What Story will your life tell? A giveaway and an e-conference!

This week, my two girls, Sarah and Joy, have been home together. We have talked of life, stories, their dreams, their ideals and goals and I am filled up and refreshed once again. (And of course eaten great food, listened to favorite music, drunk lots of tea and watched some great movies--after all, it is spring break for Joy and a week off to celebrate life together.)

Hearts afire with goodness, ideals and ways they will invest their lives are bubbling in every conversation, and in all the moments of our mutual sweet friendship. Where did these souls become shaped to that they are inspired to live a great life? Because they did not just learn facts and cover subjects of interest. But their imaginations were captivated by the idea that they had a story to tell with their own lives, that they had a destiny to live into.

Educating your children is not just about checking off lists, but about reaching hearts and engaging minds--and then sending your children into their world with confidence, grace, intelligence, a love for God and a willingness to fulfill His purposes.

Enjoy part of the intro to Sarah's new book! Out in a couple of weeks! And a theme she will be addressing in the e-conference!

Great stories teach us that we are called to live a great life story.

Stories are a powerfully formative force. They furnish children with rich vocabulary, broad imagination, and the spirit of possibility necessary to purposeful living or heroic action. The great tales of literature both inspire heroism and demonstrate what actions must be taken if the world is to be conquered or creation accomplished. Great books are richly stocked with the characters, scenes, countries, and crafts that form an expectation of what is possible in a child’s imagination. Stories are rich in the kind of description that teaches a child to see, and to wonder at the artistry of the world. They shimmer with song and firelight, castles and dragons, inventions and quests, kings and queens all stocking the heart of a child with dreams.

But the storyformed life is also a gift, one that rests in the hands of inspired parents. A childhood filled with great books is something that only a parent can provide. Parents are the storytellers who narrate the opening of their children’s lives, choosing the books, images, and ideas that will outfit their minds. They are also the story-givers who create the rhythms of home life in which great books can be read again and again. I am convinced that the storyformed childhood my parents gave me was one of the greatest gifts I have ever received, and this book has come from my deep commitment to help other parents give that mighty gift to their own children. But before they can offer that gift, I think many parents today need a fresh understanding of the formative value of stories.

Exposure to the great tales of literature or even Scripture as a story itself is rarely listed as of primary importance when childhood training, formation, or education is discussed. Rather, parents today are often presented with a list of facts and skills they must pound into their children’s heads. Childhood formation, according to many models, seems to be about the filling of a mental bucket rather than the forming of a whole, vibrant soul ready to act justly, love beauty, and bring goodness to the world. We tend to think of childhood in terms of data acquisition; what children need to know, and what they must be able to do by the time they reach adulthood. I think this is a deadening view of childhood. While knowledge and skill are, of course, vital, they are only the skeleton structure of a great life. They will remain inanimate until the child who possesses them is kindled to passion and movement by a vision bigger than a list of accomplishments.

Stories are the lifeblood of existence. They are the heartbeat that pumps vision into a child’s developing imagination and hope into his or her soul. A storyformed child views life as an epic tale in which he or she must live as hero or villain. Storyformed children grow to adulthood understanding that they have been specially formed by a loving God, destined for his kingdom, specially crafted to love, create, and conquer. They have reason to respond to their parents’ training, to work and learn, hope and know, because stories assure them that right choices and brave actions are the force behind happy endings. A story-formed child understands exactly why hard work must be done and goodness attained, why beauty is a prize to be sought and love is a treasure worth the cost of their whole lives.

Join Sarah and me Monday night to learn more about building a story-formed life, cultivating strong mental muscles, giving a foundation of ideals and inspiration and passing on a love for learning to your children. Register HERE.

I will speak about my schedule each day, about the foundations that help build the habits and anchors of academic excellence into your home life, and ways to inspire and reach the hearts of your children. I am fresh with ideas because of a week with Sarah, Joel and Joy speaking into my life!

Please help us spread the word about the conference, and enter to win a copy of Sarah's new book, Caught up in a Story!

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Simplify: Avoid Burnout

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” 
― Leonardo da Vinci

The voices of culture are ramping up. The  ideals espoused by countless tell us what to do, what to read, how to spend our money, how to educate our children and the chaos created from the frenzy of trying to do it all is killing the souls of mamas.

Perhaps we need to live more like "Mary" and who has chosen the good part, instead of Martha who tried to carry so much and live in constant activity.

