Lisa Jacobson's Blog, page 61

32 Tips I’d Like to Pass Along to Younger Moms

So here we are twenty years down the road.

Our oldest “child” – now a young man – and his sisters now young women. Not sure how that happened.

Four boys. Four girls. And a special needs child in the middle.

Two decades of parenting.

So what would I pass on to moms who are at the starting point of this journey? What to offer now that I can look back a bit? Yet still with a few more years to go.

Here are 32 tips I’d like to pass along to to younger moms….

1.    Listen to your children’s hearts. Even more than their words.

2.    Be quick to say you’re sorry. When you’ve messed up.

3.    But even faster to forgive. When they’ve done wrong.

4.    Embrace their unique qualities. Enjoy them just the way they are.

5.    Hug them everyday. Preferably morning, noon, and night.

6.    Teach your children to respect you.

7.    And show them a little respect too. Sometimes we forget that they’re people too – just small ones.

8.    Be willing to die to yourself. Because it takes a whole of dying to be a mom.

9.     Say “I love you” every – single – day.

10.   Relax. Yes, I really mean that. I wasted far too many days being uptight. And missed some precious moments along the way.

11.   Your time is the best investment you can make in your children. There are no substitutes.

12.   Speak in a kind voice. Kindness carries a power all of its own.

13.   Don’t worry so much about the mess. It will get cleaned up someday. Eventually. Maybe . . . .

14.   Lead them to love the Word of God. Nothing could equip them any better for life. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

15.   Smile with your eyes. A mom’s loving smile can make almost anything better.

16.   Don’t neglect your own needs. It’s hard to fill up others when you’re on empty.

17.   Don’t apologize for being the parent. God is the One who appointed you to this role.

18.   Pour into their young lives now. Because this is your chance to give them all you’ve got.

19.   Teach them to work hard. They’ll thank you someday for it. (Prov. 13:4)

20.   Build your children up. With your words and with your approval.

21.   Don’t be too hard on yourself. Children are more resilient than we think.

22.   Take time out to play. Games, tickling, laughing, and goofing around. These are the things that create lasting memories.

23.   Teach your children the difference between right and wrong. It’s your privilege and responsibility.

24.   Always kiss them goodnight.

25.   Don’t leave off with loving your husband. In the midst of the busyness of motherhood. You are loving your kids when you’re loving him.

26.   Be willing to stand firm. Sometimes love looks like a hard line.

27.   Protect your children. Protect their hearts, their eyes, and their little bodies. Without apology.

28.   Push them a bit. It’s how they’ll learn to fly.

29.   Listen to your instincts. God gave you that gut-feeling for a reason – so go with it.

30.   Give your children room to grow. They’re not finished yet and it can can take some time. Perhaps years and years.

31.   Give yourself room to grow too. Because you’re probably not finished yet either. (Phil. 3:13-14)

32.   Point your children to the love of Christ. We can offer no greater gift to our children.

So these are a few of the things I wish I would have known when I began mothering.

Or, maybe I “knew”, but had a hard time believing.

So let me attest that it’s true.

You’re doing a much better job than you might think you are.

*Any tips that you’d add to my list here? Please share – I always love hearing from you!

Cheering for you,

Check out our NEW eBooks, 100 Ways to Love Your Husband and 100 Ways to Love to Your Wife by Matthew L. Jacobson

* If you want these posts delivered directly to your inbox, simply subscribe below (and get the FREE eBook, The 7 Habits of a Highly Fulfilling Marriage).

FREE Printable: 50 Fun Things for Kids to Do

Do you want your kids to enjoy fresh air and new adventures this spring and summer?

Me too.

As I shared with you last week, I’d like to see them step away from the computer, the smart phone, and the television screen and step outside for a time. Even a long time. I don’t want them to miss out on all the wholesome goodness that’s waiting for them out there.

But I find our kids sometimes seem to run out of ideas. They’ll get bored and ask me, “But what is there to do…?”

