My little boy is always carrying something in his hands. Always. As I write, he has two cars and a Luigi figure. It’s really cute and I am always amused by what he chooses to carry around.

The problem occurs when he needs to use his hands but he can’t because they are full of toys!

“Mom, can you open the door for me?” He doesn’t want to put his toys down to open the door. And my personal favorite, “Mom, can you hold my toys?” So then I get to hold his toys. I spend most of my day saying “put the toys down so you can use your hands!”

This morning I realized that I can be just like my little boy. I’m always carrying around stuff I don’t need and sometimes it keeps me from doing things I need to do.

Sometimes I carry frustration and I can’t pick up patience.

Sometimes I carry anger and I can’t pick up joy.

Sometimes I carry disappointment and I can’t pick up gratefulness.

Sometimes I carry guilt and I can’t pick up grace.

Sometimes I carry anxiousness and I can’t pick up peace.

Sometimes I carry doubt and I can’t pick up faith.

What are you carrying?

It affects those around us too. How often have you asked someone to “hold your toys?”

When my husband comes home from work do I hand him my frustration?

When my children want me to play with them do I hand them my anger?

When a new friend wants to have lunch do I hand them my anxiety?

When Jesus asks me to share His love do I hand Him my doubt?

The people around me can’t experience the best of me if I am constantly asking them to hold my stuff.

It’s time to deal with the stuff that is weighing us down. It’s time to stop asking others to holding it for us.

You might be surprised by what happens when you empty your hands.

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