I Take Joy | Table Settings

Playing the part of provider to bring life and beauty!

November 16, 2012 by Sally 11 Comments

Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars,
She has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine,
She has set her table, …,
“Come eat of my food. And drink of my wine I have mixed.
For sake your folly and live,
And proceed in the way of understanding.” Proverbs 9:1-6

I am getting mommy excited about next Tuesday. My youngest, precious one, Joy, will come home from her first semester at college. She has sustained the 3 months alone without one visit and we have been constantly chatting and planning and sharing hearts so much that it feels like the last few days before you give birth–just biding your time until the momentous occasion comes. As a result, I have been looking at some old pictures and drawing up old memories and here is one of them–our fall apple picking and putting away for the winter. We missed it this year with Joy gone and us traveling too much.

But I had so much fun remembering, I thought I would share our memory with you! Getting into the mood for cooking a feast for all of my children and special others who will be with us!

Below a story of life from 4 years ago–hard to believe the time flew!

Yesterday we had a great sermon–one of four–which addressed the reality of heaven. I loved hearing that in heaven we will eat and drink and feast and have gardens and rivers and beauty and celebration and singing–only it will be in a perfect and wonderful place–called paradise–even more wonderful than anything we can see or imagine here.

I like knowing these things. It makes me think that when I prepare these thousands of meals that I am providing a little heaven on earth–an imperfect picture here of what real celebration and living will be there! I think that one of my delights over the years, which has grown as I have become better at it, is providing life-giving meals and memories for my family. Wisdom (I love it that wisdom is personified as a woman!) sets her table and provides wonderful food and in the midst of serving, calls those she serves to wisdom, understanding, love and righteousness. I am convinced that we have done more discipleship over meals than any other way!

As the old saying goes, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”, but I think there is some truth to it, only applying to all people! Even Wisdom knew as much. Though there are so many things that reach and touch our hearts, I do think that the dining table can become the place of so much spirituality. At least it has for our family. Clay and I talk to our sons Joel and Nathan several times a week. Though both are thriving where they are, both have mentioned often missing our family. And when I asked them what they missed the most, it is as Joel and Nate said, “It’s the great food and the meal time discussions that I miss the most–just being together like that as a family.”

I would have to agree that these moments (and there are thousands of them) have held celebrations, devotions, discussions, funny stories, jokes, laughter, songs, correction (How many times have I told you–use a fork–not your fingers!) and sharing our hearts together.

God designed us to eat, but the time spent eating in warm fellowship, giving words of love and affirmation, challenging ideas with a meaningful quote to discuss or bringing and insightful article to the table to read together makes the moments that we spend in delightful fellowship feasting, a discipleship moment!

Just thought I would include a recipe from a most recent Sunday breakfast meal. Though we try to have devotions as a family, as our children became older and had their own cars, jobs and activities, we could barely get everyone together at once, but we could almost always get everyone together on Sunday morning. So many years ago, even when they were young, I got up early to make a great Sunday morning breakfast. Some of our favorites include home made whole wheat cinnamon rolls–(and yes, someday I will provide the recipe–but it is not perfected yet and I am afraid of misleading all of you! I am so used to throwing it all together–my own recipe–that I don’t exactly know how to put it down as it is different every time!)

Now onto more–scrambled cheese eggs–I do it a certain Clarkson way with bacon bits, cheese and sour cream; Polish eggs–the same only with hash browns mixed into the eggs-omelette’s with green peppers, onions, ham, bacon, avocado as the favorite items and of course cheese; muffins–our favorite being oatmeal and also blueberry or pumpkin; also, apple coffee cake; cottage cheese pancakes with strawberry or blueberry topping.

But one of the family favorites, which I do when I run out of time or get up late, is Whole Wheat Pancakes. I use this recipe below. The great thing about this recipe is that you can change it by adding just a few items. The ones pictured below are my regular ones–pancakes with grated apple, pecans and cinnamon.

Sometimes I add chocolate chips and have made a smiley face with them; or blueberries, one to two squished bananas with chopped nuts; hot peach sauce on top, hot apples on top and whip cream on all of it if desired. The girls in our family prefer real maple syrup and the boys prefer Aunt Jemima or log cabin light.

Of course we always light candles and put on some kind of music.

Somehow our table looks sparse now that we only have 4!

