Doing hard things is admired in many circles. Decide to run a marathon, get your MBA, do a DIY remodel of an old house, or move into an RV and traverse America in a year, and people will fawn over it. Sometimes you can even get a reality TV show doing stuff like that. People are,…
Author: Jess Connell
The Challenge of Being a Mom of Many (When I Need Breathing Room)
This might be the hardest part (for me) of having a big family. It’s the part I didn’t really expect, because, prior to having kids, I always saw myself as an extrovert. A quite marked extrovert. Not only that, but I always liked being around kids. Loved it, in fact. Playing, wrestling, tickling, laughing, snuggling down to read…
How & Why I Started Nourishing and Cherishing My Body
This past spring, I knew something had to change. I’m 36 (and– gulp!– I can only say that for another month or so). And I had started noticing my age. It was little things: groaning, with an additional “oof” or “oh!” when I got off the couch hearing clicks in my knees and ankles…
End of Summer, Back to School (and a rant about extracurricular commitments)
Well, this year we had a long summer. Longer than normal. And it was fabulous. Here are some highlights: Our family of 9 spent 12 days on a backpacking trip around Mt. Rainier. We were completely phone/internet disconnected during those days, and lived off of (1) what we could carry, and (2) what we stashed in 2 food/fuel…
A Summer Intermission
“So, anyways, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty” (<—– in my head, that is in Nacho Libre’s voice, in case you’re wondering). Summer is here and I need to breathe deeply and find my way to some fresh headspace. I’ll be back; I always come back. Writing is in my blood, but it’s time for some…
Motherhood 101: The Class We Never Got
Instead of having a good idea of what motherhood entails, most of us learn the ropes of motherhood while we live it out. We’re already in the role by the time we realize we’re almost entirely unprepared for it. This often leads to stress and anxiety for new moms as they not only take on the hardest, most…
Is Homeschooling a Safeguard Against Rebellion?
On a list of my favorite quotes about homeschooling, one reader took an issue with this: “We cannot continue to send our children to Caesar for their education and be surprised when they come home as Romans.” ~Dr. Voddie Baucham She commented: I do not agree with #11. I homeschool my children, but I was public-schooled….
Christian Fasting, for Moms
WHAT IS CHRISTIAN FASTING?Simply put, fasting is choosing (for a set period of time) not to eat food in order to devote yourself more single-mindedly to the pursuit of God through Scripture and prayer. Christian fasting differs from the ritual/scheduled fasting found in other religions, and is not done in order to earn favor. Like…
How to Set Your Kids Up for Obedience
I was recently at an event where I was, for days, in a stationary vantage point of watching a wide swath of parents interact with their children amidst stressful circumstances. One mother stands out to me. Unfortunately, not for good reasons. She stood by watching as two of her young children destroyed part of the building. She feigned…
Here’s Why the Arguing and Complaining is Non-Stop in Your Home
Q: “With 4 children ages 10, 6, 2.5 and 15 mo, the discipline and training (especially of the 10 year old, who has a propensity for argument and complaining and always seems to thinks she knows best) could seriously interfere with normal, everyday activities like supper, bedtimes, homework, etc. Am I looking at this the…