Lisa Jacobson's Blog, page 17

How to Find Life-Saving Friendship With Small Children in the House

She wasn’t a likely candidate for friendship.

More like a cousin. And a cousin by marriage at that.

You know, the kind of relative that you normally only see at weddings, funerals, and the occasional family reunion.

But she turned out to be much more.

A cousin. A friend, And a gift.

I can’t say exactly how it began but this spark – likely at the summer family reunion at Aunt Nancy’s farm – started us talking about how overwhelmed we were both feeling with several young children apiece. How the babies kept us up at night and how hard it was to get anything done. And how we couldn’t help wishing we could get some help.

Not sure who had the idea first, but I can remember how our eyes lit up at the thought.

We decided we would have our own kid-swap.

Once a week, one of us would take ALL the kids for a big chunk of the day. We dropped them off mid-morning, and the other mom served them lunch and even put them down for naps.

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How Do You Plan to Help Your Kids Become Respectful?

 

It was Thursday night pizza night at our house, so I made my weekly trip to the carry-out pizza place. The young guy behind the counter greeted me cheerfully by saying, “Hey babe, what can I get for you?”

My jaw dropped, and it was an awkward time before I recovered and asked for two medium pepperoni pizzas.

Babe? I thought as I got into my car. On my next birthday, I’ll be 48 years old. My daughter is married, and my son is beginning his sophomore year of college.

“You should feel flattered,” my husband said when I told him the story at home. We had a moment of joking about how I should be used to this kind of thing by now, considering my hot bod’. (Briefly ignoring the fact that I am now buying pants that have some stretch in the waistline, ya know.)

But I was not flattered. This pizza guy’s complete lack of respect for me was offensive, to say nothing of his disrespect for me as a customer.

How do we teach our kids that calling an older woman “babe” is inappropriate, to say the least?

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How to Get That Much-Needed Rest with Small Children in the House

Today’s topic can be a bit touchy.

Because whenever you tell an overtired mom that she should “really get her rest.” She might be tempted to scratch your eyes out.

Figurately speaking, of course.

I know because that was my basic response whenever my husband suggested that I “get more sleep.”

Ha! I wish.

Even though deep down I knew he was right.

But how? Where?

Sleep and small children simply don’t go together, and he seemed to be oblivious to that reality.

But since this is a series on “How to Have a Happy Home with Small Children,” I’m going to take a big risk and bring the topic up.

Let’s begin with the why.

Why Is Rest So Important to Moms with Young Children?

For one, a well-rested mama is a nicer, kinder sort of mom. As in, you’re far less likely to snap at your kids if you’ve had your rest.

Sleep is crucial to making good decisions. There are tons of articles out there about how leaders and CEO types need their sleep to do their jobs well.

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What to Tell Your Soul When You Feel Unsettled

Summers can be unsettling.

In my mind’s eye, they should be filled with pleasant, lazy predictability.

But I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced that. The summers of my life have been filled with change. And with the most recent changes… a move, cross-country travels, lots of newness on the horizon… comes the realization once again. My world is unpredictable. I’m not truly home yet. There’s a lot of unknown left, whether I like it or not.

It can unsettle my soul.

I’m tempted to let it swirl alongside my emotions: missing the comfortable elements of yesterday; worrying through the “what ifs” of tomorrow; hurting with burdened loved ones today; wishing every little thing that feels unraveled right now could just be resolved and permanently in place.

This transitional season shows me, once more, that I have very little control.

So before anxieties settle too deeply into my heart’s cracks and corners, I need to have a talk with my soul. Better yet, let God’s Word speak to my soul.

Be still.

That’s where it starts.

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How to Have A Happy Home With Small Children in the House {A New Series}

I told you how our home was turned upside down.

First for the worse.

And then for the better.

No, our story definitely didn’t start well.

We were in a heap of trouble at our place, and I could feel it.

And so could he.

Frankly, it wasn’t too hard to figure out. Just one peek into our home and you would have known it too.

You see, we had moved across the country so that he could begin a new job.

And together we had decided I would be a stay-at-home mom.

But honestly? It was every bit new territory for me as his new job was for him. Only a lot more so.

This was considered an important move for him – a “big” job opportunity.

But then again, so was mine.

Except he had some training and experience for his work.

And I, on the other hand, had none.

I’d never been a mom before, and I’d never run a home of my own.