Whole Wheat Pancakes
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat (or white) flour
1 1/2 cups milk or yoghurt
2 -4 tablespoons honey, sugar or maple syrup-depending on your taste
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat eggs with beater until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients until smooth. You can add up to 1/4 cup of milk if you prefer thinner cakes, but we like them fluffy and thick. They do spread out on your griddle–though sometimes I give them a little help when I put them on the griddle by spreading them out a little with my spatula. Let them cook until there are lots of bubbles showing on the surface of the cakes, and they are beginning to dry out on the edges. This makes enough to feed all 6 of us. You can halve the recipe and feed 4 if they are not big eaters!

*as an aside, I always grate apples to put in the pancakes. I also add pecans to some of them. You can also fold in blueberries. Yumm–a great way to add whatever you happen to like! (Once a woman told me that she followed this recipe and her pancakes turned out really heavy. I grind my own flour and don’t add more flour if the batter looks wrong–I add a little more milk. They are pretty light for us–hope it works for you!)

Next, I like to decorate for each season. I keep lidded plastic boxes with the season’s decor and it just takes me a small amount of time to decorate my whole house. (autumn, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s, Easter, Spring and summer) I like, also, these tall glass cannisters that hold whatever you want in the bottom and candles on the top part as pictured below. You can get them in all sorts of sizes–expensive designer ones or Walmart or Target. The reason I like them is that you can just put different things in the bottom of them, place a candle on top and it is an instant centerpiece on a table or coffee table. In autumn, leaves are on the bottom. At Christmas, I put tiny red and green Christmas tree balls in one and pine cones in another I have; small hearts at valentines with a red strand of beads during January and early February, etc.

Providing can also be designing traditions just for your family that take on a life of its own. Every year for a few years, we took a trip to the local apple farm and picked our own apples, ate a picnic out in the fields. Then, some weekend, we would all peel apples, slice and cut them and freeze them for applesauce and or warm apples to have with our soups in the winter. This year, our apple farm had a freeze and so we bought 3 boxes of organic apple to use for our recipes. We always watch the Anne of Green Gables series while doing it and I think we have every line memorized. This year, since our family is ridding itself of lots of our plastic, we decided to put our recipes in jars. I must say we missed the boys as they always did a lot of work with us on these!

The final outcome so far: 17 jars of homemade applesauce and 12 jars of apple butter (minus the jars eaten!)

Now, tonight we will do the last box–apple pie filling!

We so enjoyed praying for all of you today. It was such a good time of fellowship with my girls–I should do this more. Have a great day tomorrow and know we are in His loving and wonderful hands.

Grace, peace and an abundance of His love to all of you today!

Sally

Filed Under: Bible Studies, Child Training, Family, Food, Home, Hospitality, Joyful Life, Lifegiver, Mothering, Our Family, Recipes, Table Settings, Traditions

A Breakfast Celebration…..just because

April 22, 2010 by Sally 4 Comments

Scrambled, cheese eggs, homemade toast and Yorkshire Gold tea.

Thick purple and black clouds, sparkling crystal drops dangling from tree limbs, and mist dancing in the shadows of the trees met me this morning as I had my quiet time in the wee morning hours–it was a visual feast as is reputed here in the Colorado mountains.

I was thinking about how this kind of beauty sometimes calls to a deep longing in my soul for more–more of God, more of love, more of purpose and adventure and life. I think that these longings are here because we were created by God to experience deep intimacy, profound beauty, heartfelt satisfaction. Yet, Paul tells us that in this world we see as through a mirror dimly. These shadows of reality here are but a taste of what is to come. Our longings are there because God made us to have them fulfilled–and so they will be in His new heavens and new earth.

And so I told the Lord how very grateful I was for such beauty and goodness and love. My heart was full. Clay and Sarah are are in Nashville, so it is just sweet Joy and me to hold the fort down this week. Even though I knew Joy had to go to work by 8:40, I wanted to share a moment of beauty, love and delight as God had shared it with me. So, before I awakened her, I lit the candles, prepared the food and tea and put on an old Celtic album that we love so that my little princess could come down the stairs to a few moments of civility and delight, devotion and prayer.

I have seen that when the atmosphere and table are set, as God had done for me in the beauty around me this morning, God shows up in special ways for my children, too, and allows us to have great moments of conversation and devotion together.

