Having a good work ethic does not come naturally for most of us, and this is even more true for children. There are families where one parent is a bit carefree or even lazy, while then the other parent is a 'get-r-done' kind of person. This can often cause problems between husband and wife which
[ read more ]
Being productive is one of the drums I beat all the time, but there is a huge difference between being productive and being busy. We cannot be busy for the sake of activity, our busyness must have a purpose. Busyness: 1. the quality or condition of being busy. 2. lively but meaningl
[ read more ]
For our family we have many times of, "Thank you, Lord, for our DAILY bread." We are working hard to break the generational bondage of slavery in our family. The slavery spiritual blindness, the slavery of debt and the slavery of trusting the 'experts'. We know we'll never be able to accomplish e
[ read more ]
The QBQ!!! I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is a fast read with short chapters that stress the importance of personal accountability. Although the book is focused on personal accountability at work it bleeds into EVERY area of life! I think this a great book to use at your dinner ta
[ read more ]
When our son was about 12, a fellow homeschool dad did a Survival Camp. They met once a week for 6 weeks and learned some very basic survival skills. They learned how to build a basic shelter in the woods, how to skin a fish, how to coat matches to keep them dry, how to start a fire without matches,
[ read more ]
Almost always it is those that serve (give, work, sacrifice, love) the least that will be the most CRITICAL, PETTY, DISCONTENT people in the crowd whether it be in the family, voters, church, occupation or group. Do you have one in your family who avoids work? He will be the one that compl
[ read more ]
Olivia surprised me with an early gift for over the mantel. I love this phrase from the song, Come Thou Fount. This is my heart's plea..."never more to wander from Thee". Now I know our home is a bit different because my husband is a handyman, carpenter, and junkyard extraordinaire (a
[ read more ]
If you want to know someone, to see what they are made of, roll up your sleeves and work along side them. Nowhere is this more true than with your family, especially your children! Whether doing daily chores or working for pay outside the home it is your duty to train your children to work
[ read more ]
Bigger schools, more books (think about who is writing the books) and more teachers are not going to solve the education crisis in America. Public education is about control and money. How about parents keep their money and their children? What if your tax dollars were spent on an education that
[ read more ]
What I love about Facebook is 'meeting' so many people with similar interest and coming across so many great writings. Yesterday this article was 'liked' by a friend of mine that I have great respect for, so I clicked over to see what it was all about. It is really good and I wanted to share it
[ read more ]
What will you do with the gift of today? Waste it or use it? You are what you think about...garbage in, garbage out! There are empty libraries and a LOT people numbed out with Facebook and games complaining about how hard their life is. If you are not getting anywhere...not moving forward,
[ read more ]
For the most part I'm all for living simply, now not too simple. ;o) I'm pretty frugal and I don't mind having less to make life more simple. I think it is very easy to get caught up in owning so much stuff that it can eventually own you. I mean really, do we need 4 frying pans? Do we
[ read more ]
Here are some excellent resources to help you instill good character and a strong work ethic in your children. Created for Work: Practical Insights for Young Men This is an excellent book that will encourage a good work ethic. It is geared for boys but also applies to girls. Boyhood and Beyon
[ read more ]
People who love Mondays love their life and they know their purpose.When you embrace your purpose and you know it's not about you, but rather about something MUCH bigger, you can't wait to get at it! I get so frustrated with people who gripe about Mondays, about going to work. These same people
[ read more ]
Although this is an article about Canada, the United States is in the same boat, and they are both sinking! It’s hard not to laugh when Barry Smith starts telling stories about the hapless young workers he has to deal with. Smith, who runs Toronto-area roofing company RoofSmith Canada, tells
[ read more ]
I met Allison a few weeks ago at a party we catered. She and her family were there not only as guests, but she was also the photographer for the party. She has a really neat family which is partly birthed through adoption. You can read more about her family at Five Lewis Crew. When I w
[ read more ]
Here is a wonderful, detailed tutorial about cutting your little boy's hair. And another tutorial for little girl's hair. *** We have this DVD and it is excellent: Bring It Home Beauty Hair Edition Volume 1 It shows how to style hair, how to cut long hair, bangs and a men's
[ read more ]
The ways to use pallets is endless! Here are some ways to make furniture with them: I love the practicality of storage here too! Here is a site with a bunch of ideas! Here are 4 other ways to use pallets as furniture. This one has a video to show you how. I love this bed a
[ read more ]
Last week I shared about a really cool bench. Did you know that: Approximately 40% of all hardwood harvested in the U.S. is for making shipping pallets About two-thirds of pallets are used only once before being thrown out 1/4 of all wood in landfills is from used pallets You
[ read more ]
I LOVE the whole using wooden pallets to make things for almost free! Not only that, but it is a great way to keep your high energy boys busy! Learning how to use a hammer and drive, in this case remove nails is something every guy needs to know. OR you could do it this way, but I think you
[ read more ]
Being self-employed makes buying insurance VERY expensive. A couple of years ago we decided to use Samaritan Ministries for our health care needs. Jeff is not on our family plan because he uses tobacco (cigars), so we carry a separate insurance policy for him, but our girls and myself are on a f
[ read more ]
If you want to make money you need to be skilled. The more skills you have, the more opportunities you will have to make money! You need to know more than one thing. You need multiple streams of income. Not to mention, the more you can do for yourself, the more
[ read more ]
It won't be long and most of us will have some fresh corn that we just husked. Turn off the TV and turn on come CREATIVITY by letting the kids make corn husk dolls, or flowers or anything else they can think of. Olivia made this one the other day. But you really need to see what and how these l
[ read more ]
For the last couple years I have prayed that my children (remember they are older teens and 20 now) would see real heart ache, to see suffering, not that I wanted it to happen to them, but to see that there are so many in need. I wanted them (and myself) moved to deeper levels of compassion for othe
[ read more ]
A couple weeks ago a quote was used in the sermon at church, it was so rich I just have to share it with you! Dr. Lightfoot shows that it was the custom of the Jews to bring up their children to some trade, yea, though they gave them learning or estates. Rabbi Judah says, "He that teach
[ read more ]
Do you remember your first job, maybe even a part time job during the summer as a teen? Do you remember your biggest lessons learned? Having to work for someone besides a family member can be a great step toward maturity for your children, especially your sons! Be on the look out for ways your
[ read more ]
Before we had kids I was an expert on children! Yep...it's true! THEN God gave me some and I repent and confess I know very little! I think part of my ignorance was because I had two siblings growing up and I was at a baby sitter or at school for the majority of my childhood. Both my parents worked
[ read more ]
This is a great story, a true entrepreneurial story!!! This is a story of a 13 year old boy and how he rolling in the dough! If you have any entrepreneural stories please let me know!