When I was a young mom, without the internet, cell phones, facebook, and twitter, I had so much more undistracted time. My life was still busy, but I lived by my own ideals and followed the wisdom I held in my heart. I was not as tempted to look to the right and to the left to see what others were doing. I was the pioneer, the standard for my own family.

Often, people who know our children, want to know, "How did your child score a perfect score on a Harvard entrance exam?" "How did Joel become composer of the year at Berklee when he entered without even reading music?" "How did Nathan produce a movie at 24 years of age and write the script himself?" "How did Joy get a debate scholarship when she only competed in speech for 3 months?"

I am realizing more that I do need to begin speaking more on these issues again, just as a stewardship of what God has taught me. Of course, it has been the grace of God that they are all doing well, as well as a lot of hard work and diligence. But, I tried to focus on what was of the most value--to go for the gold, so to speak. My idealism led me to seek that which was the most excellent, and also the most simple and time tested.

I used to come home from conventions with swag bags full of stuff that promised to be amazing. It usually cluttered up my shelves, floor, and I rarely ever used even a portion of what I brought home. I was reflecting this morning about how the clutter of other voices usually brought confusion or comparison of myself to others--and that rarely produced good fruit in my life.

Simplicity brings order. Simplicity brings peace and rest. The more we focus on the "one thing" or at least the few things that really matter in our lives, the more we will see great fruit in our lives and the lives of our children.

A favorite quote from a sweet southern friend who had a real Texas twang was, "We do not want to create children that are a mile wide and an inch deep."

Perhaps the goal is to create souls that are a mile deep, even if focussed on an inch of width of their calling, so that they might be best in their field. The point is, focus and intention in cultivating what really matters will produce sure results.

Even when you observe the life of Jesus, He did not go to the leaders, and seek after the "influencers" of His day. He deeply impacted a few, he traveled less than 50 miles from home, he served the local, simply, every day, and yet the strength of His words, the purity of His kingdom message turned the world upside down. Judas wanted a country-wide revolution. Jesus created a heart revolution.

So it is with education, moral strength, leadership. Excellence is built on the elegance of wisdom, and not on the slippery, overwhelming, loud proclamations of the world. Peer pressure has rarely brought about brilliance or distinction.

I see so many women spending lots of money on activities, curriculum, classes for their children and I also observe they are exhausted, burned out, unhappy and spent--these are great, wonderful hearted women. But, flurry and busyness does not always mean forward motion. Sometimes our insecurity drives us to engage in activities out of the thought that we are not capable of accomplishing something by ourselves.

Yet, home is enough, simple tried and true literature still inspires, and children are less tempted by the things of the world and the peer pressures that come with so much activity if their lives are simpler and more focussed.

Join Sarah, my daughter, and me, next Monday night for 2 hours of discussion where we will speak about the things of elegant simplicity, the pursuing of the "gold" things of life, the ways I worked in my home, to reach the minds and hearts and vision of 4 such different children. I hope we can encourage you to take a deep breath, to cut back, and to enjoy your life that God has given you.

I hope you will join us for a night of focus and an evening of inspiration about what really matters.

May He bless you with strength, wisdom and encouragement today. He is the source of your strength as you go forward.

Register HERE

The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle Has Begun! & Discipline is the key to a Happy Child!

Today is the day, my friends! I am excited to announce that the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle has officially begun! Life as a mother can be overwhelming, and we could all use a helping hand. This spring, with the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle, you will have access to numerous resources that will fill your life, and home, with joy.

With 84 e-books, audio files, and printables {on decorating your home, cooking, parenting, faith, and other homemaking tips}, you will find just the encouragement and inspiration you have been seeking. The Discipleship and Discipline eCourse will also be included in the great resources you gain in this amazing sale!

Who doesn't want, and need, a library filled with every aspect of homemaking for under $30?

Feather your nest this spring with this amazing bundle. I hope that these books inspire you and give you just the encouragement you need this season to be a life-giver for your family and home!

Simply click on the photos below {available on Kindle and as a PDF} to grab your books before they are gone, as this once-in-a-lifetime deal will only last for six days.

And, Be sure to register for Home-Centered Learning Part 2. HERE

So many fun opportunities right now. I look so forward to being with many of you at the e-conference on Monday night! Be sure to sign up ahead of time as the price goes up when the conference is full and after we have video-taped it. (If you can't join us live for the conference, you will receive an outline of the messages and a code for the video so you can watch it later.)

