Once upon a time there was a girl
who was learning to live in grace
and she settled happy into home
finding her way through the broken.
she held tight to things unseen and watched mercy grow new.
she threw herself reckless at love
and he fought brave for her.
she found her way in the water
where the drowning takes His toll.
but she holds Him to His promise
as she breaks the smooth glass
and breathes in grace.
she sees like new
because hallowed Flames dance all around.
*****************
I am going to Blissdom tomorrow. I haven’t packed one thing. But I have made fudge—because that’s how you make friends in the South!
My girls are going to Nashville with me and JamieKnoxville is even flying in from NJ.
We have a date with Anthropologie and West Elm and ZGallerie because I’m kinda in the market for a few good home items.
We will eat at Bound’ry and shop at Trader Joe’s and laugh like school girls into the night.
There are so many people that I can’t wait to meet and so many more that I can’t wait to hug.
I hope I don’t cry.
I probably will.
I can’t wait to see you.
And if you’re not coming, I wish you were.
You will be missed.
xo,
edie
ps. thank you for meeting me in this space. you make my days.
this ps. is for my sister and her concerns about my ghetto SUV: I changed my oil, cleaned my car and tried to get the dead animal/soured milkshake smell out. She’s as good as new. *wink* I’m gonna go with the quote that “a clean car is a sign of wasted life.”
amen.
YOU are the one reason I wish I was going to Blissdom. SIGH………..
Seriously. Am I first!? No way! Sweet friend, I hope YOU have an awesome weekend at Blissdom! Enjoy your sweet friends and soak it all in!! And give yourself a big giant hug from me! Darby
Hope you have a GREAT time!!!!
Can. Not. Wait. to hug your neck. So glad you’re coming!
Well I’ve dying for that hug…ever since Christmas day. I get teary just thinking about it, wish I weren’t emotional about all you’ve been through but I still am. It’s kinda like when you go to a funeral and the family of the deceased are some how doing better than those that come to pay their respects. Does that even make any sense? I’m so glad you’re back Stella!!! I’m glad I can also finally meet this amazing Ms. Jamie Knoxville. 😀 Save me a piece of that fudge. XOXO
you’re one of the very biggest reasons I wish I was going to Blissdom.
you’re gonna have a BLAST…I just know it!
you’ll cry…and I’m sure everyone else will, too.
but, you’ve got your groove back, so it’ll all be okay.
can’t wait to see pictures!
Have a wonderful trip!
what an amazing post… love you!
awesome post! and maybe someday, i will have been in this long enough to feel like i have a place at blissdom. blessings for your trip!
thank you for visiting ms. kendal and always being such an encouragement—and you’re ready for blissdom now my friend 🙂
What awesome news Edie!! Enjoy your time in Nashville, I hope it is filled with friends, hugs, tears, laughter…and fudge!
I’m SO glad you’re coming! I’ll see you there. Can’t wait to hug you!
Have a wonderful time and safe travels. God Bless you.
Have a wonderful time and safe travels. God Bless you.
Edie, I am so happy you are going. I bet there are so many lovely women there waiting to welcome you with loving arms. May you have fun reconnecting with old friends, building new friendships and shopping with your sweet girls. Many blessings to you!
-kat
Edie, I am so happy you are going. I bet there are so many lovely women there waiting to welcome you with loving arms. May you have fun reconnecting with old friends, building new friendships and shopping with your sweet girls. Many blessings to you!
-kat
Love the post and love you, too! Have a blast at Blissdom. I wish I was going too! Bring back enough memories for all of us.
Love the post and love you, too! Have a blast at Blissdom. I wish I was going too! Bring back enough memories for all of us.
I don’t blog, but I read blogs, so it would be fun to go and observe. 🙂 I’m so glad you are going – have a marvelous time!!
