By Jessica Wolstenholm
How do you raise children to be compassionate and mission-minded? How do you instill qualities of a servant leader from a young age? What are appropriate ways for children to serve their community? How can you serve together as a family? These are questions I’ve journeyed with the past two years. I’ve […]
By Jessica Wolstenholm
Back in 1976, my cousin Michael and I were both 9 years old and about to enter the 4th grade. This was the summer that we both had to memorize our multiplication tables. At some point before school started, Michael’s dad (my uncle) sat us down in his den and started a game with us, […]
By Jessica Wolstenholm
Part of me wonders why my kids struggle with patience because they are painfully slow whenever I’m in a hurry. Okay, okay…the truth is I struggle with patience just as much as they do. It’s difficult to wait in a world of insta-everything. Our kids are used to instantly seeing the photo we just took, […]
By Jessica Wolstenholm
I don’t know about you, but so many times I find myself overwhelmed at all that parenting entails. Not only am I in charge of meeting my three children’s most basic needs, but my husband and I are responsible for their emotional and spiritual development. I often feel like I am too young to […]
By Jessica Wolstenholm
When I was old enough to start receiving an allowance, my parents pulled out three ceramic jars and placed them on the kitchen counter. I’ll never forget what they looked like—a cream colored based with pastel grapes painted around the sides and top. They were standard 90’s kitchen décor, but they weren’t for holding […]
By Jessica Wolstenholm
I never really valued time until I had babies. All of a sudden time mattered. At first it was subtle. Sleep was lacking and the little pockets of time I could find to afford myself a bit of a reprieve were a gift. As my babies grew, special moments with them were cherished […]
By Minno
Celebrating Mothers Through History The tradition of celebrating mothers and motherhood has been around for quite a while. Though beliefs about motherhood have varied widely, many cultures have marked the entry into motherhood with ceremonies or have held annual festivals to honor mothers. The ancient Greeks had an annual festival to Rhea, the mother of […]
By Jessica Wolstenholm
The NY Times published an article that dives into the world of children and screen addiction. The article quotes statistics from a Kaiser Family Foundation study which states, “The average 8- to 10-year-old spends nearly eight hours a day with a variety of different media, and older children and teenagers spend more than 11 […]
By Minno
Time for some honesty. I have started this blog post four times. Each time about half way in I found myself stuck – unable to write more and unsure of what the Holy Spirit wants me to type. “Why is this so difficult?” I pleaded to God. “I am just writing on prayer.” And then […]
By Jessica Wolstenholm
No inter-human relationship is more basic than that between parent and child. God thought the child /parent relationship important enough to make the fifth Commandment all about honoring that relationship, and then promises a blessing to those who follow this part of the Law. “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may […]