blogging

I can hardly wait for March 10th to get here!  I’m giddy with excitement and shaking in my boots all at the same time.  Only 41 days left…….

In case you missed it, Sibi is hosting her 2nd annual Pearl Event, where women encourage each other with their stories of suffering and trial and joy and how God is using those life events to bring glory to Himself.

I will be among 4 other speakers/sharers, along with Paige, Sarah, Jane and Sibi. We are all so blessed and excited to be a part and we want to meet you there!

I wanted to let you know that there are 75-ish tickets left and 7 rooms left at the special rate.

It looks like this baby’s gonna sell out and I really hope some of you–the best internet friends in the world—can make it.

We will have a meet and greet on Friday night March 9th at Opryland Hotel, more details to follow.

We are also hoping to still get a few sponsors so if you’d like to help us in any way with donations or providing lunch or providing anything to give away, we’d love to hear from you.

It’s going to be a day of awesomeness and I don’t want you to hem haw around and miss it.   I’m a hem hawer from way back so I know your type.

Just do it.  Today. Sign up for $25 and meet me in Nashville!!!

You won’t regret it.   And if you aren’t completely satisfied with your day of awesomeness, I’ll serenade you with my best Tammy Wynette impersonation.

It’s a win-win.  I know the words by heart.

xoxo,

edie

p.s. Visit the Pearl Event Facebook page here!

p.p.s.  Thank you for all your beautiful emails about the post that was moved but not deleted.  Y’all make a grown woman cry.   You are dear, dear friends 🙂

I have 47 posts swirling in my head. But I’ve been hamstrung this week. A few snarky emails will do that to a committed people pleasing girl.
Once in a while, it seems I will inevitably strike at a nerve. I will say something and either the way I say it or the content of what I’m saying comes across as offensive.
I’ve been blogging for four years and during the first two years, I removed several posts because I grew weary of the negative/controversial emails.
I don’t do that anymore. I am not ashamed of who I am.
I can only write my story, with it’s myriad of limitations and biases and faults.
And writing is hard. It takes a lot of time and hefty dose of courage.

Then I start to reevaluate all of it. Is it worth making myself {and my family} vulnerable?
Should I shut it all down and quietly go about my business? Or perhaps I should be more seeker sensitive and write only those things which culture values.
So, I ran a lot this week. And thought about it. And stewed about it. And repented for the need to justify myself. And ran harder. (It’s been good for my workout)

Then, I pulled on my big girl running shorts and decided that I really like being here, in this space.
I don’t take it for granted. I can handle the occasional critic. And though I don’t imagine that I’ll always write here–I do think it’s where I’m supposed to be for now.
I am completely humbled and thankful for the privilege to do this: to write, to make friends, to encourage, to be encouraged.
Most days, I do it with fear and trembling.
There seems no end to the blessings that I’ve received from meeting you here.
So, thank you. I am indebted to you for your unfailing kindness and encouragement.

Please know that this space is where I share my very own personal views and beliefs. Like Lewis, I don’t write to be understood but to understand.
I pray you will leave here with something helpful for your own journey but I will not change my story for you.
I pray you will read with grace and compassion for a woman who is deeply flawed but desperately seeking the life and redemption only to be found in Christ and often to be found in suffering.

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

On a related note, I may or may not listen to semi-angry hip-hop and rock music when I’m running. It may or may not be the only thing that will motivate me to make it back to my car. I call it audio-adrenaline. I usually prefer the likes of Eminem and Alkaline Trio (the clean versions, of course) but this was the song of the week for my misunderstood self. I feel vindicated. And tired. Very tired.

Comments closed because y’all are so sweet that you’re gonna run to my rescue and I promise, I’m over it now and I know you’re there for me!
Also, if I remove this post tomorrow (enjoy the irony) , you won’t have typed your comment in vain!
xoxo
mwahhhhh 🙂
peace out, yo.

And the winner is: Diane4529!

Please email me Diane and I’ll email you the confirmation of the paid ticket.   Let me know if something prevents you from coming so we make good use of the ticket!  Congratulations Diane!

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Before you fill up that brand spanking new 2012 calendar, I think you should consider a little road trip with me to Nashville on March 10.

My darling sweet-as-sugar friend Sibi has announced Pearl Event II—The Double Strand, a gathering of women for a day to connect through stories and share through vulnerability and encourage our fellow sisters in our various vocations as women.

My knees are already knocking.  I’m supposed to share my story.    Whilst standing upright and speaking into a microphone.  And ideally without disintegrating into a puddle of tears.

I said yes right away and then got chest pains and hyperventilated.   Then I ate some fudge and felt better.

And then I did hitch kicks because PAIGE IS GONNA BE THERE TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

{I don’t know if I can wait until March.}

So I really hope you’ll join us.   We want to meet you and love on you and make sure you know what a pearl of great price you are to our Father!

Sibi’s friends Sarah and Jane will be there as well sharing their stories.  I have lots of new friends to make!

And then Sibi herself will tell her tender story of struggle and faith.

{{Side story:   I met Sibi at Blissdom 2 years ago and I think she  may very well be an angel in disguise.  You’ve never met a  more  sweet or gracious southern belle.  Her description of meeting me cracked me up—she said I was a cross between Paula Deen and Beth Moore, carrying a plate of cupcakes (true story) and dressed like a scrapbook page with heavily applied eye liner (true that as well) }}

Here’s the nitty gritty:

Saturday, March 10, 2012

9:00 ~ 4:00

The Opryland Hotel

Magnolia Ballroom

Nashville, Tennessee

You may purchase a ticket for $25 here. There is limited space so don’t hem and haw around like I’m want to do.