1. i just knew it, i just knew you were back
2. with more groove
3. i am flat jealous you’re going to blissdom and i ain’t
4. laugh like a school girl
5. eat two of everything
6. hug a stranger and pretends she’s me
7. you’re so going to cry, stella, you know it.
8. what the hayseed are these numbers for?
9. maybe they’re to feign some semblance of order to my ramblings.
10. i
11. love
12. you
p.s.
13. turquoise
14. seemed wrong to live him out
Beautiful words that I’m sure have more meaning behind them than we could ever know. Ooh, I know you’ll have fun laughing, hugging and shopping. Crying is a good thing sometimes. Wish I could meet you there.
Hugs to you.
Rock it Edie!
amazing post, so beautiful to read.
I haven’t packed either and don’t have the slightest idear what’s en vogue these days…going to embrace my farm wear duds…
Thank you so much for encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone and go to this Blissdom shindig, can’t wait.
Love and safe travels to you!
Edie you make me laugh! I like the picts of you getting your groove back. Oh, especially your coffee machine. Girl, how long did you have to survive before you were able to get a new one.
Blessings and Restoration this week at Blissdom!
You.
Are.
My.
Bomdiggity.
This is beautiful.
I just finished packing.
xo
I just got into blogs over the holidays when trying to decide what to paint my kitchen. Went something like this. Google kilm beige, that takes me to decor pad the takes me to 90,000 photos of that color, that takes me to southern hospitality, takes me to the nester, Lonny mag (I was like who is this Lonny guy?), then to meadowbrookfarm, then to you:)
Lord, God, mercy to you. I am telling all my friends about you all. I am a Texas gal of 20 years and I love your details. Bless you all in Blissdom! I so believe in the Word and all words. I believe every word I read is a blessing. Your folks’ blogs are beautiful treasures. Thank you. 🙂
you need a blog my Texas friend (I love Texas, second only to my beloved Tennessee) and thank you for the love and welcome!! i love the line “i love your details”, i will surely use it myself this very week.
love to you dear,
edie
Have a wonderful time at Blissdom, dear girl! I wish I could hug you back. 🙂
Wishing you much fun and laughter at Blissdom! I wish I were going!!
Have a wonderful time at blissdom. I wish I could join you. Have fun and soak up all the love…you deserve each and every hug and then some!
Bless your buoyant heart Edie!
Hope you have a fabulous time! So happy to read a post that sounds like the you I feel in love with reading a couple months back, I had only been reading your blog for a few months and my heart broke for you in Dec…..I am new to the whole blogging world and yours is one of 20 blogs that I follow and love to read. 🙂
I feel silly asking, but since I am new to all of this, what exactly is blissdom?
Can’t wait to see all the fun photos and hear about the awesome time I am sure you will have.
Have a safe and happy trip! 🙂
blissdom is a blogging convention with all kinds of workshops from photography to writing to more tech-y stuff. mostly, it’s a place for women to nurture in real life the relationships they’ve made online. it’s amazing.
thank you for your kindness and for sharing in our burdens.
bless you friend,
edie
That sounds like a fabulous time! I would love to go to something like that one day. 🙂
Hope you are having a wonderful time!
Bella 🙂
I hope you have a joy-filled time!
I am so glad you are going to Blissdom. Please take lots of pics, yours are always the best. I also want to see each and everything you buy. I love your taste in everything. I have a serious edie crush, stalker like. so glad to hear that about clean cars. cant wait to tell my husband….. it also applies to clean homes too right????
Have fun at Blissdom. Wish I was going so I could meet the incredible person you are. I have friends going and they are so excited! Love seeing the pics at the top of the post.
The joy of it all is yes….Edie is back! Looking forward to laughing all week long…even in your “cleaned out” suv! Love you Sis. ps. No time was wasted cleaning you car! 🙂
I wish I was going to Blissdom this year, just so I could meet you. You are such a strong woman of faith. I have a feeling attending will be just what you needed at this time. I can’t think of anything better than surrounding yourself with all the wonderful women out there in blogland.