As an aside, Joy has been a child care worker for 3 years at our local mops program. Our children have always had to work for extra cash. On a ministry salary, life has demanded that all of our children have had to work a bit. Last summer, Joy and a friend hosted Explorer Camp for younger children, where they read books, made crafts, dressed up as explorers and this is how they made money for the summer. This year, we will have some Princess camps with tea times and stories and crafts–(Thanks to Beth Martinez for the idea!) And they will also host, Mom’s Day out camps with great adventures, stories and crafts to earn money for a trip in the fall.

I used to feel “bad” that we could not provide our children with all the things they needed in their lives, on our salary and with our limited resources. But now I see, that God’s way has been great for my children. By them having to learn to work and make money, it has made them more responsible, thankful, humble and more prepared to enter into adulthood with a realistic understanding of money and work. So, I am thankful for His ways in my life, even though I may not have known to ask for them earlier! Some pressure and hardship is the very building block of our children’s souls, so I learned as I was pondering all of this while writing Dancing with my Father, that His ways are to build His character in our lives. Ultimately, these paths give our souls satisfaction and freedom and peace.

On to my day! Grace and peace to yours!

PS. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL EMAILS FROM MOMS ASKING IF I KNOW OF ANY OTHER AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND MOMS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HOSTING A MOM HEART CONFERENCE THERE OR IN ATTENDING A TRAINING TO START THIS MINISTRY THERE–I WILL COLLECT NAMES AND EMAILS AND SEND THEM TO YOU AS A GROUP, SO YOU CAN KNOW EACH OTHER! (SALLY@WHOLEHEART.ORG)

Filed Under: Beauty, Children, Food, Home, Homemaking, Joyful Life, Mothering, Nature, Ponderings, Table Settings, Tea

Snowy day vacation party and celebration

March 19, 2010 by Sally 7 Comments

View from my bedroom window (tree house in background)

Many years ago, we determined that all the days when we were snowed in would become some kind of a vacation day for us. I am still getting back to normal anyway, and was in the mood to celebrate home, and to spoil my girls for working so hard, and traveling so much the last couple of months. I believe in helping children to learn to work hard and then we always play hard–a sort of reward for work well done. I have seen so many children over the years who grow up resenting ministry or missions or their mother’s careers–so I have a filter in my heart that seeks to notice when I see any burn out coming from having too much of an outreaching or public life as a family or too many activities and then I draw my family in and refresh them and also myself, before we give of ourselves to the point of total burn out or exhaustion.

Sarah, Joy and I, pajama’d and fresh from long sleep, squatted in front of the fireplace, with shawls to keep warm. Since it was closer to lunch than breakfast, I looked in the fridge to see what was available. A sweet friend had brought a meal to spoil us the night before, and I had a small bag of pasta, left, so I cut it into small pieces with scissors. It became a pasta salad–tuna, English peas, chopped onions with a small amount of ranch dressing and mayonnaise mixed. Yumm–think I will do that again. fruit salad, cherry scones, (in my heart shaped pans–acquired at a sale after Valentine’s day years ago), also, (I keep a stash of Sticky Fingers in my cupboard for easy scones when I do not feel like following a recipe) apricot raspberry jam and real clotted cream from the cupboard recently acquired; egg salad sandwiches on a whole grain baguette from the afore mentioned dinner; and maple ham sandwiches on my own loaf of homemade bread.

Passionately discussing amidst munchings and “this is great, let’s do it again–can I have this for my girls at our picnic next week” covered such subjects as:

*why homes, beauty, love, relationships, friendship traditions speak to unanchored, wounded who long to see the touch of God but have never felt it in their own homes–and preaching will not help until they have felt the real love and compassion of God from a real person so they can understand, by experiencing what God is really like.”

*how excellence cannot be passed on to children and youth unless they have seen it and had it intentionally been trained by it over and over again from parents. How different the very souls are of those who have not tasted the reality of discipleship as a way of life.

*I hope I marry a man who wants to have a life-giving home so we can reach out to those who have never experienced this kind of life–I want to marry someone who wants to have a little land for gardens and roaming for our millions of children and places to play for hours. Me, too. Wonder where we will find such men?!”

