Jesus is my center

Jesus' fingerprints amidst my day

Without faith, it is impossible to please God...........Hebrews 11:1

The measure of a great woman is not her strength, but her reliance on God. Today I read this in my quiet time:

Lord, you have always given bread for the coming day; And though I am poor, today I believe.

Lord you have always given strength for the coming day; and though I am weak, today I believe.

Lord you have always given peace for the coming day, and though of anxious heart, today I believe.

Lord you have always kept me safe in trials, and now, tried as I am, today I believe.

Lord, You have always marked the road for the coming day; and though it may be hidden, today I believe.

Lord, You have always lightened this darkness of mine; and though night is here, today I believe.

Lord, You have always spoken when time was ripe; and though you be silent now, today I believe.

(From my Celtic daily prayer book--prayers and readings from the Northumbria Community)

My mother's ways are speaking to my heart today

Mother's Day with all the kids preparing for me-- Today, my family is bustling around putting graces all around my home--flowers, fresh baked cookies, home made bread, candles, personal cards of welcome, ways that we hope will make my sweet friend, Sarah Mae, feel welcome. I am so very excited she is coming, as I love her and cherish her friendship.

When I would return home from college, where I was attending out of state, I would return home to hand written signs on my front door, "We love Sally. We are happy she is home." There would also be little post its with "I love you," and "So glad you are home, I missed you."

Candles always lit on the table every night, even if it was toast and cereal. My mom made coming home the best place to be and made me feel the most loved I ever felt. Home should bring life to all who enter. I miss being spoiled by her and I wish I could be with her every day as she moves more toward heaven daily.

And it is the way my sweet children have grown up--putting things in place whenever we have someone here--finding ways to say, "You are valued in this home."

And so, my mother's voice is in my ear and heart today. I miss her ways in my life. And now my voice and ways are in the heart of my children because we have practiced life and cultivating life in our home for so many years, it has become a part of their ways.

Now, I won't finish straightening all the piles or get everything cleaned and picked up before I have to pick Sarah Mae up at the airport in Denver--but I do hope she will know how very happy we are to have her with us to share some days of life and to make some lasting memories. I am blessed to have sweet friends.

Last year, Sarah Mae and me at Relevant--now we will take new pics and talk too much and stay up too late and share all we think,  and eat and drink coffee or tea as often as possible and it will all pass too quickly and then it will all seem like a dream.

Happy Fourth of July to everyone!

We live in a little town that has the most amazing parade of veterens, kids on decorated bikes and trikes and every assortment of a groups, clubs and  and floats imaginable. It is lots of fun and thousands upon thousands come from all around.

Then of course tonight, our family and friends, after grilling burgers and sausages with friends, will  gather with a whole community of others, at Palmer Lake nestled in the mountains near our home and watch the fire works in the sky and reflect in the water. A fun memory for many years---except that last year was rained out!

Now to share my favorite new desert this year. Three berry shortcake. We mash up fresh strawberries and raspberries with a little sugar thrown in and just a tiny bit of hot water. Then we sprinkle whole blue berries and toss them together. Pile it up on shortcake or angel food cake, top with whip cream and you have a fresh, and oh so tasty and healthy desert.

Hope you have a grand time with your friends and family!

Today, I am.........And another giveaway of Educating the Whole Hearted Child!

Going to early breakfast with Sarah and walking the flower covered, tree shaded, sidewalk friendly Vitcorian neighborhoods. Putting in beef ribs with homemade barbeque sauce to slowly cook in the oven and to be finished outside with grilled veggies, baked potatoes and a movie night at home.

Looking for a porch swing at 2 shops,  for the front porch, where we have been eating dinner every night, by the aspens and tall pines. More shade here than on our deck for cool, breezy evenings.

Making homemade bread and cinnamon rolls for sharing with a sweet friend coming for a visit next week.

Trying to figure out what is eating my rose bushes and finding a solution.

Taking Joel out for a date to discuss what he direction he should take for the near future as a young idealistic, aspiring composer.

Tea and fresh homemade chocolate chip cookies and curling up with a great book this afternoon---Sarah promised they would be ready for the tasting. And maybe a nap snuck in between the edges.

So very honored and encouraged by the wonderful review of Educating the Whole Hearted Child--you can read about it here! And take the opportunity to enter one more chance to get one of our Whole Hearted Child books: The Homeschool Village

Gardening your own soul

A mother's soul is the book of life a child will read. A mother cannot pass on to her children what she herself does not possess. That is why a mother must always be a student--always learning, reading, studying scripture, listening to people who are older and wiser, investing in her own soul so that children may have much to draw from.

