Sally Clarkson's Blog, page 80

Awaking Wonder: Shaping Character, Inspiring Faith & Podcast Part 1

My national team, meeting in Asheville just before the pandemic. Gretchen, Jennie, Misty & me.

Play Episode on iTunes & Stitcher

“A heart for what is right is not just a knowledge of some right things to do, but a love of goodness and a growing desire to move in the direction of living a righteous and just life from a strong heart.” Sally Clarkson, Awaking Wonder

“Mom, I just wanted to call you because I feel so alone. Even though I have tried to get involved in a number of groups, it is really hard to find friends who carry the same ideals that I have committed my life to. Compromise seems to be a part of everyone’s life, at least in the my circles. Will. you pray that I can find a kindred spirit friend?”

As we look to the landscape of culture, we see a mess. There are secular voices, crazy supposed Christian voices that don’t seem to articulate much of what I believe in my own life. There is a doom and gloom sort of projection in voices of politics and in the news. Yet, I know God is still bringing. His light and goodness in amazing ways amidst it all. How do we help shape our children’s foundation of faith so that they have hope, can stand strong against the onslaught of temptation, so that they can even thrive and play their own part in bringing God’s light to the world?

One of my most profound goals in writing Awaking Wonder was to help parents, adults, mothers understand how to nurture hearts of Fatih, imaginations of God’s realities to last for a lifetime.

What does it profit a man to gain the best SAT scores and lose the soul of children?

I loved doing this podcast. It encouraged me so much. I am. so blessed to have seasoned friends who have walked this road with their own children for many years. I asked them to join me to discuss what it looks like to raise children with godly character, strong beliefs, and a resilient heart.

One of the gifts we have as parents is the laying of foundations of faith in the lives of our children. I am back with my friends talking on the podcast today about building a life of faith with your children. Awaking their hearts to wonder, truth, beauty, and goodness is a call for all parents no matter what educational path you take. We share practical ways of how we shared scripture in our homes, walked through difficult seasons, and incorporated faith into all areas of our lives and home. We hope you are encouraged to see beyond education as merely test scores and accumulation of facts, to the intentional passing on of wisdom and following Christ.

Books Referenced in this Podcast:























































































































































































































FOR MORE

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.

Leave an iTunes Review These are so important as they help our podcast reach more women with messages of encouragement.

Follow on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

Share with others. My prayer is that this podcast brings encouragement to women and families, and I would be honored for you to tell others about it.

Join my friends and me in membership at Life with Sally, a place for me to share more teaching from the Bible and messages on education, motherhood, discipleship, and more!

Play Episode #459

Wisdom is the Basis and Goal of Learning!

"As a man thinks, so is he." Proverbs 23:7

Jesus tells us to worship him with our minds--to love Him with our minds. The ability to think biblically is no small matter in a world that shouts to us with values that are worldly, pumping out lies about life, family, morality,  in thousands of ways every day.

And yet, I find that very few people, and especially young adults, know how to think biblically. Followers abound--those who find it easier to just do what others tell them to do, without really thinking through scripture or pondering it for themselves. So often, I talk with people of all ages, in conferences, through email, and everywhere I go and yet, most people I know follow some philosophy because someone else told them to do so.

Most people live in the boxes made by other people.

But God desires us to seek Him, to ponder Him, to listen to His voice, to read His word, and to be so familiar with scripture that He has a vocabulary to use in our lives that comes straight from the Bible.

Children who learn from an early age to read the Word, to digest its truth, to ponder its meaning, to pray over it to God, become those who have the ability to discern God's ways and to live in the freedom of worshiping a God who will direct their ways.

Psalm 19 tells us,

The law of the Lord is  perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.

They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;

In keeping them there is great reward."

A person who owns and cherishes the word of God has advantages in His life. Wherever he goes, the Holy Spirit will counsel him, lead him, guide him and give comfort and perspective. The Bible is the vocabulary that the Holy Spirit uses to lead us in his ways.

If you do not teach your children to think biblically and to love the word, no moralizing, no lecturing, no influence will work well, because it is not grounded in truth.

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

It starts with a habit--before you do anything else, begin each day with the Word of God. Read the stories, memorize verses, psalms, Jesus' parables, Genesis as a foundation, the prophets as a picture of our world's issues today, Paul's admonitions, Proverbs' wisdom. Immerse your life, your moments, your home in the word of God. Your children will cherish what you cherish, and if you value the word, it will become a part of their whole being.