I am so thankful for all of the wonderful comments and emails and for each of you who come here each day, so,  I would love to give away 3 of Sarah's newest book, which will come off the press in a couple of weeks. Just share this page, about the bundle and our e-conference and enter the giveaway! We will send you an e-version of the book.

Share on Facebook with your friends and let us know and you will get 5 extra entry points.

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Weaving a Love of Reading into the Fabric of Your Family--an e-conference!

Attention, sweet friends! A New Registration Page is up as the other one crashed. All who have registered are fine! Can't wait! Check below!

Monday Night

April 28, 7:00 Mountain time, 8:00 Central, 9:00 Eastern (6:00 Pacific)

To register for the E-Conference, click here:

How can parents cultivate heroic hearts in their children? What is imagination, and why is it vital to a child's education? What role do great books play in shaping a child's perception of self? How do parents develop mental muscle in their children, helping them to learn to think clearly, build a vocabulary and cultivate convictions and critical thinking?

The Clarksons have cultivated conferences to address the need for excellence in educating children while reaching their hearts for God. Sally and Sarah will each speak for 45 minutes and host a 15 minute question and answer at the end of the two talks. Space is limited, so be sure to sign up soon. (This conference is a special price, as it includes two talks for the price of one. This time we have an extra video coverage in case the network goes down again! Trying to have our bases covered and hiring extra help and equipment to assure the best video! We had to cancel the Parenting e-conference when Clay's mom had a stroke, but will host it sometime later this summer.)

Sally's Talk

 Join Sally Clarkson will speak about Developing Mental Muscles as she lays foundational principles that were used in their home to inspire their children to become self-motivated learners and thinkers. Education is not just a matter of choosing the right curriculum, but instead a process of capturing a child's attention, inspire their heart and motivating them to want to learn and to engage in great thinking skills.

A home is  a natural place to cultivate academic excellence, critical thinking skills and the capacity to think and communicate clearly, with simple means. Education should be a natural process that cooperates with the home, without adding excessive pressure to consume large workbooks, or  working through impersonal text books and trying to cover too many subjects.

Sarah's Talk

 We are story-formed souls right down to the roots of our being. We are narrative by nature, driven from birth to discover who told us alive, and to what good ending we are headed. But we lose sight of that in our practical and unimaginative age. In our pressured drive to do many things, we forget what we were created to be: heroes and heroines in the great true tale of God.

Stories remind us of our identity and they are deeply formative to the heart and soul of a child. They kindle children's imaginations and help them to gain a vision for all they are called to do and become. My parents gave me the great gift of a childhood filled and formed by the best stories they could find. My goal in this talk is simply to help you give that gift to your children as well.

Sarah's Talk: Caught up in a Story, based on her newest book,will inspire you to reach your children's hearts with stories that will capture their hearts. Following the five points of dramatic arc, we will explore how great books can be a parent's best ally in forming and filling their child's mind and heart through every phase of childhood. We will explore the power of imagination, the way that stories drive character formation, and how the gift of a great vocabulary can expand your child's ability to dream. I'll even read aloud from a few of my favorite books as we celebrate the soul-forming power of story to help children imagine, and live, a great story of their own.

In her new book, and in the talk with the same title, Caught Up in A Story, Sarah Clarkson answers these vital questions, demonstrating how great books can be a parent's best ally in shaping a child to love what is beautiful, pursue what is good, and grasp what is true. Drawing on her own story-formed childhood and her long study of children's literature, Sarah Clarkson explores and celebrates the soul-forming power of story to help children imagine, and live, a great story of their own.

Sarah Clarkson, Sally's oldest daughter

Sarah is a freelance writer and editor currently at work on Hope with Feathers, her first piece of children’s fiction. Sarah is the founder and editor of Storyformed.com, an online community and resource center for families who want to discover the glories of imagination, the formative influence of story, and the soul-shaping power of beautiful words. As editor at Storyformed Books (an imprint of Wholeheart Press), she oversees the publication of a new line of fiction and essay collections designed for families ready to delve into the world of good books.