That’s my chance to point to the fridge and show them this fine list of great ways to apply their bright minds and active bodies.

So if you’re looking for some suggestions on what your kids can do? Simply click the link below for your free printable:

50 Fun Things for Kids to Do Printable

(You might also be interested in looking over the original post - by clicking here - to find further links to many of the specific projects mentioned on the list.)

I hope this list inspires you and your children to make many happy memories for years to come!

In His grace,

Check out our NEW eBooks, 100 Ways to Love Your Husband and 100 Ways to Love to Your Wife by Matthew L. Jacobson

* If you want these posts delivered directly to your inbox, simply subscribe below (and get the FREE eBook, The 7 Habits of a Highly Fulfilling Marriage).

6 Great Ways to Work Out Your Differences

As it happens, I married the most amazing man ever.

He’s good, kind, and loving. Strong and handsome.

But he’s not necessarily the easiest guy to have for a husband.  (Honey, I can say that, can’t I?)

I mean, he’s really wonderful. Truly.

Yet he can also say and do things that nearly drive a woman out of her mind – or at least this woman.

And I suppose  I might have my moments too.

Yeah, it’s rather strange. Here we are crazy about one another – yet not always on the same page.

We can think differently. See differently. Feel differently about all sorts of things.

So what then? How do two people who love each other work out their differences?

Don’t Take It Up At The Time

If possible, let some time pass before you take it on. You might say things you regret if you attack in the heat of the moment, so let it rest for a while. Also, you’ll probably want the chance to think through what happened and why it bothered you.

Then consider if the matter is really worth tackling. Once I’ve thought about it, I often realize that it’s not that big of a deal. Or maybe even my problem and not his (say what??).

But….if it’s something that honestly needs addressing, advance to the next step.

Get Prayed Up

Before you do anything else, ask the Lord to show you how you should go about this one. Ask Him to give you light on the situation. What are the underlying issues at the heart of the offense?  It’s not enough to be merely “bugged” or “fed-up”. Seek to be clear in your mind – and your heart – on what is at the root of the problem.

Silence Can be Golden

It’s possible that in the praying process, you feel prompted not to say anything at all. That you should wait for the Lord to convict him. Our God is so much more powerful and effective than we could ever be. It might be what’s needed here - waiting and praying.

But what if the time has come to speak up?

Communication is Worth Careful Preparation

What is the best way for you to present your complaint or concern so your husband can hear you? For instance, my husband can hear “This is how I feel when….” about 10 times better than if I begin with “You always…” (Okay, maybe a thousand times better).

My choice of words and presentation can make a significant impact on our discussion.

Come to the Conversation in the Right Spirit

Your spirit – a sweet and humble spirit – is even more essential than your words. You can tell him how something makes you feel. You can say what it is that you don’t appreciate. You can ask for certain things to improve.

But you can’t change him.

So be honest. Be direct. Be gracious and loving. But leave the “transforming” up to the Holy Spirit. That’s His job.

Choose Love Over Your Differences.

There have been times when my husband and I have consciously chosen to set aside a disagreement for the sake of our love for one another. We’ll lay down our differences for the good of the greater whole – our marriage. Surprisingly few things are really worth fighting over.

I don’t mean to make it sound overly simple. But then again, the Lord never intended for love to be overly complicated either.

He created both of us and He knew we were going to be different – that came as no surprise to Him. Those differences might well be part of His design. A good thing. Not something to avoid or regret.

And isn’t it good to know w e don’t  always  need to   be on the same page to share the same heart?

I think so.

We are kinda crazy about one another, after all.

In His grace,

Check out our NEW eBooks, 100 Ways to Love Your Husband and 100 Ways to Love to Your Wife by Matthew L. Jacobson

* If you want these posts delivered directly to your inbox, simply subscribe below (and get the FREE eBook, The 7 Habits of a Highly Fulfilling Marriage).

