Seeking to Please God with All of my Heart

I've really been enjoying Sally Clarkson's book The Mom Walk: Keeping in step with God's heart for motherhood.

The Clarkson's keep showing up in my life in weird ways. First, I came across their book Educating the Whole-Hearted Child. To be honest, I still haven't read it, but the title just really appeals to me.

Then I heard Clay Clarkson speaking on our local Christian radio station about his book, HeartFelt Discipline. The DJ seemed shocked that a Christian was saying spanking wasn't mandated in Scripture. Clay Clarkson takes apart the book Proverbs and shows (very conclusively, IMO) that the book was never intended to a guide for parents of small people. And while he doesn't come right out and condemn spanking, he does make it quite clear that it's not a Biblically-mandated practice.

Then I discovered Elizabeth Foss's blog, and she often links to Sally's blog.

So... when Mother's Day rolled around and I was giftless, I decided to treat myself to three of Sally's books. I'm so glad I did! The Mom Walk is very inspiring.

Go, then, eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. (Ecclesiastes 9:7)

This chapter really inspired me to seek joy in my everyday life with my children. Sally wrote:

I need to remember that I am to lead my children in being a person who celebrates the joy of life. I am to model what it looks like to enjoy God and His creation. Often, in the midst of the duties of life, moms can become focused on the right thing to do, correcting the immaturity of childre, and inadvertently portraying God as a strict moral judge just waiting for them to fall short.

It is vital we realize we are a model of God to our children and we must take care that we present His light, beauty, humor, love, and joy...

Or, in the words of Marie Bellet

'Cause mothers dance while folding clothes,
And babies thrown their cheerios,
Kids lie awake nights just to suppose.
There are signs and wonders everywhere,
Joys and sorrows enough to spare,
And glorious mysteries in the air...

'Cause hearts were made to love and lighten up!