Nurturing God-sized Dreams in the Hearts of your children Part 3

512px-Monet_-_Seine-Arm_bei_Giverny

Claude Monet

a pioneer of a new style of painting.

Part 3

So often, when I talk to women, they live as though they have no hope. Often, they have lost all vision of their purpose as moms--they have quit dreaming with their children. When we are limited in our hearts to the tasks of life, to the responsibilities and bills and duties we have, we can become very discouraged.

But when we realize that the Holy Spirit, Himself, dwells in us and wants to bring glory through our lives and create supernatural life and love right where we are, it gives us a whole different way to live. As a trainer of children who could learn to dream and take on the task of bringing God's kingdom to bear on this world, I always looked for ways to expand their faith, to listen to their talents and delights, to speak of how God might use them in this world.

I told them they had only a few years to bring about miracles of love in His name, to banish sadness and darkness and to bring about light and His life through all that they did. It gave us an excitement about every day, every lesson God was teaching, every story that we heard. The way it played out in my children's lives was different for each one. Sarah was an incredible reader from the time she was very small. I would read volumes of books to her, and enter her into every reading program, contest and give her lots of opportunity to write. She would fill dozens of journals with her writing. I encouraged her as a message maker who would bring light to many minds. I truly believe that she will become one of the great writers of our times. Her insight and creativity and wisdom for one her age has been blessed by God. She has had to work hard, but I believe her many years of input is beginning to pay off.

Joel, had the same input in soul, with the reading and devotionals, but I noticed that he sang in perfect tune from the time he was 15 months and could do perfect harmony by the time he was three--it came naturally to him. Consequently, we encouraged him to play guitar like his dad, exposed him to lots of different music, took him to concerts, and gave him all the software and instruments we could afford when he wanted to try to produce a small album. Now he is composing music and working in Los Angeles with a well-known composer, and has produced 3 albums.

Nathan, our very extroverted child, loved people, activity and performance. Clay took him to Christian magician conferences to stretch his own skills as a stage illusionist. Sending him to the New York Film academy when he was 19 was a faith risk, but just this week, he is producing his own movie that he wrote. We provided training in discipleship as he followed all of these areas in hopes of having a ministry to his generation through the arts.

Joy literally came out of the womb loving a stage. She has grown up at our conferences and never flinched when she stood up in front of hundreds of people--in plays, musicals, conferences or anywhere else. When Joy performs, I feel God's gift and pleasure in a marked way! We allowed her to have one semester of competitive speech and debate, because she is such a natural. (The other years, we had our conferences and could not do speech and debate.) Now, she is an RA working with new students, has a debate scholarship and is speaking at her college. We just pray for our children and support their efforts because we want to encourage them to live by faith and to invest their lives, and to own the gifts God gave to them.

I see so many moms, whether in Classical school, homeschool, public school and private school, become bogged down with the work load and curricular demands. But I meet few, who have invested much time in Kingdom dreams with and for their children. David became king of the slingshot--was that according to His mother's hopes and dreams? He also came to court because of his great music. Gideon was a grape stomper. Esther was a pretty orphan. Peter was a working class man. Paul was an academic. But the thing they all have in common, is that they used who and what they were for God's glory--to make a difference in the world for His kingdom.

Proverbs tells us the from the heart flow the springs of life. Jesus wanted us to live from the wells of life springing up in and through our hearts from His Spirit. If we are to take the world by God's force and light, we must learn to be dreamers, empowered and inspired by God, to bring His light to the darkness. We do this by cultivating the dreams and passions of our children's hearts.

Often, dreams are costly--we went 5 years without a regular salary to start Whole Heart Ministries, but we believed there needed to be a ministry specifically focussed on giving the kinds of specific messages that God had place on our hearts to give to families in this generation. Bills and difficult tasks all had to be attended to, but prayer and scripture would always light the fire of our dreams. Faith in "things hoped for but not seen" was what energized each project. We rented our first hotel by faith when we believed moms needed refreshment, we sent out some emails, and the rest is history!

One of the reasons I wrote The Mom Walk was because I felt so many women were trying so hard to get the training of their children and the living of their lives right by following the right formula or doing the right things. I found that someone's box did not ever exactly fit our family or our lives. I saw much more over the years, that God intended me to walk by faith, to learn to listen to Him as he spoke to me through scripture and gave me ideas of how to obey Him and honor Him through my times of prayer.  I found that on my journey with Him, throughout motherhood, that learning to walk in freedom and peace with Him, and living by His design freed me up to watch Him work, to live by grace instead of someone else's expectations of me.

Your and your children and husband may all have unique purposes through a story for God's kingdom. You may not always understand it in the midst of God preparing your heart and character for the work He has for you to do, but He uses those whose eyes are turned toward eternity, toward Him, toward His glory and work.