This is the foundation of all we do at home, as well as our ultimate goal.

For more on this topic, I hope you’ll read my newest book, Awaking Wonder!

Awaking Wonder: Opening Your Child's Heart to the Beauty of Learning

By Clarkson, Sally
























The Awaking Wonder Experience: A Guided Companion

By Clarkson, Sally, Clarkson, Clay

Awaking Wonder: Exploring Science with Your Children Part 2

Play Episode on iTunes & Stitcher

“But Sally, what do you do for science? All I hear you talking about is great books, good literature. Do you just neglect that area in your children’s lives?”

I think when I first started home educating, I did not realize there were so many good sources, amazing books written about creation, design, intricate and interesting facts about weather, seasons, molecules, the design of atoms, bacteria, snowflakes, trees, photosynthesis and so much more. I had the illusion that science was only in text books.

Today, I am back with my friends talking about science with older children today. (Refer to the previous science podcast for younger reads for children. It is so much fun. I learned so much by guiding my children through these subjects—my own personal favorite being physics.

Exploring science with your older children can be just as exciting as discovering God’s amazing creation with the younger ones. You don’t have to limit yourself to traditional areas of study or textbooks with your teens. Discover what they are interested in, and guide them as they ask questions and research topics of interest. We share several resources with you for studying science in the older years. Biographies, historical fiction, survival stories, amazing science photograph books, are all resources for awaking wonder in your older children.

Books Referenced in this Podcast:


























 



































































































































































































































































































































More Resources:


Life with Sally

FOR MORE

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.

Leave an iTunes Review These are so important as they help our podcast reach more women with messages of encouragement.

Follow on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

Share with others. My prayer is that this podcast brings encouragement to women and families, and I would be honored for you to tell others about it.

Join my friends and me in membership at Life with Sally, a place for me to share more teaching from the Bible and messages on education, motherhood, discipleship, and more!

Play Episode #458

Emily Ley: Grace Not Perfection, What Girls Need to Be Strong & Healthy

Play Episode on iTunes & Stitcher

Once in a while, you meet a friend and you feel like you are just suited to be friends. You hold similar values inside, you can talk for a thousand years without stopping, and fun moments surround your time together. That is how I feel about Emily Ley. She is an angel gift that God wanted me to have.

A couple of weeks ago, we recorded a podcast together that expresses both of our hearts—our passion to see young women, teen girls, flourish. With so many voices coming at them on the internet, and constant pictures of impossible standards for any of us to meet, it is common for girls to feel inadequate and insecure just being themselves. How to we cultivate an atmosphere and a plan to reach their hearts with unconditional love, with grace and words to speak forward into who they will become?

How do we cultivate beauty, wonder, fun, peace in our time and commitments and in our home atmosphere that supports a sense of belonging, a feeling of community with friends and family, a place to have peace and freedom as we grow. Creating my home as a place filled with this wonder and beauty, helped my children to grow through some awkward years. I sought to make home the best place to be.

Emily explains our girls’ needs for such a place and atmosphere: Today's fast-paced, technology-driven society affects all ages, but it's taking its biggest toll on our kids. Does your middle grader feel compelled to participate in a ton of activities, be an excellent student, take a perfect photo for every occasion, and be friends with as many people as possible--only to end up exhausted and anxious? 

As a mama who has raised two girls who have become strong, healthy adults, I know that these tween years and beyond are so very important. Our girls need us to be vigilant and available with our time and friendship. I love the practical ideas we talked about:

Create significant moments to build memories with our girls (and boys, as well!) rather than orchestrating a picture-perfect life.

Set boundaries on your commitments, (and their’s) so that life can have natural moments to build real relationships that satisfy.

And, what Emily is so good at and helps everyone in—planning: Simplify life by simplifying three major areas: your space, your time, and your mind.

Make plans for a sustainable, grace-filled life that fills and doesn’t detract from a strong emotional, spiritual and actual life.

So much to say, but I hope this will be of great encouragement to you.

Books Referenced in this Podcast:





















































FOR MORE

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.

Leave an iTunes Review These are so important as they help our podcast reach more women with messages of encouragement.