Love to hear you sounding so much like yourself.
I think this title would be a good theme for you this year:-)
Keep being Edie….you have a Beautiful GROOVE …. beauty from ashes…. or lemonade….or fudge…you know how to do it!
We all do, we do it through Him or it is not….beautiful. We are sitting here waiting for you and the other beautiful ladies to bring us beauty from Blissdom.
Wow, what you wrote at the top really spoke to me. One of those things that you read over and over…to savor it. My boys were over my shoulder and asked “who is Stella?” 🙂 I’ve been reading you for a long time, following your grace paved steps. There is something so hopeful about your blog. Have a great trip. Sounds like such a fun time!
I will be at Blissdom and I hope I get to meet you. I have been praying for you and your family for weeks. Your words are an inspiration.
Blissdom is just what you need. You will find healing among your friends. You will bless those you see–you are a blessing to so many. May God go with you, keep you safe, and bless your time with your friends. Have fun! I hope you find some wonderful things to show us from your shopping adventures!
Edie, Lovely words…Have a wonderful time with the girls, and all friends…
praying safe travels also!
Sherry
You have THE. MOST. EDIE-TASTIC time at Blissdom. I can’t tell you how happy for you that I am that you will get to be there. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! I can’t wait to hear all about it. Wish I could be there with you, but I know your girls will take good care of you. Now go get your Bliss on, friend. Oh and be careful going over the plateau.
I just *met* you a few weeks ago, and already you and the trials you have been through have grounded me in my every day, every hour faith. Reading your posts makes me remember what is truly important. I was just in Anthropology Sat night and found my new bed! I love the stores you’re going to visit and I hope you have a wonderful, refreshing time! And tears are OK. Have fun!
HOLY COW. Edie, I just love your blog. Have been reading for nearly 2 years, and always challenged, inspired, blessed.
And we’ve never met and probably never will. Wild, this thing, the Internet 🙂
I’m so sorry I won’t be able to make it after all. The construction issues loom at our house and Big Daddy cannot earn a living and wrangle 5 kids (with a now crawling 7 month old) so I’m sadly going to miss hugging you and eating your fudge. You are covered in prayer and hopefully next time around I’ll be able to go.
Beautiful words. Always moving, encouraging.
Wish I could be there with you at Blissdom to give you big hugs. I am so jealous of all the wonderful things I’m missing out on. SOMEDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Would love to see pictures of everything: everything you see, everywhere you go, everything you buy and everyone you meet.
There will be tears but they’ll be happy tears, from all the love and healing.
Hugs to you,
Ruth
so glad you’re going to Blissdom and meeting friends, I’m sure that everyone is dying to see you and get thier arms aorund you, Edie. If I could I would hug you too. I have been encouraged by your words, you spirit and your love for the Lord…and inspired to write more from my heart.
God Bless and have a ton of fun!!
~Jenn
http://www.jennalane2.blogspot.com
sounding like you again!!! have a blast!
ooohh, bound’ry…i ate there the only time i have ever been to Nashville… great food! have fun and enjoy yourself at blissdom. i sure wish i could go to nashville again.
have a fabulous time and savor every moment. that’s what real life is all about. Prayers for safe travels.
Have a fantastic, fantastic time at Blissdom! I’m sure it will be filled with lots o’ joy. 🙂 This might be a silly question, as I’m not sure whether your pics are recent, but I am loving those boots! Ha, I wouldn’t ask except I lost my house in a fire a two years ago and am still on the hunt for the perfect pair. Good boots are hard to come by! If they’re newly purchased, could you divulge where you found them?! One of the better (?!) parts of losing my house was the new home shopping! I can remember that first weekend after losing it I went to the nearest flea market and bought the most RANDOM stuff, I needed old, worn items around me ASAP, even if they were vintage egg beaters, one single milk glass candlestick, and some cigar boxes (ha!)
