Dawn and Heather Read Together: Own Your Life – Introduction

Many moons ago, not very far from me, I had a wonderful friend who had two toddler/ preschoolers and a six-month old.  I had a newborn.

We went to the same church and my husband and I moved to a home in the same town where this young mom lived.

I planned to homeschool.  She was already starting some lessons with her eldest and had been homeschooled herself.

We had a lot in common, so, we spent a lot of time together.

Apple picking, hanging out, going to homeschool conferences, walks to the park, eating meals, letting our growing families play together.  I introduced her to blogging. She introduced me to bulk cooking (which worked well, ’cause I would cook and she’d clean up behind me).

She and I read several books together and studied and discussed ideas about Classical Education.

And then she and her family moved to Atlanta.

I still have the three children I had when they moved, but she is now expecting her ninth child.  She is the most amazing mom, a wonderful educator, and artistically minded. She is recently learning photography and has amazing talent.  Yet, she wants to read a book with me again. And I’m so excited.

We plan to read Sally Clarkson’s Own Your Life and blog together a chapter a week on Thursdays.  My wonderful Mother-in-Law gave me a copy earlier this year and I’ve been excited to read it, but have been putting it off waiting for the right time.

In the Introduction, “The Beginning”,  Clarkson lays out the challenge:

Knowing I have only one life to live, one opportunity to invest it fully in the Kingdom of God, has given energy and purpose to each day and every season of my life. (pg xvii)

Wow.  I wish that I practiced such surety.  Do I philosophically assent to the proposition? Yes, I have one opportunity to invest my life in God’s Kingdom.  Do I work that out in the every day? Heck, no.  The knowledge doesn’t actually give energy and purpose to the every day.  I am more selfish than that.  I like my own way, I don’t like serving even though I can completely agree that it is the better way.  I hope this book provides more practices that philosophies.  The ideas can be there, but unless they integrate with my real life, this will be an exercise in reading and not in cleaning up after dinner and loving my family and serving my God better.

In 2015 I want to learn to *revel* in my God, my family, and my vocation.  I suspect this book is going to challenge me that doing those things that serve my God, family, and vocation are what will help me to *revel* in them.

Clarkson’s Introduction challenges us “to love well.” I’m looking forward to learning what she thinks that will mean.

I know this book has been well received and I’m excited to start with Chapter 1 next week.  We’d love to have you join us!  Heather’s first post is here.