Follow on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

Share with others. My prayer is that this podcast brings encouragement to women and families, and I would be honored for you to tell others about it.

Join my friends and me in membership at Life with Sally, a place for me to share more teaching from the Bible and messages on education, motherhood, discipleship, and more!

Play Episode #457

Awaking Wonder: Sarah Shares Her Wonderful Thoughts & GiveawayL

On a chill October day, I tumbled into a local train to meet my precious Sarah (and Joy) at a lovely hotel for a small rendezvous together before she gave birth to darling baby Samuel. quickly grabbing a doorman, we smiled for a quick photo from him as we were swirling through the rotating door. Precious times with Sarah have filled my heart with gratefulness beyond expressing. She is my beloved first child, the one who taught me how to be a mother.

God eased me into motherhood by giving a sweet, gentle, generous little girl who became my close pal and kindred spirit through so much of my life. Sweet Sarah has always been a creator of beauty. It oozes out of her in her words, the ways she shapes life, the beauty she brings, the love she gives.

Time together now is filled with constant sharing of what we think about every subject in the world, the books we have read, the thoughts and feelings that have journeyed through our hearts and minds. Soul retreat comes to mind when I am with her. I knew you would enjoy being with us in our thoughts.

Last week, in a phone call, I found Sarah up to her eyeballs caring for her bubbly 2 year old Lilly, and never wants to sleep, darling Samuel. Even in the midst of this demanding season, her mind was alive with the book she is diligently working on, moments of creativity and lucidity being tucked in here and there when she can find a few minutes to write her thoughts.

When one draws from Sarah’s life, they always find richness and treasures there. I love drawing out fo the hearts of all of my adult children because I always find wealth in their souls. Awaking Wonder is the story of our journey together through discovering the worlds that shaped them.

Sarah and I conversed today about beauty, books, the shaping of hearts, minds and souls. I know you will love this podcast between mother and daughter, best friends. Sarah is the author of the book: Read For the Heart which provides hundreds and hundreds of favorite children’s books and authors. Currently it is out of print but has been a favorite resource of many.

To celebrate all of you, I will be giving away one of Sarah’s books about books (a real treasure as it is out of print and sells for around $45. And also, I will be giving away an out of print book in the classical children’s series you all have seen upon my shelf. A generous friend said she would love to donate a copy.

This giveaway is for those of you who have preordered my book, Awaking Wonder, as I think we all share values and love for books in common.

If you have pre-ordered Awaking Wonder, leave a comment on Insta or FB or on this blog and share it with a friend and you will be entered to win these two amazing books. I know one of you will be so happy.

Read for the Heart: Whole Books for WholeHearted Families

By Sarah Clarkson



Buy on Amazon


























Awaking Wonder: Opening Your Child's Heart to the Beauty of Learning

By Clarkson, Sally
























ROBIN HOOD by LOUIS RHEAD, CHILDREN'S CLASSICS LIBRARY FICTION LITERATURE

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The Awaking Wonder Experience: A Guided Companion

By Clarkson, Sally, Clarkson, Clay























































Play Episode #456

Seasoned Mamas Share: Life is Full of Messes & Challenges-Keep Going"

Play Episode on iTunes & Stitcher

“I have you in my heart. You are precious to me. You are not alone.”

Today, I was sitting on my deck for a short break. Aspen leaves were gently shimmering, a light wind was blowing through the soft pines around our home. You came to mind—my precious, wonderful friends who listen to my podcast, who are in our membership, who follow the messages that are on my heart and yours. God often brings you to mind. You are quite dear to me. I picture you in your homes, serving, living, giving and have sympathy for the heaving loads you carry and gratefulness for how generously you give of yourself to others.

First, I was quite thankful for you. Second, I was led to pray for you. I know that within your lives, you bear details of stories that are demanding, sad, hard and yet you keep going. So, instead of one more blog post about Awaking Wonder, (though it is a deep message of my heart), I thought, I just want to do a podcast and blog that will help these precious ones feel encouraged or at least understood—to know that you are not alone in bearing unique burdens. Sometimes for me to know someone else understands my “crazy” helps me to keep going.

Dramatic or taxing emotions come upon us at surprising moments. This week, I arose early, devoted to just having a peaceful quiet time with a strong cup of tea, and ease into my day. Joy came down the stairs from her bedroom to have our morning prayer time together. Before we knew it, I was tearing up and bearing my heart, eventually she was teary eyed, bearing hers and life took unexpected turns for a long interval of time while we sorted out what we are feeling from all of the draining and surprising turns of our lives..