Sarah speaks regularly on topics such as story and imagination, the spiritual and educational power of beauty, literature, reading, and loneliness. She blogs personally at ThoroughlyAlive.com, and is also a regular contributor at the delightful RabbitRoom.com. Sarah has worked with Summit Ministries as a student mentor, and spent time as a student at Oxford University in England. When not traveling to exotic places, reading fascinating books, or sharing coffee and ideas with kindred souls, she can be found at home in Colorado, in the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Sally Clarkson, an author of 9 books, has educated her 4 children at home for 25 years. (Sarah, 30, is an author of three books; Joel, 27, is a composer and orchestrator for original compositions and has recorded 3 albums of original music; Nathan, 25  is an actor and just wrote and produced his first movie, Confessions of a Prodigal Son; Joy, 18, is a junior at Biola University and is on the debate team.)  Join Sally as she explains basic foundations of the educational principles she and her husband used to cultivate her children into independent thinkers, and to inspire them to own their own messages.

Clay and Sally are known for their book: Educating the Whole Hearted Child and have spoken to groups about Homeschooling all over the world for 20 years.

Whole Heart Ministry is publishing Sarah's newest book, Caught Up in a Story: Fostering a Story-formed Life of Great Books and Imagination with Your Children. The book will launch in May.

To register for the E-Conference, click here:

A New Season is upon me! I need your opinion!

I don't know if I have ever been so ready for spring!

I am inspecting my yard every day for evidence that spring will actually come to Monument! Has spring fever hit you, yet?

I am also entering a new season of evaluation personally, as a mom and wife, in ministry and as a writer. God is at work and I am so grateful for being refreshed in my own vision and values for the ways I want to invest my life at this season.

I have had  letters and emails and messages from so many of you about e-conferences and more possibilities for doing things online. I would love to know what you would be most interested in hearing. God has so kindly invested in so many ways in my life and I want to be a good steward in helping, encouraging and teaching the messages that are most needed at this time. So, if you have a longing or need or wish for what you would like to hear me speak about or write about, let me know.

I am going to be making some changes in my blog and presence in the public world, but more about that later?

Would love to hear your ideas--

Marriage?

Traditions and Home Life?

Motherhood?

Spiritual?

Keeping Going in the road of ideals?

Home Education? What aspects?

Specifically what is on your heart? Other issues?

Sarah and I will probably be doing an e-conference next week --I will speak about Developing Mental Muscle in your children--cultivating the ability to think, reason, solve problems, think Biblically, and be academically strong and Sarah will be speaking about how to cultivate a strong literary presence in your home, developing a story-formed life. (Lots of women loved this talk at the mom conferences this year, so we have heard your requests and will do it very soon.) So stay tuned for that tomorrow!

Let me hear from you! Hope your Easter was wonderful!

Easter Ponderings Love that Gives and Forgives

Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. I Corinthians 13:4-8a

When I graduated from college, I worked on the staff of Campus Crusade for 2 years at the University of Texas and then I moved to Eastern Europe to travel in Communist countries as a missionary. I had the illusion that because I had a committed heart, I was mature.

But since the Lord is a good parent, and He wanted me to grow into the likeness of Christ, and he saw that I was quite young, immature, self-centered and full of pride, he knew I needed more practice and training to become more like Christ.

So he gave me a husband and children, so that I could really find out what sacrificial love was all about. It has not been easy to pull out the weeds of expectations; to fight the storms of giving up my rights; to endure the drought of feelings that did not always match up to what I thought a loving wife and mother should feel in a happy home. But, I kept holding on to Him, pondering His life and seeking to be loyal through faith in His reality and presence, even though I could not always see Him.

Now, though still growing, I have learned so much more about true love, self-sacrifice, commitment. long-suffering--and it has all made me love Him more because I see how much of my life has required that of Him--as I have tested Him, misbehaved, thrown tantrums, and pulled away at times. But still He loves me and still He sacrificed for us while we were yet sinners.

Love, like the beautiful rose garden at Glen Eyrie Castle above, must grow over years and years to become mature. It must be cultivated and watered and nurtured and protected and worked again.

Thank you, sweet Lord, that you showed me the way and went before me to model real love.

"Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down His life for His friends."

Jesus, our gentle savior, He who said, "Forgive them for they know not what they do, as he hung, bleeding, fainting with pain, compassion and love still above all the dyer circumstances, He forgave, He gave up His life, He lived in gentle peace with the ones who did not understand.

Love slowly dawns on my soul as I watch You  throughout my life, and I am humbled and brought to worship of you, the great Lover.