Continue reading How to Have A Happy Home With Small Children in the House {A New Series} at Club31Women.com

Making Brave Decisions: How to Master Decisions in Motherhood

Most of us begin pretty early in life taking notice of what others are wearing, what shoes are popular, which hair styles are on trend.

We awkwardly work our way through middle school and into high school keeping a close eye on what everyone else is doing and where we fit into the scheme of things.

And just when we think we have graduated from all of that, adulting brings on a whole new insecurity in decision making.  What is the best career path, the best college, the best time to settle down?  In the suburbs or the city, to rent or to own?

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

And then comes motherhood – where all decisions become paramount.

Because a child’s life is at stake, of course.  So we fret over glass bottles or plastic, cloth diapers or disposables, rear-facing until they are 15 years old, or front facing at 2.

I don’t even blame you, mamas.  I am one of you.  

I remember when my first child was ready to switch from an infant car seat to a convertible, over a decade ago. 

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A Special Gift for My Friends at Club31Women {free printable}

One of my good friends recently commented to me, “Gift-giving is your love language, isn’t it!”

I had to laugh. I’d never thought of it quite like that, but yes, I suppose it’s true.

I really enjoy giving gifts.

Just little things. Those small presents that say, “Hey, I’m thinking of you.” And, “I like you.”

That kind of thing.

And if I had my way, I’d send every one of you a box of dark chocolate truffles (my other love language!), but my husband put his foot down there (adding something about the impracticality of mailing out over 30,000 chocolates??). Too bad because that would’ve been fun!

Giving Our Daughters God’s Word—Plain and Simple

Have you ever watched as a toddler waddled right past the brightly colored, singing, spinning and jumping circus, also known as a bouncer, in order to grab a piece of white notebook paper? Only for you to witness the loads of fun they can have just from crumbling, ripping and gnawing on such a basic and bare material?

Paper. Nothing complicated. Just paper.

Similarly, my 9-year old recently came to me and asked if she could have an empty brown box that had once been used for a package. When I asked what she wanted it for, she replied, “I want to build a store.”

And that is exactly what she did.

Using only markers, scissors, glue and paper, I watched as she transformed that useless cardboard into a lovely creation. She colored and cut out paper images to create storefronts, she designed window displays and she even placed a paper staircase in in the middle of the box.

From there she welcomed her dolls in and they shopped! I should add that this all happened right next to our three-story dollhouse and containers of Legos.

She used a box.

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How to Get the Hands-On Biblical Training You Desperately Need For Your Marriage and Home

Looking back now, I realize it was a turning point.

A  significant one.

I suppose that’s why the scene remains so clear in my mind.

I can still see my husband standing up in front of our church group and announcing this rather personal news.

We were part of a large adult Sunday School class – maybe 100 people or so – and he was our teacher.

But instead of opening our Bibles to I Samuel  Chapter 3 or whatever it was, he began talking to them, as if they were some of his closest friends.

And he said something like this,

We have had a radical change in our home.  And I’m so excited about it that I just want to share it with everyone here.

He immediately had everybody’s attention and they leaned a little closer in their seats.

He continued, “My wife has made some changes in our family, and it’s made such a difference that I can hardly describe what it means to me.  Our home is more peaceful, and she’s happier, and the kids are too.

Continue reading How to Get the Hands-On Biblical Training You Desperately Need For Your Marriage and Home at Club31Women.com

Encouragement for When God Seems Silent

Are there times when you feel like your prayers are going no farther than the ceiling of your house? Do you ask for guidance but remain lost? Do you seek for answers only to remain ignorant and confused? I feel like this sometimes.

Many of us have felt as if God were silent, not answering our questions or knowing our desires; not changing our circumstances or calming our hearts.

But I want to encourage you that God not only hears every one of our prayers but answers them as well. All of them.

Our Prayers are sometimes answered in ordinary ways.

God often answers our prayers and desires without us noticing it. He gives us our daily bread, keeps us safe throughout the day, gives every breath we breath and fills our life with beautiful moments that we often take for granted.

Our Prayers are sometimes answered invisibly.

Sometimes God answers our prayers in ways we cannot see with our eyes. He is always working and orchestrating all things. He never sleeps and never looks away even for a moment. So though we may not feel like God is answering our prayers in the way that we would like him to, we can have full confidence that God is doing something, and this somethings is always good and always for his glory.

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