Some great books I have read in the past few weeks:

Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry--a fine book that reflects in story form the death of family values and the culture that held them together through their common heritage and history

The Rest of God by Mark Buchannan Sabbath Rest and perspective and quiet places for our body, mind and soul are necessary to our over all well being and health

What are you doing to cultivate your soul so that you will have new thoughts, new ideas, new life to dispense to all who would draw from your soul?

Don't be a lone ranger Christian!

My Inner Circle Friends at the Statue of Liberty Museum

The room was dark, every seat was filled, but electricity was in the air with all of us somehow connected to one another. At the first flash of "Return of the King", everyone came alive, cheering, whistling and clapping as though something paramount was about to be experienced. (Did anyone else go to the Return of the King, 4 hours and 20 minutes on the big screen Tuesday night?)

Long ago, I became friends and co-admirers with my children of epoch movies and books and rousing ideas. And if I go to the movies with them, I have entrance to their hearts and the issues they cherish there--conversation is always rousing and insightful when we share an experience like this together.

Now,we all want to be a part of a greater story--we want to feel that our lives are meaningful in the greater scheme of things, that somehow we are not invisible to the grand scheme of things, but that our personality, our circumstances and our faith and work will produce something of eternal value in our life time.  I love the books that Tolkien wrote,  and can see how he gave so many parallels to our own return of the king. (could have done without the orks--but maybe they are an actual representation of those in heavenly places who rail against our efforts to build godliness and faith and courage into our own children--that hand that seems against us at every point.)

So many themes that I love in this movie, and in the books. Loyalty, friendship, endurance, sacrifice for the good of all for fighting against evil, overcoming fears and insecurities of our frail selves, little ones who are used to change the world, deep love and intimacy that comes from serving in a great call together. But, I was overcome with thoughts about the utter importance of community, friendship and relationships.

The fellowship of the men who went in force together was a picture of strength, valor, encouragement necessary for all of us to complete the journey of our own great callings. Family is also designed by God to be one of these communities--all for one and one for all. We are always going to be here for each other. We are called to be a part of each other's lives. It is why relationship based discipleship is so important. When we know we are called by God to bring His light to bear in this dark world, when we group together and say, "I wonder how God will use our family to bring HIs kingdom to bear in our lifetime?" And then when we pursue each other, invest in memories, traditions, celebrations, comforting in trials, we build a strength that can not easily be broken. A family is a powerful unit in holding fast to a calling in life.

But, the church was also called to be that. We were to live in community with like-minded believers who would be there for us in all seasons of life. We were to have the voice of God coming through friends, family, and those who surrounded us in our own fellowship of our ring. People who called out to our best self. People who would love us, warts and all. People who would join us in the fight for righteousness and goodness. Those who would join us in praying for our children as we faced trials and battles constantly.

Yet, Satan has crafted this idea of fierce independence and lone ranger mentality. We even tend to value the one who "did it his way." We admire the tough independent. We think we can stand alone in our trials and battles. We go to large churches where we are not accountable. We do not know our neighbors. This has never been God's way and it has never been Biblical.

Humility, serving one another, sacrificing our lives, giving generously of our time and work, supporting the less fortunate, engaging with the orphan and widow, honoring parents and family--not just with a once a holiday card or flowers, but by our living with them in constant fellowship. God's voice, hands, works, words, service is felt when people exhibit the body of Christ through their own lives. Why do many of us feel lonely? Because the believers in our lives are not reaching out and initiating love and purposing to give of themselves to the believers they know--because of busy-ness and overwhelmingly activities centered lives that prevent personal time to give to those around us.

Moses had Aaron and Hur and his brother and sister and Jethro, his father-in-law. Jesus chose a group of 12 men and the women surrounding them to be his band who would turn the world upside down.

We need people to rally us to our best, to hold us accountable, to talk us out of compromise, to pray for miracles and expectation before God together.

Because I do not have strong family in my area, I have struggled over the years to find such friends. However, at the prompting of a friend who said I needed friends to help hold up my arms, I have intentionally pursued groups of friends as my priority. The ones above are family friends who invest in each other all the time. We serve together at our conferences with their children. We have a once a month family dinner for many years (and if we miss one or two, we make it happen the next month.) We have evolved to a point of spending holidays together when possible or a portion of holidays. I could not have made it without my Shelly and Deb angel friends.

