Celebrating Saturday with Snow!

Light snow wafting through the air and painting frost art on the trees makes me bubble up with excitement. The quiet and beauty of a new snow can bring delight to my heart.

Snow means cuddling up inside with my George Winston, December, softly filling the room with piano celebration of the season.

Hot tea and hot chocolate will be continuously simmering in the kitchen.

Something warm and sweet will come out of the oven--7 layer bars or butterscotch oatmeal cookies.

Light dancing on the walls from the fireplace glow and shadows will draw everyone to the hearth.

And so snow gives me another day to celebrate and make our little haven a place of friendship shared, love poured out, conversations bubbling and books and magazines being consumed by our firelight reverie.

And it always brings to mind the poem I would read to the children when they were small, and eventually it was seared into each mind so that they all repeat the lines when we talk of the beauty of our snowland.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village, though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound's the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost

So, how are you going to enjoy your Saturday?

The Atmosphere of Home

I'm so happy to introduce you to Brenda Nuland's daughter, Stephanie, today!~ Sally

On a recent family trip, I enjoyed having the chance to sit more than once in a new favorite coffee shop eating crepes and lemon-berry cake with mascarpone cheese filling, sipping my creme brulee latte and reflecting on the effect the cozy setting had on me. Settling in to a comfortable leather side chair, I basked in the ambience of soft lighting, gleaming hardwood floors, beautiful and interesting art work, soft rugs, and a fun array of fixtures and decor ranging from piles of old books to antique cameras and an old library catalog whose drawers now hold packets of sugar and coffee stirrers.

When I find myself in such a place, the interior designer in me is awakened and the wheels in my head start spinning madly as I imagine endless combinations of paint colors, furniture, lighting, and decorations; trying to picture the result in my own home. I spent much time while I was away planning changes I’d like to make upon my return, preparing to pull out the paintbrush the moment we pulled into the driveway.

However, something happened to slow me down. (Note I didn’t use the word “stop”…just “slow”!!)

While away, we were in at least five different houses, as varied in size and style as their inhabitants were from one another in personality and family dynamic. Only one inspired me with ideas on the level of style and design, and yet this one seemed lacking in warmth and life simply due to the fact that the owner is never home, though we greatly enjoyed our visit with her.

The other homes had one or more rooms that featured shabby or outdated decor. Mismatched furniture. Peeling paint. Piles of stuff here and there. But I took away a valuable lesson from each one. There was the big farmhouse full of love and gracious speech and the smell of homemade bread as we shared a meal with a large homeschooling family. Or the small house tucked away in a quiet and friendly neighborhood on the outskirts of a city with its bright yellow living room, quirky restaurant booth in the kitchen, and large covered deck with funny mismatched outdoor seating where we enjoyed a relaxed meal off the grill and my children played in a treehouse, pelting each other with water balloons before being whisked off for a ramble through the woods.

I realized two things. That my home is well-kept and nicely decorated (given limitations of time and budget), and no matter how many improvements I make to it, the atmosphere of my home will depend most on the warmth and generosity of my family’s hospitality. Would I like to have the best of both worlds? Sure! But the truth is, no measure of remodeling or redecorating, no paint color or club chair, no lighting or landscaping, will ever have as much impact on my guests as smiles and laughter and hugs and great conversation can have when offered generously without ceremony.

So tidy up a little, prepare a simple meal, and don’t stress about the tear in the couch and the pile of shoes by the door. Greet guests with a smile and extend grace to each soul that enters, for the atmosphere that you create goes so far beyond paint and pictures, and is at its best and brightest when it originates with a loving spirit, spilling over to every corner of your home. Nourishing body and soul far surpasses merely inspiring  a guest with a decorating idea. Leave that for HGTV.

Stephanie Wilbur lives in New England with her husband and five beautiful children ranging in age from 2 to 10. You can find her most days reading inspiring books to her children by the fire or in the kitchen with her daughter whipping up a batch of delicious cupcakes. Passionate about all things British, her "perfect day" involves a cup of tea, a cream scone and a Jane Austen movie. She loves to read widely, discuss theology, cook and decorate, and diligently serve her local church body.

You can find her writing at Cottage Thoughts.

Election Days & Advent

As usual, our family has been having a lot of great conversations about life, the election, teaching people how to think Biblically, and how to view history and leaders through the grid of a Biblical world view. Thoughts were bubbling up in Sarah, so she wrote a wonderful blog post about it. Thoughts to ponder--let me know what you think.