An Entire Love Story – in 400 words and 4 pictures (& Mother’s Day Giveaway)

Wow. That guy totally melts my butter.

She was 16 and had the worst crush on him—–beyond smitten with a good-looking guy who happened to be an old family friend.

Well, that is, if you can call an 18-year-old guy  “old”. But because they’d known each other since children,  it felt like he’d been around for a very long time. Close to forever.

Although it wasn’t until that summer that she actually fell.

And boy! did she fall hard.

She lived in New York and her “friend” was in California. Always fun, daring, spontaneous, and living outside-the-box. He charmed the girls with the way he could entertain the room, share the gospel, and dance the swing. A larger-than-life kind of guy.  Swoon.

I mean, can you really blame her for falling?

Yet there was this one problem. Because this girl was a shy, Miss Salutatorian, piano-playing, All-I-Can-Do-Is-Stare-At-You kind of girl.

Basically opposites.

He barely noticed her—even though she moved back west and ended up living with his family, working in their coffee shop, and eventually helping him with his own business.

And by then they were in their 20′s. No longer children. No longer teenagers.  No, she was now  a woman.

Yet she might as well have been invisible.

Funny how the rest of us could see something – or someone – that he just couldn’t seem to see. Here he was the most eligible bachelor in town . . . looking for the Perfect Girl . . . who stood only a small dance-step away.

We sadly watched her heart breaking before our very eyes—and him oblivious to it all.

I was sorely tempted to say something – maybe shout something – to him:  “LOOK! Can’t you see?? That girl you’re looking for? She’s standing right beside you!”

But I kept quiet because I didn’t think it was my place to “intrude”. Thankfully, my husband felt differently and decided to give Dwight a call.

To this day I don’t know what happened in that conversation, but I do know that it was shortly thereafter that Dwight and Marilee announced their engagement. And six weeks later they were married on our front lawn.

You might say his eyes were opened.

And he hasn’t stopped looking at her ever since.

And really . . . can you blame him?

Dwight and Marilee are now the parents of six fine sons and one darling baby daughter. I’m confident that this little girl will always be well looked after!

Now isn’t that a beautiful love story?

Happy Mother’s Day, Marilee!

******************************

Mother’s Day Gift Basket Giveaway

And now I’m so excited to be able to offer THREE (yes, three!)  of these wonderful gift baskets from Dwight and Marilee’s Bend Soap Company.  My family and I have been using their products for several years now and it’s a favorite with us.

So when Dwight and Marilee offered to share their gift baskets with my friends here? I jumped at the chance to celebrate Mother’s Day with you in this way!

This special Mother’s Day gift basket contains a full sampling of Bend Soap’s products: 3 revitalizing bars of goat milk soap, 1 delightful Milk Bath in a Bag, an 8oz. bottle of supremely moisturizing goat milk lotion with a pump top, a soap dish, and to top it off – an all-natural loofah pouch for an extra exfoliating experience!

You can enter the giveaway to win one of three gift baskets. You can also increase your entries in as many of the ways below as you’d like!  Or, if you don’t want to wait, you can order your own directly here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bend Soap Company is a small family business operating out of Bend, OR. Dwight Johnson started the company with his wife Marilee after creating an all-natural goat milk soap to help relieve their son’s eczema. When Chance was only 3 years old, he could barely sit still or focus due to the intense itching and he would sometimes scratch his legs until they bled! Dwight and Marilee discovered the soap they were using was full of chemicals that were further irritating Chance’s skin. So Dwight tossed the old soap and started making an all-natural bar of soap using the fresh, raw milk from his small herd of Nubian goats. The soap worked wonders, people heard about it, and a business grew from there. Visit them at Bend Soap Company,  or follow them on Facebook.

You can even watch  Dwight and his sweet crew of boys making the soap right here –  a short and very interesting “behind the scenes” video: The Family Behind the Bend Soap Company.

