Edie Wadsworth

When God Showed Up Wanting Waffles

March 1, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 48 Comments

I did a radio interview with Issues, Etc yesterday on the dignity of vocation. I was nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof, but after the brilliant editing of Jeff Schwarz and the genius interviewing skills of Todd Wilken, I survived and it turned out okay.

Todd said something during our interview that makes the interview worth listening to, even if hearing me yammering on in my Southern drawl isn’t that appealing.

He admitted that part of the reason he went into the ministry was to have an inside track to God. He wanted to serve God in some kind of direct way, so it seemed the ministry would be the perfect venue for that. I’ve had a similar hankering my whole life. I’ve wanted to know God intimately. I’ve craved an experience with God that would give me some kind of assurance that He is for me and with me. Most Christians are the same way. We want God to “show up.” I hear that phrase a lot and I think I know what people mean, but it gives me pause. I get it, though. We are desperate for God to show up. But how do we know when He has?

Many would say that when God shows up you can just feel it. The “Spirit is moving,” we like to say. If the music is just right or the emotions are just right or if the a certain number of people walk the aisle—then we’re pretty sure God has been with us. I think most would agree that our measure of God showing up is flawed, though. There’s no way to know for sure. Or is there? The Old Testament saints might warn us not to ask for an unmediated encounter with God. Those didn’t usually go over so well. Just ask Lot’s wife or one of the pharaohs of Egypt.

But, when Jesus comes, in the New Testament, we know that God is here, in the flesh. He comes forgiving people, teaching them, feeding them and then in the ultimate act of love—dying for them on a cross. There God is—in the flesh, showing up in all the ways that matter. He rises on the third day and manifests himself to His disciples as the risen Lord. Jesus is how God has decided to show up.

But what about today? Where does He predictably comes to us in modern times?

+First, He has promised to be where His word is preached. What is His word? Jesus, the incarnate God is the Word made flesh, so when Jesus is preached, God shows up—just like He promised.

+Two, He has promised to be in the Supper. “Take eat, this is my body, given for you, for the forgiveness of sins.” When communion is rightly administered, Jesus is unmistakably present. He shows up every time—just like He promised.

+And then, in a strange twist of crazy, like only Jesus would do, He shows up in your life wearing the skin of your neighbor.

“Whatever you do for one of the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you do it for me.”

Jesus shows up everyday for you, looking like your husband and your children and all the rest of the difficult people that populate your life. And just like Todd said, God doesn’t need anything you have to offer. He’s come to give you everything in Himself. But your neighbor is swimming in need. So, He comes disguised as the guy who served you breakfast this morning or the child who woke you up at 3am, or the little girl from Nicaragua staring at you on the other side of your computer. And He wonders if you’ll recognize Him. He hopes you’ll see right through to Him. Because you’ve been wanting to serve Him so much, you’ve been waiting for Him to “show up” in a big way in your life. Or at least I have.

And here He is, right in front of you, dressed like a ten year old and wanting breakfast.

It’s not as glamorous or emotional or as life-changing as you had hoped.

But you start making waffles, because Jesus showed up in your kitchen and He’s hungry.

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You can listen to the interview segment here.

And if you’d like to join my four week course on calling, vocation, and living with more purpose and passion, we’re beginning a new session in August! Click here to read more about it and watch a sample video!

Old Fashioned Fudge Pie

February 27, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 45 Comments

Y’all. I’m so nervous. I wrote an article for the Lutheran Witness magazine that comes out this weekend on Vocation and finding God’s will for your life. In less than an hour, I’ll be doing a radio interview about the article on my very favorite internet radio station in THE entire world, Issues, Etc.

In other words, I’m breaking out into hives and sweating profusely. And then there’s the whole thing of the interview being at 12:30 central time. Despite the fact that I have advanced degrees, I’ve been looking at the clock all morning and saying, Okay, it’s 10 here, so it’s 9 there. Because hello, my name is dumb and dumber and I’d like to talk to you about your calling in life.

Maybe I should stick to making pies. Because pies are what I know and love and I have never broken out into a single hive whilst making one.

I’ve been eating and making this pie for 20 years, as my thighs will gladly attest. It’s rustic and delicious and let’s face it—it’s fudge in pie form—so what’s not to love? Why have I let this precious Southern dessert go without its due? I do not know, but I plan to fully redeem myself. Also? I ran 4 miles this morning to try to make peace with my thighs, but that’s another blog post for another sad day.

