Hello, sweet Sugar Pie! I would love for you to pour yourself a hot cup of tea or whatever you prefer and relax as I share with you about someone special who has blessed my life with her ministry of encouraging women and families. You may already know her and if you do I’m sure you’ll agree that she brings to the table wonderful nourishment for the heart and soul.
She has so many facets to her beautiful life. She’s raised and home-schooled four God-loving children and served as a missionary in Europe for several years alongside her beloved husband. She graciously teaches women how to nurture their home and family with beauty, books, music, food, warmth, and love. She loves her family well, in such a way that her children are able to see the goodness of God in their everyday lives. She’s written several books, some with her husband, and speaks around the world changing the lives of thousands of women, giving them the tools to become the mother their children need.
She is so very wise and yet very transparent which makes her relatable and loveable. She does not profess to be the perfect mother nor have the perfect children, but, in my opinion, she did a lot of things right!
Would you like to know who she is? Her name is Sally Clarkson! Her podcast is one of my favorites!! You can find out more about Sally here on her blog.
Sally lives Colorado with her husband Clay. Her oldest son, Joel, lives in New York and is a film score composer, and her other son Nathan is an actor and film producer. Her daughter Sarah is currently studying Theology in Oxford, England. Sarah is married to Thomas and just gave birth to Sally’s first grandchild, Lillian. Joy, Sally’s other daughter, is a graduate student at the University of St. Andrews, in Scotland.
This sweet Sister-in-the-Lord has inspired me to start the tradition of an English afternoon tea. A snippet of time,( 15 minutes or so) at 3 in the afternoon, to stop, make a steaming cup of tea (English Teatime or Jasmine Tea are my favorites) and sit down to think, count my blessings, pray, write in a journal, or read. The one self-imposed rule I have is no cell phone allowed. This is a time to step away from the busyness of life and the never-ending pull to look down at my phone to constantly scroll and scan information. We all need some quiet time…to get off the merry-go-round so to speak. If we want peace and that much-needed feeling of well being then we must make room for it…we can all find 15 minutes! If we sow peace then we will reap contentment. I love to make these quiet moments as lovely as can be with soft music, a lit candle, and a yummy beverage (It doesn’t have to be tea of course). Three o’clock may not work for you, but I encourage you to find 15 minutes somewhere in your day (maybe when the little ones are napping?) Well, even though I’m not able to have tea-time every day when I do my heart feels blessed and refreshed. It allows me to catch my breath and gain a more positive perspective on the things that are going on in my life.
Teatime is also the perfect time to reflect on my relationships, to ask myself how I can better serve and bless my husband, kids, grandkids, and friends.
“When you learn to take responsibility for your own well-being, you will produce a harvest of influence and grace in every other area that is influenced by your heart-health.” ~Sally Clarkson
I’ve found so many inspiring ideas and thoughts to ponder in the several books that Sally has written!
“One of the marks of a godly woman is that she takes responsibility for her soul’s need for joy and delight. A woman is a conductor, who leads the orchestra of her surroundings in the songs and music of her life. God is a God of creativity and dimension, and so He is pleased when we co-create beauty in our own realm, through the power of His Spirit.
It was a profound realization when I understood that I could become an artist with my very life.” ~ Sally Clarkson
The books that I’ve read so far and treasure are The Life Giving Home, The Life Giving Table (Her special family recipes included!) and Own Your Life. I always read with a pen and a highlighter to mark the words that jump off the page and capture my heart so I can easily find them again.
“Investing in your soul life is the secret to becoming elegant, distinguished, gracious, refined, and spiritually captivating. But soul refining requires intentional planning and prioritizing. Women who grow more lovely with time have practiced pouring into themselves all that is excellent, wise, graceful, good, and true.” ~Sally Clarkson
Sally’s newest book, co-authored with her husband is The Life Giving Parent. It will be released May 1, 2018.
I encourage you to find out more about Sally! I believe she will bless your life as she has mine. You can listen to her podcast online or on your smartphone. Her voice is so soothing, comforting and reassuring.
