Edited to add:

Live Fireside Chat tomorrow evening Sunday March 6th starting at 7pm.

here’s the 411:
There will appear at approximately 7p a small box in a new post which is a live chat box. You must sign in to the chat but you can use facebook or sign in as a guest. The sign in process is easy and doesn’t require any personal information besides a name. Don’t trick me with funny names like Loretta Lynn, because then I’ll just be jealous. The chat is limited to 50 people, which I highly doubt we’ll surpass, but if you want to participate, sign in right away as soon as you see the chat box appear. You can watch the chat without signing in too which will probably be even more fun. It will likely be kinda chaotic and confusing so my trusty friend Ami is gonna be our moderator. See, she started this whole thing anyways. I was planning on just using the actual comments section and writing back and forth to each other there for a live chat—kinda Sanford and Son style—– until she asked me sophisticated questions like “Which chat forum will you be using?” and “Will there be a transcript?”

Then I started to ask myself questions like, “Are you even allowed to have a blog Miss “I don’t even know what a chat forum is”? So I did what any respectable tech-challenged blogger would do and I took my questions to google. And that’s where I met Chatroll. Ms. Ami does things like this for a living and will keep us from hurting ourselves. And apparently, there are rules for live chats.
1. Once you sign in, introduce yourself to us, tell us where your from, the name of your blog–if you have one, and whatever else you want to tell us about yourself.
2. Don’t be scared, it’s just us talking to each other. I tried it out last night and a few of you saw me and jumped into the chat and said hi. It was such a thrill, like I was doing great and adventuresome things. Again, I realize I don’t get out much but humor me, ok?
3. Treat everyone with respect and don’t use foul language, unless you’re quoting Doo from Coal Miner’s DAughter and then just add *** to finish the word. Also, when quoting Coal Miner’s Daughter, it helps if you write in the local vernacular. For example, “Hey Doo, who’s at sow you got wallering around in yer jeep?”
4. Hopefully, we won’t blow the internet up. Amen.
We’ll chat til’ you run out of stuff to talk about or until I fall asleep.  Also check this post periodically—as I will answer some of your questions at the end of this post!

I’m editing a post for Lent to be posted on Monday.   I’m also taking some time off from the world wide web of social networking.   Before I disappear for a time, I thought I’d do a little q and a.   I’ve been dreadfully behind on answering emails and such and I thought it’d be fun to answer your questions or chitty chat with you all in one post.   I’ll end this little online conversation with a live chat on this comment section tomorrow evening, which will be Sunday March 6th.   What time is good for you?  I was thinking maybe 7-8?   Can you be here?   We can talk about whatever you want.   Boots, lip gloss, insurance, tomato soup, homeschooling,  current fads in Christianity, my love for C.S. Lewis,  photography or even my favorite lines in Coal Miner’s Daughter.    You pick, we’ll chat.  If you can’t be here, you can just leave your comment or question on this post and I’ll either post my commentary in this post or the comment section.   I’m all ears, just like Hank!

I’ll start with a recent question from one of you about current pics of where we are living.   This is the awesome house we’re currently renting.  We love it.  Beautiful established neighborhood and VERY convenient to everything. We are so blessed to be able to live here.

and here’s our bedroom with a bed–no headboard, a dresser and a lamp.

Now, it’s your turn. I’m grabbing my coffee.

***********************

1.   Melissa asks about my favorite jeans.

I could speak all day on this topic.   But here’s the short and skinny.   Every girl needs a pair of jeans that fit perfectly.   It won’t be the same brand/cut/style for each person.   But ‘good’ jeans are a must.   I wear jeans almost everyday so I’d rather pay $150 a pair for one good pair than $50 a pair for four mediocre pairs.   I like American Eagle jeans but I find that I’m always *hiking* them up.   My favorite non-hiking, non-muffintop jeans are these Dojo jeans from 7 For All Mankind. These are the best jeans ever made.  Ever.   I ordered my last pair from Zappos (I also had these before the fire) and couldn’t live without them.   I also LOVE these gray skinny jeans called the Bree jean— from the Blogger collection!! —-(which I wear rolled up as capri jeans) from CAbi.   If you don’t have a CAbi consultant, you need one because their stuff is awesome and I can get you in touch with my friend Susan who will meet all your fashion needs.   CAbi has been sending me boxes of free clothes as part of the ‘Heart of CAbi’ program for people who’ve gone through tragedy.  I love this company.    They also have a blog called Cabi Canary, which you will love.