I’ll look forward to announcing the winners of the giveaway this Friday night at 5pm (PST)!

Have a blessed week, my friends ~

* If you want these posts delivered directly to your inbox, simply subscribe below (and get the FREE eBook, The 7 Habits of a Highly Fulfilling Marriage).

50 Fun Things For Kids to Do

Now it’s not that I’m a mean mommy.

Because I’m really not.

But I’ll tell you something: I’m not too crazy about seeing my kids’ sweet faces glued to a screen—–the computer, the television, the whatever. Especially when there’s fresh air outside and new adventures to be had.

So that’s why you’ll hear me announce: No electronics today.

None. Nada. Not happening.

Well, what are we supposed to do then? They’ll whine say.

So glad you asked . . . because here’s a nice long list of fantastic activities to choose from!

50 Fun Things For Kids To Do

Catch bugs
Play hopscotch
Plan for a fun family night
Start a game of hide-n-go-seek
Ride bicycles
Cook up something yummy
Draw with sidewalk chalk
Make sparkly playdough  and then play with it
Start a baseball game


Lay on your back in the grass (or even cement) and stare at the sky
Help out around the house  (See this free summer responsibilities chart)
Pack up and head to the pool
Go on a Bible Verse scavenger hunt
Read a good book
Shoot some hoops
Swing in the hammock
Get out the jump-rope and see how much skipping you can do
Plant a suprise garden
Jump on the trampoline
Play at the park


Visit a national park
Run through the sprinklers
Make and then play with puppets
Take a long nature walk and see what you can discover
Start a waterballoon fight
Go fishing!
Make a summer reading chart
Go on a staycation
Feed the baby animals
Set up a lemonade stand
Play outdoor lawn Twister
Wash the car
Chase lizards
Go berry picking
Plan a camping trip
Play catch with the dog
Climb a tree
Make a kite and then go fly it!
Start a water fight
Go bird-watching and see if you can capture them on camera


Host a backyard Bible club
Dress up your dollies
Collect and then paint rocks
Play a game of horseshoe
Make a Boredom Buster Jar
Build a fort
Play hide-n-go-seek
Put together (or print off) a bucket list of summer fun (Like this one here!)
Splash down by the river
Hide in the garden and sneak some fresh tomatoes (Wait! What…??)

So how’s that for a start! That should keep them busy for  awhile, don’t ya think?

And, just to let you know,  I’ll be making a printable  and should have it ready by next week (then all we’ll have to do is point our kids to this list hanging on the wall. Nice-n-easy.).

Here’s to fresh air and new adventures and wonderful kids!

If you have any ideas that you’d like to add to our list here, please do! I’d love for you to share.

In His grace,

Check out our NEW eBooks, 100 Ways to Love Your Husband and 100 Ways to Love to Your Wife by Matthew L. Jacobson

* If you want these posts delivered directly to your inbox, simply subscribe below (and get the FREE eBook, The 7 Habits of a Highly Fulfilling Marriage).

*With special thanks to Sarah and Brenda for the fun family photos

The Most Loving Thing A Mom Can Do

So I’m really into this Mom Thing.

Like, really.

You might say I’m downright crazy about our kids. All eight of them. And they’ll happily confirm that fact. Mom’s a little nutsy when it comes to her kids.

I think about them. Pray for them. Make time for them. Talk to them. Listen to them. Laugh with them. Love on them.

Yep. Definitely a bit nutsy. Much like you with your kids.

In fact, I love my kids so much that I’m willing to sweep them aside.

When their dad walks through that door.

They all know the drill. When Daddy returns home, everyone moves over to clear a path for what’s about to take place. As there’s surely going to be some huggin’ and kissin’ going on, so it’s best to find something else to do if you don’t want to watch the inevitable.

Oooh! Dad’s here.

And there goes mama . . . .

Because even though I love our children – crazy about them, really – my husband is first in my heart.

