hello sweet friends!
i am so ready for the weekend! we’ve had some busy days where david’s energy level seems off the charts. we call him ‘destructo-boy’ as he moves around the house ‘re-arranging’ everything and clearing off tables and generally making a huge mess. it’s so fun to see him happy and energetic, but to be honest i’ve been feeling pretty discouraged. last week he broke a decorative lantern and a wood chair in a fit of crazy energy. and sometimes i get down when i know this isn’t a passing phase. this is david and as much as i love him, it can be exhausting!
the last few days i’ve made sure to get some good sleep and some good cuddle time with him. too much busy-ness in my life makes me less patient and makes it harder to cope with discouragement.
there is so much good and so much to be thankful for. and i want this to be a happy place where you come and get inspired and feel uplifted. but it needs to be an honest place, too. lately i’ve been discouraged, and that’s real life.
i’m sending out a big hug today and hoping you all have some rest and downtime planned for the weekend. we are heading down to san diego for bloggy boot camp on saturday and some good family time planned in there, too.
how do you find rest when you’re discouraged?
When I get discouraged, I take some time out, even if it is for a couple of hours and have some me-time. I was reminded of the lyrics from this song for you,
Joy unspeakable that won’t go away
And just enough strength
To live for today
So I never have to worry
What tomorrow will bring
‘Cause my faith is on solid rock
I am counting on God
Psalm 23:6 says surely goodness and mercy shall follow me (you) all the days of your life. Thats a promise that I claim continually from God. Hang in there Lisa!
I have a girlfriend I can call and say, “I’m depressed”…just saying it out loud helps! and then i RUN to the kitchen and make CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES! Just the smell alone can brighten my mood! and then I just remember…it’s a mood….and thank God it will pass!
hugs to you!!
Lisa, I keep a bible verse on my desk that I read everyday and it gives me the strength I need to get through each day. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with Wings as Eagles” Isaiah 40:31. There are days when I feel weak and discouraged. This verse reminds me that God is with me and He will give me what I need to be a caregiver to my son with a serious mental illness. It is very scary sometimes but God knows everything we are going through and he will never leave us. May God Bless you and your family!
I gather up my Ipad, my journal, a magazine or ten and head off to the coffee shop where I just dream away a few hours. It is remarkable how much better I feel when I return home.
true true! thanks for sharing your life with all of us.
I just want you to know that EVERYTIME I come to your blog I feel encouraged and inspired. God has given you a gift to inspire people. I don’t know if I can answer what I do when I get discouraged. I am feeling blue at this moment for no reason at all. Feeling like I just want to be alone for awhile. I feel terrible when I feel this way, but I know if i find a spot and just “be”, then I will be a better mom when I am back. I am thinking about taking a walk through the woods and the horse pasture, and just be. I think it my make me regroup and feel better.
Hi
I am the mother of 4 boys who are all teenagers now. We do get through it, although as they age,the stress may be different, it still feels the same – imagine your baby behind the wheel of a car -very scary!!
When they were little and I was overwhelmed, I used to lie flat on the ground and let them crawl, climb, wrestle, cuddle with me – the stress seemed to evaporate and we all ended up giggling.
Maybe we just get better at coping, more tolerant….
Ah! I felt like I was reading about a day in my life. I have two boys–ages 5 and 2. We call the younger, “Destructo”, but they are both, as we like to call it, “high energy.” Some adults call them hyper.
When I am very discouraged I allow myself a little cry in the shower to release some emotion, and then I pray. I pray that God will remind me of all the hope I have and all He has given me in my life and boys. He faithfully reminds me of what others are facing and it puts EVERYTHING into perspective. Then I can remember my tired body, messy house, unanswered e-mails and crazy boys are all not an issue. There will be better days where I am not so overwhelmed, and God is sovereign. He PICKED me to mom my two crazy boys because, as my mom likes to tell me, I can “handle” it. That seems amazing to me that God thought me–I have no patience–could handle two very high energy boys, but He definitely chose me to be their mom. They are learning to have “some” self control and I am learning to be patient and loving in all circumstances.
I am sure by the time you read this you will be feeling better.
Dear Lisa,
Sending a hug to you…love your inspiring blog!