A good question to ask is, "Am I living by what I can hope to accomplish by my hard work only?" or "Am I living in the realm of possibility of what God can accomplish, beyond my own skills and effort, because I am trusting Him to be accomplishing through me what He is able to do, even beyond my efforts, but according to His abilities?"

Am I speaking life-giving encouragement to my children in the midst of their ideas and dreams, or do I throw water on them by asking them to be "realistic"? There is so much to be said about the work side of dreams, the bills to be paid, but today is a day to focus on the dreaming part of our lives. My vision for raising my children must be bigger than grades, SAT's, getting a job. It must be a call to bow their knee before God and ask, what is your work for me? For my child? For our family? How can I bring you pleasure? How can I live in your power? May our sweet Father fuel our hearts with what is on His heart and use us and our children as He dreamed when He made us!

May you dream big for Him, and may all your dreams come true!

Encouraging Our Children with Dayspring

By this time of the year most of our children have returned to routines and sharpened pencils, lunch boxes and math books.  As they adjust to the newness, we can be extra thoughtful to pour on the encouragement.  The little ones need to hear of our confidence in them, our grace toward them, and how much dear Jesus adores them.  

Our friends at Dayspring have created some beautiful Vinyl Scripture Art that we can utilize to encourage those brave little hearts.

What child wouldn't love to wake up and see this singing away at them?

I also thought these smaller Vinyl Art Pieces would encourage the hearts of mothers and fathers as we all push through the daily work and suffering in order to draw those in our home closer to Jesus.

As the older children go off to school or work on their lessons at home, sometimes the youngest children can be engaged by bringing in a fun new item.  This coloring book of Bible Stories teaches while it provides "work" for a younger one to do alongside their older siblings.

May the Lord bless you as you launch your little ones into a new year of learning.

Nurturing God-sized dreams in the hearts of your children Part 2

Gustav Corbett

Mamas are made to dream for God, as well. God has work for us to do!

Part 2

Excitement bubbled up in my own heart again yesterday, when I heard one of our pastors speak. His message was about not settling for life, but becoming an overcomer. There was this little familiar flurry of excitement stirring in my heart. It melded with some of what I have been thinking about lately.

 All of us were made by God to do a work in this world that would bring Him great glory and that would point to His light and beauty. We were created in His image, in His spiritual likeness, but with our own personality, skills, messages and drives. Each of us has the opportunity to live out a great story--one in which His power, His love, His light can touch everything we do. But only if we are dreamers--dreamers for His glory.

To live by faith, means to live as though the Holy Spirit is truly living through me--If the Holy Spirit looked at my marriage, my children, my friends, my skills, what would He be planning for my life? How would He be living it differently than I am living? What would He be planning according to His power and resources? How would He be bringing glory to His Father through the ways He would have me step out in faith, the ways I would be generous extending His love, the ways I expressed compassion and redemption to a lost world, as He would?

As I see the huge needs in our culture for Christianity to come alive--a need for teachers who love children and want to inspire them to have a great moral character and to learn how to read (as our test scores as a nation have gone down every year for almost 20 years.) When I hear of all the latch key children, I want to find a way to train more mothers to find ways to stay at home, or to spend more time with their wee ones,  in order to fill the emotional, spiritual and moral cups of their children. When I see the immorality, violence, emptiness and lies in media and in movies, I long to see passionate, artistic, insightful and skillful Christians rise up to reclaim the arts for the Lord.

And on and on. Christ has a passion for bringing God's glory in every arena of life and He seeks to raise up those who would boldly redeem back areas of darkness in His power and in His name. Yet, he has designed that there would be specific trainers of the next generation that would be able to train up godly, inspired leaders---mothers!

How Did Dreaming express itself through my life?

I remember in the movie, The Chariots of Fire, when the olympic gold medalist Eric Liddel was talking to his sister about his running, He said, "When I run, I feel His pleasure--God made me to run!"

I feel that same thing about speaking. When I stand up to speak to a crowd of 10 or a crowd of countless women, I feel His pleasure--I feel that there is a blessing and power that I was created to walk in. I understood what Eric meant!

I remember that when I was a young woman, I dreamed about speaking and writing--I was driven toward it. When we nurture the Spirit of God in our lives, we will find pleasure and passion in those areas that God has created us to do. Of course, it may take hard work and most of our lives is about faithfulness and growing, but each of us was designed by God to accomplish His work through our lives.

One of my friends was having coffee with me in Vienna many years ago, once and she said, "You know, Sally, lots of people want to write books, but very few get to really be published.

"Do you really think you will ever get a book published? Is that realistic?"

Of course her words troubled me for a while, but as I prayed, I gave my skills to the Lord and told HIm that I would be faithful in all areas of my life, but that I would also try to be faithful to practice writing and speaking--to use it to encourage my friends in letters, that I would speak to children, adults, whoever and wherever He took me, for His glory.