[ read more ]
”To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them…” ~Richard Henry Lee Emma's 4-H Shooting Club had regional competition last Saturday. They did pretty good. Their club placed third
[ read more ]
Kelly asked: "My question would be how to find a balance between wanting your teens (mine are 13 & 17) to respect you and like you? I want them to obey, but they, especially the boy, challenges me. I am thankful to have a great husband who really interacts with all of us……but, I just
[ read more ]
We value our freedoms. We take seriously our ability to protect ourselves and to protect those who are weaker, life is precious! Did you know that in the pioneer days of our country there was always a gun hanging over the doorway? It was to protect the homestead and family from wild animals and f
[ read more ]
The other day I wrote about Family Life Makes Good Cents, and how we have implemented some things in our home. After a few e-mails I feel like that post needed a Part Two. :) First of all, this is what has worked for our family at this season. The thing about family life is that it is alw
[ read more ]
A couple weeks ago I posted why I believe older kids should have to help pay their own way. Today I'd like to break down how we do a few things and the benefits of living as a family. It is COST effective to live together and share: Auto Insurance - Our adult children can be on our auto insuranc
[ read more ]
Wisdom is the quality that keeps you from getting into situations where you need it. ~Larson How many times have we gotten ourselves into a mess that was really foolish? The mess could have been avoided if we would have just obeyed God's principals, or gotten wise advice? Know this, my belo
[ read more ]
Diana left this comment in the comment section of The Two Most Important Things in Education: As our kids are getting into the higher teens and they are getting income from various places we have struggled with what to require of them (for example a friend our ours has her children contribute hal
[ read more ]
Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk. ~Larson There was an elderly lady in our quilter's guild who was usually very quiet. Whenever someone would ask her her opinion her answers were always very insightful and wise. She was such a sharp th
[ read more ]
Emma (16), is learning all kinds of business skills with her Mary Kay endeavor. I appreciate that MK gives such good training, because they want need you to be successful at business. Because she is technically too young to be a consultant it is all done in my name, so I go with her to these mee
[ read more ]
Encourage enterprise, don't give the children everything they want! Let them find ways to make some money so they will appreciate the value of a dollar, the value of labor, and the value of good character. Children, just as adults, will not do things until they have to. :)
[ read more ]
Heard this song for the first time last night. I immediately thought of my young friend Ben, in Virginia, who just turned 17; he has restored an old Farmall tractor. Which made me think about the character he is building with that tractor. I love it when young men are doing manly thin
[ read more ]
Thanks again to my sweet friend Lori for sharing this GREAT site. 20 Gifts for Kids You Still Have Time to Make!
[ read more ]
When my kids were younger we'd usually take the month of December off from most of our book work. Between parties and holiday commitments it was just easier to set the books aside and still be learning in a more creative way. Whether it is simple crafts, holiday baking, special meals or gift givi
[ read more ]
This is pretty amazing. This boy built this and then plays it! Talk about creativity!
[ read more ]
When we take away one's opportunity to fail, we take away their opportunity to succeed. Whether it be allowing your children to help in the kitchen, sweep the floor or mow the grass, if you do not allow them to do it imperfectly in the beginning, they will never know the satisfaction of doing it
[ read more ]
We should never confuse contentment with complacency. I'm not sure if it because of my age or because of my slow growing spiritual maturity that I am learning to be content. When I recently told a friend that I think I am arriving at true contentment I had this automatic conflict in me. Does that m
[ read more ]
Your door truly says "Welcome" (or not) to people. It is your visitor's first impression of your home. This is the one I have right now. I love having a wreath on the door and I change mine every season. I almost always use the same base but change out the decorations. I also use strips of fabric
[ read more ]
As we Americans celebrate Thanksgiving this month it is a good time to really focus on the character trait of gratitude. Little irks me more than an ungrateful person! It seems that for most people the more they are given the more ungrateful they become and act as if they 'deserve' more. Children th
[ read more ]
There is no easy time to raise children ( or be married, or grow up, etc...). Every era has it's struggles; there in nothing new under the sun. I've been on a big Waltons (yes, the old TV series) kick lately. I have all the seasons lined up in our Netflix box; each disc has 3 episodes on it. I star
[ read more ]
A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone. ~Billy Graham Respect is such an important character trait, not only for children, but also for adults. The sooner a person learns respect the easier it will be for them as they grow older. Respe
[ read more ]
"Do everything without complaining or arguing..." Philippians 2:14 Whining children grow up to be adults that complain about everyone and everything! For some reason (selfishness...pride...covetousness) they think they deserve more. Make your home a whine free zone...starting with Mom. Moms ma
[ read more ]
Our family's choice:
Taste the joy that springs from labor.
—