*education, and intelligence are not really acquired unless ideas are discussed, mulled around, digested in the mind, and owned by the one hearing such ideas–that education is a way of life and being–not just a curriculum to be followed”

*we should start a cooking club

*we should have a party for all of the dancers in my section of The Thorne (Easter production) so we can reach out to some of them.

*And then, reading out loud 2 picture books that celebrate Ireland–one by each girl and all done with an Irish lilt

And all of this as I sat and quietly drank my tea, allowing the princesses to pontificate to each other and the world–saying all those “Clarkson things” that have become a part of their own souls, watching them have fun, think, build bridges to each other’s hearts, and rest. I do think more education has taken place at our tea parties and dinners than through almost anything else we have done. We set the stage and the Holy Spirit and life and fun seem to show up.

Then, all princesses had to help me clean the kitchen–to loud music, of course as we danced around the kitchen singing at the top of our lungs. a good time was had by all…….

Filed Under: Beauty, Family, Food, Our Family, Table Settings, Tea

Delight, Anticipation and Wonder

December 14, 2009 by Sally Leave a Comment

Oh, Christmas tree, Oh, Christmas tree, …. Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls my mom made for me 50 years ago.

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Flickering candlelight, shimmering slivers, golds, reds, greens and blues sparkling on a real tree inside the house; familiar songs that beg swaying and dancing; the smells of pine boughs, vanilla, sugar, spices, cookies, coffee, breads filling the air with invitation each different time of the day, lots of friends and family and hugs and kisses and celebration and presents,stories to stir up imagination of babies, wise men, young mothers, animals–all of these wrapped in one short period of a few weeks–all to fill the heart and stir the imagination to new dreams and the heart with lots of love—what’s not to love about Christmas?!

I have had many women write to me and ask if I thought it was pagan to celebrate Christmas and have trees and presents. Of course Clay and I pondered this many years ago and studied the Word and we came to our own conclusions as each family must do. But, we now see even more, how it was the delights of our home and the filling of emotional cups and the fun and making of memories and cherishing Christ and carols every day, that gave our children even more love for Him. Since our family is not pagan, the celebrations in our home are not pagan–nor the ways we choose to celebrate.

And I so love the family togetherness. When my children have lived far away, and now the boys do, coming home to celebrate together–to celebrate all that it is–is something they can hardly wait for–it is another of the invisible strings that ties our heart so strongly together..

When I think about the wonders of the first Christmas–astonishing, bewildering, unimaginable beings appearing on the earth; terrestrial choirs filling the heavenly sky; a heretofore unheard of star filling the night sky; wealthy, learned kings traveling from afar; a virgin birth in the midst of a love story; an old woman and an old man marveling and speaking of the messiah as the baby is dedicated- with celebration and feasting;–our Heavenly Father was the first to celebrate. He was the first one to document the birthday of Jesus–supernaturally with music and feasting and amongst the humble and the kings.

I love seeing the feasting–usually for days–in the old testament. God is a God of celebration. Christmas is a time when we bring friends and family into our home to be refreshed. It is a time of personal worship as I mentioned yesterday and a time of joy-work and preparation to say I love you to our family, whom God designed for the passing down of His story and of His love.

I think that sometimes people are afraid to have too much fun or to celebrate life. Yet, it is only when we do this fully, from our heart that we understand the joy of the Lord–the God who gave us the ability to be satisfied, to laugh and play games and eat merrily.

So, our family makes time to delight together. It is the organic life of Christ, the tastes, smells, fun, love and theology that gives the whole picture of this baby become king and savior. And so in a spirit of love, we celebrate Christmas–His coming to earth–fully and happily.

Some happy photos friends sent me from the coming and going in our Christmas festivities. Pictures of Christmas spaces in my home.

Living room coffee table–the stocking my mom made for me when I was a little girl. I love glass jars to put all sorts of things inside. (A good source is pickle jars–the big kind– from Sams. Good Will is another spot, and Hobby Lobby with great half-price sales.)

Kitchen nook table–old Austrian table cloth on table with little snow houses collected through the years.

Den coffee table with Romanian hand-stiched cloth.

Living room hearth

Friends and food and feasting in the kitchen!

and of course sweet babies

and children delighted with food and a full house!

the dining room table and talking

The gathering room–living room from the stairs above.

Ending on the Word,….,

and a good time was had by all!

