Tea Time Tuesday: Above All, Put on Love

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“Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.”

-I Peter 4:8

All of us as families create a family culture of some kind. The traditions we keep, the meals we make, the routines we practice, the values we espouse and hold, our favorite movies, the church we attend, the generosity we practice, the way we invest time, the company we keep—all of these come together to craft our particular family culture. We can also inadvertently create a family culture that is negative—a culture of anger, neglect, guilt, discord, disharmony, worldly values.

I have realized that crafting a culture of love requires that I, as a mom, become the conductor of a loving and generous heart that leads all of my children to understand gracious, generous, sacrificial, validating, forgiving love. To create such a culture requires planning, intention, mature responses, words of life and affirmation, patience, and lots of unconditional love.

So often, we are caught up in the immediate things—getting the tasks done, housework, homework, bills paid, child discipline. Yet, it is the air our children breathe, the foundations we live by that will attach their hearts to ours and ultimately, potentially, to God.

True influence and discipleship is formed intentionally by modeling ourselves after the ultimate lover—Jesus. He who bowed his knees to wash 120 toes, to embrace sweet, wiggly children who were clamoring for attention, who touched the prostitute and gave her grace, who gave Peter, his own failing disciple, hope and affirmation in the midst of his failures on the night He was crucified. Ultimately He gave everything, out of love, for our redemption—He becomes our own source and inspiration of what it is like to form a culture of love. To be loved is a longing, a desire and need to our hearts as much as oxygen is to our lungs. To thrive and live productively, we all need love.

“Faith, hope and love remain, but the greatest of these is love.” -I Cor. 13:13

I wish you God's gracious, unconditional love and peace to have a lovely day with those you love!

Join me today on my podcast.

Today Is A Day For Grace

Do you ever feel as if everyone wants something of you and more is demanded of you than you can possibly give? Motherhood has a gazillion days like that.

Take a deep breath so you can last. Plan strategically about what you can reasonably hope to accomplish in the next few months and still be alive!

To add a few little pleasures into your day:

• have a white chocolate cappuccino

• take a walk to expel some adrenaline

• sneak into your bedroom, close the doors, light candles, put on some music, and just gaze out the window and sort out what is in your heart

Read more about this in Mom Heart Moments.

Nurturing A Life Of Wonder

Different seasons of life found different activities and toys, according to the children’s needs at various ages. And, yes, a full life meant there were more messes to steward, more work to be done. But a life-giving home did indeed nurture a life of wonder, exploration, and discovery.

In the long run, I found it to be a worthy commitment. David danced before the Lord with all of his might, and I have often had that thought in my mind of wanting to dance before God with all of my might as I filled my home with His reality through many dimensions (see 2 Samuel 6:14).

Were there conflict, challenge, weariness, discouragement at times? Yes, of course. I was a warrior fighting to bring light into a dark world. I had few support systems and fewer encouragers who believed in what I was doing.

Yet one more quiet time, one more reflection on our ideals, and it would take me through another day, another year. And truly, the seed was growing deep roots that eventually manifested fruit.

Read more about this in Awaking Wonder.

Tea Time Tuesday: A Mama's Happy Heart

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I think my heart is happiest when I have some of my children home. Soooo, this week my heart is full to the brim. Joy came last week and Keelia and Nathan joined this weekend. We have feasted, talked, giggled, discussed every subject that concerns our lives and delighted in just being together.

Join me today on my podcast to hear from my sweet ones about life where they are — and what is going on in their worlds. I am having way too much fun. Happy Tuesday.

You Are The Gospel Message Your Children Will Read

Our acts of kindness and thoughtfulness, our willingness to admit our failures and ask for forgiveness, our delight in and thoughts about God’s Word shared through all the moments of life will open our children’s hearts to His reality.

They will gain an understanding of who God is when we model His reality through our own life of wonder-filled worship and love.

Our children draw our accountability to live a faith-driven life, and yet, because of feeling responsible to live faithfully in front of them, we grow into our own spiritual potential. Serving through our home becomes a laboratory of our own faith and life.

Read more about this in Awaking Wonder.

Tea Time Tuesday: Rest, Refresh, Restore and You Will Regain Your Vision

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Teatime Tuesday

Sometimes a girl just has to take care of herself. Sometimes, a girl just needs a break from the mundane responsibilities of life.

No matter how hard we try, none of us is able to control all of the circumstances and moments of our lives.

