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life{in}grace

live with more presence, passion, & purpose

confessions

Cake and Karaoke

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Okay, y’all.

It was the best party ever.  I’ve got no lies to tell.  We were celebrating milestones;  Caiti turning 21 and Emme turning 13.  And would you believe me if I told you that there was not ONE decoration.  Not one.  Not even a single solitary “Happy Birthday” napkin.

What we had was this—we had cake and we had karaoke.  

So, before you go and judge me and throw me out of the cute party decorations club, here me out.

When I say we had cake, we had cake, dear ones.

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It was delicious and worth every bit of effort.   But, it wasn’t close to being the star of the show. Not by a long shot.

Karaoke is my love language.  And my kids love music, so we decided to have a little fun with a borrowed karaoke machine. (Thank you, Shawna!)  So, after scarfing down some cake, we  scurried downstairs to start the karaoke party because if I know one thing about myself, it’s this:  6 hours of karaoke won’t be long enough.  Amen? Amen.  We were lamenting our lack of decorations because we felt like we really needed a back drop that matched the quality of the karaoke.  That’s when we decided to set Buck up right behind us.  He was perfect in every way.  And quit trying to press play on that awesome photo, it’s a screen shot, a teaser, if you will.  All in all, it was a fantastic ab workout, because I don’t believe I’ve ever laughed so much in one day.  I came upstairs and the look on Stevie’s face was priceless.  I said, “It’s pretty awesome, huh?”, to which he replied, “Oh, it’s awesome, alright.”

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Sister and I warmed up on Coal Miner’s Daughter and Stand By Your Man.  And when you sing with all the fervor that we do, even those two’ll wear you out. All of our girls and two of the girls’ friends were there (Bless their hearts) and we knew that if we just kept singing, the teens and tweens would soon join in.  For a good two hours, we tried to entice them with the likes of Delta Dawn, Ring of Fire, Hello Darlin’, and Mama Tried.  There was a lot of eye rolling and eye brow raising, and in general making fun of the mommas.  But, I can’t be deterred by a little critique from a few teenagers.  What do they know about life?  Watch Coal Miner’s Daughter a few more times and then we’ll talk.  So, sister and I took a short break, to rest our voices, and head upstairs for more cake.  As you might have guessed, the lure of the microphone was too much and what do we hear from the basement but a few girls singing some mellow Maroon Five. I can’t say I totally support their choice of music, but those girls can really sing.  We enjoyed hearing our girls lightly whisper their tunes and were  happy they finally decided to embrace the joys of karaoke, even if somewhat begrudgingly.

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And this cutie pie can pretend she was asleep, but we all know she was loving every minute of it.

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After the UT was over, we begged Taylor to join us.  He reluctantly took his seat between the sisters and sang Mama Tried with us.  Real musicians have little patience for karaoke, but he humored us.

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Then, the girls sang some more, but our time was running short so we finally wrung the microphones out of their greedy hands to finish up with a grand (repeat) finale of Mountain Man by Alabama and Coal Miner’s Daughter by my hero, Loretta Lynn.  And if it weren’t for the fact that I would sit in my basement all day singing old school country songs, I’d get myself one of those karaoke machines.  I haven’t had this much fun in years.  Well, not since that time, back in the 90’s, when JamieKnoxville and I wowed half of Atlantic City with our mad skillz and sang, “Did I Shave My Legs For This?”

Caiti, who turns 21 tomorrow, humored us by singing Stand By Your Man with us.  I feel like it’s a right of passage for a young woman much more important than the being able to buy alcohol. We put her right between us and tried not to drown her out, since she actually has a stunning voice.

So, my final thought to you is, who needs decorations when you have this kind of passionate entertainment?  And what could be better for the 13 year old psyche than to karaoke with your mom?

I can’t think of anything.

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I was tempted to upload a little snippet of audio for you, but, my computer kept freezing up, and  honestly, whatever you’ve conjured up in your mind is ten times better than the real thing!  I mean, just look at that photo—a picture is worth a thousand videos.  We were in it to win it.

p.s.  If you need high quality entertainment for you next party, you know where to find me.