About 3 years ago, I looked at those women who most often came to my Bible study, or called me or emailed me--those most often in my life. I had them all over for a once a month lunch or tea time and friend time. This wonderful group of women have become such better friends. They are now my advisory board and managers of the intensives. We have once a month birthday lunches or gatherings. We sometimes get our families together for a bigger pot luck. We share life and needs. I know that if we stay faithful, we will deepen the ties of our hearts and memories to each other through so many seasons. I would not have made it without them. My beloved fun, differing ages, a variety of personality, different levels of hormones each day (!), ups and downs, as different as the fellowship of the ring, but all for one and all going to follow Him in our great cause together of building a powerful, righteous generation of future leaders right on our own homes.

I have another friend in town, a wise and older friend. We intentionally make time for each other. Every time I am with her, I feel I have been in the presence of God. I have national friends--faraway friends--that I call, email, gather with, whenever possible. I am a weak, fragile person. I do not have all the answers. But I know that if I place myself in the pathway of like-minded, mature women, I will be much more likely to hold fast.

Call your friends, write and call your children, send cards, make meals a time of memory, gather to yourself intentionally those who you love and whom you would like to invest yourself. Develop your own fellowship of the Ring of your own calling, that you might have foundations of strength, support and love in your lifetime through all of the seasons. Don't be a lone ranger Christian.

I would spend more time crafting these words but I am off to a birthday breakfast with one of the fellowship of my ring! :)

Educating the WholeHearted Child -- A Giveaway for the Best Book Ever!

EWHC3 Cover

ITJ Giveaway for the Best Book Ever! Ends July 6 (11:59pmMT). Entry rules below.

I am so excited to share our newest version of Educating the WholeHearted Child! When Clay and I were young and passionate about the new home education movement, he would research and write all day, and then in the wee hours of the night we would talk, evaluate, add, and give more to our ideals. That was where the 1994 first version of Educating the WholeHearted Child was given birth--in our ideals and hopes.

Now, however, after a lifetime of work--in our family, with our children, in the reality of living out our ideals--we come to you with the new Third Edition of this book that reflects the work of our lives. I am so honored to be married to a man who can put so much into words and pages. I know you will be blessed by this book. (Not the least bit prejudiced, am I?!) This is more than just a book on education; it is a book about life, and about bringing the life of Christ to reality in your home.

So, to celebrate the release of this long-labored Third Edition, are giving away three copies of the new Educating the WholeHearted Child. To enter this ITJ Giveaway you must use the entry form below. Only entries submitted using the form below will be entered into the drawing. But I asked Clay to offer some thoughts, so you have to read them first, and then you'll find the form. Here's Clay...

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A lot happens in fifteen years. When we released the second edition of Educating the WholeHearted Child back in 1996, I thought I had said all I would need to say about our WholeHearted Learning model of home discipleship and education. The new third edition ofEducating, though, has obviously proved me wrong. It is an extensive revision and expansion, not just because content and references needed to be updated, but even more because God updated us as parents in the ensuing 1.5 decades.

More is not always better, but in the case of this book I am confident in saying this is a better book than I could write in 1996. Those 256 pages have grown to 384 pages, and many of the existing pages were rewritten or revised, but only because I had more to say by 2011. After seeing all four of our wholehearted children graduate from our home school and face their worlds as confident, mature, godly young men and women following Christ, the “rest of the story” needed to told. Whatever more could be said, my prayer is that this third edition will reach more wholehearted families than we can think or imagine.

Who should read Educating the WholeHearted Child? First of all, it is a fully Christian and biblical book, so it is for believers, and more specifically for Christian parents. This book was written primarily to help Christian homeschooling parents think about their home as a God-designed living and learning environment, and to think of home education as a relational process of discipleship, not just as an alternative method of education.

However, even if you don’t homeschool your children, this book will help you think biblically about God’s design for your home and family. As the author, I hope all Christian parents, whether millennial new-gen beginners or baby boomer old-gen veterans, will be encouraged and equipped by my book.

What’s in Educating the WholeHearted Child? Forgive the massive sentence, but here’s what you’ll find between the covers: hundreds of practical ideas, teaching methods, lifestyle suggestions, and product recommendations; dozens of scriptures, personal anecdotes, quotes, notes, and comments; dozens of "In Our Home" snapshots of Clarkson family living; a recommended "Family Favorites" reading list of whole and living books; a section of reproducible forms for planning and record-keeping; and much more.

