Life with Sally

The Value of Learning to Wait--practicing patience takes time and courage but it produces the deepest most heart gratifying fulfillment. 1. I talk a legacy of beauty and how it passes to the future generations. What we practice grows deep into the lives of the next generation. 2. Looking at the biblical subject of waiting and how it is a process that builds the things we invest in into the story we leave. 3. Learning to stand back and get the long view of life, and working with the end in mind and believing by faith that you are building something that will matter. 4. Cultivating a Community of Great Souls--Life with Sally membership is a way to have discipleship and spiritual mentoring online as well as leadership training.

Traveling to Scotland after being in Oxford with Sarah and Thomas all week has been such a refreshing week. Learning the stories of those who have lived brave lives in these places has been inspiring. Join Joel and Joy with me today as we tell of the history of St. Andrews, talk about the great food in the cafes here, and share the fun of our time together here. Be sure to look for Joy's blog, Joyclarkson.com and weekly podcast, Speaking with Joy. Enjoy the Wexford Carol as Joel arranged it and find the music at Amazon (Midwinter Carols by Joel Clarkson) and other places where music is sold.

Discipleship is always an issue of relationship. It is not about curriculum, church attendance, rules, indoctrination, but always about reaching the heart.

The ways you learn to respect the learning process of your children, to admire their ability to think, to engage them in great ideas and thoughts will give them a chance to digest great convictions that will shape their faith for a lifetime.

The table is central to the everyday moments of our lives, even when we are busy, or find ourselves stretched in the midst of seasons that require much from us. Feasting goes on! It is also the anchor to much of our milestones and family celebrations. In this episode, Sally and Kristen discuss Chapters 7 and 8 of the Life Giving Table and offer their own tips for how to create for simple feasts when life is overwhelming or we are short on time. They also share how each of their families create traditions with food and fellowship to mark life's special moments. What we Talk about: -Living Well in the midst of daily choas and real life -How we can train ourselves to see God's gentle hand of provision in our lives -How to live sustainably in pressured seasons -How to bear weariness that comes from what God is calling you to do -The ways we each add beauty to our homes to encourage our hearts (and those of our families) -How to stop waiting for the ideal and learn to enjoy the moment. -Our favorite staples, recipes and tricks for feasting simply or when we have little time. -Our family traditions and celebration rituals -Birthdays in the life of the Clarkson Family -How to create a blessing celebration in your own family -The way God blesses us through words of affirmation, and how we can do the same with those at our table -The power and necessity of creating a home of belonging links: "It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness." -Author unknown Mark 6:31 "Then Jesus said, "Let's go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile." He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn't even have time to eat." Table-Discipleship Principle: A wise discipler must make space for rest and beauty in the midst of life. "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." -J. R. R. Tolkien Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make His face shine on you; And be gracious to you;The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace." Table-Discipleship Principle: Love and affirmation given generously provide the foundation for opening a heart to influence

This little podcast is just me sharing some thoughts that have been passing through my brain. Hope you are encouraged.

What does it mean to be transformed, changed, and reshaped as an antidote to being conformed to the world? In this episode, Sally ponders these ideas as she discusses chapters four and five of the Life-giving Table and teaches us about how family culture has the distinct and grace-giving power to both change and protect us. She inspires listeners to instill a sense of "this is who we are" and "this is what we believe" into the hearts of her children as they gather at the table, and gives tools to not only create a vision to define our own family culture, but to practically cultivate a legacy. I hope that you are encouraged by today's podcast. Let us know what you think below. WHAT WE TALK ABOUT: Discipleship Principle: Practicing the Rhythms of life regularly with your loved ones creates a secure feeling of belonging- of being welcomed and able to share convictions and faith in a community where one belongs. -That your family culture needs to be a stronger pull than the culture of the world--you have to define it in such a way that your children will love it, flourish in it, grow in it and feel they belong -That a unique family culture does not happen by chance and that you must fight to keep it going - Why creating a family culture is particularly important in our too busy, fast paced and demanding worldly culture -How to cultivate daily rhythms that keep us anchored in the storms of life -Creating a cultural battle plan -How a Kingdom culture means we are stewards of God's messages -How to create a culture of honor, where our children recognize the significance and worth of human beings created in God's image -How to create a culture of hospitality, where it becomes a pattern to serve others -Defining a family culture for YOUR family and determining what characteristics you want it to reflect -How to cultivate a culture of conversation -Navigating squabbles at the table and teaching our children how to consider one another wisely. "THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE NOTICED ABOUT FOOD; WHENEVER THERE'S A CRISES IF WE CAN GET PEOPLE TO EATING NORMALLY THINGS GET BETTER." -MADELEINE L'ENGLE Acts 2:42 NASB"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostle's teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Luke 24:14-15- "They were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them." Table-Discipleship Principle: SHAPING THE MIND AND HEART THROUGH REPEATED DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TRUTH, BEAUTY, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ENGAGING IN THESE IDEAS REGULARLY SHAPES CONVICTIONS THAT LAST A LIFETIME. "The most influential of all education factors is the conversation in a child's home." William Temple