Around the House, the Gifts of the Morning

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It happens every couple months, you know those mornings—where time almost stands still—and your eyes and heart are a little more open to the gifts that are strewn about all around you.  This morning was like that for me.  It started out with a 4:45 wake up alarm, except I woke up at 4:43, like I always do when I set an alarm.  I read from Psalm 90 (from the PrayNow app, which I ADORE) this little gem of a passage:

 So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Return, O Lord! How long?  Have pity on your servants!

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,  and for as many years as we have seen evil.

 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us;

Yes, establish the work of our hands!

I got right to work on some writing projects and finished my morning goals before sunrise.  Since I’m heading to Ms. Patty’s today for a little blogging workshop, I thought I’d bake some homemade honey wheat bread for the festivities.  (She’s one of those rare people who notices the beautiful moments around her.  I’m hoping some of that rubs off on me today.) The problem with early morning bread making is that  my mixer sounds the way my  first car (affectionately called Rambo)  sounded when you were trying to start it.
Naturally, I took operations to the porch, only to be greeted by the most beautiful morning in recent memory.  (Thank you for your lovely and funny messages on IG!)
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Two tween girls studied for their vocabulary test in the background and laughed at my antics of toting the mixer outside!  After the bread was stirred up and rising, there was just enough flour left to use up the blueberries in a batch of blueberry scones.  (I’m horrified to show you how low I’ve let the flour get.  I apologize profusely and will correct this ASAP!)
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The scones are all kinds of delicious and now I’ll be inventing every flavor/ingredient combination.  Why did I ever give up on scones?  They’re like sophisticated biscuits.
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That’s when I realized that the chickens were out.  Lazy Hank let me know right quick.  Side note: He likes to lay right where I’m working so as to nearly cause me to die from a hip fracture every 30 seconds.
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He was right.  They were clucking around by the door, wanting in on  the magical morning action.
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So, that took me outside, which made me say a thousand thank you’s to myself for planting these flowers back in May.  They’re still showing off!
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Which took me to my unruly *garden*, where the basil tried to inflict guilt on me for not harvesting it and making pesto yet.
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Which led me to this row of  cherry trees that Steve bought this Spring.
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Back inside, while I waited for the bread to finish, I listened to THE most amazing sermon.  It’s 12 minutes long.  Do yourself a favor, listen and be blessed today.  If you’re so pressed for time, you can’t listen to it all, at least listen to the last five minutes.  It’s unbelievable Gospel preaching. There is more good news in that 12 minutes than you might have heard in the past thousand hours.  It’s about the Good Samaritan and you might be surprised to find out who your Good Samaritan is. (For more of my pastor’s Christ-centered preaching, click here.)
Then, the bread was done.  A glorious, magical morning indeed!
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So, that’s it.  Out of doors bread mixing, beautiful sunrise, hands to do good work, blueberries, dog, kids, chickens, and homemade scones.  Good gifts, from our Good Samaritan, who loves His children.
And may you have magical mornings or maybe just the eyes to see them.
Smooches all around.
THE END.

The Cottage

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I spent Saturday at my farm with my mom and sister, painting Mama and Papa G’s new house in a lovely shade of light beige.  I wear the color well, as my hair and shoes and shirt will testify.  The 40 acre farm is about 40 minutes from here, over the beautiful Clinch Mountains, around a hundred winding curves, and past gorgeous pastureland and clear mountain streams.  When Stevie bought the land ten years ago, I was baffled.  It was part swamp/part very steep ridge and I couldn’t imagine why on earth he would want a piece of property so remote and so seemingly unusable.  But, he had vision and after hundreds of hours of research and planning, he turned those wetlands into a 2 acre, spring fed pond. It’s a site to behold.  Every time I sit on the front porch of the little cottage he had built for us and look out over this water, I am reminded that love and creative genius always go hand in hand.  This little piece of heaven is his love note to us and when I’m here I remember how hard he worked to give us this gift.

