I MET SALLY CLARKSON!!!!

Sally & Me!!!! (After I cried, of course!)

I did!  I did!  I met Sally Clarkson!  I hugged Sally Clarkson!  I cried when I talked to her (like I told my sister I knew I would even though I wasn't sure why I would)! I got a picture with Sally Clarkson! I had her sign the book that I told her had changed my life even though afterward I was looking at the book and realized I gave her the one I hadn't read yet!  I even chatted with Sally Clarkson in the hotel lobby the next morning as I was leaving to go to the airport.   I also ended our little chat by not thinking before I walked into the revolving doors at the hotel.  Me not thinking before going through a revolving door is very dangerous.  That is why I nearly lost my rolling suitcase in the revolving door...all with the lovely Sally Clarkson standing close by.  I knew it couldn't all be perfect!  After I recovered and tripped my way through the door, I turned and smiled and waved - Oh my word!  Could I have appeared any dorkier?  

It was a wonderful time, though!  The thing I love the most about Sally is that she is always so encouraging.  I am sure there are 1 million things she could tell us moms we should not be doing, but instead she always points us in the direction we need to be going and inspires us to be better than we were before.  The primary focus for this year's conference was moving from desperate to destiny.  So many moms live in a state of desperation - unsure of what to do, beating ourselves up with our own guilt as well as the guilt society places on us, always second guessing our decisions and praying that being a mom isn't going to be like this all EIGHTEEN YEARS!!!  (I know because I have felt this way!)  Sally used this conference to encourage moms to come out of the desperation by creating life and beauty everywhere we go and in every situation we are in.  God made women to nurture and create life and beauty.  We need to be doing what we were created to do!  She also encouraged us over and over again to find a mentor, and if we cannot find a mentor, to find books that will keep us inspired and challenge us to grow as a wife and mom.  She challenged all of us to be a mentor to someone else as well.  Every mom needs to be surrounded by three groups of people: Older and wiser moms who can provide encouragement and advice and an occasional break from the kids;  like-minded peers who can relate well to the season of life we are in but can remind each other of the goals we have and the future reward; younger moms who need encouragement from someone who has recently experienced the ups and downs of this new identity.

There were so many thoughts given during this day and half, and I haven't yet had the time to sit down and put them all in order in my mind, but I will leave you with a few of my favorite quotes.

"God is looking for a heart that will engage with Him - the living God." 

"Motherhood is where God shapes my heart into a holy heart."

"God's first thought was to bless (referring to Gen.  1:27-28).  Is that our first thought to our children?"

"Women are created to be cultivators of the soul."

"High ideals will cost you something."

"Parenting by guilt separates your children from God. Law without love is legalism."

"If we want to win our kids' hearts, we need to give them our heart and time."

"A child not trained in character will be at a disadvantage all his life."

"You don't have to be natural at being a mom.  You just have to be faithful."

My sister and I!!! Check out the beautimous scarves she made us!!!

Wow!  Just reading those again make me ready to be the most amazing mom ever!  I cannot encourage you enough, sweet moms, to find another mom who can listen to your heart, pray with you and encourage you.  If you do not have someone like that in your life, ask God to send someone your way and read a book by Sally Clarkson!  Don't give up! We have too much at stake - the spiritual lives of our children!  Now, more than ever, our babies need their mommas to support them, listen to them, play with them, pray with them, direct and guide them while providing beauty and life in the midst of life!  I pray you will find the encouragement you need to fulfill this special task that only a mom was created to fulfill.  

Wishing you a day full of blessings,

Christy