My Mom Heart Matters!

This past Friday and Saturday, with thanks to my husband, I was able to attend a special mom's conference with some special friends.  We stayed overnight at the Hilton RDU and enjoyed some very special time together.  I also saw some special friends I have not seen in a while, and made some new friends. 

The conference is hosted by Clay and Sally Clarkson (http://www.wholeheart.org/).   lI don't even know where to begin...Clay and Sally have four children, three of whom were at the conference.  What a wonderful family.  As Sally said, they are not perfect, but simply ordinary people with a passion.  Below, in no particular order, is only some of what God spoke to me about at the conference.  I would like to share some with you, my fellow moms, may you be encouraged in some way, as me and my friends were/ are!

- What does it mean to be Thoroughly Alive - "It seems to me that we can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive.  There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good and we must hunger for them."  - George Eliot.    This made me think about what brings richness to my soul (music, books, etc) - nuture these riches and be thoroughly alive...

- Cultivate a hushed, still and quiet soul - this does not mean boring!  It means an inner peace.  Rid my life of distraction and hurry - I started this as soon as I got home!  It's working! 

- Girls don't need to look like Hannah Montana at 6 years old!  Amen!

- Pass on reverence to our children - teach them when they need to be quiet, and have self-control.

- Build the house of your soul, room by room:
   * Inner Room - Nuture your heart; meet in your secret place with God.
   * Library - become a learner.  If you want to be a leader, you need to be a reader.  Become cultured; engage with truth and ideas; be full of curiosity.
   * Kitchen - Make the ordinary sacred.  The kitchen is the center of the home.  Feasting - strings of the heart.  Light candles every night for dinner (this we actually do most nights - I will now do every night!); make dinner special. 
   * Living Room - cultivate community.  Practice Hospitality.
   * Great Hall - Celebrate Life!  Make celebrations special; have a Family Day (which we are going to start this Saturday on our Anniversary) - write down all the good and wonderful things that have happened over the last year - marking the goodness of our family.  This fosters a sense of history in our family. 
   * Gardens - Keep wonder alive.  Get outdoors; picnics. 
- Know the heart of the Creator and ask Him how to create these rooms in my life. 

OK, more on this another day - there's so much more I want to share.  Bed time for me now.:)