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The cottage was broken into a few years ago and vandalized so we went through a period of thinking we would have to sell it.  Our kids were at the age where weekends away were almost impossible and our plate was full of things we barely had time to tend to. So, when my mom retired, she and Papa G agreed to move up there and take care of it for us, in exchange for foggy mountain mornings, watching the sun rise over the water. It’s been a win-win for everyone. They love it there so much that they’re building their own house on the acreage.  I couldn’t be happier for them.  And for us. We envision holidays, where there will be enough room between the two places for us all to stay.

The drive over on Saturday morning was nearly a religious experience.  The sun was burning off the fog and the trees were dancing with dew drops that sparkled like diamonds.  The air was crisp and clear and I was the only one on the road to witness all these miracles of God. He loves us so well.

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 The last 2 miles of the journey follow the meandering path of Sweet Creek and you always hope that you don’t meet a car coming the other way.  Tiny country roads, where the sun has to fight to get through, are right at the top of my love list.  And riding through them on a four wheeler?  Even better.

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When I finally made it, I was so full to the brim with the beauty of the drive, that I wasn’t sure how to transition to actual work.  But, my sister doesn’t keep her head in clouds like me, so she helped keep us focused.  We painted and groaned and laughed and schemed all day.  That little spot between my shoulder blades hates me this morning for those hours holding an extension rod, but just being there for a day refreshed my soul. Their huge wooden ceiling refreshed my soul, too.  Isn’t it spectacular?

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I’ve said it before, but this land is special and now that our little cottage will be vacant again, my mind is full of possibilities.  It could be a writing cabin, a mountain rental, a place for crafting weekends, or women’s retreats?  You could come here for the weekend and take in the mountain air.  It would be glorious!  My friend, Nester, just found her own slice of heaven, so I’ll be watching all her renovations like a hawk. I can hardly wait to see what she does with her farm house.  I’ve created a Pinterest board for my cottage dreams, in case you’d like to follow.

Stevie has finally given me the go-ahead to paint the exterior, so I’m pretty sure our little mountain cottage will someday soon be the perfect shade of white, although I’ll take your suggestions if you have them!

cottage Help me brainstorm and figure out a way to use this little house to bless.

Love to you all and happy Monday!

(While you ponder that, let Mumford inspire you, too. I listened to this song on repeat all the way to the farm.  It’s my new favorite.)

10 Books Every Christian Should Read

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10 books every christian should read

During my (very scant) downtime this summer, I did quite a bit of reading.  It seems like I’m either reading 4 books a week or none at all.  My summer favorite was Stephen King’s memoir, called On Writing: 10th Anniversary Edition: A Memoir of the Craft.  I haven’t read even one of his fiction books (I’m a huge scared-y cat!) but his memoir is most excellent.  It got me thinking that despite the fact that I start things I can’t finish (like a classical book club), I am a book worm in the highest order.  I thought I’d make my top 10 list of books every christian should read and then in the comments, you can share ones you think should have made the list!

Surely you knew this would be number 1! This is perhaps my favorite book of all time, although that’s a little hard to narrow down.  The book is partially responsible for bringing Stevie and I back to the faith after some long, hard years in medical training.  Lewis gently leads the reader from his posture of unbelief to his unapologetic embrace of Christianity.  In Lewis’ own words, “A young athiest can never be too careful what he reads.”

 

This book is for Chesterton what Mere Christianity is for Lewis. I’ve read it five times and (finally understand a lot of it!) enjoy so much every time I read it. Philip Weingart said about Orthodoxy,

“Since Chesterton was both a genius and the son of a saner era than our own, the ideas which coursed through his head may astonish modern readers. He seems to turn the world on its head; the book is a continuous feast of the delightfully unexpected. To Chesterton, faith is reason, orthodoxy is liberty, the order of our universe is as unexpected as the wildest fairy tale, and heeding tradition is as natural as allowing all citizens to vote. Modern readers at first will think him just a little bit crazy, but as they warm up to his approach, they will begin to feel that perhaps his point of view is healthier than theirs, and in the best of cases, they will begin to right themselves.”