Dining Biblically

Today's article is from the heart of my daughter-in-law, Rachael Lee Clarkson. ___________________________________________________

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." -J.R.R. Tolkien

There has always been something so beautiful about preparing delicious food and opening up my home to others, no matter how tiny my Hollywood apartments have been. The reason I love cooking, preparing fun meals, and having people in my home, is not out of necessity. Isn't it amazing that while we need food to live, God made it so much more than filling up and sustaining our bodies?

God made food creative, beautiful, unique, versatile, exciting, and has a way of bringing people together.

As a creative spirit, I enjoy nothing more than preparing something new. This past weekend, my husband, Nathan, and I had friends over to our home who are vegan. While some may have seen this as an obstacle, I saw it as a wonderful opportunity to try something different. Challenge accepted.

While we decided to prepare a vegan tapas meal, the more we started putting things together, the more it became clear to us: this seems like a meal that Jesus would have eaten! Now, before I share our meal with you, just know that this was an accidental-biblical meal, meaning that it probably isn't 100% like what would have been eaten in those times. However, many elements of our meal allowed God to shine through, and allowed us to remember Jesus as Easter is so close.

There are many reasons why trying this meal in your home will be a hit: 1- Encourage your children to try something new. Perhaps your children have never tried a vegan, Mediterranean, or tapas style meal. This will expand their palates and introduce them to brand new flavors. 2- Get comfortable and change things up! Grab your coziest pillows and place them around a small table (it can be a coffee table). We find that sometimes our guests feel immediately more welcome in our home when we make them feel at home by everyone taking off their shoes and sitting on the floor together! 3- Talk about biblical dining. This is an amazing opportunity for you to discuss with your children about breaking bread, pondering what Jesus would have eaten, why God created beautiful, colorful food, and more! Endless wonderful discussions are available simply through what is on the table for dinner.

Our vegan tapas meal included: -Pita bread -Hummus -Avocado salsa -Green olives -Roasted almonds with tamari -Dried mango and figs -Marinated peppers -Kale chips -Grape juice

God is so creative. Just look at the color, vibrant beauty, and life in this meal! And the best part is, it's so easy!

In scripture, Jesus attempted to eat figs from a fruitless fig tree on the road to Jerusalem, which leads me to believe that he probably liked them! Figs and dried mango add that pop of sweet flavor to this delicious meal.

A great child-friendly idea for biblical dining would be to serve grapes to munch on. You can even share with your family about how many vineyards are still in Jerusalem! What a fun and beautiful thing to imagine. "I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken. “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant." -John 15:1-6

With your grape juice and pita bread, your family can have an intimate communion time. "And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood." -Luke 22:19-20

Another wonderful thing about this meal is that it is an opportunity for your children to eat healthy, fresh foods! Not everyone is fond of kale, just yet. I used to be a nanny, and I am convinced that I can help anyone fall in love with kale. I made homemade kale chips for our guests the other night, which is so simple. Just grab a bunch of kale {I go for the thicker, larger leaves}, wash them, and place them in a bowl. Toss with some sea salt to taste, and two tablespoons of olive oil.

Allow older children to assist you in the kale-chip-making process, and talk about how it is believed that the “sop” used to dip bread in during the Last Supper may have been olive oil.

Spread your kale out evenly on a baking sheet, or two depending on how many chips you're making, and bake in a preheated oven at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes.

There is great value in meeting in homes, breaking bread, sharing meals, and living in community with one another. Spring, and Easter, is the perfect time for a light, vegan, biblical, tapas meal. Try something new, be vegan for a day, explore the culture and color of biblical food, sit on the floor, and enjoy the flavors that God puts on your plate!

For more on Rachael Lee Clarkson, you can view her blog for young women by clicking this link.

Becoming Civilizers and Life-Givers through Relationship

“’You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its remotest parts, and said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'” Isaiah 41:9-10

In all generations, when human beings turn their hearts away from God and do not build godly character and act with integrity, there have been chaotic consequences for nations and the history of the whole world.  Recently, I recalled one of the first times I felt “panic” about the difficult circumstances of my life. There had been lots of tension in Poland between the Polish workers and the Russians who controlled the country, and I was a young missionary living there--illegally. People had begun to riot and rebel, and Russian tanks began to roll into Warsaw, where we lived. Many of the streets were lined with soldiers and the threat of war was in the paper and on the news every day. I remembered thinking, “What am I doing over here in a time of war? I am not sure if I am ready to die in this conflict just now.” We had been ministering in Hungary and touched the bullet holes in apartment buildings of people we had worked with, where a similar revolt had caused the loss of hundreds of lives.

