Five years later I've pulled it back off the shelf. I've always believed in discipleship parenting
and so many other places within this blog...
And I find myself in another transition. Sure seeing my girls go from elementary years to middle school years was a transition. And back then it felt big. And maybe one day I will look back at this tranistion in my life thinking it is small. But right now it feels big. Abigail will be headed off to college and Anna to graduate school. While Anna will be commuting she will be involved in an intensive course of study for three years. Another transition.
I want to use lots of time this summer to prepare their hearts for the world and places they are about to enter. Of course I know that I'm not doing ALL of the work for this in one summer; it's been their whole lives preparing them for this. I just really want to be intentional with my time this summer and with them.
So I started reading this book aloud again: Girls Club : Cultivating Friendships in a Lonely World.
Still the same copy; we are on our third read now. There are bent over pages marking favorite passages, notes in the margin, and so much underlined. On Wednesday I reread the intro aloud to my girls and this is what we loved:
"One of my overriding goals, though, was to mentor them in their faith. I wanted to pass on a vision for life that would help them cultivate clarity for their place in God's Kingdom work through the living out of their own personal stories." ~ Sally Clarkson
"At its most basic, Girl's Club was simply my mother's way of ensuring little pockets of time with just my sister and me. Whether it was an afternoon tea shop, an evening watching one of our favorite movies, or a trip, my mom make time to bond, laugh, discuss, and dream together." ~ Joy Clarkson
"After all these years of cultivation, being friends is an old habit. But the richness of this time is rooted in decades of chosen closeness, of willed, planned connection." ~ Sarah Clarkson
What I love about those parts from the introduction is the reminder that it just doesn't 'happen". To actually "pass on a vision for life" that would help Anna and Abigail see how their own personal life story would connect with the kingdom work of God, I would have to work on our relationship.
It takes "little pockets of time" to love on them, laugh with them, and talk talk talk with them. This time must be intentional. And it helps if it is yummy, fun, and beautiful.
So this summer every single Wednesday afternoon/evening will be our Girls' Club. I will continue to read aloud our favorite parts from this book but we will also do something together.
Our first was this past Wednesday. I pulled out the book, We had some homemade cookies, and afterword I painted their toenails. (Anna doesn't like polish and chose stick on nails) It was time together and it felt good.
I'm already dreaming of next Wednesday and some topics we can discuss, some things we might eat, and the fun we might have. Simple but intentional
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