It’s so easy to make, with ingredients you probably have on hand and it doesn’t even require that you get your Kitchen Aid dirty. Just about the end of February, when you feel like it’s been a long time since you’ve had Grannie’s Fudge, this pie will come to the rescue. You can top it with whatever you want, but honestly, I prefer mine plain. Or warm out of the oven with ice cream. You can even freeze it and then eat it frozen or in various stages of thawing. There’s no wrong way to have it, just have it, dear ones.

Here’s what you’ll need:

3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 sticks butter, melted
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
a dash of cinnamon
2 (9-inch) unbaked pie crusts (I use my homemade crust recipe, but the frozen ones work fine!)

Here’s what you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the chocolate, butter, and sugar together in a heavy saucepan over low heat.
Remove the pan from the heat and let cool a few minutes.
Add then the eggs and beat well.
Pour the filling into the pie crust(s). (You can make this into one thick pie or two shallow pies. It’s so rich that I prefer two shallow pies!)
Bake for 25 minutes or until just set.
Serve warm or cold or in various states of frozen. Serve by its lonesome or with ice cream or whipped cream!

Hurry and bake it before you do something crazy and give up chocolate for Lent.

Okay, so it’s 12:30 here so it’s 11:30 there. I gotta go!

Old Fashioned Fudge Pie

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 sticks butter melted
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs beaten
1 tsp vanilla
a dash of cinnamon
2 9-inch unbaked pie crusts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the chocolate, butter, and sugar together in a heavy saucepan over low heat.
Remove the pan from the heat and let cool a few minutes.
Add then the eggs and beat well.
Pour the filling into the pie crust(s). (You can make this into one thick pie or two shallow pies. It's so rich that I prefer two shallow pies!)
Bake for 25 minutes or until just set.
Serve warm or cold or in various states of frozen with your favorite toppings. (I like mine plain!)

Full House Tour and East TN Bloggers!

February 26, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 12 Comments

I finally posted a full house tour, all in one-big-giant-scrolling page. I’m adding this post as a link under the “Decorating” tab of the navigation bar. Hope it makes it easier to find what you’re looking for!

Also, I wanted to introduced you to some new bloggers that are from our local East Tennessee area. I’ve enjoyed getting to know their blogs myself, so hope you click around and make new friends! And I’ll add my friend Patty to the list, whose blog and photography you’ll love. If you’re an East TN blogger and would like to be included in our FB group and meet us for coffee from time to time, leave you link in the comments and we’ll add you!

Meet Candace from His Mercy is New! I’m Candace and I blog at His Mercy is New. I’m married to David and we have 3 children that we homeschool; we live just east of Knoxville where my husband and I met at Carson-Newman College about 15 years ago! On my blog you will find homeschooling posts, great reads, posts about faith and especially encouragement for moms struggling with depression. I pray you are blessed and encouraged each time you visit!

Meet Christina of Mouse in Your House blog! Living in 400-square-feet with our new sweet baby boy. I blog about the hilarious side of parenting, and keep things exciting with DIY and home decorating ideas and projects. I throw in the occasional Q&A with crafty people and dig into lifestyle trends. Grab a cup of coffee and stay a while!

Meet Heather and her site Kiser Ridge Farm! Hi, I am Heather, stay at home mother of soon to be 5 children. We live on a small farm in East Tennessee. We raise chickens, goats, rabbits, hogs, dogs, cats and kiddos. Kiser Ridge Farm is also my herbal shop, where I combine my 15 years of experience in herbal medicine, with my 20 years in Emergency Medicine, researching and mixing natural remedies. My blog is new and so is my business.

Meet Megan of Lifesong blog! Hi! I’m Megan, a wife (to one) and homeschooling Mama of three. I am passionate about Jesus, teaching my kids, and taking pictures. But I also love baking, Amazon, reading and writing. My blog is a little of everything – homeschool days, recipes, stories, traditions, and encouragement. We have made East TN home for the past eight years, and we love it here! Come say hello at Lifesong!

Meet Meghan and her blog KMac Creations! My name is Meghan and I write. Streamlined & slapstick stories of memories made. Not perfectly, but purposefully. Under blankets snuggled, my space for words is covered with stories of family, fashion, homeschool and design. Faith finds its way in too. Always. My blog documents time honest, hilarious and most certainly hope filled.