I was wondering if you, my sweet friends, were being taken by surprise by your own challenges, lack of support systems, exhaustion, limitations and surprise when it all comes to the top—often unexpectedly.

Today, you will hear the hard seasons some of my inner circle leaders have born over the years. Sometimes I think just knowing others are moving through the same feelings and struggles helps. I just love these women so much. They are a treasure to me—I hope this podcast encourages you greatly.

Most of all, I want you to know that your struggles are not necessarily your fault and you don’t have to feel guilty for being discouraged or like you want to run away. We all feel this on the marathon of life. May God’s sweet grace reach into your hearts and give you comfort today.

Sending much love,

Sally

Books Referenced in this Podcast:





















































More Resources:


Life with Sally

FOR MORE

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.

Leave an iTunes Review These are so important as they help our podcast reach more women with messages of encouragement.

Follow on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

Share with others. My prayer is that this podcast brings encouragement to women and families, and I would be honored for you to tell others about it.

Join my friends and me in membership at Life with Sally, a place for me to share more teaching from the Bible and messages on education, motherhood, discipleship, and more!

Play Episode

Mistakes are Great Teachers- and Help us Become Mentors!

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day, with no mistakes in it yet?" ~Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

It is more than a comfort to know that each day offers the promise of a tomorrow--a new day, with no mistakes in it, yet.

The yet, perhaps, is the important word in that sentence! Because mistakes will surely be made. I will speak too sharply to someone, and I'll gossip or criticize someone and then feel guilty, I will break a commitment I have made to myself one more time. Perhaps I'll forget to return a phone call or water a plant that dies--and know that I wasted my money and failed one more time. The possibilities of ways to make big mistakes and small are endless. In the past, those sorts of things weighed heavy on my heart. Why couldn't I just get everything accomplished, as everyone else seemed to do? Why was I still impatient and unorganized sometimes?

In Awaking Wonder, I talk about how modeling our own lives after Jesus is the foundation of teaching our own children at home. And yet, perfection is not required. Grace is new every morning.

Sometimes it is assumed that anyone who speaks or writes or works to inspire other moms has "arrived" to some extent. There can be an illusion that at my house, everything is perfect, no one is ever cross, and there's no effort necessary to keep things running smoothly. This, I can assure you, is not the case!

Mistakes will be made, and our ideals are not always realized- and others disappoint while we disappoint ourselves. But the most wonderful truth that I pray will go deep into my own heart and to yours, is that the love of God is steadfast--it never changes, it remains strong, it's loyalty does not change.

Take this deeply into your brain and into your heart--The steadfast love of the Lord never, ever ceases and His mercies never come to an end. Every morning they are there waiting for you to bathe yourself in once again.

--And best of all, the truth that I can always begin again! Every day a clean slate, a new beginning, a fresh history. 

Today, you are new and fresh--walk in the newness and reality of a clean slate and live into His everlasting love.

Aim high, sweet mama. And when mistakes come, know they are covered by the One who holds all in His hands, and whose mercies are "new every morning!"

Memorize this verse and sing it to yourself every day:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

~Lamentations 3:22-23

And I hope my new book will be a great encouragement to you!

Awaking Wonder: Opening Your Child's Heart to the Beauty of Learning

By Clarkson, Sally
























The Awaking Wonder Experience: A Guided Companion

By Clarkson, Sally, Clarkson, Clay

Awaking Wonder: The Adventure of Exploring Science with Your Children Part 1 & Podcast

Play Episode on iTunes & Stitcher

“Mama, come quick! There is a snake stuck up in the tree! It’s so cool!” And so began my day as I was scrambling eggs. Living in the middle of Texas brought many “critters” our way. Snakes, scorpions, tarantulas, snakes, armadillos and so many more. Fossils literally littered our country pathways. It seems that every day a walk provided us with lots to explore.

When we take a less “formal” way of introducing worlds to our children, we can feel insecure, at first, because often unfamiliar ways require a risk. Yet, as I look back now, I can see that because of our commitment to be outdoors and the countless nature books we had found to put in our library, our children seamlessly learned concepts about science naturally and thought it was an adventure to discover secrets of nature right in our own back yard.