And we are all human beings—fragile—and limited. We need to take time to refresh, relax and restore or we will begin to see signs of stress acted out in our attitudes.

From time to time, when my four were much younger, and I had pushed them to their limits during the day without a nap, too much activity with other children, beyond their bedtime, too much sugar, and sometimes with lots of over-stimulation, bedtime would be impossible. Out of utter fatigue, they would wail and cry, throw little fits and not give into sleep until their bodies finally capitulated to utter exhaustion. Their reaction was equal to the level of exhaustion and abuse their bodies had taken.

There was no easy fix. They cried and fussed until they finally fell asleep. They didn't need to be disciplined—they needed to be loved and rested. Only when they caught up on rest and their metabolism went back to a normal blood sugar level over a couple of days, were they less agitated.

Mamas do the same thing, at times. When living without enough sleep, and eating too much junk food, with work and taking care of others—who are often immature, irritating, draining, picking up messes, cooking, attending to constant needs, life takes them to utter exhaustion. They are prone to fits expressed in different ways.

We cry, too—but in a more adult way. By being grumpy, irrationally angry, irritated or tearful at the smallest circumstances, our bodies rebel at exhaustion and show us that we have abused them. Older women and younger all need a slow down.

Our hearts will not have peace until our bodies have had rest.

You matter, you are worth it. You need to take care of yourself.

Join me on my podcast today, At Home with Sally.

The Miracle Of Bringing A Life Into The World

These are my first memories recorded in my journal:

As I first cradled baby Sarah, I was afraid I would drop her or hurt her somehow. I held her tightly in my embrace with a sense of wonder and reverence. Dark-blue eyes the color of blueberries stared up intensely in the direction of my voice. Dripping dark strands of hair framed her face of pearl-white skin. At that moment, I was starstruck with my little newborn, first child.

For a moment, I had her alone in the finally quiet hospital room. As I was holding her, it was as if God was whispering to me: "You are holding eternity in your arms. This little one is a miracle, a gift from Me. Will you cherish and love her so that when she grows up, she will believe that I love her? Will you be responsible to shape and fill her mind with the best stories so she will always believe in heroes? Will you whisper to her the secrets of My ways, teach her what is true, give her a place to grow strong and a sanctuary in which to celebrate all that is good in life so that she will fill the treasure chest of her soul with all that is good, true, and beautiful?"

Read more about this in Well Lived.

Your Influence As A Homeschooling Mom

"To shape their values and attitudes, build their faith, discipline their disobedience, inspire their genius, nurture their emotions, train their habits, cultivate their character, and set their feet on the path of righteousness.

It is those seized moments of godly influence in your children’s hearts that will make you the heart of the home.

Your influence as a homeschooling mom won’t come from reading all the right books on motherhood, listening to the latest parenting experts, using the 'best' homeschooling materials, or being the best homemaker. It will come because of your faithfulness—because your 'mom heart' is open to God and seeking what he wants you to do as a woman, wife, and mother."

Read more about this in Educating the Wholehearted Child.

Educating the Wholehearted Child
By Clarkson, Clay, Clarkson, Sally
Buy on Amazon

You Are Right Where You Need To Be

What we do when no one else is looking shows the integrity of our lives. To live by our convictions when no one else notices becomes the most important work of all because that choice honors God and not ourselves. What we practice, we become.

Be faithful and give your whole heart to loving your children well. Practice growing in patience, obedience, and gratefulness. Put your energy into the story you have been given right now. You will bear rich fruit in your life as you embody the story and purpose God has spoken into being for you. And you will witness the fruit in your child's life again and again as they grow into their story.

Read more about this in Teatime Discipleship for Mothers and Daughters.

Making Home Discipleship A Priority

"Jesus commanded us to 'make disciples' (Matthew 28:19), and that certainly includes children. Paul, using the language of discipleship, commanded fathers concerning their children to 'bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord' (Ephesians 6:4). Discipleship is not a responsibility you can put off or turn over to someone else. It is a biblical priority.

That is why your responsibility to disciple your children is so foundational to your responsibility to educate them. If you desire to teach your children effectively, their hearts must first be turned to God.

Remember that God is with you on your journey of Christian parenting, and he wants more than anything for you and your children to enjoy his company along your path. Home discipleship is an exciting and rewarding journey on the path of life with your children."

Read more about this in Educating the Wholehearted Child.

Educating the Wholehearted Child
By Clarkson, Clay, Clarkson, Sally
Buy on Amazon