Q: how differently should boys be parented vs how girls are? Examples would be, I know that boys don’t like to sit still. They need to be physical, to run and climb and use up all of their excess energy. What tips could you give a new boy mom as to how to deal with…
Q&A: What Does Titus 2 Look Like, PRACTICALLY?
Q: I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on how [Titus 2] plays out practically? I’m in my mid-30’s and Titus 2 mentoring is on my heart, but as a homeschool mom my days are busy, and time is the most difficult hurdle. Also, how would you structure your time together with a younger woman? Do…
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…
“ABOUT TO POP?” Encouraging Thoughts about Going Past Your Due Date
Almost every pregnant woman gets to a certain point where she JUST. FEELS. DONE. We feel massive, bloated, tired of waking up all hours to go potty, irritable (rather than sentimental) when the hiccups start up at 11:21 at night. And then for some of us, we reach that “Due Date” and keep right on…
How TO (and how NOT to) Raise a Monstrous Son
We were outside, sitting in the filtered summer sun, under a group of large trees. At our community library event I was sitting at the back of a large group of mothers with their children. The woman right in front of me had one 3 or 4 year old son. At one point, he walked up to…
When Homeschooling IDEALS Collide with the REALITIES of a Large Family
Hi Jess, I don’t know if you answer emails like this since you aren’t active on your blog, but wanted to tell you I took your advice to heart and am not blogging. It was the best decision. I had my fourth baby, and I would’ve had to lay down priorities in caring for my family to…
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…
Cooking for a Crowd, on the Cheap
Q FROM A READER: How do you feed your large family? The older my son gets, the more he’s eating, and I’m realizing I need to get better at cooking more food for less money. Yup, with 9 kiddos (8 of whom are sons!!), you know I understand! This is an ongoing point of analysis…
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,…
“What Good is That with This Huge Crowd?”
In John 6, Jesus is teaching a massive crowd, and meal time arrives. But it looks hopeless. It was too late, and would be too expensive, to run to the town/store to feed such a large group. This happens in our home from time to time. I always think of Sally Clarkson, who said something like…