It’s funny, but somehow our children don’t mind so much. They’re good with taking second place. They don’t feel rejected or denied (I actually think they kinda like it). Some giggle and others groan, yet overall they’re rather pleased with the way things are between him and me.

It means a lot to them when Dad and Mom love on each other. If they see us kiss, talk kindly, and laugh together? Then it’s as though we’re not only speaking love to each other, we’re speaking love to them too.

When Mama stops everything she’s doing to welcome Dad home? When she wraps her arms around his neck and smiles up at his face? When she makes caring for him her top priority? It’s showing our kids that there’s a lot of love in this home – love that can’t help but overflow down to the rest of them.

When Dad and Mom Love Each Other it . . .

Provides a warm, caring atmosphere in the home. This sets the tone for the entire family. It lightens up everyone’s heart to see two people loving each other.

Gives the young ones a sense of peace. All is well with dad and mom, so all must be well with the world. They can be confident in our strong and committed relationship.

Encourages the older ones to look forward to marriage someday. Our example is an inspiration to them. And I’d much prefer they look to us, rather than Hollywood movies, for what marriage is really all about.

Turns our home into a lovely place to be. This means our children want to hang out there more, as well as their friends. There’s some magnetic quality about a loving relationship – it draws people together. Young people want to be around love wherever they can.

So you’re crazy about your kids? A little nutsy? Yeah, me too.

But no matter how caught up with your children you might be, don’t leave out being crazy-in-love with their daddy too.

Because loving him is one of the most loving things a mom can do.

In His grace,

Check out our NEW eBooks, 100 Ways to Love Your Husband and 100 Ways to Love to Your Wife by Matthew L. Jacobson

* If you want these posts delivered directly to your inbox, simply subscribe below (and get the FREE eBook, The 7 Habits of a Highly Fulfilling Marriage).

6 Truths Every Daughter Needs to Know

So I guess I’ll begin with a confession.

I thought it would be enough for our girls to simply grow up in a Christian family.

I thought it would take care of everything. That they’d grow up secure and unafraid having been raised in a home where they are loved so dearly. A home where we pray, read the Bible, and are part of a church body. Each one of them holding a special place in our hearts.

I thought it would be enough.

Yet I’ve come to realize that our girls need more than that to flourish and walk confidently. They need to hear certain things from me and they need to hear it repeatedly and in many different ways. There are important truths she really needs to understand.

6 Truths Every Daughter Needs to Know

She is beautiful. And I’m not talking merely about the “outward appearance” but that this girl is beautiful in every way. She must be convinced that she is a lovely person who does lovely things. It’s important – even critical – that she feels beautiful.

She is bright. Every one of our daughters is intelligent and creative – each in her own way. She has something wonderful to offer the world. She’s using her mind and growing in wisdom.

She is precious. She has to understand that she is highly valued. So she can hold her head up high and not look to others – especially the wrong others – for her esteem. She is a precious jewel who needs to know she’s treasured.

She is delightful. Just the way she is. Today and every day. She doesn’t need to change or try to be like anyone else. She needs to know that I delight in her unique gifting, her funny ways, and her sweet smile.

She is protected. No need to feel like she’s on her own. Because she isn’t.  She has loving parents who are serious about looking out for her. Safe and secure. We’ll do all we can to protect her from harm.

She is loved. Seems obvious, doesn’t it? Yes, I thought so too. But we can’t take it for granted that she believes this and feels it right down to the tip of her little toes. I have to tell her and to show her and to lavish her with my love.

As sad as it is, we live in a world that is constantly informing our young girls that they are not pretty enough, not smart enough, not thin enough and not good enough.  These are lies. So I want each one of our girls to know the truth about herself.

She is beautiful, bright, precious, delightful, protected, and loved.

And that, my dear girls, is the plain and simple truth.

In His grace,

Check out our NEW eBooks, 100 Ways to Love Your Husband and 100 Ways to Love to Your Wife by Matthew L. Jacobson

* If you want these posts delivered directly to your inbox, simply subscribe below (and get the FREE eBook, The 7 Habits of a Highly Fulfilling Marriage).