I had many days like you described when our daughter was dying. She went from normal into special needs within 6 months as she was diagnosed with a degenerative disease MLD at 3. It is exhausting, and some days, if you are honest you want a normal life of a naive mum…. On those days I would wrap myself in cotton wool.
Do what I needed to do to get through the hours or minutes some days. Turn off the phone, eat chocolate, sleep and try and replenish the energy. I still find today, when I have down days the next day is always better.
I also thought of others that were worse off than me and this helped too!
Sending some energy and a hug in this message, I hope your days get better and you find some ways that help through the lovely messages above.
love
Diana x
You
are
not
alone,
Lisa.
My little man Max, has ADHD and it’s been tough for him,for me. We get discouraged too. Thanks for being honest and confiding in us.
Things will get better, it can’t rain forever and always the sun comes back out shining…..
Hi Lisa, love you for your honesty too! It’s okay to admit we feel discouraged sometimes. I’ve been feeling that a lot lately and I have cried in the first part of this year, more than I’ve cried in a long time. This is discouraging in itself as I am normally a very happy person who smiles a lot. This is a sure sign my life is way out of balance right now! Having a 5 month old puppy and a husband who is a powerful personality and is home all the time right now, is taking it’s toll.
When I feel really discouraged, I escape to my garden and lose my thoughts in amongst the weeds I’m pulling. It doesn’t always make my thoughts go away but it does make me feel better about myself and eases my hurts. Hugs coming your way!
such a pleasure to meet you at bloggy boot camp – love your site – love your jewelry – awesome speaker too boot!
As a blogger I too struggle with keeping consistent with my voice and share what is REAL! and how funny is it that you are speaking about this as I type this. I can connect with writers so much more when I know that they have the same struggles as I do so my vote is to keep sharing what you feel comfortable letting us in on. 🙂
great job!
Linz
it was so nice to meet you to!! and thank you for your sweet words. xxoo
Lifting you up in prayer today. Have a magical weekend.
I love to read scripture but particularly when it’s mommy discouragement, I love to read books by Sally Clarkson – Wholeheart Ministries. I love, love, love “The Mission of Motherhood”. It provides encouragement and sustenance in those crazy times.
I understand… My daughter Kathryn, who will be turning 19 (!) ,has severe developmental delays and we have lots of crazy energy outbursts (such a positive way to frame it 🙂 When I am feeling overwhelmed – especially with the idea that this isn’t “a phase” but who she is, the tunnel of life can start to look very long. That is when I have to get quiet and pray and remind myself that I only need to concern myself with the right here and now. Just do the next thing, look for the good, the funny and amazing and know that God is in charge of tomorrow. Praying for you and your entire family. Peace be with you.
So many people with inspirational answers…..mine is going to sound goofy. But I used to take a deep breath and just say to myself (I’m showing my age here)
“This is a test…this is just a test.”..you know like the Emergency Braodcast System used to braodcast on TV. My daughter would be screaming in the background…not really wanting any consolation…just getting it out…and there I would be walking around the house…repeating to myself…This is a test…. this is just a test,,,it worked!
Nowadays….I take a hot bath…or a long walk…but you can’t really do that with little ones who need your attention. I think it’s wonderful that even though you are discouraged…you realize that loving your son and giving him extra cuddle time is exactly what you and he need! Hang in there!
Boy, we are all in this motherhood gig together, aren’t we?!
I had a big mama-meltdown last weekend, so I realized I needed to step back and regroup. So now it is Saturday morning, and I am just waking up in a sunny, gorgeous bedroom alone…late…at my cousin’s house in Seattle, who is single! This is where I go about every 3 months for a weekend away. No kids, just spa time, romantic comedies, good food, good wine, fun conversation, and much-needed sleep!!! I come back a much better wife, mom, teacher, baker, and pal.
Hugs to you, Lisa!! We have all been there!!
What will I do when my cousin moves back to my town this summer??? Guess I’ll get away down the street!!
I love the fact that you are real!! You say it the way it is…..and you always see the best side of even a negative situation. You are an inspiration to us all!!
Well we all feel discouragement and during these trying times in our world we may be feeling it more than not …… Two things that you need right now Lisa (my daughters name too ) are HOPE & ENCOURAGEMENT …..I actually did a post on this earlier this morning …..No matter what our circumstances are and also no matter what our “feelings ” are one thing is for sure they will change over time ……The WORD of GOD however is the same yesterday , today and tomorrow …… Please try to comfort in the Gospel Truths and your sisterhood of support ……I will lift you to the LORD in prayer …….Have a blessed day !