I’ll be getting to Nashville on Friday so we can eat lunch together and shop at Anthropologie and get our smoky eyes done at the MAC counter for free.

I’m so excited to meet you in real life that I’m buying a ticket myself and giving it away to you!

Just leave a comment and I’ll pick a winner at exactly 12:00am on January 1st 2012.

Who am I kidding.  It’s very likely I’ll be asleep but I’ll pick a winner soon, how’s that?

Pencil in the Pearl Girls.

Mwahhhhhh!

xoxo,

ms. edie shaking-in-her-cowboy-boots wadsworth

1. I told you about our church’s plan to read the New Testament this summer.

Would you think less of me if I told you  we’re woefully behind?

Why is it that it can be so hard (especially in the summer) to squeeze in time for the most powerful words on  earth?

These words of His aren’t just any words—they are sharp and powerful and lifechanging.

The Word is so important that it even became flesh and ‘dwelt among us’.

Christ Himself.

So, in desperation to find a doable way to catch up,  I searched for a free audio version of the scriptures that we could listen to in the car.

I found the ESV podcast version on my iphone  called ‘Faith Comes By Hearing’ and it is WONDERFUL.

It reads like a story, using different voices and some sound effects.

We all love it and we just may catch back up this week.

2. I read THE most fascinating article by Susan Wise Bauer this week, refuting some of the arguments made by Neil Postman on image-centered culture.

I love Neil Postman and find so much truth in what he says about culture and media.   I’ve never heard anything quite like Susan’s rebuttal.

It reconfirms in my mind what a brilliant thinker she is and how blessed we’ve been by her homeschooling curriculum.    The article has four parts and is lengthy but

is so well worth the read.

3. I made paella and sangria for Father’s Day.    Both these recipes are fantastic.    They will most definitely go into the regular rotation.

You should give them a try.    Your people will love you.

4. The girls have been in VBS this week so I’ve been running around in Knoxville looking at countertops and wood and tile and appliances and outdoor furniture.

Here’s what I’ve purchased so far::  two remnants of absolute black granite (60 x 20 and 48 x 24) for $565, which includes installation,   a floor model 48 inch subzero

refrigerator for $3000 less than the builder’s price,   a Lloyd Flanders Nantucket wicker sofa at a steal and I’m waiting for a quote right now on the most gorgeous piece of Calcutta Gold

marble that I have EVER seen in my ENTIRE life.   It’s a beauty.

Today, I plan to pick the tile for my shower and bathroom floor.   I’m probably using octagon and dot (all white) for the floor and white subway tile for the shower.

I also have purchased almost all my lighting online and I think I’ll have to dedicate a whole post just to lighting.

Here’s the sofa 🙂

5. This is my inspiration picture for my screen porch.   This blue ceiling is very southern and is called ‘haint’ blue.

It’s supposed to ward off evil spirits and make for happy healthy porch sitting.

I’ve got my blue narrowed down to 2 or 3 colors.  Any thoughts or suggestions?

(I know it really doesn’t ward off evil spirits but I also love good southern  folklore)

And this is my inspiration picture for my upstairs landing/catwalk.

I’m not a huge fan of railings but this one makes me so happy.  My builder showed it to our trim guys and they think they can do it!!    Yee-haw!

This is my hardwood floor inspiration picture.   Wide plank, worn looking, deep rich color.

6.  I’ve listened to some really good podcasts lately that you might enjoy:

Christianity and Pop-Culture

Christ-centered FAtherhood

Christ in the Old Testament–The Flood—-this could be one of the most fascinating podcasts I’ve ever heard!

The First Pentecost, simply amazing!

7.   A big hug and kiss and a heartfelt thank you to the top ten referrers to this blog.   I love you and admire you all!

The Nester

Darby at Fly Through Our Window

Meg from Whatever

Melanie from My Sweet Savannah

Shannan from Flower Patch Farm Girl

Lindsey from the Pleated Poppy

Paige from Simple Thoughts

Melissa at 320 Sycamore

Layla at The Lettered Cottage

Kate from Centsational Girl

oh and I couldn’t stop at ten when one of my favorite bloggers is next

Emily from Chatting at the Sky

Thank you all!   You inspire me and teach me and make me think.   LOVE from me to you!!!

8. My current favorite Mumford and Sons song.

patty, polly
shannan, jessica, moi

today, i want to support my friend polly in her efforts to love and care for orphans.

polly and her husband jeff are on the long and sometimes weary road to adoption.

i was at polly’s house for a luncheon a few weeks ago and

they have very large, beautiful picture frames of their 3 gorgeous children hanging on the wall.

right beside those 3, they have another empty frame with ruby’s name in it.

ruby is the daughter that they have chosen…..

and prayed for…….

and already love and consider to be part of their family.

and as they pray for ruby and wait to meet  her, polly has agreed to

serve in a mission trip to orphans in distress in uganda this summer.

she’s raising money for a dear friend of ours to accompany them on the trip

and to help purchase supplies for the orphans.

she is 84% to her goal of  $2500.

let’s push them over the goal today—just $400 needed.

click here to donate

no amount is too small.  every little bit helps.

most of all, pray for their trip.  pray for orphans everywhere.

thank you for making us all aware ms. polly!

and thank you for visiting the fatherless.