Last week, I found this pair of trouser/sailor looking jeans from American Eagle,  called the daydreamer,  that I love.  These fit like butt-ah!

See what I mean?  I could talk all day.

2.  Fad-Driven Christianity

Shannan and Robyn and Bev ask about my take on the plethora of fads that now dominate American Christianity.   Have you noticed this propensity in christianity for the next big thing?  The next new book or program?  We wait with bated breath for something new, better, more spiritual that will somehow take us to that next level in our christian life.   But like all fads, even my current favorite the Dolman shirt, they will come and go and soon enough there will be something brighter, shinier, better to grab our attention.   From my own fad-frenzied past, here’s what I think.   I think we’re prone to follow fads because we’re so starved for the real thing—-which is the gospel.   Most of our churches don’t faithfully preach the gospel every single Sunday.   Most of the books we read are full of how-to’s and laundry lists of things we should be doing—instead of focused on the finished work of Christ on the cross.    Most of our friends are doing the next big fad and we feel left out if we don’t know about it.   But what have we forsaken in our quest for relevancy?  Most of these fads are quazi self-help without any clear delineation of God’s law and His gospel.  It’s the gospel that’s at stake.

“Pray this prayer and you’ll be rich.   Do these things and you’ll get rewards in heaven.   Wear this bracelet and you’ll know what to do in certain situations.   Wear this ring and stay pure.”

There is no need for the gospel in these scenarios.  The gospel plays second fiddle to the program.   Christ plays second fiddle to the christian’s self improvement.

A distorted gospel is no gospel at all.

In an article I’ve linked to below, written by Pastor Todd Wilken, he quotes Os Guiness from the book Prophetic Untimeliness, who says that

Relevance without truth encourages what Nietzsche called the “herd” mentality and Kierkegaard “the age of the crowd.” Further compounded by accelerated change, which itself is compounded by the fashion-driven dictates of consumerism, relevance becomes overheated and vaporizes into trendiness.

Feverishness is the condition of an institution that has ceased to be faithful to its origins. It is then caught up in “a restless, cosmopolitan hunting after new and ever newer things.

This article written by Lutheran pastor Todd Wilken says it all.  If at possible,  read it for yourself and keep an open mind because the first time I read it, I was still a little fad-frenzied and it shook me to the core.
You will find a fair and  intelligent discussion on the topic here that is based on this article by Terry Mattingly.    Joe Carter, an evangelical himself,  wrote this about the the most dangerous fads in and fixtures of American churches.

As for other trends, I’m as guilty as the next girl.  I love chevron and ikat fabrics and I love starfish and antlers and I especially love the current trend of classical christian education.   Trends are hard to resist.  But when it comes to the “faith once delivered to the saints”, that in itself, will never be trendy.   THe gospel is foolishness to the world.   I’ll finish with this paragraph which is the final paragraph of  Pastor Wilken’s article:

As I write this, my 12-year-old daughter is convinced that hip-hugger bell-bottoms are the greatest idea in fashion history. I don’t have the heart to tell her that I used to think so too. She thinks her father looks old-fashioned and lacks all sense of style. I don’t have the heart to tell her that I look back at pictures of my bell-bottom days and laugh. I don’t have the heart to tell her that someday she will do the same. The Church is an old man who has been wearing the same clothes in the same style his whole life. He refuses to change with the fashions. He simply lets the fads pass him by. Yes, he seems behind the times. But look again at what he is wearing. He is clothed in Christ.

Sheepishly stepping off soapbox now and hoping you don’t throw things at me.

3.  Living your authentic self

Patty asked about living authentically despite the fads that sweep through culture.  I love this quote by Lewis:

I can’t remember if I showed this to you yet.   The first few times I looked through the rubble, I missed this little jewel. Pretty neat, huh?

Are you ever burdened by big issues and find comfort in the minutiae?   Me too.  Join me in my numbered list of minutiae.

1.  I’m reading Abigail Adams and will soon start Edna Ferber’s novel So Big (for bookclub).  I’ve been obsessed with Abigail before.   She’s easy to admire. Reading about her life takes the complaining right out of me.

2.  The girls and I are about 2/3’s through memorizing The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. I found this interactive map and kinda like it.