Enjoy yourself in Anthro, Z Gallerie and West Elm! And have fun–I know, hard to do, but really it can be very exciting :). I was really able to change course on my “design” style and throw in some items that I never would have had the courage to use in my previous space. Ha, I started with a light blue Eames rocker, a floral Anthropologie duvet and a Dash and Albert rug and started building :). Best of luck, I know it will be great!
Beautiful, beautiful words! I’m so excited for your trip. Have a wonderful time…laugh til you cry 🙂
Amen to the clean car quote! Have a blast this weekend. Be encouraged. Love your poem. It brought tears to my eyes. I stand in awe of people who can string words together and whisper poetry into an empty space. Be sure to show us your fabulous Anthropologie finds. 😉
-FringeGirl
I ran across this scripture and thought of you . . . .
“This is what the LORD says; He who made a way through the sea,a path through the mighty waters:
‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?'” Isaiah 43:16,18-19
Easier said than done for sure but you are in the place were mercy lives and a new thing is springing up.You are such an encouragement to all of us who read your blog. I pray you are encouraged and renenewed on your trip this week.
Love, Just a reader who prays for you. Cindy
100% totally agree about the car…it fits my life right now!!! I hope you have a wonderful time at Blissdom – so good to see you back here again! Happy Wednesday!
I read this post last night before bed. One of the first emails I read this morning was my Daily Thought from Real Simple. The quote is one I’d bet you know:
“Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” C.S. Lewis
Have a fantastic time at Blissdom!
Edie, you amaze me with every post. Have a blissfully-good time with your girls & all the friends who love you so! Enjoy every minute … I know you will.
Hope you have a great time. Laughing more than crying, and getting lots of hugs!
Have a great time Edie! You deserve it! Have fun at the Boundry. That is such a neat venue. We were married in Nashville… and we had our wedding reception there and it was wonderful! Still sending prayers your way! You are such a strong and Godly woman – and I so admire you for that!
Edie! I am new to blogging…we have never met (although I do hope we do one day). My 18-year-old would call me a “stalker” but I have read through your blog from start to finish and now I get it…I understand why so many people have left such caring words for you. Many of them who have never met you also. So from a stranger in the mountains of NC…I so happy to see you making this trip to Nashville, knowing that you will be met by so many who simply want to hug you, to encourage you and to thank you for walking the walk… even in the valley. I have only made a few little posts on my new blog but I read yours almost daily and I am inspired and rooting for you! Can’t wait to hear about your fabulous weekend at Blissdom!
~gratefulgirlblog.blogspot
such kindness patti. thank you so much.
and blissdom was everything i hoped and more.
like a big giant therapy session.
much love and blessings,
edie
i wish i with you giving you a big hug. (and sharing the fudge)
and shopping.
and crying.
i need it.
someday edie…..someday.
it WILL happen.
i am positive.
oh how i wish you could have come.
i met jeanett and was hoping julie would still come.
and yes someday. i hope someday soon because life is way too short and unpredictable.
it was like a big giant therapy session.
i was fine until last night when i told everyone goodbye.
i cried like a baby. the ugly cry.
we have to meet.
and that’s just that.
let’s think of something really awesome.
maybe i’ll have my favorite bloggers down for a house warming when my new house is done.
or we could meet at your house and do a quilting project.
something completely awesome.
let’s do it.
love you and missed you so many times.
xo,
edie
OH my goodness. You and Shannan in the same place!!! I’m so jealous. I would love to meet you both. Have a ball:)
wish you were here too becky 🙂 i haven’t seen her yet but i’m finding that sweetie today!
Hope you continue to groove away!
I pray the Lord meets you in a unique way at Blissdom. He commands fellowship!