Filed Under: Beauty, Family, Food, Friends, Holidays, Home, Joyful Life, Our Family, Relationships, Table Settings, Traditions

The Lord is still in His heavens, ruling over all

November 26, 2009 by Sally 3 Comments

I love Thanksgiving! It is a time of family, resting, celebrating God’s goodness, feasting and reflecting on all that HE has done faithfully in our lives. After gigantic cinnamon rolls, and lounging in our pj’s, we will all take a few moments to make a list, personally, for all the things we are thankful for–then the Daddy will read whatever psalm or praise is on His heart and we will all spend time thanking and praising the Lord together.

Then comes the feasting. We have not had the privilege of having much family in our lives over the years, so we have spent some Thanksgivings alone. But, I am always so grateful when we can fill the house with friends, new and old, who also need a home for celebrating. This year, all of my children will be here except for Joel, who is being well fed at a friend’s house in Maine! (Thanks for taking care of my son!) Added to our family, a sweet family with three young children, missionaries with WYAM will join us, a man from church who has no family in town, and Nate’s friend and parents who will also be alone this year. So, I will have 14 at my table and we are truly going to celebrate and have a grand day together.

On our menu will be, turkey, of course, apple, pecan, onion bread dressing, celery, onion, cornbread sage dressing, sweet potato casserole, a congealed cranberry salad, fresh cranberry sauce, yellow squash and onion casserole, peas, green beans, lots of potatoes, and gravy, 4 dozen of my homemade rolls (great for leftover sandwiches), pumpkin chiffon pie, upside down gingerbread apple caramel cake, pumpkin cheesecake, pecan pie, and all with whip cream and ice cream to choose. And we always have a variety of sparkling juices. I think I will go do my 2 mile exercise video and sit ups to prepare for the time–or I might just take it as a day of rest.

(if you want a distracting activity for your children and you don’t use the neck or giblets, put them outside a window and the birds will make a feast of it and give a show all at the same time!)

In the old testament, feasts and celebration was commanded by God–he is a celebrating Father. May You all have a wonderful day with your precious ones. And may He bless Holy is the Lord. Of all my blessings, I am most grateful for my precious family and friends. I love you who God has brought into my life to be a visual picture of His hands, heart and love for me. May He bless you today in His abundant grace.

Sing for joy in the Lord, oh you righteous ones;

Praise is becoming to the upright. For the word of the Lord is upright,

And all His work is done in faithfulness.

Psalm 33: 1, 4

The past few mornings, I have awakened early in the wee hours of the morning. I get really sleepy about 9 or 10 and can’t hold my eyes open, but sometime during the 3 o’clock hour, I awaken and have difficulty going back to sleep. I have learned not to panic about lack of sleep over the years, having had 3 asthmatics and lots of other non-sleeping issues in our home. Usually I just look at this time as a time to pray or write or read my Bible and other spiritual books.

Myriads of details are on my plate right now–Nathan needing a job in California; Joel’s scholarship issues; Sarah’s book and possible pending move; Joy’s schooling and final years with me; ministry conferences and all that is there; book proposals; 14 people for lunch today; supporting Clay in his work and multitudinous responsibilities and pressures;Christmas, Bible studies and celebrations and book parties in my home; sad circumstances of friends; the future; etc. etc.

And yet, God is above and over all of these things. His work is done in faithfulness. God is good and He is good to me. And He will always be good. As I turned my heart to praise Him this morning in the dark hours of the early morning, my heart was deeply touched and so deeply grateful for His sustaining and loving presence.

Verse after verse flooded my heart. He deserves all of our worship and thanksgiving. He is working in and through all of us in this moment in history. He is bringing us closer to the time when He will cast satan away and rule as our righteous judge forever. He is preparing a place for us. He has promised never to leave us. He works all things together for His good to those who are called to Him.He loves us with an everlasting love. He hears our prayers and He even prays for us. He is with us, always, everywhere.

There are no details of my life that He is not over and in which He cannot help. Mine isn’t to figure out all of the answers to my families’ needs. Mine is to rest in Him; to adore Him as a child who cuddles against its mother. To sing to Him the songs and peace of my heart because I am in worthy hands.

As I ponder so many of these truths, I see His wonderful faithfulness through all the other busy years, so that I can say with David, “I have been young and I have been old and I have never seen the righteous forsaken, or their seed begging for bread.” Even when I didn’t know how things would turn out, He was at work, in faithfulness and love.