And if He wanted me to get published, fine, but meanwhile, I pledged to be as faithful as I knew how. Many of those years, I was speaking to my children in our own home, passionately sharing from what He had given to me in my quiet time. This is where I found my joy--sharing passionately with those I loved the most! It was from this small arena, that God caused my ministry to blossom, from practicing being faithful in small things.

Part 3 tomorrow--What are your gifts? Dreams? How are you defining them and acting on them?

Nurturing God-sized dreams in the hearts of your children--part 1

John George Brown

Heroes of every kind are needed in our culture today. Those who would be courageous to bring God's kingdom principles to bare in all realms of life: government, medicine, education, the arts, business. Leaders who own integrity every day in their lives, but whose vision causes them to serve others to bear in bringing righteous into their arenas.

Yet, heroes are shaped by the input they receive into their souls. Mamas are so busy with chores, school, feeding and clothing children, that often this powerful influence is lost in her home. Yet, Davids, Daniels, Abrahams, Josephs, Eshters, Marys  are common folk that God used to bring His miracles of salvation and provision into their lifetimes.

At my age, I can see how many ways God drew Clay and me to become world changers. And as we risked in order to start a publishing house, to start mom's conferences, to write books and to homeschool and train our children to become leaders in their life times, it came from dreaming for God's Kingdom to live through our lives.

Mamas have great ability to shape their children into world changers. But it starts with capturing the hearts of children who were made to see the miracles of God in and through their own lives.

Dare to Dream and Nurture other Dreamers

Ten years old marked a time of dramatic change in my life. Living in the same town, going to the same church, swimming in the summers at the same pool and going to the same school had provided a kind of sweet stability for my young life. I had a sense that we knew a lot of people and that my mom and dad, and all of us were well-liked.

We had a "place" in our community that gave rhythm to life. But, in the Spring time of that year, my father, who was an executive with IBM, was asked to move to Houston. This was my first experience of moving and having to start life and reputation and friendships all over again. Yet, for me, Houston provided another dramatic change.

It was the beginning of an onslaught of pneumonia-- which would attack my body four times in the next year. I had been born about two months premature and respiratory problems and asthma had followed me most of my life, but this pneumonia thing, with hospitalizations and oxygen tents, was all new. I am sure, looking back, that it must have been a time in my parents lives, that was quite stressful. After just four months in Houston, they requested a transfer to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the air would be drier and they thought I would be healthier.

The funny thing is, though, I remember my illness with pleasure. Perhaps since everyone thought I was going to die, I got more attention. I received presents and cards. Yet, one of my favorite memories, as I might have mentioned before, was lying in my four poster bed, looking out the bay window at a forest of trees and reading, reading, reading.

It was the first time I discovered, "The Childhood of Famous Americans." I read book after book of people who, in some way, became a hero. There were men and women who disciplined themselves to become great athletes, doctors and nurses, war heroes,--it didn't really matter what their story entailed, but each one brought to my heart a sense of accomplishment--of people who lived a purposeful life and made an impact on their world. These stories excited me and brought me great pleasure--I wanted to do make something of myself. I began, then, to dream about what I could accomplish. I didn't want to just let life drive me through the routines, I wanted to mount up in my life and contribute something big, somehow, someway.

The next time I remember feeling this burning excitement in my heart, was when I was in college. I had committed my life to Christ and was in a leadership group and was being personally discipled by a sweet young woman named Hope. She would meet with me and talk about scripture and pray with me.

She would often say, "Sally, I wonder what great things God has in store for you. You have such a gift of communication and encouragement and such a grasp on scripture. I know God is going to use you to change the world. Dream big!"

Perhaps these words were what led me to choosing a path where I would be privileged to be a part of a ministry through which the Lord would use me in the lives of others. I am not sure, but I know that when she said these life-giving words, it stirred in my heart and made me want to live up to her expectations. It excited me to be a part of God's miraculous work. I look back now on passages like the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, and I, too, wanted to be one of those who sought and knew God and loved Him in such a way that my life would make a difference in this world.

Part 2 Tomorrow--how are you shaping God-sized dreams in the hearts of your children?

What has given you a vision for yourself--living God-sized dreams?

Pork Roast a la Sally--Discipleship a la feasting

Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody!

This is one of our favorite fall dishes and I am getting ready for fall!

"It was the food that made me love you!" said an anonymous boy.

Feasting is one of our favorite pastimes. And it was the most often entertainment we enjoyed in our family--3 X a day, plus teatimes makes thousands and thousands of meals where we talked, laughed, and rested together with food as the final reward.

What a great invention Jesus made when he created us to eat.