The content of the books covers all the important areas of Christian home education: why to homeschool; home nurture; home discipleship; home eduction; schools of homeschooling models; our WholeHearted Learning model of homeschooling; over four dozen key subject areas of methods; understanding your child’s living and learning style (personality); how to organize; lifestyle encouragement and insights; and helpful resources.

If you want to know more about the book, or if you’re ready to order your own copy, click here to go right to the page in our Whole Heart Online Store. The retail price for the new volume is only $22.00, but for a limited time we are offering the book on our website at the 1994 first edition price of $18.00. Order your copy today! (If the link doesn’t work, go to www.wholeheart.org and click the “Store” tab.)

Once we agreed to allow Apologia Press to publish the new edition, it took another two-and-a-half years to complete the rewrite and get it in print. It was like writing three books. If you’ve been patiently waiting for this new version, thank you, and we’re happy to say it is finally here. If this is the first time you’ve ever heard of Educating the WholeHearted Child, I hope you will give it a try. I think you’ll be encouraged and inspired as a Christian parent. We believe this book can help restore families to the wholehearted design that God intended for us to enjoy.

Wholehearted blessings,

Clay Clarkson

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ITJ GIVEAWAY

This ITJ Giveaway for three copies of Educating the WholeHearted Child has officially ended. A wholehearted "Thank you" to everyone who participated! You have done so much to help us get the word out about the new edition of this book. I was overwhelmed in a good way with the response--about 500 entry form submissions. Thank you for making this a great giveaway. Be watching for more as we fine-tune our giveaway contesting skills. Blessings! Sally

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR THREE WINNERS!

The drawing was completed July 7, 2011 at 5:16pm MT on Random.org and three winners were randomly selected: Melissa R. from North Pole, AK Jennifer H.  from Anaheim, CA Carrie L. from Fairbanks, AK

If you are a winner, you will receive an email from Whole Heart requesting a mailing address for your book.

The Never Ending Issues of Life--how to endure gracefully

Henry Heatherington Emerson

"Be strong, let your heart take courage, yes, wait on the Lord." Psalm 27: 14

Daily duties cry out each Monday morning, as I slip down the stairs, still sleepy and in need of my morning cuppa.  Still after all of these years, last nights late night dishes accost me--coffee cups, plates with dried on snacks, all sorts of Sunday evidence that we spend hours together relaxing, eating, laughing and messing--and now it must be dealt with, again.

Then there are the issues of life still there to greet me--the worries, money issues, problems with children, pressures on family and marriage--all still there, piled on when Monday morning comes and has a new week of challenges to greet me. Seems in the midst of all the chores that daily need to be done, there are always those bigger ones also hovering over us. Each of my older children are in a crucial period of waiting on God to move His hand of providence. Car purchases, waiting on marriage, jobs, taxes, bills, futures, as well as the demands of a teen fresh out in the world armed with her driver's license and looking for places to venture to--and still each day, they live in my home, wanting to eat again, and wanting to wear somewhat clean clothes and still leaving trails of life all around.

When they were little, there were so many issues to worry about--discipline, training, health, education, exhaustion, loneliness...

Waiting, waiting,working, fretting, wondering--what is going to be the end to all of this? These people in my home with various issues, strengths, weaknesses, hopes, dreams and legacies of difficulty and more work?

Waiting on the Lord for answers and for life to change and for help to come has been my most common challenge throughout life--waiting to get married, waiting to get pregnant, waiting to have the baby, waiting for them to sleep through the night, waiting for them to be out of diapers, waiting for them to become more mature and responsible, waiting for them to read, waiting for life to someday be easier, more manageable, waitng for me to be mature some day...

How do we manage to exist through all of the mundane, the fretting, the fears with grace?

Learning to wait is a grace for a woman who fears God. Waiting with a gentle spirit is a miracle--a beauty, an acquired habit that comes with practice and experience. Choosing to take today in its stride--choosing to see the glory of the moment in the midst of frantic children, choosing to look for beauty and the fingerprints of God in the midst of the messes requires a heart decision--Psalm 27 says, "Let your heart take courage--let it--make it, choose to let your heart fill up its boots to the power of God's abiding grace.  Choosing to believe that my prayers have not hit the roof of my home and gone no further, but that God indeed is present.

I love Psalm 103--He is mindful that I am but dust. He knows my limitations. He knows my flawed personality. Yet, He is a Father who has compassion on his children--on me. He does not require my perfection, He requires my heart, my eyes turned toward Him. He is the grace that will make this day possible, this moment livable.