How One Mom Can Change The World

A precious and powerful guest post by Emily T. Wierenga

I saw them walk into the church one Sunday, all five of them, the boys in their long pants and button-up shirts and the girls in their dresses, heads ducked low. They’d just lost their mother to a brain aneurism and I swore I’d never complain about another dirty diaper.

And then the next day my eldest son dumped the potty on the floor, a full potty, and my foster boys were fighting and my youngest fell down the stairs and got a black eye.

I gathered him up and ran to the office and sat on the floor and cried, rocking my baby back and forth wondering why God had asked me to be a mom, this girl who’d been told she wouldn’t be able to have children, this girl who had never wanted children—had only ever wanted to be famous. To be known, because of some deep unloved holes in her heart.

Sometimes I escape to the back deck and listen to the silence, to the way the snow falls—softly, uninhibited—smelling the laundry through the chute and wishing for the same kind of significance I felt as a single person. Or even as a newly married person. The ability—and time—to do something profound because I didn’t have four little boys on my lap.

And then I turn and see their tiny faces pressed against the glass of the back door, their foreheads wrinkled and my baby’s lip beginning to tremble and I know without a doubt I’m famous. Despite the spit-up on my shirt, I matter in a huge way. This mothering, matters.

And not only that, but motherhood is revolutionary. It changes the world.

We live in a culture that insists mothers deserve spa-days and hot cups of coffee and time to remember that they are women—and to an extent, I agree. I grew up as a pastor’s daughter whose mother never had time to herself, who was always serving, and she was exhausted and sad. I swore I’d never become a mother because it ruins you, it wrecks you–and in many ways, it does.

But in the same way that Jesus says a seed cannot produce fruit unless it falls to the ground and dies, we as mothers cannot produce fruit in our children (or in the world) unless we too die to ourselves.

Being a perfect housewife is not the same as being a revolutionary mom. Being a revolutionary mother means taking time each day to snuggle with your children. To read them the same story over and over, to kneel down and look them in the eyes and tell them they mean the world to you. To pray with them and take flowers and meals with them to the lonely and teach them how to fly a kite.

A mother’s sacrifice is her child’s reward. They will not remember how clean were your floors. They will remember how you took time to sound out the words in their Winnie the Pooh book, or how you stretched out your arms and said, “I love you.”

And this, friends?

This changing of the world?

It makes children of us all.

* * * * * *

Mothers? Friends? Will you help me change the world in a BIG way today, for 30 children from Rwanda? It will just take a moment… please read on.

Do you remember back in January when I visited Rwanda, HERE, and met all of those kids standing across the wire fence with their moms, staring wistfully at the students in their uniforms? And how I reached across that fence and took down their names, one by one, promising that I would help them get into that school? Because I know that education is one of the only ways out of poverty.

 

I have gone and set up a page on my blog with 30 children who need sponsoring from that same village… those children, they could be on the other side of the fence by the end of the year. Would you consider reaching across the wire and taking their hand? You would change a life. But more than that–you would stop the cycle of poverty for yet another generation.

Here is the page: http://www.emilywierenga.com/sponsor-rwanda/

Scroll down and you’ll find dozens of beautiful faces, all with very hard stories. If you right-click on a face and click “save as” you’ll see their name and number. If you want to either sponsor or learn more about that particular child, just email me and let me know, and I’ll send you the info: wierenga (d0t) emily (at) gmail (dot) com.