Warm smells of onions, apples, thyme and roast fill our home with delectable temptation as my sweet children come through the front door. Usually bread is rising and the yeasty aromas mixed with the lovely herbs of roasting pork is enough to calm frayed nerves, soothe exhaustion from a day spent in busyness. And all of this speaks to my children and their friends of a sanctuary where all will find life and peace.

When people ask me how I influenced my children to love God and to love home, I often try to come up with something deep, spiritual, insightful and wise and hopefully I have learned some principles of wisdom that have influence my children's hearts.

Yet, often, I have realized that it is the times shared over meals, the time filling our hunger with wonderful tastes and smells and delight that has wrought as much pleasure and comfort--all of this, that has reached the depths of their hearts for Christ and His ways.

The colors God made, the pleasures he wanted his children to enjoy, the tastes and smells and sounds and life itself stirs a heart alive, inspires a soul to hope in the beauty of the life shared moment to moment each day. This week we have had a celebration of an engagement, two birthdays, mother's day a week late and lots of eating. But the fellowship and laughter and conversation around the table has set memories for years to come.

The food was the frame that set up the picture of our days shared. I thought I would share with you my own roast pork concoction--so very easy and so very satisfying and impressive.

Pork Roast a la Sally

Two pork loins

1-2 cups apple juice (depending on how big the loins are--I usually just pour it in to the top of the meat.)

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 package onion soup mix

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4 apples sliced thinly

2 onions sliced thinly

1/2 -3/4  cup dried cherries according to preference (optional--some don't like this--but most of my family loves it)

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Stir the apple juice, garlic, soup mix and worcestershire sauce together in a crock pot. Place the pork loins in the sauce. Cover the meat with apples and onions. Sprinkle the dried cherries over the top. Put lid on and cook slowly all day. Salt and pepper to taste. The meat is so luscious and literally falls apart. Always a hit for crowds or for my kids and so very easy to do. I make an easy gravy out of the juice that is left over. I have a great source for natural, organic pork, so though we don't have it often, it is a real treat.

Mashed potatoes

I almost always use red potatoes lately as they have less of a sugar base when cooked. I also use a pressure cooker and do them in four minutes. Add 1-2 teaspoons of condensed chicken bouillon (natural, no msg) when you drain the water from the potatoes and then you don't have to use as much butter. The bouillon gives it a rich taste. Salt and pepper to taste and a little butter and milk and whip away.

Steamed green beans

I love the green beans this time of year. Fresh is best, but there are frozen, thin beans that you can get at the grocery store. Steam over boiling water until just tender. While steaming, I sprinkle the beans with French herbs. When finished, I sprinkle lightly with sea salt and toss them in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. They taste fresh and melt in your mouth.

Since the children were little, we have often used the sparkling white or red grape juice with this meal.

Celebrate, enjoy and make a great tradition of a favorite meal.

Off to cook yet again!

Any fall favorites you are dreaming of making?

And tomorrow, I will tell you about something fun I am working on to mentor more mamas. Just wish I could have you all in my home. I love having friends over.......

Blessed are the Peacemakers Mentoring Monday

"

William-Adolophe Bouguereau

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God."

"He touched my side of the couch."

"She got a bigger piece of cake."

"It wasn't my fault. He started it."

Ad infinitum.

Daily, mamas are trying to accomplish big tasks, inspiring their children to love and serve God. Momently, children seem waiting to thwart her best efforts with a fuss, a quarrel, a complaint.

Today's Way may be the most important way to your children and their relationships the rest of their lives.

Way 18 We choose to be peacemakers, even when we feel like arguing.

The cancer of sin is that all of us are selfish and self-centered. We see things from our perspective, we want the biggest piece of cake for ourselves! So, quarreling and selfishness are natural to our sinful personalities.

I always said to my children, "It is natural to be selfish. It is supernatural to be loving and forgiving."

All of us need to understand that peacemaking comes from God. Peacemaking flows out of allowing the Holy Spirit control the moment.

Peacemaking is more than just saying words of, "Well, I forgive you," but holding a grudge in your heart. Peacemaking is giving it up all together. Reaching out to the unlovely one in his or her moment of grumpiness. It is extending grace to one who has hurt you. Leaving the hurt, the injustice in the file drawer of heaven and choosing to act and live in your heart in a loving way.

Feelings usually follow faith. In other words, you don't have to feel peaceful to sow peace. Usually once I have sown peace and humbly chosen not to argue back, then the feelings of love and gratefulness to live in peace after I have made the decision to obey.

Our children need to know that peace-making is a form of spiritual muscle, the strength to lay our lives down is quite honorable and something to aspire to--but that it is not dependent on feelings, but on practicing being a peacemaker. Doing what is right produces the "fruit of righteousness."