Wow. Beautiful poem. If I could fit it all on my chalkboard I would write it up there right now! 🙂
Have a fabulous time at Blissdom! I don’t even blog, but I wish I was going just so I could meet all you amazing women. Edie, Nester, Layla, Flower Patch Farmgirl, and lots more. Blissdom should have a day for groupies where we can all show up and swoon and get pictures and autographs 🙂
thank you alima. and yes, i agree, i’m doing my fair share of swooning.
xo,
edie
I hope you have a wonderful time and get lots of hugs!! I am sure Blissdom and your shopping adventures will be great!! I wish I was going so i could give you a be squeeze, maybe someday!
Hey Edie! New follower here…Just wanted to tell you that I adore your blog and your kind and gentle spirit. I just spent the last hour perusing your old blog posts and I just adore you! Keep it up and I will be praying for you and your family as you regain composure after this tragedy! Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
thank you for visiting kelsey and for being such an encouragement.
hugs and blessings,
xo,
edie
Take care and enjoy your time.
I so wish I was going. I just found out about it (I’m always late to the game!) I hope it’s a wonderful time for you! 🙂
And fudge? Sooo wise. 🙂
Edie, you are going to be surrounded by so much love! Enjoy every moment.
You are an AMAZING woman! I wish I had an ounce of your strength!
May God continue blessing you!
Julie +: )
i love this post. so glad stella is getting her groove back. so wonderful to see you again.
it’s me. i don’t know why i wasn’t logged in correctly.
Oh how I love you Edie…. it seems so silly. We have never met but I love you. (not in a wierd creepy way) but like a sister I never met.
You make me smile and my prayers are with you. I’ll be at Blissdom next year, my daughter is getting married in a couple months, lots of wedding plans. ok so, that is a lot more than I was planning to say 🙂
I wish I was there too. Have fun and bring back lots of good info for those of us not there.
Kelly
What better balm for your soul I can not imagine. Faithful friends, fudge, shopping, bloggy tips n support and Tennessee. I pray that you return with lots of healing, fun finds, great ideas, renewed energy and very few pounds!
(((hugs)))
Leslie
(whose farm truck must often undergo similar re-newing!)
it was such a blessing ms. leslie.
hopefully will write about it soon.
thank you for encouraging and praying.
love you,
edie
You are going to have a magnificent time. I can’t wait to come back, and read about all the wonderful details. And have a safe trip in your “ghetto suv”. Huge smile. Reminds me of the exchanges between my sisters and me.
Have a wonderful time at blissdom {and shopping!} with your girls and your friends – someday I would love to attend ~ it sounds like a great experience. God Bless you and yours. ; )
Stella’s getting her groove back,
And getting to be inspired with other wonderful women,
And getting to laugh,
And getting to shop…
Am absolutely thrilled for you xx
I’m the one who cried when we talked. 🙂 The fudge was so yummy and you were a delight to meet. I can’t wait to get to know you more.
Oh….if I didn’t Love you before(& I did) , I DO now! 😉 LOVE that last one…a clean car…YES! haha…Have a WONDERFUL time!!!
Looks like you girls had a great time. Wish I had known about this, I was off all week and my baby is Nashville, would have been a great time for me to go. Maybe next year 🙂 (and maybe I’ll get back to blogging when the weather warms up and I have a life again).
So glad you had such a healing experience and fun time at Blissdom, Edie! That makes my heart sing to hear that it was good therapy for you. You desesrved all the love you received there! I’m also glad you have made it back over the plateau safely and that you are settling back in. My goal for myself is to be at Blissdom 2012. Maybe you will be there too. It looks like an amazing experience. BTW, I finished Bloodroot a couple of days ago and have not been able to shake it since. Seeing Amy Greene’s photo above, just reminded me again of those characters. You are right that this book, “gets under your skin.” It is such an incredible book on so many levels. I would love to talk to you about it more. One day soon, friend, I want us to meet up for coffee. You have an awesome weekend here in sunny East Tennesse and enjoy this warmer weather. I can’t wait to hear all about Blissdom!
Much love!