Meet Melissa and her blog Finding Joy on the Journey! Finding Joy on the Journey started as I felt moved to record the blessings that occur in the every day. The beautiful blue sky, the warm sunshine on my face, the sweetness of a good book finished. I used to say, “simple pleasures” in high school and college. Only now they’re deeper than that. It’s deep-seated joy that isn’t based on circumstance. So I write here about joy in the midst of infertility, food allergy frustrations, depression, chronic health problems, and life just not turning out to be what we thought it would. (Is it ever?) The Lord’s name is to be glorified in it all, and that is what I want to do here on my little home on the web. I hope you’ll join me!

Meet Melissa from Life Off The Paved Road! Hello there! I’m Melissa. I am wife to Stacy and homeschooling mom to five children. We live in East Tennessee, just north of Knoxville on land that has been in my family for five generations. Life Off The Paved Road is my online home where I talk about natural living, marriage, parenting, homeschooling, and adoption. I hope you will stop by, hang out for a while and come back to visit from time to time.

Meet Rebecca of Life Changes! Hello! My name is Rebecca and I have been married to Brian for almost 21 years. We have 3 adult sons and a 7 month old Granddaughter! I blog about our life, encouraging stories, our faith, things for the home such as frugal decorating/organizing and freezer meals and anything else that comes to mind. I appreciate you taking your time to read my blog and if you have a blog I would love to read yours!

Meet Sara from The Happy Brown House! Sara is a Chattanooga area blogger that writes about life in the Happy Brown House: homeschool, crafts, kids, adoption, and faith.

Sara has started Chatanooga Families! Sara is also the blogger behind the site, Chattanooga Families, a blog dedicated to helping local families find resources and local fun. Sara shares the reall nitty-gritty details about local events and places that are relevant to families in the Chattanooga area through a weekly newsletter. Want to know where the best park is or what restaurant has a free kids meal? Chattanooga Families is your answer.

Meet Sarah and her blog Sarah’s Heart’s Home! My name is Sarah and I am a homeschooling mom to three young children. I blog at Sarah’s Heart’s Home where I write about daily life as a mom, recipes, homeschooling ,and more. I strive to find Joy in the Journey (as my subtitle indicates.)

Meet Stephanie from The Multi Taskin’ Mom! Being a wife, mother, full time work-from-homer, and a homeschooling mom, means that I must be able to multi task. Come join in as I share the journey along with several other moms on The Multi Taskin’ Mom.

Meet the writing team at Knoxville Moms Blog! At Knoxville Moms Blog we are passionate about parenting, community and the city of Knoxville. We strive to provide moms with relevant, timely and fun information about all things mom here in the Knoxville area. We are a collaborative blog written by and for local moms with daily posts on things to do around town, ways to get involved in the community, parenting solutions, personal essays from local moms, local business spotlights, giveaways, and an opportunity to share with one another in the journey of motherhood.

Long Man {by Amy Greene}

February 25, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 117 Comments

“Every written word is a victory against death.” ~ Micheal Butor (Amy’s favorite quote)

Amy Greene is one of a kind. She’s that person you meet only a few times in your life—where you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the appointment was divine. I met her in October of 2010 at an Appalachian arts festival, just as her debut novel, Bloodroot, was taking the literary world by storm. All my friends had read it and told me that it was a book I would love. I bought a signed copy of her book that day and it sparked a friendship that has become precious to me. When I met Amy, there was an instant kinship that is hard to describe. She is almost other-worldly—like she’s been transported from another era, or maybe just straight from heaven, as a special gift to our generation. Maybe it’s the haint blue eyes or the way she can twist words into the most vivid pictures. Whatever it is, it is the most rare and delicate sort of genius—the kind of art that transforms us and shifts something down deep in our souls.

This lady is some kind of wonderful.

Long Man is near and dear to my heart because it’s set in the 30’s as TVA plans to flood an East TN town. (I live on such a lake, made from such a flooding.) When I sat down to read it last month, it felt like Christmas morning. Amy’s writing is lyrical, haunting, memorable, and visual. She is a master at making art with words and I savored every last sentence in the book.

Here’s a little sampling of her prose as the book’s heroine, Annie Clyde, thinks about the threat of water covering her home and land when the Tennessee River will finally be flooded:

She could almost hear it seeking whatever there was outside its banks, searching fingers moving over gnarled root and scaly stump bark. Leaking between trunks and lapping at grasses, mussels clicking against each other and the scoured rocks of the shoals. She dreamed of it coming for her, black and rippling. She woke afraid it would be pooled around the porch steps, the rains bringing it closer and closer. Since spring a scent had been lingering in the eastern part of town where the woods and pastures were halved by the river. She smelled it in the house sometimes, algae and carp and decayed wood from long-ago boats run aground. When she opened her door it slipped in as if to scout her home before the lake came to fill her chimney flue with the opposite of fire.