It was one of the first times I remember coming across this passage in Isaiah: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” I camped on that verse, pondering and praying it. I resolved that I would stand on it emotionally and spiritually. The Lord was faithful, and we came through the conflict with Him holding our hands.

There have been so many other times and seasons where fear threatened to take away my peace. Yet, I have a pattern of remembrance now. He has been faithful through all the seasons and hard times.

God is still with us. He still loves us. He will always be abundantly faithful. Women are especially designed and equipped by God to dig down deep and bring beauty, faith, peace and hope to nations. A woman is at her best when she is creating life from the richness of her soul. I believe moms are true heroes who will be the bearers of light when shadows threaten to overtake. They weave peace and love in homes where burdens are weighing on the shoulders of husbands. They sing songs of faith in the midst of life’s calamities. They can model a child-like faith and rest in God when they live in the Sabbath rest of His provision, even when physical provision is scant. I believe that moms can be the determining factor in our country during difficult times, to bring courage to families and nations as we wait on God and follow His ways.

In these days of the shaking of moral foundations and volatile uncertainties, in an era of confusion, when biblical motherhood is often disdained or dismissed as irrelevant or unimportant in a post-modern culture, we are ripe for a movement of the Holy Spirit. There is need for an intentional movement of godly women to hold forth ideals, to inspire confidence, strength, faith and good works, and in the midst of all that, to develop deep friendships with other moms. God created women to be the wisdom bringers, gatekeepers, and civilizers of culture through relationship.

My wonderful friend Phyllis is such a joy to me. She is 72, and yet her desire for bringing life and beauty and love to women so burns in her heart that she is always alive, energetic and engaged whenever I see her. She has made her home a haven, so that just to be inside her rooms is a pleasure. There are soothing colors on her walls, pictures, small relics and treasures throughout her home that speak of the many places she has lived and traveled, her love of the Lord, and the great value she places on family. And always there is a candle lit, soft music playing, and a pot of fresh tea ready in case someone might want to come by for a few minutes of fellowship. There is a lovely little bedroom in her basement, just ready for someone who needs to get away–two single beds waiting for the next guests.

Every week for the past nineteen years, she has opened her home to young moms. Her “cuppa” is shared, along with sweet fellowship for the first few minutes, followed by prayer and scripture opened and taught and discussed. Literally hundreds of women have passed through her doors in these studies, including me. Each week, women leave with hope, conviction, ideas, love, and renewed and refreshed spirits.

Where there are real relationships and real love and heartfelt devotion to the Lord, life takes place. God built us for relationship. God built us for love and friendship and intimacy–the desire to be known and still loved.

When we as women experience this kind of relationship and warmth, our whole demeanor is different, our emotional and spiritual cups are filled and we become better at everything–walking with God, loving our children and husbands, bringing beauty in our homes and in reaching out with God’s grace to others. It is what we were designed to do.

If you have the desire to go deeper today, take a moment to complete the reflection and application below:

• ”But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things ...” Luke 10:41 Do you find yourself worried over many things? Make a list. Then write at the top the scripture here from Isaiah ... and throw the list away.

• “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.” 1 Peter 4:9 If you have an introverted personality, it may be difficult for you to even think about purposefully inviting someone into your home! But making the effort is worth it. Ask the Lord if there’s someone you could invite over for a cuppa—and maybe share this little exercise with them, too!

I birthed a new book! And now I can finally decorate for Easter!

Clarkson Traditional: An Easter Egg Tree

Now let the heavens be joyful,

Let the earth her song begin:

Let the round world keep triumph,

And all that is therein;

Invisible and visible,

Their notes let all things blend,

For Christ is risen, Our joy shall have no end!

St. John of Damascus

Tonight, I finished writing a book I have had in mind for a little over a year. I turned it in just before writing this blog and it will go through a process and come out sometime next January. When I write a new book, it always forces me to examine my life, to remember God's faithfulness, and to plan/pray about living even more into ideals, so that I may end serving Jesus to my very last breath.