Bless you, Lisa! A big hug back to you— try to unplug, read some scripture, drink some herbal tea. It also helps me to shut everything down a little earlier. No small feat with 3 teenagers in the house, but they know I can’t rest well until I know they’re settled, so everyonce in a while we turn everything off a little early and they retire to their rooms to listen to music or read. Helps tremendously.
Here’s to a restful weekend!
Lisa, How beautiful it has been to read your blog and to read through every one’s comments, too. What a precious place you have created here.
Some days are hard and some days are even harder :). It can be tough to hang on, particularly when we don’t know if there is an end in sight. But you have such a gift for seeing the joys in the sand – your perspective, your unique vision for the details around you, your love for your family and your beautiful smile all demonstrate that – and I pray those small joys begin to string themselves together into a necklace that leads you through the discouragement one gem at a time.
Lisa…I want you to know that I have a very demanding job. In the evening when I’m visiting my favorite blogs, yours is the one I ALWAYS look forward to reading. It is for me exactly what you say you want it to be. Thank you for the peace and tranquility you are able to bring to this site. You are very open and real…it’s just lovely. It is made even better by you opening up and sharing life’s frustrations here. Be as gentle with yourself as you are with others, dear person.
If I want distraction I turn on mindless television or go to the movies. If I want renewal and restoration I talk to Him and/or open my bible and read Psalms – talk about honesty. That is usually followed by cathartic tears and eventually… an overwhelming sense of the Spirit’s presence and His peace. I wish I could say I make the latter choice the most. Regardless – His response when I do turn to Him is the same. Grace and Love abound.
((hugs))
I frequent your blog at least 3 to 4 times a week and am always so inspired with your writing, beautiful pictures, and your stories!
Hope you all have a wonderful family weekend! Enjoy!
That is what I appreciate about you, you are REAL and transparent with your readers. Who wants to read about someones ‘perfect’ life all of the time, and feel defeated in comparison? Life is hard sometimes, and what else are friends (and blog readers!) for than to lift each other up in times of need. I have had a particularly stressful few weeks, and I have found that in the last few days, just 5 or 6 deep breaths (I mean really deep!), calm my heart and make me realize that it will be okay. A friend gave me the verse Psalm 62:1-2, it is a good one! I hope you have a wonderful week-end Lisa!
Thank you so much for being so real and true to yourself- you are a wonderful example to all of us. I think the most important thing that I do when I feel discouraged ( I have a challenging son as well) is to remind myself that it is completely OK to feel that way. Although we always try to remain positive and thankful- there will just be days that are discouraging and downright bad. I always remind myself that despite my feelings, I am still a great mother to my boys and tomorrow is another day to try to feel positive and maybe it will be another discouraging day- that would be ok too…
Shopping never hurts either!!
Thank you again for being so genuine 🙂
I find your blog so uplifting and inspiring Lisa and you always dress so stylishly!
I tend to hand the 4 kids over to my Hubby and head out for a wander around the shops and a hot chocolate, or I go for a walk and breathe in the fresh sea air.
Then I am refreshed and ready to join the beautiful chaos of home once again.
I home you feel better after your weekend away.
Lisa~ Your photos & words are always encouraging – you are usually positive, uplifting, and full of wonderful creative energy. It’s ok to have those days where discouragement takes over, and to be honest about those feelings.
We’ve have a very bumpy year-and-a-half in my home w/ my husbands health, and most days we are very positive & thankful that we all have each other…but we need to have those days when we let out our frustrations too. We get each other through those tough days, and really enjoy all of the positive days being thankful for what we’ve got!
You are an inspiration! ~hugs…
Lisa,
I have to say that I love your honesty, because live is not always perfect and being honest enough to admit that is a good thing. I have also been dealing with discouragement, while I don’t know the exact nature of yours, but does it really matter??..what matters is that we are discouraged about something…and while I know this would pass, sometimes it seems like it’s taking forever, what I do is remind myself that I am exactly where god wants me to be….I find comfort in know that I don’t always have control and god has me here for a reason, and I may never fully understand the reason, I know he will guide and support me along my journey.