May we all bring a smile to God’s face today, because of the appreciation in our hearts and on our lips and in our deeds for His faithfulness, righteousness, generosity and love. May God be praised in our land today and in our homes.

I pray you have the happiest of Thanksgivings.

Filed Under: Beauty, Family, Food, Holidays, Hospitality, Joyful Life, Our Family, Ponderings, Table Settings

The Last Supper

September 8, 2009 by Sally 2 Comments

Joel’s Favorite for his last night

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.

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Finally, since I am speaking about well-seasoned food, I would also like to point you to well-seasoned friends who are writers. I enjoy so many blogs of friends who encourage so many in very creative and thoughtful ways. But today, I wanted to point you to three women who I consider friends, and mentors-encouragers, even though none of us have met face to face. Each woman walks with our precious Lord, each woman is seasoned in life–is old enough to have walked through many valleys and mountain tops and has gleaned wisdom along the way–and each will delight you through the writings of her heart and the sharing of her life.

Brenda Nuland delightful

Elizabeth Foss lifegiving

Ann Voscamp contemplative

Enjoy!

Now that Joel is back in Boston, Clay has his girls all about him–a different house for sure! God bless Nate and Joel today and let them know you love them and are with them. On to my life……….

Filed Under: Family, Food, Our Family, Recipes, Relationships, Table Settings

Beauty–created by God for his glory

June 20, 2009 by Sally 3 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, Sarah spoke at a tea in our home about beauty. Beauty is one of the attributes that we see in creation. There is something in God’s very nature that must express itself in beauty. We have noticed over the years, that often, when a culture adopts a godless philosophy, like communism and socialism, the beauty begins to disappear from the culture of the people. Buildings and furniture and art become either more utilitarian or abstract. However, beauty is one of those attributes of God’s world that hushes us in quiet admiration. Just the other day, when we went out walking, there was the largest, double rainbow in the sky than I had ever seen. We had to stop and marvel and call Clay on the phone to be sure he had a chance to see it.

We have had 45-55 degree weather here in Colorado lately and rain most days. Consequently we know why this state was named Colorado–the dark blues of the sky and the greens of the trees and grass and a proliferation of wild flowers are evident of a very colorful artist who designed this colorful state.

Back to the tea–We had mother’s and daughters and had lots of fun together. Each person had to bring something that they thought was beautiful and tell a story about it. (One of the great stories was a beautiful stitchery that had been framed that one of the mom’s husbands had made for her when they were in high school. Then they each had a quotation about beauty under their luncheon plate that Sarah had cut out.

Finally, she read a beautiful passage from The Secret Garden. When Colin, the crippled boy from birth, is wheeled into the Secret garden that his two friends have been working on, he marvels, breathlessly at the beauty of the garden, the roses, the robin, all the vibrant colors–and he says, “I know that now I can get well because of what I have beheld.” She then talked to the girls and moms about the intrinsic beauty that God had placed in their souls–to reflect Him in their lives, the way they live, the way they serve, the way they dress–and a reminder that when we subdue and create an atmosphere of beauty and creativity in our homes, we were giving one more testimony of His reality in our lives. The end was even better than the first, because she had made a lemon cake with raspberry filling. She also gave each daughter present a real pearl necklace on a ribbon. Jesus, the author of beauty, was considered the pearl of great price–the only one worth giving up everything for, in order to have it! Joy was the trusty servant!

And so a great memory was made by gathering people and celebrating life.

What fun I had speaking in Denver this week and being with so many new and old friends. Especially grateful I am to two friends, Deb and Jerrine, who went with me, prayed with me, whisked me away to tea for a quick lunch–which included scones and yorkshire gold tea! and were just the pals I needed.

Now I look forward to Father’s day, cinnamon roll breakfast, church, salmon lunch with basil potatoes and homemade rolls and then off to the airport. California here I come. Looking so forward to it! I would appreciate your prayers as I attempt, with a generous talented friend, to make a new Bible study video set for each chapter of Seasons and for Mission, also will see lots of great California friends, speak 5 times and need health and strength and just the right words–and of course I can’t wait to be with a couple of bosom friends who I will share girl time with and tell secrets and have fun. There is nothing like an old friend who knows you and still loves you and gets you as you are. Cheerio.