Being a peacemaker brings great foundations of influence to you and your children, as ministry requires all sorts of peacemaking. It seems there are a lot of immature and sinful people in the world of ministry. But our responsibility is to become peacemakers, so that the unity of the body of Christ can be a reflection of the supernatural love of Christ amongst us.

As a young married woman, I would fight for my ways, my rights, my point, because I thought it was important. Yet, over the years, laying down my life and my point has become a way of life. Who cares who is right? Most of what we argue about is petty, not world changing.

But to truly understand Christ and his unselfish life we must understand His humility. Peacemaking comes from a humble heart. God's will for us to to conform to the image of Christ--we must be peacemakers and rid ourselves of selfish, self-serving anger and petty aggravation if our children are to learn the humility of laying down their own rights.

"Although he existed in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant." Philippians 2:6-7

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." John 15: 13

We cannot love the unlovely on our own. We must depend on the Holy Spirit to show us how, to fill us with His own love.

Memory verse:  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits,unwavering, without hypocrisy.  And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

I love this verse. It gives us an action point--we sow peace! We make it our intention to plant it as a fundamental part of our lives, our conversations, our marriage, our parenting, our friendship.

How did God make peace with us? By laying down His life, even to death.

If you want your children to have friends, to work well with others, to have a good marriage, they must learn this important concept. It is the peacemakers who are blessed. Not those who can argue the best, or those who are always right, or the powerful--but the peacemakers shall be called sons of God.

When my children were harsh to one another or arguing, I would of course stop them right at that point, and work out their argument and make them apologize and pray and ask for forgiveness.

However, one of my friends added a practical application to this concept. She called it the peacemaking couch. She required her quarreling children to sit on a couch together. They were not allowed to get up from the couch until they had reached peace, talked it through, asked for forgiveness and prayed together. What a great pattern to learn for all relationships.

Just remember, even in your marriage, it is natural to argue, to demand your way, to foster criticism in your heart and thoughts. It is supernatural to make peace, to forgive, to take the initiative to end the separation. We cannot  say we love Christ and practice anger.

Justice is such a strong part of my personality and so often, I feel deeply, "It's not fair!" in my heart. Yet, it is only in laying down our rights, becoming humble, that we reflect the heart of Jesus. And in obeying Him, His sacrifice becomes of greater value to us.

Peace be with you today! The Lord is near!

And stay tuned tomorrow! I have a surprise in light of the concept of mentoring--a fun announcement!

Stalking Jonathan Edwards, one book leads to Another

Books, books, books--how they have held the life of our family together with inspiration, solace, humor, adventure and wisdom. I asked one of my favorite book friends, Brenda Nuland,  to share some of her book story, as I always know i can trust her to give me another good book to read when I need something to satisfy! Meanwhile, I am off, driving Sarah to Wheaton, and listening to a book on tape as we go. (The Help is our chosen one for the trip!)

The occasion was the evening before my son’s wedding last May as we enjoyed the rehearsal dinner with family and friends.  The young man seated next to me had been one of my son’s best friends since they were both very young and now he had flown in from Houston where he worked as a chemical engineer.

 Moments after being seated, he looked over at me and asked, “So, what have you been reading?”  The very question which causes my eyes to light up and this normally introverted mother to enter into a conversation lasting quite awhile.  This young man knew me well.  :)

I told him, “I’ve been stalking Jonathan Edwards”!   Seeing the quizzical look on his face, I new an explanation was in order.

For you see, I read often and many kinds of books but my favorite reading is when I start one book by and about a particular author and continue on until at least four or five books have been read.  If it is about a particular person, I say I’m “stalking him or her” in books.

In this case, it was one chapter in Noel Piper’s book Faithful Women and their Extraordinary God, which led to a biography of the Edward’s marriage, called Marriage to a Difficult Man, and then to a book about Edwards by John Piper, and then another biography called A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards by George Marsden.

As I told my young friend, I was setting aside my reading about Edwards for awhile but I planned to return eventually as I found him most interesting.  He had only heard of Jonathan Edwards through the sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, which he had to read in high school.  So it was enjoyable to tell him more about the man I had been stalking through books for the previous year or so.

By the way, the young friend is Hindu and his family was originally from India.  His parents are associated with the University I live near.  I’ve never sat down and spelled out the Gospel but I have shared with him… books… our mutual love.

He now lives in Japan but has taken with him my copy of the autobiography of Ravi Zacharias called Walking from East to West, which we both enjoyed… and perhaps my Francis Schaeffer Trilogy that I gave him.

The historian, David McCullough, tells us in his book Brave Companions that he rarely knows who or what his next book will be about but the subject usually comes from the book he currently is working on.  A “jumping off” point so to speak that keeps his interests fresh from one research to another.