Take care and have a wonderful weekend…
Thanks for your honesty. I sometimes find it hard to read blogs because it makes me feel like there’s a spotlight on my not-so-wonderful life. In other words, despite my usually upbeat and unstoppable optimism, I have challenges and down days too. We all do, but it actually helps to hear someone else say it…someone whose life always seems so beautiful. How do I deal with down days? Two words–the gym. It is my solitude, my sanctuary. I get endless energy from exercise, and I am healthier than ever before. It’s my time, and I take it guilt-free. My three kids, two of whom are teens, understand that mom needs it. They also know that I am happier if I have it, therefore, they are happier. So I take it six days a week (with days off when I feel the need to spend extra time with my kids/family.) ((hugs))
oh, and they grow up SO fast (as I am sure you have already experienced.) Go easy on yourself and enjoy them as best you can.
It must have been something in universe this week, because I’ve felt the same. No matter what I did or tried to do, it just didnt work out as planned or expected. I hate these types of days, weeks, etc. I feel your discouragement truly.
To close out this week, I took my son to dinner and I ordered what I wanted and not what I should have. And it was pleasant. Afterwards, I felt relaxed.
I SO appreciate your honesty. Makes me feel like I am human. =)
thanks for writing this post, lisa. blogging is such a good thing, but there ARE those things that can’t be shared and are weighing down on us.
hugs all around!!
Lisa- if we never experienced “down” days, would the great days really feel that good? You are amazing, with all you do! I always love reading about your successes, even though I’ve never met you, because you seem like such a sweet, kind, genuine person & a great Mommy to your sweet boys. ( not to mention your talent)!! Hang in there, take time to relax, in whatever ways that work for you!
I sleep to recharge! 🙂
When I read your post I couldn’t help but think of my nephew who has many challenges in life as well. He too gets times of lots of energy – my sister has found that “body brushing” has helped to decrease these outbursts. Also placing weighted toys around his middle has really helped to calm his need for sensory stimulation and outbursts. She sees an occupational therapist with her son and it has made a huge difference for him and them as well. Wishing you strength, I love your blog . Thank you for sharing . Peace and blessings from our Father in Heaven, Deb
I hope you get the rest and encouragement that you need. I have a sick child right now and while I know that it’s temporary, it is exhausting. Here’s a hug to you!
Thanks for sharing your heart.Consider yourself hugged, and prayed for…
Hmmm, when I am discouraged (which seems to be quite a lot), I drink coffee, talk to friends about it, run (I LOVE to run!), or bask in the sunshine! 🙂
I am blessed… I have a wonderful supportive husband who understand… I love to escape to blogland and read encouraging, honest blogs like yours. I love a good magazine and a long bath. and I LOVE good music. Mercy Me is really wonderful to me right now!
I love to spend time outside.
It’s good to be human- and honest! Lisa your perspective, joy in your circumstances (and FAME!!! My Goodness! I don’t even think I realize the extent of that little aspect to your life), plus the Love you show of our Lord and His creation is exemplary. BUT, it would all be candy -coated if you didn’t mention the tough stuff. The fact is, all of us have charmed lives and all of us have the other stuff that helps us grow. Kudos to you for being credible. And wonderful. Because you are.
As the mom of four little boys (under 6 yrs old) I often find myself discouraged or overwhelmed, wondering how I’ll make it through this crazy day.
When things start to seem out of control I read the following passages:
Psalm 121
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains–where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip–He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you–the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm–He will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
I also have the book “The Valley of Vision” which is a collection of Puritan prayers. I cannot recommend it enough. There is so much truth and wisdom in it’s pages. I find rest in the pages as a read.
God All Sufficient is one of my favorites:
O Lord of Grace,
The world is before me this day,
and I am weak and fearful,
but I look to thee for strength;
If I venture forth alone I stumble and fall,
but on the Beloved’s arms I am firm as the eternal hills,
If left to the treachery of my heart I shall shame thy Name,
but if enlightened, guided, upheld by thy Spirit,
I shall bring thee glory.
Be thou my arm to support,
my strength to stand,
my light to see,
my feet to run,
my shield to protect,
my sword to repel,
my sun to warm.
