My baby girl got a doll for her birthday.

A life-like doll.

It’s like we have a new member of the family.

Today, I heard her ask her brother to hold her baby

so that she could run upstairs.

He asked why she couldn’t take the baby with her. She said,

“I need to do something that doesn’t involve the baby.”

So. She needed her brother to care for the baby.

I kind of loved this little exchange.

It was a simple answer that

needed no further explanation.

I need to do something and I can’t do it

while I am holding a baby.

So I need some help.

Why do we make it complicated?

Why do we unnecessarily involve

guilt and shame when a mom says,

“I need to do something that doesn’t involve the baby.”

It could be she wants to take a six-mile run or perhaps

she is a doctor, a creative, or maybe she is CEO of an architect firm.

Why do we question motives and values when

a mom wants to use the gifts God has given her?

I mean, seriously, why?

Yes, there’s a cost if we pursue our gifts in ways that

take us away from our families.

There’s also a cost that is accrued when

we don’t pursue opportunities to use our talents.

Which costs more?

It’s up to each individual person and

each individual family has to weigh the costs.

And so most of the time,

99% of the time –

that doesn’t include you or me.

When a mom needs to do something

and she needs to do it with her hands free

to serve, work, love, heal, teach.

Cheer her on.

Support her.

Encourage her.

Don’t question her love for her children.

Don’t project on to her burdens that

she doesn’t carry.

She’s given a simple answer.

Sometimes she needs her hands free

to give the world what has been put

within her heart and mind.

It’s a simple answer –

let’s not complicate it.