Here is info about World Help’s sponsorship program; in addition to learning about Jesus Christ, these children will have access to food, clean water, clothing, and an education:

“Our current sponsorship level is $35 per month. The most convenient way to give is through credit card or bank draft, and this can be done monthly, quarterly, or even annually. The way our program operates is a little different from some other organizations. The funds from a sponsorship do not go directly to each child or family in cash. Rather, the funds are sent to each program site and then used to meet the needs of all the children in the program. This way, if a child loses his or her sponsor, that child is still taken care of. So at Star School, the funds from sponsors help fund the operation of the school as a whole and allows low-income and disadvantaged children to attend with minimal school fees, or in many cases, free-of-charge. At Star School, the children receive a top-notch education, food, school supplies, and access to the on-site clinic. For children who live on campus, it covers their room and board. You can read more about how World Help uses funds here: http://worldhelp.net/about/financials/“

Let’s change the world, friends. One child at a time.

Emily T. Wierenga is an award-winning journalist, blogger, commissioned artist and columnist, as well as the author of five books including an upcoming memoir, Atlas Girl: Finding Home in the Last Place I Thought to Look (Baker Books). She lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband and two sons. For more info, please visit www.emilywierenga.com. Find her on Twitter or Facebook.

* If you want these posts delivered directly to your inbox, simply subscribe below (and get the FREE eBook, The 7 Habits of a Highly Fulfilling Marriage).

9 Classy Reasons to Go For A Cheap Date

Now I’m not sharing this to make you jealous or anything.

But, yes, my husband did take me out for a hot date last week.

It went something like this. A Thursday night and nearly dinner time. And there I was dutifully scrubbing our sticky, kitchen floor when he walked into the house. That man of mine.

It was just like in the movies. . . .

Except that I was wearing grungy jeans, my hair piled up in a clip, with sweat dripping down my sides. And the pasta water was boiling over on the stovetop.

And the little boys were wildly chasing each other up and down the stairs.

Along with the muddy dog who happily joined in on the mayhem.

Oh, and the cat somehow got involved too.

And I haven’t even explained why the floor was sticky (but that’s another story).

Plus it was so terribly loud that – even if there had been swelling, romantic music to cue his entrance – I wouldn’t have heard it.

Besides that, I was too busy wrestling with my stupid old mop to notice that he’d actually walked through the door.

But that’s when it happened.

He took one look at that broken-down piece of junk and announced, “Hey, Babe, let’s go out on a Mop Date.”

Well, who could refuse an invitation like that? Not me.

I hollered back (above the din), “Give me two minutes!” and ran back to the bedroom to brush out my hair and apply some lipstick. Then turning down the stove,  I shouted out a few instruction to the kids and we were off to the Home Improvement store.

I felt like Cinderella – minus the ball gown.

Now how does this qualify as a hot date? Easy. We held hands all the way there and back. We stopped to kiss in the parking lot. And I got a new mop at the end of the evening.

All that fun for only $12.97. Wow.

Talk about a cheap date! My favorite. 

So here are 9 Classy Reasons Why I Love a Cheap Date:

1.    Cheap dates inspire creativity. Maybe it’s just me, but I like the challenge of coming up with something fun for only a few dollars.

2.    Cheap dates are flexible. No pressure of a dinner reservation or a tight timetable. We can even make it up as we go along!

3.    Cheap dates are convenient.  I hope this doesn’t sound bad, but it’s nice to enjoy something that doesn’t require a lot of trouble or effort from either of us.

4.    Cheap dates are fun.  Let’s face it – what could be more fun than kissing in the Lowe’s Home Improvement parking lot?  Hard to beat, isn’t it!

5.    Cheap dates are budget-friendly. Okay, that’s an obvious one. But honestly? When we’re watching our finances, it’s a relief to know we’re not breaking the bank but still having a great time.

6.    Cheap dates are simple. No fussy details or intricate planning required.

7.    Cheap dates are more frequent. Since they’re not expensive or complicated, we can go out more often!

8.    Cheap dates are low-stress. This is good for me, but it’s good for my husband too. We’re both better able to relax, talk more, and simply take it easy.

9.    Cheap dates are romantic.  Strolling through the park? Sneaking away to a local cafe? (A trip to the home improvement store?) Doesn’t get more romantic than that.