To enrich me will not diminish thy fullness;
All they lovingkindness is in thy Son,
I bring him to thee in the arms of faith,
I urge his saving Name as the One who died for me.
I plead his blood to pay my debts of wrong.
Accept his worthiness for my unworthiness,
his sinlessness for my transgressions,
his purity of my uncleanness,
his sincerity for my guile,
his truth for my deceiths,
his meekness for my pride,
his constancy for my backslidings,
his love for my enmity,
his fullness for my emptiness,
his faithfulness for my treachery,
his obedience for my lawlessness,
his glory for my shame,
his devotedness for my waywardness,
his holy life for my unchaste ways,
his righteousness for my dead works,
his death for my life.
I read great blogs like yours Lisa…to relax and decompress when thing feel like this! I am feeling very similar to you these days, for different reasons. I appreciate your candor and honestly. On top of having a 2 & 4 yr old, my mom is recovering from a massive stroke & can no longer walk or speak,…deep breaths, a cup of tea or coffee for you and a big hug from So Cal…
You’re human, yay!!!! That’s good to hear for the rest of us. 🙂 Sometimes I just need some ‘me’ time, even if it’s only briefly and ‘stolen’ (i.e. someone is getting shorted while I say basically ‘not now’. )
I love honest places. Thanks for being so! I agree with you…taking a moment to be attentive to their needs…even by way of snuggles, can make a world of difference for the rest of the day.
Sometimes finding my rest means pulling out the Bible when all in the house are asleep. And when a quick fix is needed, sometimes I take chocolate with me and high tail it to my closet and shut the door. Not too long till little feet are after me…but, just being honest. 🙂
Hi Brenna!! I had to say hello because I named my daughter Brenna, and she despises her name. So, I point out every time I find another Brenna. By the way, beautiful name!! 🙂
Thanks for sharing! And hope you are better soon. When I’m discouraged I eat a lot of chocolate. Hm. Reading your blog and seeing the nice pictures makes me happy all the time.
{{hugs}} I always enjoy your blog and am never an avid comment writer, but your post today really uplifted me. I am always so impressed by your positivity and calm spirit – its refreshing.
Finding the good in situations is a tough thing to do sometimes (especially as a parent), but finding those positive moments, taking breaks, deep breaths, etc. definitely helps one’s mood.
My family has been on a rollercoaster for 6 months with my 32 year old brother’s surprise diagnosis of cancer. This last week has especially been a bit trying (spring, sunshine and fresh air is definitely helping). We have all had to try to find ways to find the good even when we feel discouraged. We feel so blessed every day to have him in our lives and for him staying positive.
My husband told me something on Monday that stuck with me. When I told him I would just continue to always stay positive because that’s what everyone around us needs, he told me that we can deal with our feelings and have a positive outlook at the same time, but faking positivity can just cover up stress. Getting it out and talking about how we feel will help deal and heal 🙂
Anyway, being honest about how we’re feeling is the most healthy thing to do. So kudos to you!
Trust me Lisa, all of us moms, dads and caretakers feel discouraged, frustrated, tired, etc. I too do not deal well with challenges the day brings especially when I’m tired! We need to be honest with ourselves and realize we are only human and there’s only so much a person can take. Thanks for your sharing your feelings, but I do believe that everyone feels this way sometime or another. Hang in there. We all need to stick together and support one another. 🙂
Hugs right back at you!
I need to go and sit in the quite sunshine, pray and breathe too.
Thank you for sharing your feelings, Lisa . . . when I am overwhelmed, as a mom or in general, I try to take breaks, take pleasure in small things, and take life one day at a time instead of panicking about the future.
Have a lovely weekend.
Honesty is a good thing. You are such a beloved blogger that you can probably feel the emphathetic love coming through your screen! When I feel discouraged in my parenting, I take comfort in knowing these precious little ones belong to God first. He is caring for them even more fervently than I am. I can rest in that promise. Enjoy your weekend.
I try to put a different spin on my thinking. I try to find the positive side of the negative… breaking a favorite decoration means I get to go search for a new favorite decoration… things like that.
Your blog always reminds me to look for the little moments of joy in my day. Thank you for that reminder!