The same has happened with my reading quite often, just as it did with my interest in Jonathan Edwards.  For instance, I read the Jan Karon Mitford books years ago and through her recommendation, I learned about the Miss Read books.  That led to an interest in English novelists from somewhat the same era and friends recommended the delightful Elizabeth Goudge and D. E. Stevenson novels.  All of which began with the very first At Home in Mitford book.

When we were homechooling, my son (who has now graduated from college) decided to read books by Alexandre Dumas.  At first I was skeptical, this rather dyslexic son of mine who preferred easy books now wanted to read French Literature?

It wasn’t easy at first but as he read further in The Count of Monte Cristo, he became more familiar with the way Dumas wrote and went on to read many of his other books.  He knew I enjoyed reading multiple books by the same author at once and found in this case, it helped him read more difficult literature than he had been used to before.

I do encourage you to try this way of reading, even if you must read a favorite author’s books in between others, as I had to do before we finished our homeschooling years.  It’s a great way to get to know an author’s works very well.

Have I stalked anyone recently?

As far as fiction… I just finished re-reading four books by D. E. Stevenson, the series which begins with Vittoria Cottage (no, that is not a typo).  This summer I plan to re-read all the “Time” books by Madeleine L’Engle, beginning with A Wrinkle in Time.  They make for light summer reading, especially as I’ve read them already a couple times before.

As for reading about specific people, I have been able to acquire all five of Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s diaries through used bookstores online and library sales, beginning with Bring Me a Unicorn and ending with War Without and Within.  Most people know her best from Gift from the Sea but I read her diaries during my high school and college years and I’ve always wanted to read them again.

Someday I’d like to return to reading about the American Revolution.  I spent years reading books about that period of history and I have never lost my fascination with it.  It was that passion which first made me interested in stalking Jonathan Edwards.

 In between such reading there are numerous lighter novels, biographies, books about growing as a Christian, books about crafts and cooking and gardening, and more than one memoir written by cooks.

Now you understand why my young friend asked what I was reading…

Brenda Nuland, friend, mentor, inspirer and reader!

Coffeeteabooksandme

Thanks, sweet Brenda. Now I would like to know, what is your favorite book you have read for yourself this year? I am in need of some new books.

Comfort Food--the source of winning hearts for God!

"Mom, I think you won our hearts more by your cooking than anything else! You bribed us into loving God by giving us feasts when you wanted to teach us something important!"

This from my boys when they were home. God must have had lots of pleasure in mind when He created so many varieties of food with tastes, color and so much delight to be enjoyed. This summer, my close friend, Brandee and I have been working on an ebook together about all of the ways we used meals and snacks and tea times to have rousing discussions, inspired devotions and teachable moments--all around food! So I asked Brandee to share what some of her favorite memories came to her over food!

Growing up in California didn’t give way to many cold and rainy days. Although, some of my fondest days as a child revolved around the classic grilled cheese and Campbell’s tomato soup served up for lunch on a drizzly cold Saturday afternoon. All I ever remember is Kraft American cheese melting over the sides of my toasted wheat lunch bread after being carefully cut into two perfect triangles of warm happiness! A mug of tomato soup placed right beside for a pleasant sandwich dipping experience.

Since those days of Kraft and Campbell’s, my taste for a good old grilled cheese has not faded. But my taste has! Here is a few ways to give your grilled cheese and tomato soup a make over. Get creative! Who says you can’t mix it up?

Ingredients

1 roll of Ciabatta bread (or any variety of bread you enjoy)

2 Tbsp of pesto

1 - 2 slices of havarti cheese (or any variety of cheeses you enjoy)

2 slices ofturkey breast deli meat (Boar’s Head sun dried tomato or chipotle is amazing!)

2 slices of salami

Optional add ins:

sweet peppers, spinach, avocado, tomato, bacon, etc.

Directions

Using a Panini pan or press, cook your grilled cheese sandwiches with all your favorite fixings until the cheese is melted and you have those pretty grill lines on your bread!

For Tomato Soup you can still get pre-made soup from the store (I like Pacific Organic Creamy Tomato Soup in a box) or you can go for your favorite homemade variety and triple the recipe so that you can store single servings in the freezer for later!

What is your family's favorite meal or treat? Maybe we will include it in our book!

**used blog 8/24/2021 Does your child consider you an adversary or an advocate?

Severin Nilson

Child discipline--how to, how much, when, how old, is the question I receive most in my mail. Formulas are so easy and so promising, yet God did not give any formulas--only men define the formulas. He wanted us to walk by faith. How our children perceive our role in their lives will very much influence their understanding of what God is like.

How does your child perceive you--as an adversary ready to catch them doing wrong at any moment or as an advocate, the one on their team who always believes in them and draws out the best.