Today I know you will enjoy the podcast I recorded with my friends as we discussed how to include science in a literary way of learning. So many wonderful resources. We even recorded 2 sessions. Enjoy, take notes and remember, with interesting books to guide curiosity and wonder, there is no need to buy age graded text books. You will be covering more ideas and concepts than you ever knew and it will all be interesting for you and your children. Enjoy!
There are so many ways to bring science to life with your children.  Today, my friends and I discuss some of our favorite methods and books to spread a feast of delight before your children in the area of science.  What does science education look like in a home?  How do you decide what topics to study?  How do you introduce science to young children?  What does it look like in high school?  Jennie and Gretchen both love science and help me to give you many ideas for how to get started.  Don't be afraid to just choose one book that they have shared and jump in!  Learning alongside your children is one of the many benefits of homeschooling.  If you aren't homeschooling, use these ideas to spring board some plans of exploration as a family or to enhance their science education.  

Remember, God has a unique and special plan for each family and no family will look exactly like another's.  Pray that He would show you the plan and desires that He has for you and your children.  Use these ideas for inspiration but not a checklist or another reason to feel guilty.  Give yourself grace and simply look at science as asking questions about the creation that He designed for us.

Books Referenced in this Podcast:


























 








































































































































































































































































































More Resources:


Zoo Books Magazine




Life with Sally

FOR MORE

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.

Leave an iTunes Review These are so important as they help our podcast reach more women with messages of encouragement.

Follow on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

Share with others. My prayer is that this podcast brings encouragement to women and families, and I would be honored for you to tell others about it.

Join my friends and me in membership at Life with Sally, a place for me to share more teaching from the Bible and messages on education, motherhood, discipleship, and more!

Play Episode #454

Joy's Favorite Fiction: Books That Shaped Her Life & Podcast

Play Episode on iTunes & Stitcher

Cuddling up next to my precious little Joy filled me with delight. Since I had her when I was 42, and had 3 miscarriages before her, I was pretty sure I would not have any more little ones. I cherished our time together to explore worlds, adventures, heroes.

Last week, I interviewed Joy about what she remembers as her favorite fiction titles and why she loved these particular heroines. But as she was speaking, I realized that Joy had, to a large degree, embodied the protagonists she was describing. Stories shape the imagination of what our children will become. And I had chosen each book because of the great vocabulary and wonderful character and attributes and choices each wonderful heroine had made.

Women ask me how I could choose to read real literature and put aside text books—because they are better brain, heart and soul food. By swimming in the waters of these stories, Joy became submerged and changed by the words she had lived in—and I love who she has become. She is one of the women I most respect.

Some of our most beautiful memories of home are snowy Colorado days complete with a cozy fire, a cup of hot chocolate or tea, a great read-aloud, and my pajama-clad children sitting rapt with interest in one of the many of thousands of books we read together.

What a wonderful thing it is to have stories that you can all share together, the delights of which are not too soon forgotten. My family still recalls stories from books we have read during our school days, listened to in the car on long road trips to conferences, and even the ones we listened to in the car just driving to and fro in town.

We love the unabridged stories which thoughtfully leave the heart of the author intact throughout the whole narrative. Reading aloud to children is as natural as mothering itself. It is meant to be a delightful, bonding time together and a fantastic way to disciple your children through stories. In our home, we never made our children just sit and listen, rather they always had some sort of an activity to do during reading time. At the beginning of each school day, I would give them a few moments to gather their assorted activities and get ready to read.

In a time when there are many anti-heroes—people who do not model virtuous lives or authentic humane selves, these books actually do the job of shaping the mental pathways of who your children will become—so make sure those stories are the best, tried and true, timeless tales.

Books Referenced in this Podcast:






























































































































































































































































































































































More Resources:



















































































Life with Sally

FOR MORE

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.

Leave an iTunes Review These are so important as they help our podcast reach more women with messages of encouragement.

Follow on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

Share with others. My prayer is that this podcast brings encouragement to women and families, and I would be honored for you to tell others about it.

Join my friends and me in membership at Life with Sally, a place for me to share more teaching from the Bible and messages on education, motherhood, discipleship, and more!

Play Episode #453

Awaking Wonder: Taking Care of Your Weary Self & Podcast

Play Episode on iTunes & Stitcher

What if I don’t get it right?