Always, my only hope and my only strength and my only way to cope has been an utter abandonment to God, knowing that if He doesn't work, if He doesn't move in the midst of us through His Holy Spirit, if He doesn't take m paltry fish and loaves and make it into more than it really is, I do not have a hope of making it. I relinquish my desire to control and yield this moment, this day and hope that He will show up.

Feeling overwhelmingly weary, desperate and fearful in life is not a sin. But what we do with the weariness or fear or doubt is when sin becomes a possibility.

"For evil doers will be cut off, but those who wait on the Lord will inherit the land." Psalm 37: 9

"Those who wait on the Lord will gain new strength, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40: 31

One of the most important ways my children learn faith is to watch me wait, in grace, through all the trials of my life--but to wait--putting a flower in the vase, lighting a candle, surrounding our home with music, life, hope that says, "God will show up. He is with us. He hears us and will answer, and I am going to prepare the day by celebrating life looking to the time we will see and know His presence and faithfulness.

And yet, when I look back, I am amazed at how much I see how faithfully He has worked--to see the miracle of children grown, fine, loving, passionate about ideals--how did it all happen? To see the His hand that seemingly, seamlessly sowed my years together into a grace of a beautiful life of blessing, love and life--how did it all come about? One day at a time as He faithfully, lovingly brought all of my child-heart love and faith into a work of eternity.

Waiting with hope, in courage, patience, in love and humbly--it is the grace of the life of a godly woman that ends in seeing the miraculous hand of God, and she bows before Him, as the child with the basket of fish and says, "Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your miracle."

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If I were really spiritual, ......

I would have taken the time to write an encouraging post to tell you all the great thoughts I had in my quiet time today. (I leave every Thursday morning early to go to a hotel and have coffee and have an extended time by myself where no one can get to me. And I catch up on some email then, too.) But instead, I came home and ate fresh hot blueberry crisp that Sarah had made, took a 15 minute nap and made mushroom, onion, bacon, swiss cheese crustless quiche. And after dinner we are going to the small lake near our home for a walk.

So what did you do instead of doing something "important" today? :) Have a great evening.

The World's way, theBiblical way

Consider, consider......the lilies of the field.

The world is noisy, busy, active, loud, relentless

The Bible says, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life."

The world says, power, money, things.

The Bible says, lay up your treasures in heaven. Man looks at the outward appearance, the Lord looks at the heart.

The World says, beauty is on the outside.

The Bible says, "Man looks at the outward appearance, the Lord looks at the heart.

The World says to live for today, live for yourself, seek pleasure and fulfillment now.

The Word says, live for eternity, in this world you have tribulation, to lay up treasures in heaven.

The  world says leadership is an issue of position and power.

The Bible says, "He who gains his life will lose it. He who loses his life in this world, shall gain it." The Bible promotes servant leadership, as modeled by Jesus washing feet.

The world says, children are not of the most important. They abort them, place them in babysitting options. The world says, children take your time, are expensive, bothersome.

Jesus says, "Woe to the one who causes the least of these to stumble." He says of children, "Unless you become like a child, you will not inherit the kingdom of God." He says, "Children are a blessing from God. The fruit of the womb is a reward."

The world says, "Accomplish, do something great you can be proud of--awards, degrees, position.

Jesus says, "I am humble and meek, learn from me."

The world's way of ministry is to the masses in large churches, on television, radio, blogs and websites, mostly dynamic and impersonal and focussed on the theology, measured in numbers reached.

Jesus built deep relationships for three years with a dozen men and a few others in a community of friends.His ministry was small and personal, meeting needs, eating meals, living life with a focussed few, serving and dying for them.

Jesus did not leave the vicinity of his ministry to go into the world. He never traveled more than 50 miles from Galilee. He never wrote a book, spoke on television, wrote a blog, lived prominently.

Yet, God took his message into the world so that more words and books have been written about him than any other,  Countless ministries have reached millions and millions of  people with his redemptive message. Lives have been changed, centuries of history have rendered totally different because of the power of truth lived out and spoken from the quiet, gentle, humble life of Christ lived with integrity during His time on the earth.

Is the way He lived still relevant to this "connected", web based, busy, technological, virtual, impersonal culture? Could Jesus still live through me, faithfully, quietly, personally, powerfully right where I am and have the impact of my life of integrity reach the far corners of the earth if I lived according to his ways, and not the worlds?

How should this apply to me and help me to determine my priorities and values as I seek to live for His glory. How do I live a humble, personal, heart centered, servant-oriented, children valuing, eternally focussed life, focussed on listening to Him and closing out the voices of the world?