In the past couple of years here where I live, a couple of new laws have been enacted on the highways. We have had numerous police cars added to our stretch of the highway and at certain times of the year, we can see multiple cars stopped on the highway many places in a two mile stretch, to "help people start obeying the laws."

We have had numerous friends who have been stopped, as there have been new directives enacted in our area  to help raise the funds in our area to rebuild the highway. But the addition of police cars and the numerous tickets has actually created a ground swell of people complaining and talking to the city councilmen.

Let me be clear. I am not saying that the officers are wrong. They are just enforcing the laws that have been passed.But there have been some

Yet, every time I enter the freeway and see a police car, my heart was beats quickly and I panic a little feeling as though  must be doing something wrong. 

First let me say, I am so very grateful for our policemen and women who protect us, risk their lives for us and help in so many ways. Yet, what I wanted to communicate is that unreasonable fear we all sometimes feel. This feeling of being afraid of those in authority is familiar to all of us. Of course, if we speed or drive wildly out of control or run a red light, we should feel guilty and are worthy of being caught and fined. We are happy and so grateful  there are policeman to keep us protected and safe.

But when laws are too many and there are police eyes everywhere looking for a person to make a mistake, we all feel relieved to get out of the eye view of such potential judgment. And so young children will feel--afraid of their authorities--their parents-- if they are atwitter in their hearts just wondering what they will do wrong or how they will disappoint or how they will be punished.

The analogy is not perfect and please know that I am very appreciative of our police force. I am speaking more of laws--some are good and protect, some are too much and invasive. I do not pretend to be the judge of the good laws and the ill-conceived ones..

But I was trying to think of a story that would help parents understand the heart issues at stake in young children. They should be able to learn that they can trust their parents to help them, instruct them, take care of them, protect them, without the baggage of feeling that impending doom and dissatisfaction is hovering over them whenever their parents are near--just waiting for the paddle to hit one more time.

What I have observed is that when children just learn to obey when their parents are nearby, but their hearts have not been reached, then when their parents are out of sight or they are away from their parents, they feel they are free to do anything they wish, because their obedience is external, not internal. Just like all drivers will slow down if they see a police car, but may be much more likely to speed when they think no one is looking.

And so we must ask ourselves the question, "Does my child see me as an adversary, waiting for him to fail? To do something wrong? to sin? That I may be in his face every moment, reminding him of these failures and punishing every act of immaturity as well as sin?"

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."

An advocate is someone who is for you, who defends you, who works for you.

Does my child see me as an advocate, one who comes along beside him, to love and correct gently, to keep him on the path of righteousness, to motivate him in his heart to holiness, to encourage when he is discouraged, to paint a vision for his life and to give him a heart to want to be righteous.

When we look at scripture from Genesis to Revelation, we see God, compelled by his love, to seek our best. He created the garden. He was walking in the garden in the middle of the day to have companionship with his creatures, Adam and Eve. He was even in the garden when they were tempted--he was not surprised when he could not find them as God is omnipresent. But still He came to them and said, "Where are you and what have you done?" though he knew it all. He provided them with garments for clothing. He made them a people, gave them a land, provided them with food and guided them by day and night in the desert.

Finally, He came to redeem, to restore, to love and serve and heal and then to give up His life. Jesus is the one who said, "I have longed to gather them as a hen gathers her chicks."  His heart reflects that of a mother, to love, protect, pull close.

We hear from Jesus' mouth over and over again, "Love one another. Serve one another. They will know you are my disciples by your love for one another."

And so we see the principle of servant- love. Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend.

So, Jesus modeled servant, sacrificial, patient love. He gave his all to redeem his own.

Observing his leadership with his own disciples gave me much food for thought as a parent. (It is the theme of my book Ministry of Motherhood.) Though the disciples were a motley crew--they lived, laughed, loved, gave opinions. Peter was loud but failed in the moment of Jesus' crucifixion, yet Jesus encouraged him, said, "I have prayed for you. After you return, strengthen the brethren."

Thomas doubted. Others wanted first position. They were a normal group of men, immature, growing, learning, yet following Him with a willing heart. And it was these imperfect men, who so felt the love and compelling spirit of Jesus, that they were all willing to give their lives for his cause.

And so my goal is not to have "good" children, but passionate children, given to His kingdom and His cause--even as the disciples gave their lives for Jesus' kingdom and cause.

And so, I must model Jesus' kind of love. Giving of my life, instructing, correcting, certainly. But also modeling, laughing, living, sharing meals. Words of life--"Peter, you are the rock!" "Thomas, you are a man in whom there is no guile." "Mary, your story will be told all over the world."

And he washed their feet. It struck me one day as I was having a quiet time, he washed one hundred and twenty dirty toes on the very night he was going to live his life--much like a mother, giving baths, wiping noses, touching her children, blessing them. And so He became my model.