Lisa,
LOVE your honesty. Being a mom is the hardest job ever and requires so much patience. I think it’s totally normal to feel discouraged sometimes. I have a wild 17 month old who is constantly destroying my house. This week he smashed my kitchen blender into a million pieces. Very frustrating. But I guess that is just life with kids, especially life with boys 😉
I hope you find some quiet time to relax and rest this weekend. You deserve it!
Hugs!!!
You already do it- you make time for yourself…your coffee date with your girlfriends…and you reflect…
If you were blissful all the time, how would you grow and learn???
I like it when the blogs I read are honest, especially my home decor blogs. It’s just nice to know that you guys are real, too, and have good days and bad days.
And please don’t worry. We all have those moments where we feel like we just can’t do it anymore. I know I’ve gone to bed many times feeling guilty for my lack of patience with my kids. I hate it, but it’s normal. Hang in there sister!
{{hugs}}
Do you know Lisa, even when you’re not feeling so on top, you always seem to manage to sound so upbeat. I don’t know how you do it, you come across as a genuinely positive person. Sending you big hugs from England and a happy weekend to you all.
I really appreciate your honesty. I am know how blessed I am and I do try to appreciate every moment but lately I feel discouraged too. My little girl is definitely testing her boundaries as a 2 yr old. I love to watch her explore but I get so exhausted have to watch her like a hawk so that she doesn’t injure herself and I am so tired of having to cajole her through the morning and evening routines. I feel like I am always saying “no” and “c’mon, let’s go”. Still trying to figure out how to find rest. I love digital scrapbooking and blogging to unwind but lately that is causing me to go to bed later and later and what I think I really need to do is to go to bed early and get some sleep because honestly, I am a better parent when I am not tired or busy-busy. I once read that parenting is 90% energy and that we are better parents when we get enough sleep.
Wow. It really does seem like this has been a challenging week for a lot of people. Right now, I’m reading The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer, which has been focusing my thoughts on the character of God. It’s really helped put me in a better frame of mind.
Hugs back at you! Sometimes we need the tough moments to realize the good things in life. When I need a break I go into the basement and sew. I need the repeatitiveness and quiet. Usually my hubby takes notice and takes the baby to give me my needed break.
I go to Starbucks
we’ve had a rough week as well. I think it is sometimes so discouraging to feel the weight of “Oh yeah, this is my life.” As much as you love it, the concept of forever seems overwhelming at times. I remember wishing that I could keep my little ones little forever. Then there are days with little miss Maisy where I think, “be careful what you wish for.” My love and prayers are with you.
it’s ok to feel this way…better to feel it than to ignore it or pretend that life is perfect. good to let it out.a hot bath and a few tears can actually be refreshing.
take it easy xo
Ive been having a difficult week as well. Im usually a very peaceful, roll with the punches kind of gal, but this week…wow! First we found out that my oldest daughter(7) will need to have a procedure done next week under sedation. The specialist she just started seeing told us hes not even sure she’s been correctly diagnosed for these past FOUR years!
Then I found out I made a potentially very costly mistake with my youngest DD’s homeschool curriculum. Im putting off calling the company b/c I just dont want to face it at the moment. But today is the day for that.
And then at 5am this morning both of our girls started getting violently sick and Im just plain worn out!
God is good in that He’s blessing us with some beautiful sunshine today. If nothing else, I am choosing to find beauty and hope in this day.
And I need to remind myself that God is good…ALL the time(even when life is rough).
I appreciate your honesty in this post and pray that you have a wonderful weekend!
XO,
Sarah
Oh Lisa, sorry you have been feeling discouraged! You should always be honest – you always inspire and bring happyness – so please dont worry about that!
You TRULY are an inspiration to me – truly!
Perhaps its “something” in the air but I have been feeling REALLY discouraged – different circumstances for me but discouraged nonetheless – so I have been really digging deep and finding Hope in Him – even in the difficult times we have to lean on our Hope that comes from Him. But I know you know that – you have written some beautiful things about Hope that have really helped me.
So I send you back a BIG hug and send you prayers for a peaceful weekend! You are a treasure!
xoTiffany
praying for you! Jesus words “Come to me and I will give you rest” have meant a lot to me recently
Beautiful post Lisa. I thank you for your honesty because I’m feeling discouraged today as well. A misbehaving 4-year-old, a messy house, unfolded laundry, and undergrad school is to blame. I don’t really know how to find the calm today.