Amy
I adore this line from your poem. “she held tight to things unseen and watched mercy grow new.” (And Trader Joes:).
‘finding her way through the broken”…..love this. God bless ALL the broken roads we’ve traveled!
Edie, I have been reading your blog for sometime now. My sister, her husband and two children just lost everything this morning in a house fire. Thank God that everyone is safe. I have read your posts on your experience and pray for strength for you both. One feels at a loss of what to do at this time.
I am a new reader and blogger. I started reading your blog right before Christmas. I wanted to let you know that I am so thankful that you seem to feeling better. You are a great writer and woman. Thanks for sharing all that you do, especially your faith. I love this post. God bless. Alice 🙂 aka Miss Bliss I’ve left some inspiration for you and anyone else who want to visit my blog today.
lovely blog. wow. so inspiring and yet ….not overwhelming (i get overwhelmed by lives that look perfect).
just sayin’ it like it is. ANYWAY. I can’t wait to dig deep and read more. welcome home.
Hi Edie,
I found your blog through Toni at The Tattered Cottage…I just followed her link and found myself at your beautiful inspirational blog. I was reading some of your posts and I just have to tell you that I think you are such a beautiful person inside and out. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am to hear about your loss. I cannot even imagine what you have gone through, but I can see where your strength comes from and that is of encouragement to me and others too I’m sure… I want to tell you that you have encouraged me just by my having visited your beautiful blog. God is using you for his glory…. I know that I don’t know you and this is my first time here at your blog, but I can tell that your strength comes from the Lord and that He is with you and your family. You are another shining example that “The joy of the Lord is our Strength”. Keep smiling and looking up….I just know that God is upholding you, in the mist of the storm…. he is faithful ….I will continue to remember you in my prayers….God give you and your family continued strength for the journey….God help us all to remember you Lord are in “still” in control and we are all in your loving hands….
God Bless you Edie,
Big Hugs,
Queenie
The poem is awesome.
What will you get a Trader Joe’s? I would never have thought they would be in the South since they are so California and when I was in Huntingdon I didn’t see anything like them. I was just in Tracer Joe’s a day or two ago. I can always count on them to have a great price on vegetarian products.
Hi Edie, I’m a fairly new fan. I found you through Nester’s blog. I admire your tenacity as you rebuild your memories. I also just made your FUDGE!!! It is the best I’ve ever had! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
This is my second time that i read your blog.. all your post are very inspiring and very
impressive..have a great trip. 🙂
This is different but similar. Nearly 11 years ago, I lost triplets after spending 5wks in the hospital but having them still arrive too soon–24wks. Within days, they had all passed and I had to return to my life, which was not the one I had been planning on. Instead of having a house full of 3 babies and no job, I had to return to my old life but with all this heartache and history…and people feeling so sorry for me. Well, around the 6-7 week mark I could really feel myself starting to come alive again. And just like you, I would think: How Stella Got her Groove Back. I said it out loud a time or two but I recall thinking that phrase SO often. I still think it on occasion. And I don’t know how, but I would feel so good about regaining myself and I would not allow myself to feel badly about taking steps forward, instead I was proud of me. And I am proud of you for handling this with nothing short of amazing grace. Be proud of yourself and carry on. –Tracy
Dear sweet Tracy,
You are such a God-send, to be here in this place encouraging me when your heart has been broken into. I am so sorry for your incomprehensible loss. We must rest in Him and know that He loves us and will care for our every hurt. You will be in my prayers and I’m so thankful to know you.
Much love and many blessings,
edie
Love the Avett Brothers! My daughter bought her boyfriend tickets for Christmas to go see them over New Year’s in Asheville! Did you see them on the Grammy’s with Bob Dylan? Proud of those North Carolina boys!
http://www.gratefulgirlblog.blogspot.com
yes, it was awesome. and i *almost* bought tickets for the asheville show. i’d love to see them live.
thanks for reading 🙂
xo,
edie