And so, as we ponder our role, we must decide what we will model to reach the hearts of our children. The specifics will come, but the heart has to be right from the beginning. Our culture wants our job to be easy, quick, just give me the formula and answer. But even as it cost Jesus, his time, effort, love, patience, life, so if we truly want to see our children become not just Christians who will make it into heaven, but mature believers who will have an impact on their world, then we must serve as Jesus served and become an advocate for our own.

Celebrating God's miracles in the Clarkson History through Family Day

The Clarkson Kids--Nathan, Sarah, Joy and Joel

Candles flickering, luscious smells of cinnamon rolls hot out of the oven, strong coffee and lots of noise and laughter marked one more gathering of the Clarkson clan. Thus began our 25th year of celebrating the story and heritage of our family. Family Day, we call it. It is a time of remembering who we are, as well as to document what God has done in our family to give us hope for what He can accomplish in the future.

When a child knows the heritage of faith  and cherishes the messages of the heart that has been passed down to him, he feels a powerful connection to the past which gives a spring board to his future. Joshua knew that the Jews who were allowed to leave the desert to enter the promised land, needed to constantly be reminded who they were--the chosen people of God--and that they were to called to possess the land God had provided for them. Consequently, he had them gather memorial stones to document all of the miracles God had performed and teh ways He had faithfully led them in their lives.

When our children were still young, we started this tradition of having an annual Family Day. It was inspired by God's power, faithfulness, sovereignty, and love (Joshua 4:19-24).

Even in the midst of four children on spread across the United States, we all made it a priority to gather together last week for Family Day. Our Family Day is a whole day of family togetherness. Homemade whole wheat cinnamon rolls start the day, a tradition for all of our breakfast holidays each year.  Remembering just what defines the "Clarksons" and reviewing our values, traditions, tastes, memories and pictures reminds us again why we are all tied together by invisible and unbreakable strings at the heart. Taking time to affirm all the things we like about our family and one another builds each person's sense of worth and belonging to this tribe!  Photo albums from the previous year or two are admired, while favorite memories of family times are rehearsed and remembered all day.

Next is the trek to our favorite mountain spot. Singing familiar songs with the cd player blasting--Rich Mullins, Chris Rice, Andrew Peterson songs are the favorites from times gone by. Winding our way through the mountains to Mueller State Part, with Pike's Peak in view, we smack our lips in anticipation of yearly fried chicken, chips, baked beans and Texas chocolate sheet cake. Tromping on the trails and taking about 1000 family pictures takes up most of the afternoon.  Coffee stop is a must on the way home at the same place each year. And then of course, we eat again!

Later in the day we might play games or watch a good family movie. Then we have a special dinner to lead into our Family Day memorial stone time.

First, Clay reads the account of Joshua and the memorial stones to teach the principle of taking time and making a way to remember all the ways that God has been faithful. After the story, we all begin to share and discuss all the ways we see that God was faithful to us as a family in the year since the last Family Day. Each thing becomes a memorial stone of God's faithfulness written at the top of a piece of paper. Those are parceled out to different family members, who draw pictures on those papers to illustrate each of the memorial stones.

The memorial stones are all stored in a Family Day notebook. Each year we review them and we are amazed as we read our family history together at all the ways God has worked supernaturally. It is so easy to forget. We also select annual verses for each family member. We then write down prayer requests for the year ahead, pray, and end the day with a fun activity and a favorite dessert.

Giving our children a story of the miracles God has performed in our lives has enlarged the hearts of each child to be willing to trust God for even bigger things. Understanding how we started our ministry with no money, no books, no conferences--just a thought and a prayer, always inspires our children each year to imagine how god will work in their lives.

Thanking God in the circle of family is one of my sweetest moments each year as I hear the deep voices of my boys praying fervently for all of us and the girls passionately speaking to God with thanks and anticipation of how He will be faithful the next year is the memory that I take to heart. Here, these sweet ones, in whom I have invested for so long and given so much, are now living vibrant lives of faith.

And so, this year, as we prayed blessing and sent everyone out again, we have much to trust God for--

Nathan is filming his first Christian movie this week on a shoe-string budget, but with hope in his heart that His movie might just redeem some prodigals and bring families back together. (Confessions of a Prodigal Son).

Joel is working with a composer in Hollywood on some projects for PBS with amazing music and is hoping to write some choral music that will be sung by choirs all over the world.

Sarah is foraying to Wheaton, with her eye to attend Oxford next year, to see if God will open doors for her to become an academic who can write messages about the incarnation of Christ in a technological world.

Joy is in training her second year of college where she will be an RA and have the opportunity to disciple and challenge 45 young women.

But all of them love and support each other in their dreams of bringing God's light to their own arenas, because they know our family history and story, and it has launched them to continue to write a new chapter.