The morning after election night came early for me. I sat in the blue dawn darkness on my couch with a cup of strong tea. I needed it after the buzz of the night. My own thoughts and the voices of countless newscasters and friends spun and blazed in my mind, forbidding sleep or peace of thought. The angst and turmoil expressed by so many the night before troubled me as I sat sipping my tea. My open laptop and a slim book sat with me and I turned to them, hoping for insight in sorting out my thoughts.

The computer came first, because, well, it is immediate and blinking and tends to snare my eye before I can resist. I found the online conversation from the night before unabated. Every few seconds another quote or opinion, another post of joy (with numerous exclamation points and capital letters) or deep lament (with grim predictions) at the turn of the evening’s events flashed onto my screen. I scrolled through them until the fury of hope and confusion, fear and faith screamed so loudly in my brain that I felt my very vision was clouded. I shut the computer and when I could see straight, turned to my book instead.

I expected to be calmed, for my reading was a collection of Advent reflections. Odd, and a bit early in the season, I know. But my past year has been one of such constant noise and hurry that I am desperate these days for something to quiet my heart. Advent is about the coming of Christ into the world, about creating space for him – something I deeply need. I was ready to escape into the broad, white northland of contemplative thought. But escape never came. For the Christmas story and Advent thoughts that I found in my book spoke with surprising power to the concerns of after-election morning. Further, as worry released its grip on my heart, an iron conviction took its place.

I realized that election season and Advent are both about the coming of powerful kingdoms. Both have to do with the human cry for the world to be healed and both have to do with rulers who promise to accomplish that desire. The language of holy prophecy and campaign promise are shockingly similar. As I read ancient verses about the grace and healing promised to us through Jesus and his kingdom of heaven, I was struck to realize that the claims of the presidential candidates sound eerily the same. Those two very human leaders have spent a frenzied year convincing us that they are the ones to bring hope and change, peace and prosperity, health, equality, and freedom. Messianic claims, those.

Do we, I wonder, almost believe them? Of course we all know that only God really saves, but maybe we get a little weary at the fallenness of the world and we hunger to see the kingdom of God come with more distinction. The lines between heaven and earth get blurred when we look at the leader of our choice and think that he “gets” the brand of redemption we believe in. If he is elected, we think, then God’s kingdom can come more swiftly, more fully, more tangibly. The right president, we feel, might usher in a bit of peace on earth.

It’s a natural impulse. We are eager to bring God’s life into this troubled, aching world, and it seems logical that God would want us to support leaders who can do his will on a grand, immediate scale. So when the leader we thought was righteous falls and fades before the triumph of a leader we mistrust, our fear is for something more than just the direction of our country. Conversely, the triumph of our chosen man portends more to us than good government. We mourn or rejoice as if the kingdom of heaven itself was in the balance.

But it never is. That’s the truth I realized as I read about the coming of Christ in my Advent book today. There never has been a single king or kingdom on earth that could stop or slow or even speed the coming of Jesus into this world. Herod certainly couldn’t keep the little King from entering his realm, the pharisees couldn’t keep him silent, and Ceaser himself couldn’t stop people from loving Christ enough to die. All the bluster and sputter of rulers down the ages have never halted the coming of Christ and his kingdom and this is why: the kingdom of God comes, not through human governments, but in human hearts.

The story of Advent and the holy day to which it leads us is the tale, not of overcoming power, but of redemptive love. Jesus brings the rule of his kingdom into the world by entering the wrecked house of the human heart and building it into the palace from which he reigns. The kingdom comes when God’s love so completely rules in our hearts that our actions become his own. This kingdom grows not by the influence of government, or the power of any one person, but by Love spreading from heart to heart so that slowly, the kingdom burns in a hundred, then a thousand, then a million hearts. That’s when the rest of the earth begins notice.

You can read the rest of the post here at thoroughlyalive.com where Sarah blogs.

Dancing Joyfully, Even in Pain

Life gives us plenty of opportunities to practice what we "preach," doesn't it? It seems there's always something negative happening that presses me to remember that God is still on the throne, there is still something beautiful about the world, and there is a reason to light a candle rather than curse the darkness. As Ruth Schwenk shares this morning ...

Sometimes life doesn’t make sense. As we grapple with heartache our focus must be turned to God. Through 5 miscarriages, the sudden and tragic loss of my father-in-law to a car accident 2 years ago, and the death of my mother-in-law just days ago this is something I have had to remember over and over again.