What is the very best curriculum?

I have failed my children up until now.

I have to work, how will my children, who will be at home be ok?

Every day, lately, I am getting so many messages and letters from sweet women who are so very burdened with pressures, voices, worries, fears and of course exhaustion.

I wanted to share just a few verses with you that I hope will encourage you and a bit from my own life.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

“Cast your cares on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.” Psalm 55:22

Today, I want to encourage you—and I will share a little bit about education, ,too. And a story…

Education should not be about drilling facts into student’s heads, or teaching them to strain for the highest grade, but about cultivating a holy sense of wonder that drives them to discover, explore, and protect all that is good and beautiful. 

Awaking Wonder

Educating Others, whether adults, children, women in a Bible study, a book club, whatever the venue, teaching others will change and transform you. When we take on the responsibility of giving others wisdom, truth, knowledge, it forces us to become responsible for our own development, our own academic muscle, our ability to think.

We were all made to know, to understand, to discuss, to pass on wisdom and truth and to live it out in the context of our real lives.

Many parents are confused right now about how they will be able to educate their children at home this fall. Naturally, because they are thinking about what has been required of “school children” from their own experience, they think, “Can I cover all the facts? Can I do my job and teach my chid. Can I cover all the bases.?

Yet, when we step back and begin to rethink education, we realize that that the goal is not merely just to open their heads and pour in the right facts. But children are human beings, with personality, skill sets, dreams, emotions, needs, drives. When we take time to see them for what they are, real people just like us, then we are better able to figure out how to inspire them, to lead them forward in intellect, habits, manners, morality and virtue, faith, knowledge and truth, and hands on experiences to give them an opportunity to develop their potential in real life situations.

It was the lunch that changed my life.

Clay and I were working at the International Chapel of Vienna in those days, and we often invited people home for lunch after our church service. On one such day, our table included an opera singer and her musician husband; a refugee who had escaped under the barbed wire, running from guards in Iraq; a couple who worked as attachés in the South African embassy; and a businessman and his wife who worked in Russia. (Because Vienna is one of the four headquarters of the United Nations, on some Sundays we had as many as thirty-five countries rep- resented in our English-speaking chapel.)

This particular day, I had put chicken and rice in my slow cooker in the morning and tossed a quick salad before everyone came knocking at my door. Throughout the meal, I heard riveting personal stories, stimulating discussions of books and music, knowledgeable debates about biblical ideas, and a fascinating sharing of customs.

I distinctly remember sitting there with a burning passion building in my heart. I longed to understand history better, to know more about these countries I did not know existed, to be familiar with composers and art and great writers and ideas. Though I had graduated from college and could speak four languages with varying degrees of fluency, I still felt terribly uneducated and underinformed.

Having been one of those students who had been bored most of my years in school, I had just passed from one year to the next by the seat of my pants. I made pretty good graces, but I always took shortcuts to get my homework finished, I took as many creative, fun classes as I could and could not wait to get “out” of school.

Yet in this environment I recognized a deep hunger to know, to understand, to be able to converse with these interesting friends—in short, to become more personally educated in these vast ideas that interested me so much.

Perhaps if all I was hearing around our table had been presented to me in lecture form, requiring me to sit still and listen for hours on end, I might still have been bored.

But hearing stories from real, live human beings, friends from Russia, South Africa, Iraq and a player in the Vienna philharmonic, as well as an opera singer, laughing together and engaging in discussion over coffee and cake, kept me deeply absorbed. I realized that this was a better way to learn, in the context of real life, real people.

And a conviction began growing inside me. I decided that if Clay and I ever had children, we would present interesting topics at our own table. We would discuss stories, read books out loud together, listen to and evaluate music, critique movies, evaluate world view, and talk lots about faith and the Bible (we would later come to call this “talking Torah”). This might have been the moment when I began to consider home education, even though I had never heard of it before. I wanted to know more than my education had ever provided and I found this out in the context of a meal. 

I understood for the first time that education is not merely about facts learned in a classroom, but about living ideas that can fill hearts, minds, and souls with intellectual food that satisfies. And for the first time in my life I got a vision for creating a truly lifegiving table, a feast for the whole person.

Books Referenced in this Podcast:


























 FOR MORE

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.

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Play Episode #452