Hey everyone, Life has been crazy. We moved into a different house here on the camp where my husband works, AND we have two hens that went broody & one of them has hatched eggs, AND we bought 4 kunekune (small, grass-eating, friendly) pigs. But amidst the crazy-wonderful-craziness, I realized that I have this…
Author: Jess Connell
Build Now or Regret it Later: A Letter to Mothers of Young Children
“The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days; while she who lets their habits take care of themselves has a weary life of endless friction with the children.” ~Charlotte Mason Dear Mom of young children, Do you realize the incredible power you have…
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…
KNOW YOUR BIBLE: 12 Ways to Improve Your Swordsmanship, part 1
Let me something painful but honest. The truth is: there are many days when I just don’t desire to read God’s Word. In fact, over the past few years, there have been weeks at a time where I have had almost no desire to read or study my Bible. It’s embarrassing. But maybe you can…
Weak, Cracked Pots.
Weak. It’s not what we want to be. It’s far more glamorous to be strong. Able. Buff. Ripped. Cut. Well-off. Certain. Capable. Adept. Fierce. No one enjoys being the needy one. The one asking for things. The one with nothing to contribute. There’s ease in being the one with enough margin, enough wisdom, enough financial…
What Many Parents Get Wrong About “Strong-Willed” Children
There’s a common response I receive from younger moms, after they hear/read my no-nonsense advice about tantrums, attitudes, and arguing. “I bet you haven’t actually had a strong-willed child.” “I don’t think this will work; maybe my kids are more strong-willed than yours.” “You have a lot of kids, but have any of them been…
Q&A #2: Homeschooling, Discipline, & Frustrating Moments
Q: I know my son needs to be trained out of some of the bad behaviors he’s picked up over the last 6 months of having a really loose schedule, but I feel so angry at him. I am so worn out and he talks back so much, and all I want to do is…
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…
Q&A: Obedience & The Heart: Which “Christian” Advice Is Right?
Q: what happens when I honestly want to learn how to make my 2- and 4-year-olds obey? How do I know what’s realistic…when every book and every parents gives opposite, yet “biblical” advice on the subject? What happens when I’m at the end of my rope over tantrums from the younger one like I never faced…
My Value As a Large-Family Homeschooling Mom
One of the realities of my life right now is that there is a dividing line that happens in almost every first/intro conversation I have with people (and this last year has included a lot of those)… The normally-progressing conversation that happens before… and then the shift that comes after… … people find out I…