So yes, it’s true – I’m a cheap date. And I love it!

How about you? What’s your favorite “cheap date”? Tell us all about it (I’m always looking for new ideas)!

In His grace,

Check out our NEW eBooks, 100 Ways to Love Your Husband and 100 Ways to Love to Your Wife by Matthew L. Jacobson

* If you want these posts delivered directly to your inbox, simply subscribe below (and get the FREE eBook, The 7 Habits of a Highly Fulfilling Marriage).

All The Wonderful Love a Mom Can Carry

Another inspiring guest post by Christy Fitzwater

We were enjoying lunch, until my son cried out, “I need water! I just got a mouth full of something salty!” I paused to explain to my soon-to-be-married daughter that she should always make sure the bouillon cube has dissolved completely into the chili.

After we stopped laughing, my husband said, “You owe him.”

“Owe him what?” I said.

“A slushy!” he said. “And me? And me a slushy, too?”

“And me?” my daughter said.

I conceded and said I would run to the gas station to buy slushies for all. (Really, this makes for a very popular mother. Bouillon cube forgotten.)

“Can you carry all those?” my husband asked.

“Yes, I’m a mom” I answered.

He wondered what being a mom had to do with it.

“You know –when you’re a young mom you learn how to carry in one hand a heavy car seat filled with a baby, with purse and diaper bag in the other hand –and then your husband asks if you can carry his Bible, too.”

“Hey!” He said.

“Then you have a second child, and you carry in one hand a heavy car seat filled with a baby, and in the other hand you carry a heavier diaper bag that includes sippy cup, snacks, and toys for the toddler. Add to that the toddler running up to say, ‘Mom, can you hold my Sunday School craft?’ You absentmindedly take the craft from the child, tucking it under an elbow.

“Honey,” I continued, “That’s when a mom learns how to close things with her back side or with one foot kicked out awkwardly from behind the car seat. She learns how to open doors with an elbow and carry just one more thing under the chin or in her teeth.”

“Wow” he said. More in awe at my impromptu speech than with the information.

So off I went to the gas station, where I purchased and carried three large (cold!) slushies in hand, using my back side to open the gas station door and one pinky finger to open the car door.

But all of this made me think –moms carry things.

We carry the night watch with infants and the fierce hatred of 2-year-olds who have been denied another bag of fruit snacks before dinner.

We carry smelly soccer equipment and socks that have dried and hardened wrong side out.

We carry plates of hot chocolate chip cookies to a distraught middle school girl and carry the worry that our teenage boy’s future wife will hate us if we don’t somehow convince him to put the towel on the hook.

We carry a lot, and the question it raises is, “With what attitude do we carry the responsibilities of motherhood?”

There have been times I’ve grabbed my responsibilities with scathing resentment, muttering wicked things about my family under my breath. “Why can’t they just…”

But over the years, God has worked in my heart to help me say, with sincerity, “How may I help you with that?” or “I would love to carry that for you.”

Maybe getting closer to the empty nest years has helped, as I foresee the days when those kids aren’t in my house, and they’re carrying their own burden of family. It makes me want to say to them now, “Please let me do that for you.”

It’s a privilege –a joy that will too soon be gone, to help bear the daily needs of a family.

Christy Fitzwater is a pastor’s wife living in Kalispell, Montana. She is the mother of a son in high school and a daughter in college. She enjoys when the days get shorter and the weather nasty so she doesn’t feel guilty about not going outside. Days where she can just read books and write words all day. She can even tell you the plots of 15 missionary biographies without batting an eye. You can read her personal blog at ChristyFitzwater. Also find her at Pinterest and Twitter.

*Check out our NEW eBooks, 100 Ways to Love Your Husband and 100 Ways to Love to Your Wife by Matthew L. Jacobson

If you’d like these posts delivered directly to your inbox, simply subscribe below (and get the FREE eBook, 31 Days to a Better Marriage).