Hi Lisa, I can’t even relate to exactly what your life is like as we all have our own unique challenges and struggles. But, I do know that God’s grace is enough for us. He asks us to rest in him (Matthew 11:28-30) and that is not easy to do when our current circumstances are not resting well with our soul. I’ll pray for you, David, and your wonderful family. Thank you for being so honest, it is refreshing yet soul stirring.
i’m sorry you have been discouraged lisa. but yes, that is real life.
i heard a phrase once (in blogville) that has stuck with me, “if i’m not proactive i’m reactive and that can be very unattractive.” so so true.
like you i have to be intentional about more cuddling (i.e. more intimacy, delighting in my family, my good good life). when life gets busy and i get discouraged i must be proactive. for me that means i need to. HAVE to “enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart” or else i lose it.
you are a delight, lisa!
beautiful post lisa! i too have been feeling a bit discouraged this week. it’s the beginning of spring break for my 2 older boys, and my middle one has sensory processing disorder and has to be on a strict schedule each and every day or he turns into a tornado of distruction. my baby has been sick all week and is bringing back the sleepless nights of a newborn. up every 2 hours (if that) unconsolable, clingy, and still unable to use words to express what he needs/wants. i’m exhausted. hubby works full time, plus baseball practice for my oldest, therapy for my middle….blah! i love reading your blog, it’s always uplifting, and honest. i love all the pictures of sunshine you have. your blog is the first one i read in the morning with my warm cup of fresh coffee. puts a smile on my face, uplifts me knowing someone is enjoying some beautiful sunshine and that mine is not far away. have a wonderful weekend away, a change of scenary is always a blessing!
I dont have children, so I cant begin to understand. However yesterday when I was in my local fabric shop as I was leaving I seen a lady with two little girls get into her van and proceed to scream and yell at them. I wanted so badly to go back and say why dont you go get a coffee and take a break and I will watch your kids for an hour. I didnt because she would of thought I was crazy. My point is if you have people around you dont be afraid to call them and get a half hour or hour break. Iam sure they would love the time with the children.
Ditto to what Karen said 🙂 you seem to do it all pretty well-be good to yourself!
Lisa, I love your honesty today. Sometime when I read inspirational blogs like yours I think. How come my weekend wasn’t that fun? Or yikes, I need a family picture like that! I love your reallness (is that a word)?! Hugs to you today. You’re an amazing person each and every day. xo
Something in the air lately? I, too, have been having a harder time this week ~especially with my oldest little one. Some days I’m at a total loss about how to parent him lovingly without wanting to just scream and kick a ball across the living room!
Luckily, these moments pass and they always find a way to butter us up. 🙂
Happy {rejuvinating} Weekend!
I take a day off of work to catch my breath. I actually just did that yesterday. It gives me time to reflect, catch up on stuff and get a nap in. I think this makes me a better mom and wife!
There are a couple things I like to do….depending on the weather, time, etc. I love to go for a run and just pray my little heart out! And I also like to jump in the hot tub and relax! You are right…we have so much good in our lives and so much to be thankful for…..a lot of times I think about my family/friends that are fighting for our country and then I think….I don’t have it so bad!
Have a blessed weekend!
Oh, I can so relate. Even if we love spending all our time with them we can get frustrated and discouraged. For refreshment, I try to find a little time away. (even if that’s just shutting my bedroom door). I crank up good worship music and sit in His presence. (oh, there is usually a bit of crying involved here ;)) He has so much patience with me that I can’t help but come away better.
Lisa – How else can we be encouraged, unless we’re honest about the things that discourage us? When I’m discouraged, and that has been frequently in this tough economy, I have to spend time alone with the Lord. I have to let Him remind me that He is bigger and more powerful than any circumstances or problems that I face. That He is in control and that He loves me dearly. Remember your verse..John 9:3…God’s work is being displayed…and that doesn’t mean it’s easy! May He renew your energy and lift your spirit today!
I curl up with my blanket, a book and a good cup of tea and make myself read 5 pages. Taking a break from things that are getting me down gives me the energy to face them again when my little pause is over.
love your honesty! we all feel this way sometimes but not everyone is willing to tell! thank you!
Hand the baby to my husband and shut myself in a room.