3.   I made this for dinner on Friday and it was dee-lish-us.   Best guacamole I’ve ever made and ever eaten, save the one from San Antone.

4.   I made  this for dinner last night, in case you wondered.   Really good too.

5.   I’m a little obsessed with house plans.   It needs to be 60 ish  x 40.   I like this one and this one and this one.   None of which are exactly 60 x 40.

6.   We’re using hardy siding and will likely use white or off white with gray or green accents.  Do you have a favorite house with hardy siding you could share with me?

7.   My files of house inspiration are growing quite rapidly.   I wish I could define my style.  I need Emily Henderson’s help with that.   Or yours.

8.   What’s your style in 3 phrases?   Texas chic,  eclectic British, southern vintage,  quirky colonial,  whimsical cottage?   I just made all those up but my Domino decorating book tells me to define my style.  It’s not as easy as it sounds.  I love the book though.   Now, tell me your style in three phrases and maybe I can just copy you.

9.    I want my new house to have a  exterior that has *depth* and demands respect  with interesting layered rooms that are fun and quirky and don’t take themselves too seriously.  Is this too much to ask?

10.  I like this color palette for my bedroom.  I just ordered some fabric swatches from Lewis and Sharon. I’m thinking dark charcoal walls that create a cozy little nest, since everything else in the house will probably be light.  With the exception of a few dark doors and window frames and floors.

And this equestrian influenced room.  Persimmon is my new favorite accent color because every room needs a pop of red.

11.  Since the fire, I find myself in ‘hunker down’ mode.   Survival mode.  I even considered sending my girls to school because I was sure that I wouldn’t be able to pull myself together enough to function properly.  That could still be debated 🙂 Turns out, schooling them and being with them everyday has been my salvation.  After a tragedy like that, it’s hard to know what to do with yourself and your emotions.   Doing school everyday has given us a structure and foundation for life.  I know what I’m supposed to do everyday.  One foot in front of the other.   Memory work then spelling then writing then math……

It also gives us plenty of opportunities to talk through the issues that arise in the grieving process.  I’m so glad I’ve kept my nose to grind.   We’ve been working hard the last few weeks and we’re on track to be finished in time to take a little summer break despite the fact that we were *off* for about a month.  You should hear these girls do their reciting of “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”.   It’s really long and they gave their dad  a preview last night.   So cool, even with all the giggling!  We’re spending the next few weeks on the American Revolution so if you have any favorite resources for this period, we’d love to hear.  I’m listening to a series of  Stanford lectures on this period (from iTunes university) and listening to an Issues, etc podcast featuring Dr. John Warwick Montgomery on, “Is America a Christian Nation?” Very good listening and I think you’d enjoy it.  “How Christian is America?” is good too.

12.  Well, I think I better get busy this morning.   Before I go, check out this section of comfort food on the Food Network.   {Note to self: Never blog when you’re hungry.}  Hope you have a great day:)

xo,

edie

p.s.  I recently discovered this gem of a song by the Avett Brothers. All My Mistakes.

…….just a tad overwhelmed by it all but slowly making my way out of the fog.   Thank you for continuing to check in on me and for your prayers.   You are the best!

You have so blessed me with all the cards and thoughtful gifts. I will never be able to catch up enough to thank you all personally but know that I am so grateful.

My friend Kim (whom I call Kimmie because I add ‘ie’ to way too many names) wrote me the above poem.  She’s my smart engineer/yoga teaching/book loving friend who claims to not be a writer.  It’s a beautiful thoughtful piece of poetry and one of my favorite gifts.  Love you Kimmie.

And Jill sent me a box full of turqoise joy—several handmade lovelies—that made me giddy with excitement and a fabric flower and a lovely ‘ponder’ bird from my friend and mentor Denise, who is the very reason I started this blog in the first place.   You girls know how to bless a sister!

Kristi, my friend and previous roomie,  made this awesome zippered pouch with the girls’ picture on it.   Isn’t it the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?  Muwahhhh.  I love it friend.

Ruth sent me the most beautiful hand-made scarf in just the perfect color.  It’s so wonderful to have something handmade to keep me warm.   Thank you so much sweet Ruth.

Boy do y’all pay attention. I received these compotes which are exACTly like the ones I had. Love them.  Makes my kitchen feel like home.  THank you Heather!