To dance in the midst of terrible suffering is to resolve, “I will not be a victim. I will not allow this situation to determine the response of my heart, because I have this life, this chance to trust God, to show his reality through my circumstances. I resolve to remain strong and faithful because of the loving God who holds my hand.” ~Sally Clarkson, Dancing With my Father

I hope you will join me today for a video plus the rest of the discussion of  Chapter Eight of Dancing With My Father at The Better Mom. Join me too, in prayer for sweet Ruth as she's traveling with her family and supporting her husband, who has lost both his father and now mother in just the past two years, and will be the one to lead her funeral service in the next few days.

Life As It Is, Versus Life As We'd Like It

***I am so grateful to have my dear friend, Brenda Nuland, sharing with us here today, as I take a bit of a blogging break!~ Sally***

Do you ever find yourself frustrated with the way your life is compared to what you would like it to be?  I do quite often.  God has shown me my attitude has much to do with having peace about what I desire and reality and I'd love to pass on some of what He has shown me, hoping it will bring comfort to you in your journey.

We can choose to have faith that God is in control of our lives. By spending time in the Word, reading books by and about people of faith, and listening to music that feeds the soul...we build inside of us a deep reservoir to use in the challenges of daily living.

We don't need to be going through a great trial to need strength for living. Sometimes I find it easier to pray for a large need than for money to fill the van with gasoline. Little things need big faith, too.

We can choose to learn what we do not know.  I have been making a home for over thirty years and there is a great deal I still do not know about all the aspects of home-making.

I continue to learn how to better clean house and do laundry, ways to decorate my home, gardening skills I need...lots of gardening skills I need, recipes to try out, decisions to make about next semester's schooling, books to read...miles to go before I sleep, miles to go.

We can choose beauty in a world that gets darker every day.  I work at making things beautiful. I study the library books, magazines, articles, etc. in an attempt to find new inspiration. My home has to be a sanctuary from this world for all of us who live here.

I thought at one time I'd love to decorate in a Shabby Chic color scheme with big cabbage roses in pictures and on pillows.   However, that was not to be in a small house with two men. Fortunately, they both liked the lace on the windows, the teapots and teacups, the vintage look of the kitchen, the shelves of books and more books, all items men can live with.

They both appreciated the results of a morning baking in the kitchen along with coffee or tea (or a large glass of cold milk for my son). They liked the flowers planted, the herbs in containers, the rocking chair on the porch and the aromas when the door was opened and they stepped into... home.

This world should be a comfortable place in which to live...it isn't.  My home can be quite comfortable, though. I like soft sofas and chairs, throws everywhere for when it gets cold, pillows abounding, hot drinks on cold days, flannel housecoats, comfortable clothing (washed and put away where they belong), clean bed linens, quilts, and soft cats.

However... there is more to being at peace and comfortable than our choice of the stuff around us.

This world ought to be filled with grace and it is not.  Only in my home can I have some control over grace filled words and atmosphere. It has not always been grace filled.  There have been plenty of days when tempers flared and words were spoken because the people living here were exhausted and cranky. However, because grace is sought after and important, there is always the hope (and plan) for peace to follow forgiveness.

For most of us, we do not stay within the walls of our home all day, every day. Life is often lived on the other side of the front door, whether family members work outside the home or simply must run the necessary errands required of keeping a home.

We attend church and other meetings. We take part in school activities whether they involve homeschooling, public schools, private schools, universities or preschool. We volunteer, we hold public office, we do what we are called to do to be salt and light in the world.

But at the end of the day... there must be a place where we come home to a world a little closer to what it ought to be.

It will never be perfect this side of eternity. But when there are people making an attempt, doing their best, putting thought and energy into bringing a little bit of Heaven into this fallen world for their family (in spite of the fact reality is far from perfect and perfection can never be reached) then we are at least heading in the right direction toward hearing "well done good and faithful servant".

Brenda lives in the American Midwest near a major University.  She loves good coffee, tea served in lovely English teacups, old books, and decorating with vintage thrift store finds. 

Brenda has been married for over thirty years and brings her experiences of raising a daughter and her "surprise child" son born twelve years later. Her daughter is now a homeschooling mother to five children and her son is graduating from college and getting married this year.  They are her favorite people on the planet along with her high maintenance Maine Coon cat named Victoria. Brenda also writes at her blog Coffee, Tea, Books and Me.

The Joy of Friendship that sustains the heart

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Even Aaron’s beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forever." ~Psalm 133

I love this picture! Not only because the colors are so soft and beautiful, but because it depicts women working together--and, I'm sure, enjoying their work so much more for the comaraderie.

We're talking about the joy to be found in God's gift of friendship today at MomHeart.