Amy came over a few weeks ago (she lives just down the road from me!) for lunch and a visit and to talk about the book. I thought I would seriously cry when I saw her. (I know, I’m a crier, but still.) You know that feeling, when someone has affected you so much that their very presence makes you well up? Yeah, she’s THAT kind of sweetness. I couldn’t stop asking her questions about her books, her life, and her dedication to the craft of writing. I asked about all her favorite books, the music she loves, what she eats, when she writes, etc. One thing I’m gonna tell you right now is that she writes every thing long hand in an actual physical notebook. EVERY WORD. I mean, they don’t just make people like that anymore. I saw it with my own two eyes. I keep a journal and do a lot of handwriting, but you can imagine the notebooks full of long hand writing she has. It’s amazing.

Here’s a little synopsis of the book written by Gabe Habash.

Like a classical myth or a painting by Thomas Hart Benton, Greene’s second novel, set in the summer of 1936, transforms a period of cataclysmic history into a gorgeous, tragic tale filled with heroes and heroines. After the Tennessee Valley Authority builds a dam to electrify rural Appalachia, the river that folks have always called Long Man rises a little more with every turn of the page, and most of the families in the town of Yuneetah, Tenn., are long gone, scattered to other cities to take up factory jobs. In days, the hardscrabble farm fields they abandoned will be overcome by water, and Annie Clyde Dodson’s family farm, too, will end up at the bottom of the lake. Only Annie Clydewon’t leave; she’s determined to hold out so that her three-year-old daughter Gracie can inherit her ancestral land. But Gracie disappears with her dog Rusty during a terrible storm, the floodwaters rising by the hour.

Here are a few reviews of Long Man.

Her novel fully inhabits the contradictions within each character and the ironies inherent in destroying a place in the name of progress. A smart and moody historical novel that evokes the best widescreen Southern literature. (Kirkus Reviews)

And from Publisher’s Weekly,

Greene’s enormous talent animates the voices and landscape of East Tennessee so vividly, and creates such exquisite tension, that the reader is left as exhausted and devastated as the characters in this unforgettable story.

I’m giving away a signed copy of Long Man today to one lucky commenter.

Or head on over to Amazon and get your copy of Long Man today!

Kitchen Must Haves {The 10 Things I Use Most}

February 24, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 136 Comments

I’m ashamed to say that my kitchen has been sorely neglected until yesterday. I spent the better part the afternoon cleaning and froofing, but have not been on my A game with cooking lately. And by that I mean we’ve had frozen pizza twice this week. What are we, newlyweds? I even went to the store one night to buy “dinner” and came back with a box of cocoa puffs and some bagel bites. A 44 year old woman cannot eat like that in good conscience. Consider this my confession and my promise to make real food in the near future. And Stevie? Well, bless his heart. He takes it like a trooper. He made spaghetti nachos one night in desperation and they were FANTASTIC. He makes 15 year old boy food like a champ.

But, let’s pretend none of that ever happened and that I always manage to cook from my meal plans, promise to never speak of it again, and move on with the 10 things I use everyday in my kitchen that I wouldn’t want to live without. Sadly, bowls did not even make the list.

1. Tea towels—I have both the large square size, commercial grade, and the traditional tea towel size on hand. The ones with the blue stripe remind me of a Grannie kitchen and can double as napkins. These are very thin towels and I prefer them EVERY time to thick kitchen towels. They are so easy to use, don’t leave lint on anything and I can easily wrap the large ones around a dutch oven and tie it at the top to take soups/stews to people without spilling. They are by far my favorite little kitchen work horse. I recently bought this adorable tea towel from Sasha. Her shop is fully of goodies!

2. Cutting boards—I have a plethora of cutting boards, but the pig is my personal favorite. The rooster is in my amazon waiting cart. But I love all shapes and sizes, especially this paddle board.

3. A good knife—for years, I’ve used the chef’s knives from Sam’s club, b/c they’re so cheap and work great for a few months, until they need sharpened. (I’ve never learned to do that.) This Christmas, with the combination of an amazing deal and a gift card, I got this crown jewel. OH SWEET MERCY. You need a hunting license to use it, it’s so sharp. But, I love it and can’t believe I waited this long to get a great knife.

4. A cute apron—DO NOT underestimate the power of an apron. It will instantly transform you into Betty Crocker. It lends street cred to the home cook and protects your cute blouses from oil and water and in my case, chocolate.