And then there was the handwritten note from Emily (my soul-breathing sister) and the bookmark from one of my favorite blog friends Melissa (handmade with unkind words—possible cursing?— spoken to her sewing machine!) and the fabric flower pin and ‘You are Mine’ necklace from Susan (my beloved friend and latin teacher to my girls).

and then my friend Michelle, a local photographer, who had taken lots of pics of our family in the past, sent me a CD full of pictures.   (sighs and tears and hugs Michelle)

A couple years ago,  I ordered the ‘All You Need is Love’ sign from Melanie at My Sweet Savannah.   I could hardly believe it when she sent me another last week in the mail.   You are such a dear Melanie.  THank you so much!   It’s starting to feel like home around here!   (And in case you were wondering what I found at Anthropologie in Nashville , I got books and bowls and  dishtowels)

One of my favorite blog friends Meg sent me this awesome vintage ‘E’ necklace.  ILOVEIT!  Thank you dear friend 🙂  I can’t wait to hug you and thank you in person.   When are we gonna do that, btw?

And Lisa Leonard, yes THE Lisa Leonard sent me this awesome ‘Much Loss, More Gain’ necklace with a heart and the word ‘Love’ on the back.  I feel so blessed and was happy to hug Lisa and thank her in person at Blissdom.

And then there’s these dear saints.   I can’t imagine how hard this has been on my mother.   It must be so difficult to watch your children suffer.   She’s been an incredible source of love and support and I’m so thankful for her in my life.   She went to Nashville with me and sat in a steamy pool room for hours while my girls swam.   Aren’t granny’s the best?  I’d never sit in there that long.

And my sister, who is like my right hand,  I don’t know how I’d function without her.   She’s toted me everywhere and put up with all my valleys.   Actually, she’s gone right down there in them with me and I’ll never be able to say thank you enough.

And reason number 177 why I should have been from Texas:  here’s my current shoe collection.

No wait, apparently,  I don’t wear shoes.  I wear boots and flip flops.

The ones in the middle are Frye riding boots and are the second most favorite pair I’ve ever owned in my life (2nd to the Ariat riding boots that perished in the fire).   It’s a shame really that I don’t ride horses.

*Sadly, I ordered another pair of  “shoes” this week.   Take one guess.  Yep, brown cowboy boots.   It’s a sickness really.

*We are doing pretty well these days. We’re living in a great rental house that we’re slowly but surely making our own.
*We are working on house plans and I am painstakingly trying to produce an inventory list of EVERYTHING that was in my house for the insurance reimbursement. It’s a teeny bit overwhelming.  Did I have 20 pairs of jeans?  30?  how many spatulas?  bowls?  Noone will ever believe the inventory list of my MAC makeup or my lamps for that matter.   Or the books or the dishes.  Anyone want a part-time job?

*I had notebooks and magazines full of inspiration pictures that are now gone and I’d love it if you’d send me links to your favorite home inspiration pics {or your favorite brown boots}. I’ll save them into a file for later.  My cousin JamieKnoxville sent me this one when I asked her to be on the lookout for master bedroom pics.  I should have known better.    You gotta hand it to her though, it is sorta

Texas-y.  Study it and get back to me.

*The girls and I are back in full swing with school and everyday we seem to remember something that we’ve forgotten to reorder.

*I’m hopelessly behind on responding to your most thoughtful messages and I profusely apologize. If you’ve sent me anything that you wanted a response from, if you wouldn’t mind to resend it now that my inbox is more manageable.

*I got a new camera, of course, and I hope to post about it sometime.  {I love how people keep asking me,  “Is that new?”   MmmmmmHmmmmmm.    It’s all new.   From the MAC down to the boots. }

Back to the camera,  I LOVE it. It’s a Nikon d7000 and Ken Rockwell wrote a great review about it. I was ready to upgrade anyways and was pretty sure I’d get the d700. The d7000 is $1200 cheaper and is being touted by many (including Karen, who’s teaching my photography class) as being as good or better than the 700. One thing I know is that this camera is like buttah. And we all know how I love that.

Have a great week.   Maybe I won’t be so scarce around here but next on my list of inventory is my closet, so if you don’t see me in a week, send in the troops.  Or better yet, let’s have an inventory party and y’all tell me everything that was in my closet?!

Much love,

xo,

edie