We need look no further than our computer/phone screens for proof of this chapter’s title! Facebook, Twitter, Instagram … all full of, “Look where we went!” and, “Guess what my child just did?” and, “You have to try these amazing cupcakes!”

Yep. Delight multiplies when we experience it in community—even after the fact.

God knew it would be this way..."

After a full morning out chattering, talking, laughing and sharing deep soul issues with Sarah, my 28 year old daughter at a little French cafe, my joy became "fuller" because I felt heard, understood, shared life and lived in the love we have shared over many years. Joy was meant to be relational. We must work diligently in this isolationist world to build relationships.

I hope you'll pop over to MomHeart Online today for the rest of this discussion on chapter seven of Dancing With My Father!

And I pray you find yourself surrounded by friends. If not, maybe you'll be inspired to find some? Many around you are lonely, too! Invite someone over for tea, or out for a lunch date or something fun. And do it soon! You won't regret it.

Entertaining Angels Unaware--Serving the little angels in my home Mentoring Monday

Frederick_George_Cotman_-_One_of_the_Family_-_Google_Art_Project

Frederick George Cotman

A crisp fall evening, with blazing sunset of reds, pinks, corals shouting for attention out our back deck found us taking a moment to admire. As we were sitting in peace, the front door opened and my 26 year old, Joel, strode in with weary face and exhausted body.

"I just decided to come home after working all last night and today, because I need "us" to give me some rest and peace.

Dinner still a half-hour away, I quickly cut some savory cheese and mounted some crisp whole grain crackers on a plate and poured a bubbly drink in a glass and gave him my offering, "Just a little something to hold you over till dinner is ready."

The furrowed brow softened and he said, "This is why I came home--I knew you all would fill me back up and I wanted peace and quiet for at least one night."

One of the best powers of home is the life that comes from within that gives comfort, a "place to belong" and a place that soothes the soul, inspires the mind, and gives a moral compass through all the twists and turns of life.

I asked my boys last year why they both idealized the thought of coming home. Both said, "It was the hot meals we shared every night. The welcome of our dining table. The cups of tea and books read and all that went into making our home place the best place to be, the one place that always said, no matter what, you are welcome!"

Often when we think of having company over, we think of cleaning our home, cooking great meals, decorating, putting forth our best.

Yet, when I pondered Jesus, I realized, he prepared a garden for his children when they were first created--one of beauty, color, endless choices for food, a palette of delight to enjoy in all that His artist hand could create.

Before he would give his last heart-felt words to his disciples, he had chosen a home with an upper room, he had sent a servant to prepare it and to prepare food, so that his words given would fall in the atmosphere and beauty of a prepared place. And I have to think that the God who prepared a garden of such beauty at the beginning, had also put thought into preparing the place of the last supper with the eye of comfort, beauty, hospitality.

He, the one who is still going to prepare a place for us in eternity--that there will be many mansions where we will dwell with Him.

Home is one of the things that many in our world have not valued, and so there is no prepared place.

It is in giving rhythms of home, meals, tea times, convalescent food (soups, crackers, ginger-ale), birthday fare; favorite Sunday night snack dinners; Saturday night pizza and movie nights; Shepherd's meal on Christmas Eve; candle light evenings with soft music.

The giving of hospitality to our beloved children is an art that will truly reach their souls and give them a reason to believe in the God of love and holiness. When body needs and emotional needs and minds are filled with nobility and inspiration, then souls are predisposed to want to follow the God who is revered in all of these rituals.

It is not the indoctrination of theology forced down daily that crafts a soul that believes, it is the serving and loving and giving that surrounds the messages where souls are reached.

A truth, without love and grace, is a truth that is rejected,

because Jesus' words without Jesus becoming the servant king who washed feet and fed thousands and took children into His arms,

would not be God incarnated.

My dear friend, Elizabeth Foss said, "

"Make hospitality your prayer. Seek to comfort and to minister. Look for ways to lighten someone else’s load. In every guest and child, no matter how cranky, no matter how demanding, see Christ. Open your heart wide; risk allowing people to see your weaknesses. For it is in that very weakness that his power is made perfect."

And so, as we approach the holidays, ponder how to make your home for your children, even small ones who you caress and give cool sips of juice and small bites of meal; the teens who rage with hormones and moods but need a cup of thoughtfulness and cookies prepared on their behalf; and a weary husband who needs patience and compassion served in a favorite treat--

a place where the giving of hospitality and love becomes the life through which your children see Jesus incarnate in your home.

********************************************************************************************************************

This week, I will be away from all social media, sharing a time away with my precious family, in the mountains. I have asked some other friends to share heart articles with you, and I know these articles will fill your soul, because I know the ones writing them. I wish you a good and glad week.