5. Something that makes you smile. OR laugh. For me, that’s my People who love food are always the best people print, my David bust with his straw cowboy hat, plants, flowers, etc.

6. Thieves Cleaner. Y’all, this is not a word of a lie. Since I switched to Young Living’s household cleaner, I have been able to toss nearly everything else out. It’s plant based, with no hormone disrupting toxins like so many cleaners have. It’s basically a unicorn and it works SO WELL!!!! There are a million reasons why I want you on my YL team TODAY, but this is a big one! Get more info here!!

(Side note number 1—there’s a chandelier cleaner that you just spray on and let it drip dry. Can we make one of those for the whole kitchen?)

(Side note number 2— I may be getting my countertops honed, but until then, enjoy my post on whether or not you should have marble countertops based on personality type.)

(Side note number 3: Large dough bowl comes in at a close 11. I bought mine in Birmingham and love it!)

7. Iron Skillet—Every home cook needs cast iron. We use ours so much that I rarely put it away.

8. Dutch Oven—I have Le Creuset and it was the 3rd thing I bought after our house fire—right after a computer and cowboy boots, if that tells you how it ranks in my economy. I can tell you that it’s THE most used thing in my kitchen and I LOVE it so much. It’s perfect for cooking nearly everything I cook. I never even put it away, because it’s a rare day that I don’t cook in it. I actually have several because sometimes I luck up and find them really cheap at TJ Maxx. It’s an investment, but you’ll have it for a lifetime and then your kids will fight over it!

9. Kitchen Aid mixer—I don’t know who works harder, her or the dutch oven. I use them both almost everyday.

10. Large glass jars for baking supplies—I use these, that can be purchased from Walmart, Target, or here on Amazon. Having your baking supplies out and ready makes it SO much easier to bake. I print the labels myself using the font Champignon at a 200 font size and then tape them on with clear packing tape.

Now, it’s your turn. Tell me your favorite kitchen implement/tool/workhorse.

What’s On My Spring Mantel

February 21, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 16 Comments

Okay, it’s no secret. I’m the queen of the cluttered mantel. I’ve TRIED less is more. I really have. And it’s almost Lent, so less is more made sense in my head. Just not on my mantel. AND? I’m pretty passionate about Lent and especially how we often need to add things to our lives (prayer, generosity, kindness, study, etc) just as much as we need to subtract them.

So. For my early Spring, Lenten mantel, I give you the following very full mantel. Here’s what I love about it.

1. The crucifix—It will be the perfect Lenten reminder of His scandalous love toward us. And I know how some Christians will say that they don’t like the crucifix, because He’s not there anymore, He’s risen! Yes, he is, but first we must journey through Lent, through his pain and suffering and hell. Then Easter will be all the more sweet.

2. Hold Your Horses sign by Stephanie Creekmur. It’s the perfect Lenten reminder. Wait. It’s not Easter yet. Walk slow through Lent and then we’ll run with fury together to the empty tomb.

3. Lemons and Aloe. Things alive add so much life and movement to your mantel and welcome Spring, without screaming Spring.

4. The gold planter was from Anthropologie and gives the perfect amount of shine!

5. The little white birdie planter is so cute. A Christmas gift from West Elm.

6. The antlers give hints of a crown of thorns.

7. The feather print is from Anna Marie Horner’s print collection. Framed at Hobby Lobby from a recycled antique store frame.

8. The bust was Hobby Lobby a year or two ago, spray painted and bejeweled with my pearls. I’m always having to hunt down my jewelry and hats, because they’re always scattered around my house being used as decoration.

9. The original poetry from my friend, Kim, after our fire. It says—

Sun splashes, dapples dark

mountain lingo lightens my world

God reflects in laughter

Sun splashes, dapples dark

red lips, pink cheeks brighter

her face

God shines in a smile

Sun splashes, dapples dark

warm hands spark creativity

God radiates his love

Sun splashes

It is one of my most priced possessions. I tear up every time I read it. I’m not sure Kim knew how much her art would touch me, change me, mold me.

So, yes, a cluttered, storied mantel that hints of sacrifice and promises redemption. The best spaces tell a story.

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If you’ve never been taught much about Lent, I’m doing a Lenten study that will begin on Ash Wednesday. Not sure if it’ll be through email, a facebook group, or just on the blog. But, be watching so we can journey together.

Also, meet me on Instagram today and show me your freshened up mantels, perhaps using some of my mantel advice from earlier this week! Use the hashtag #loveyourmantel. See you on IG or Facebook, if you don’t have an IG account!