About a week after our family visited the Broadmoor, I was there again for book club. Every summer we meet there once and sit on the back patio near the lake together. It’s become a tradition for us. While sitting there this time, I watched one of my favorite authors walk out onto the patio with one of her daughters. This author is local and I have often wondered if I’d ever run into her one day. I was so shocked it was her that I just watched her walk past with my jaw hanging open. I nudged one of the gals next to me and mumbled “That’s Sally Clarkson!”
I went on to explain who Sally Clarkson is and why I love her so much. I’ve mentioned before that I love one of her books, The Lifegiving Home that she co-wrote with her other daughter, Sarah. (You can read other posts I’ve written about this book here and here.) She has written numerous books about motherhood, homeschooling, knowing God more, and being intentional in making memories with families and friends.
Sally has beautiful, distinctive, gray hair and I knew her instantly when I saw her. But instead of going up to say hello, I sat numb in my chair, dumbfounded. After having a brief discussion at the table about her, one of the gals said, “Maybe she’ll come by again and you can say hello! I’m going to watch for her.” So, while we discussed the current book, Melody and myself kept our eyes peeled for Sally walking by again.
Later on, after the sun went down, our group moved inside and as several of us got up to use the restroom, in walked Sally and her daughter as they were heading home. I quickly motioned to another friend, who instinctively grabbed her camera to follow me as I went up to chat with Sally for a moment.
This meeting was so timely because our family had just completed a “Family Day” experience which she outlines in her book. (More on this to come.) I explained I loved her book, that it had transformed how intentional I am in our home in making our space special for my family, and that we had just had our own Family Day just days before. She was so kind, asked me my name, introduced her daughter, Joy, and we chatted briefly about how her own Family Day began years ago with her family. Sally is just as personable and loving as I imagined her to be. From reading her books I feel like I know Sally and her family well, so it was a little like talking with someone I’ve known for a long time.
Anyway, I realize she’s just a person like you and me, but God has greatly used this woman to speak into so many lives over the years, including mine. I really cannot say enough good things about her and The Lifegiving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming. It really has changed how I view my role as wife and mother. Because the book is laid out by month, it is something I really do pick up monthly to review again and again. And, she has another book releasing in October that I’m very excited about: The Lifegiving Table: Nurturing Faith through Feasting, One Meal at a Time.
Such a fun, memorable night at the Broadmoor!