Just had to post this: Choose to give your sons words of life!

My son, Nathan, Actor in Hollywood

Nathan writes for a mom's blog! He is my dear friend, my kindred spirit and brings great fun and sparkle to my life. What fun it was for me today, to find someone sent me the article he wrote this week at another blog. I just had to share it with you because I enjoyed it so much! Be sure to check out Nathan's book below as he is another Clarkson writer and is working on a new book! I think you will love this article!

Choose to give your son words of life

By Nathan Clarkson on November 2, 2012 in "those" boys

As I walked to the grocery store, I suddenly realized a bad habit of mine . . .

I walk with my head down watching every step I take. 

I discovered as I did this that my entire trip to the market was filled with every piece of trash, crack in the sidewalk, and discarded rotting food product, leaving me a bit frustrated at peoples’ carelessness, agitated at having to walk around pot holes, and grossed out by the unpleasant sight of week old litter.

So on the trip back to my house I decided to lift my head, and see the world above the dirty ground as I walked home.

As I did I started noticing what a nice day it was, I would have random people look and smile at me, I saw interesting things in windows and soon found my attitude and composure was no longer one of disgust and agitation, but of happiness and joy for a nice walk.

My peripheral vision warned me whenever there was a bigger crack in the sidewalk or food item to avoid, but for the most part my vision was filled with interesting, fun, beautiful things contrasting my previous walk filled with each imperfection.

Just a tilting of my head . . . a change in the angle angle of my eyes changed my whole demeanor.

There’s a misconception that girls are only the ones who need to be told they’re pretty, and have doting positive remarks said about them.

While girls may be more vocal and honest about their need, I believe with all my heart that boys and men need them just as much.

I find my self constantly asking and seeking for those close to me to express my worth to them. I need to hear that I am strong and good, that I have hero qualities.

That I am a man of God and even that I am handsome!

For the rest of the story, go here:  at The Mob Society

Buy his book, Wisdom Chasers, here! A great Christmas present for your boys and your husbands to read to your boys!

** used blog 11/2020 Consider it All Joy

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” ~ James 1:2, 3

I am not naturally a very noble or valiant person. And so when I read this verse over the years, I would flinch and go through it quickly, because I didn’t relish trials. Our lives have been full of them and I have, at times, learned to dread another day in case it might have some new trial in it.

 Having four children, homeschooling, moving 17 times-- six times internationally, and all the difficulties in relationships, criticism for my ideals, finances, health issues, loneliness, marriage, the different phases of my children’s lives, ministry and an overload of responsibilities …  just keeping up with all the work that never ends was so very much harder than I ever realized life would be.

 Though in my early 20′s I had become serious about the Lord and truly committed to going anywhere and doing anything for His kingdom, I no more had an idea of what that would mean than a little girl who dresses up as a princess and pretends to know what it would mean to become a queen and rule a country. Yet, I can look back now, after many years of trials, and see that God had great plans for my life. The only pathway to these plans of His was through many trials. I had committed myself to becoming a warrior for His kingdom in this life, not realizing that in order for someone to become a general to lead others into battle, he must first begin with basic training.

 Basic training is that hard, disciplined, demanding season of training that seeks to build strength and self-control in the life of a would-be soldier. It is for the purpose of drawing soldiers forward, stretching their capacity to be stronger, more capable, and to live up to their own ability and potential. After passing successfully through basic training, a soldier must prove worthy in real battles to earn the right to humbly and wisely lead others into victory in bigger arenas.

 And so, because God delights in us entering into the fray of this world to bring light, beauty, and truth; because He wants us to learn to stand strongly and boldly for His purposes, He sends us trials and training to prepare us for the platform He would have us stand on. His trials have been the training grounds to give me integrity in my messages so that I really could encourage other women. Only God was there in the dark moments of my life, to see if my heart would respond in faith, to do the hard work, to love when no one else knew I was making the right choices but God.

Are you facing trials today?

May God grant you the grace to make your story one of worship, redemption and hope.

And may you know His constant love along your journey's way.

It just really isn't all about me--the secret to embracing joy!

As I look back over the seasons of my life, I often struggled because I did not understand some very important truths that are foundational to Spiritual health through out all the ages. It's a pretty simple and straightforward concept--but sometimes very hard to comprehend.

Joy comes through exercising faith right on the path where God has led. Faith catalyzes Joy as we worship by choosing to see God right in our midst, at this place, in this step of life. For more about this concept and more encouragement today, and Dancing with My Father, you can connect to: thebettermom.com