The title of my book will be revealed when it is final, but the subject is about taking responsibility for your choices, your faith, the legacy you will live and your actions. Getting to the end of this book makes me realize that God has indeed worked amazingly in my life. Not because I am in any way especially gifted. But the secret is that I was challenged to give my all to Him, to believe He would partner with me to work, to live by faith and to take risks and to follow Jesus' life and model to live a life of generous love.

Being at a funeral lately caused me again to reflect on the legacy I am leaving. What will people say when I go to see Jesus? You will have to read about it in the book! :)

But as we ponder His reality this week of celebrating His resurrection, we must understand again, that if this event was true, His being raised from the dead, His total forgiveness of our sins, His kingship over the whole universe and call on our lives to invest in His kingdom, then today is the day to live to the fullest, to show His reality, to believe that our faith matters, to be true to teach our children of his message, His forgiveness, His call on each of us to be stewards of His light, His life and His love.

I love Easter! The message encourages me every year. I love Jesus and his story and celebrating my adoption as His child. I love the grace that pours over my soul. I even love Easter Egg hunts and celebrating the day with friends and family.

We celebrate big in our family. (We even always have a hunt even for our 20 year olds--each child in our family has their own color of plastic egg with goodies inside--now gift cards and money!  and we would color code the eggs to be more difficult for the older and less for the younger so that Joy would have a chance to actually find hers--though sometimes the younger ones were better scouts than the older.  Sarah would always look for pink, Joel--blue; Nate red and Joy purple. So much fun.

Now, a few pictures from the past when Joy was in an Easter production we held at our church.

For now, I am going to sleeeeeeeeeep and take a day off. And then I will shop for food, finish decorating the house with our special Easter treasures collected over the years, and live into the moments God has given.

It is truly my wish that it will stop snowing and give us a hint of sunshine. Have a lovely week and live this week for eternity. This is the day you have to live a story worth telling.

I was working on my book in a hotel, because our internet went down and saw this! I adore roses.

It was so pretty I just had to take a picture. So this week, I wish you roses!

What is your favorite flower?

French Dip Easter Sandwiches

"The most indispensable ingredient of all good home cooking: love for those you are cooking for."-Sophia Loren

With Easter only a little over a week away, it is the perfect amount of time to begin dreaming and planning for your holiday feasts and festivities! You already know that the crockpot can be an amazing friend in the kitchen. Why not put it to work to make a lunch and even leftovers for another meal? Most families will bring out the ham and deviled eggs at Easter, but our family loves to feast on these melt in your mouth sandwiches that are known as “dips.”

If you have never had the pleasure of eating a French Dip sandwich, you must try it now! Nothing goes to waste! You even use the lovely broth created from the meat (au jus) and dip your sandwich into it before each delectable bite! It is more than an easy go-to meal, it’s fun food!  Save whatever meat you have leftover, if any, and use it for soup, pot roast dinner, even add some mexican seasoning to the meat to use for tacos or enchiladas! You can’t go wrong with this inexpensive cut of meat!

Yields: 12 sandwiches (24 halves)

Ingredients: 4 lbs. boneless chuck roast 1/2 cup soy sauce 1 beef bouillon cube 1-2 bay leaves 3-4 peppercorns 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp garlic powder 12 French Rolls - split 12 slices of Havarti cheese (or whatever you like)

Directions: 1. Place roast in a 5 qt. slow cooker. 2. Combine soy sauce & next 6 ingredients. Pour over roast. 3. Add water to slow cooker until roast is almost covered. 4. Cook covered on LOW for 8 hours or until very tender. Cook until it falls apart! 5. Remove roast, reserving broth. 6. Shred roast with 2 forks. 7. Place split french rolls under broiler for about 30 seconds to toast.  Remove bottom halves. Return top halves to oven with slice of havarti cheese on top, just to melt (10-15 seconds). 8. Place shredded beef onto bottom half of roll, top with other half roll & cut at angle. 9. Serve with broth on side in small ramekin or add a little broth to meat before completing sandwich.

The beautiful thing about having a crockpot is the fact that your home cooked meals remain juicy, delicious, and flavorful without all the hassle. Remember that it is more important to have extra time to spend with your sweet loved ones on Easter than it is to stress about having the perfect feast. Enjoy this easy, delicious meal, and don't forget the secret ingredient...love!

What are some of your family's favorite Easter treats and meals?