure our lives are busy and full of appointments, extra curricular activities, sicknesses, homework, birthday parties and all the many other things that come along with having kids.  And sure there are days when MY sin nature takes over and I don't have the patience to endure the day to day trials that arise while raising a family.  But when did having children become a burden?  It really breaks my heart to think that this comment is stated in such a way that people feel sorry for me or are judging me for the choices Matthew and I have made in bringing multiple children into this world. 

So I have finally found a response that seems to put people in their place without me having to go all Preggo Hormonal on them.  It is something I have found very comforting for myself as well on those days when I am not fully appreciating the fact that the Lord has blessed us with these beautiful children.  My response to these people stated with a smile on my face is:

"Not a hand full a HEART FULL"

My children are a heart full of memories that no one will ever be able to take away from me.  A heart full of dreams for what our days ahead will be filled with.  But most importantly a heart full of blessings that can only come from our Lord and Savior above and for that I am truly grateful!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen, well stated! <3

143

Anonymous said...

Amen! It certainly is sad the way people speak now a days when people have more than one child. I pray the Lord will bless our family to expand in the near future! Children are an incredible blessing and they do make our hearts full! Thank you for sharing a great way to respond to the negativity. Sarah Griffin

Br. Chris said...

Sis. Kerry, I love your response! It's kind, it's effective, and it's Biblical! I know I am personally very thankful for the other 3 J kiddos, so feel very confident that I'll be just as nuts about #4!

From someone looking in, you're doing a wonderful job! Lord bless you!!!

lydia said...

I love your response! I think it's perfect and exactly right. Many people would love to have their hands and hearts full! Thank the Lord for the little ones!

Dani said...

I think it's a great response, though I would be way more ticked about being compared to keeping up with the Duggars than having my hands full. I have my hands full with two, it's not like you all of a sudden have way "hands full" by adding one more. How in the world is having a 4th like having 20?

Good for you having a heart full. I totally would have been snarking and hormonal. ;)

Amanda said...

I hear “wow you have your hands full” ALL THE STINKIN TIME!! And even though I am not pregnant hormonal it doesn’t offend me, but it sure does get old!! Thank you so much for sharing your words of wisdom because I am totally gonna start using this as my reply. It is so true and I agree about it being sad people think having multiple kids is a burden. I think about you often as I was in your “condition" this time last year and am really glad I’m not in that condition this year :) Hope these next few weeks pass quickly and every thing goes well in the delivery. Btw, I can’t wait to find out what #4 will be :)