One last note about Sally…she recently went to England to be with her daughter for the birth of her grandbaby and had an unfortunate accident where she fell and injured her eye. It’s quite serious and so I ask that you would join me to pray for complete healing and restoration of her sight. It amazes me that even though this situation is painful and distressing she continues to encourage and bless her readers and podcast listeners. She shared this photo on Instagram with this caption; “Ahoy, Matey!!! Nathan has now …dubbed me ‘The Life Giving Pirate”. She’s the cutest!
Thank you for having “tea” with me today!
Would love to hear from you in the comments below!
Bless your family…make home sweet!
Aunt Ruthie
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I love Sally – she’s a sweetheart and so genuine! Homeschool moms can glean so much information and encouragement from her!
I also love afternoon tea. And morning tea. And evening tea too! In fact, I love tea so much that I’ve recently started selling loose-leaf tea! Let me know if you ever need any teas to add to your stash. My philosophy is you can never have too much tea!
I love seeing which mentors have helped shape who you are because I consider you to be one of my greatest mentors over the past several years. :)
Thank you so much, Ruthie, I will check out her podcast I appreciate the information and the encouragement and will also look for her books!
Oh my goodness!! The book cover of the dad “airplaning” the child is a very favorite childhood memory of mine!! My dad used to do that with us on the living room floor. Brings tears to my eyes. I think Sally has been at Hearts at Home before in Bloomington !!
Praying for sweet Sally now
love this post
deezie
I am a grandmother of 4 little ones. Every thursday around 9:30 the older girls 6 and 8 dress up and run down our gravel drive pass the pond and meet me on the front porch. It’s time for tea. So they come in and I let them get into my china hutch and set the table and get the goodies out. We hold hands and each of us say what we are thankful for It is our special time together.
Praying for Sally!
Thanks for the inspiration. I’m going to look at her blog now, and watch a podcast. Hope your Spring is off to a good start. Blessings to you and your family.
Thank you for sharing Sally with us. I am going to listen to one of her podcasts while enjoying my afternoon cup of tea here in Oregon!
Thank you so much for sharing, I love the idea of an afternoon tea or 15 minutes a day to sit in quiet and thankfulness. I just bought a couple books to read!
My grandmother & mother passed on “teatime” to me when I was a little girl. I have passed it on to my daughters too. It’s very soothing to the soul to sit and rest while sipping a cup of tea! My grandmother used to say, “There’s nothing a cup of tea can’t cure!”
I love your blog! Always uplifting! I have not heard of Sally Clarkson but will definitely check out her podcast. I will also add her to my prayer list. Here is a link to someone else that encourages and is a blessing to me and hope she’ll be an encouragement and blessing to you also!
https://daughtersofthecreator.com/video-blog-womans-life/
I am such a big Sally Clarkson fan, and it’s so funny, those exact 3 books are stacked on my bookshelf as well right now! :) Love her and how she encourages women (and especially mamas) in the Lord.
Thank you for sharing about Sally Clarkson. She is such an encouragement, as you are.
Thank you..I will certainly check out Sally’s blog.
As you nourish your soul, I would suggest you nourish your body with Macha tea. It is a green tea, full of powerful antioxidants. :)
Blessings!
You ALWAYS life me up. Thank you, thank you!!!!
I meant “lift” but maybe life me up is good too (LOL)
More than two thirds of the way through “The Life Giving Home’, and I agree that Sally and Sarah Clarkson have encouraged me in my effort to be a better caretaker. Now I have to check out her podcast!
And…..a great big Thank You Ruthie for tea time today!
Thanks for sharing this lovely lady with us. I am always looking for encouragers and inspiration!
Always look forward to your blogs! This really hit home, I just recently bought a prayer journal called Conversations with God, and I’ve been trying to do just what you suggest here, take a few minutes with it and my Bible and a cup of tea or coffee. It’s a wonderful way to regenerate during the day!
Prayers for Sally, Thank you so much for your blogs. Always enjoy them!
Hi Ruthie!!
I always love your posts! I have been reading Sally’s book
The Giving Home…It is wonderful!!
I was so happy to see it on your post today.
Thank you so much for sharing Sally and her books with us. I can’t wait to get them and share them with friends. I love the quotes that you shared…so profound! I will agree with you for total restoration of Sally’s eyesight.