Filed Under: Beauty, Classics, Family Favorites, Food, Home, Homemaking, Hospitality, Joyful Life, Our Family, Reading, Table Settings, Tea

More flowers….

June 3, 2009 by Sally 6 Comments

I have a very fun memory with my mom from when I was about 9 years old. She asked if I would like to enter a flower show. My mom loved gardening and grew a small rose garden and iris’s. She said that I had to pick one of the most beautiful flowers in our garden and arrange it in a vase for the elementary competition at the local flower show. I picked a lovely purple iris and displayed it in one of her crystal vases. I know I got some kind of a ribbon and it made me feel happy every time I thought about it.

I am not a gifted florist, but it still brings me a lot of pleasure. Last night, we had our once a year pot luck where the Bible study I teach once a month brings their husbands and Clay speaks. I wanted to have fresh flowers around the house, but I don’t like to spend a lot of money. I usually get reasonable flowers at Sam’s but it is too far from home to justify a trip, so I sent to my local Wal Mart and bought one dozen red roses, 6 carnations and a sprig of baby’s breath.

By carefully dividing my flowers into different vases, I was able to get 5 arrangements out of it to spread over my house. We had lots and lots of fun and now I have my flowers for a few more days to enjoy. The ones I like most often are the big bunches of carnations or small rose buds from Sam’s because if I change the water every 2 or 3 days, I can make them last for up to 3 weeks. What a deal.

Den coffee table

Kitchen noon table–a single, elegant stem in crystal.

Dining room table with pashmina scarf underneath.

Living room coffee table–another pashmina and I love to collect small animal and bird candles.

One little vase with a bow left for my bedroom.

Filed Under: Beauty, Family, Home, Homemaking, Nature, Our Family, Table Settings

Celebrating Life and bringing in His glory!

December 5, 2008 by Sally 7 Comments

“Home is the resort
of love, of joy, of peace, of plenty,
Where supporting and supported, polish’d friends,
And dear relations mingle into bliss!”
James Thompson

“Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that He is God Himself.”
Psalm 100 1-3a

I think that when the Lord leads me to another book contract, I am the one most blessed when I have to discipline myself to write it. I am in the midst of writing a book about cultivating joy in the midst of disappointments and I am learning so much. One thing I have been stuck with lately is that God mentions gladness and joy over and over again–especially in His presence. There are also many references to shouts of joy and joyful singing and all in all, a jolly good time. I also read that a joyful heart is good medicine and am becoming aware of the idea that when I am filled with God’s Spirit and obedient to Him, I will walk with joy as a natural overflow of His presence in my life. Light and love and beauty and gladness will spill forth from my life as well as from my heart and deeds.

I just can’t imagine how wonderful the celebration banquet is going to be in His presence when we are at the marriage supper of the bride of Christ to the Lamb of God. I see so clearly that God created food and color and music and love and when we bring these into the moments of life, we are showing His reality as much as when we teach theology. I have always celebrated Christmas with our children–especially because it is such a wonderful time and way to bring all sorts of people into our home. It also provided the anchors that make the hearts of the Clarksons tied together. Both of my boys have said they just can’t wait to be “home” and they just can’t wait to be together. I think that even as love covers a multitude of sin, as Peter so adeptly said, celebration covers a multitude of flaws.

I am a flawed individual, but my heart is full of love and somehow, celebration of life has made what I have to offer to my children and to the Lord palatable. Joy, however, is something we have to cultivate. It is out of a heart of thanksgiving and acknowledging God. It is out of a mom heart–that says, “I am so blessed to have you as my children, to have this husband, this home and to have this God who will be faithful to us.”

But, I also love what God has allowed me to know about all of these things. Celebrating that knowledge by bringing others into my home to share my love and His and all of the wonderful ways He has led my path, brings joy to our home. Here’s just a few shots from these wonderful friends and groups in my home this week. And I am off this morning to put another quiche into the oven for a brunch with friends who will also be working side by side with us to encourage the moms who will attend the Colorado conference. These precious ones deserve and need to be spoiled, so we will celebrate this morning!

Have a wonderful day and serve the Lord with gladness!

A glam shot! My two sweet girls–Sarah and Joy–are in a wonderful
company of Christian actors who are performing Scrooge 12 of 14 nights
in a row and so each day they have to have to roll their hair into
ringlets. They are having so much fun together.