One of the lures some Christian teachers use– especially women teachers– is the outward appearance of their lives. A generation ago, a baby-holding woman with stair step children beside her– girls in collared dresses and boys in slacks– graced the fronts of homeschooling magazines. Inside were articles about her life-changing daily schedule, plan for chores,…
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I Went on a Personal Retreat! Here’s What I Prioritized.
Recently I was able to get away for a glorious (and gloriously quiet!!) week alone. [If you don’t know, I have 9 children, ages 19 down to 2 years old, and I’ve been a stay-home, homeschooling mom for the duration of those years.] For most of my life, getting away like this has been an impossibility,…
The Constancy of Change in Motherhood
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” — Heraclitus of Ephesus Year by year, changes come. And not merely in fashion, home decor, vehicle design, or celebrity culture. The very common fact of change touches the most simple and central things…
KNOW YOUR BIBLE: 12 Ways to Improve Your Swordsmanship, part 2
Too often, I wait to FEEL like reading the Bible, rather than doing it wholeheartedly & seeking to grow in my understanding and dependency on God’s Word. In part 1, I shared 6 ways I’ve grown in “using my sword” (God’s Word). Here’s part 2, with 6 MORE practical ideas for you. #7- Hand-copy the…
When Your Family Doesn’t “Get” Your Parenting Decisions
So you’ve decided to homeschool. Or, not allow sleepovers. You don’t watch certain kinds of movies, Or, you don’t own a TV at all. Or maybe, even though they’re Christians, you’re convicted in ways that are obviously different from the convictions they have, or had. You can feel judged. They can feel judged. They can…
What Do You Give Up, In Order to Homeschool?
A friend recently asked this question: What do you give up, in order to homeschool? Yes, we GAIN a lot in return… but every homeschooling family weighs difficult choices, and makes real sacrifices, in order to make it happen. So what do you give up to make it happen in your home? Here’s my answer: A…
From One Stressed-Out Mom To Another
This was written sometime ago, TO a friend, after her incredibly stressful day, FROM me, in the middle of an incredibly stressful day of my own. I don’t know if this will be encouraging to you… but I’m in the midst of our own 36 hours of seriously high levels of stress right now (the last 18 months have…
Wives Who Churn about Husbands “Leading Spiritually”
Every now and then Doug Phillips comes up in an article or reference, and I remember all the things… and am just so incredibly saddened that people were lured in by him. Plenty of men followed his leadership, in his church, in his organization, and in his conference/teaching circuits. But women, in particular, were drawn…
When You’re Not Perfect Enough
Have you ever felt that heavy certainty of heart? The guilty pronouncement that declares: “You’re not perfect enough“?? Sadly, it seems to be more prominent in certain places. And from personal experience I can say– it often accompanies the choices we make as mothers, particularly as homeschooling mothers. In truth, it shows up in other places too. The SJWs at Evergreen State,…
When Your Home Life Needs a JumpStart
Note from Jess: I wrote this more than a year ago, three months after having baby #9. We’re… barely… creeping out of the postpartum season. Wowzers, things feel overwhelming. I looked around last night and here’s what I noticed: the driveway was a mess. Recycling that hadn’t made it to the bin, toys that were…