This is Augustine’s autobiography of his journey to God.   He was converted as an adult and went on to heavily influence medieval Christianity.

“You called and shouted and burst my deafness. You flashed, shone, and scattered my blindness. You breathed odors, and I drew in breath and panted for You. I tasted, and I hunger and thirst. You touched me, and I burned for Your peace.”

I’m reading this book now, but it makes every MUST READ list and I can see why, so I added it to mine.

A retelling of the fall in poetic form.

“Above all, don’t lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.”

This little book is so chocked full of good stuff, you’ll have to read and reread.

“Christian community is like the Christian’s sanctification. It is a gift of God which we cannot claim. Only God knows the real state of our fellowship, of our sanctification. What may appear weak and trifling to us may be great and glorious to God. Just as the Christian should not be constantly feeling his spiritual pulse, so, too, the Christian community has not been given to us by God for us to be constantly taking its temperature. The more thankfully we daily receive what is given to us, the more surely and steadily will fellowship increase and grow from day to day as God pleases.”

If you start with one book on this list, this should be it. It explores the basic tenets of Christianity from the perspective of the historic faith.  Veith is Lutheran (like me) but this book is invaluable for any believer.  It’s refreshingly Christ-centered in every aspect.

Most lists include this book and I have to agree.  I read it aloud with my girls when they were in 3rd grade (I think?) and it took almost a year.  Go slow.  It’s one to steep in and cherish.

God’s Grandeur

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
    It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
    It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
    And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
    And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;

    There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
    Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs —
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
    World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

Here are my first five alternates:

So, now, you tell me what you would add to the list.  It’s hard to make a list of just ten!

And have a glorious week!

(All links are affiliate links.)

Weekend Favorites

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I’ve been so behind on blog reading this summer.  I guess that’s a good thing, but it’s been nice to have a little extra time in the week to catch up.

A few favorites from the week:

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This project from Jenny is right up on my list of things to try.  Spray painted vinyl.  GET OUT.

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Kristen from The Hunted Interior and her stylish options for storage!

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And while we’re on the black and white theme, I made Italian Sub Soup this weekend.  Add it your week’s menu, you won’t be sorry.

Unless you’re vegetarian—then you’ll be very, very sorry.

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And while we’re on food, I found an amazing blog on Pinterest this week. Save up a good half a day and visit localmilkblog.com.  

The food, the writing—all exquisite, and a fellow Tennessean, too!

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Jen at Conversion Diary’s post on Why a show about meth dealers made me feel closer to God

And lastly, if you don’t have the new album from  The Civil Wars don’t wait another minute.

Incredible singer-songwriters, lyrics that capture the beautiful brokenness of love, and haunting harmonies that beg you to lean in and listen.

What was your favorite thing around blog world this week?

Creatively Made Home {Home for the Holidays}

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        I am so giddy with excitement to share with you a project I’ve been planning and working on this summer.  I will be teaching an e-course, hosted by Jeanne Oliver as part of her Creatively Made Home series called, Home for the Holidays.  There will be 8 other VERY creative women as we will be share our hearts through projects and videos on how we make the holidays special for our families.

They are:

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(Jen Rizzo, Jennifer O’Brien, Karianne from Thistlewood Farms, Jeanne Oliver, Anne Marie Klaske, Cathy Penton, Carol Spinski, Andrea Fowler.)

The course will include recipes, handmade decor, handmade gifts, and stories of our favorite holiday memories.  Early registration for the course begins Monday and if you register during the first two weeks of early registration, the course (normally $58) is $48.  The course will run for four weeks but you have access to the videos for one full year.  Some of the most creative bloggers I know are participating and you have access to ALL their videos and projects plus those I will be teaching.  The course will start October 1st, in plenty of time for you to use many of the ideas in your holiday decorating and cooking this year.

Here’s the description of the course and what is included with your purchase:

Fall is right around the corner and a time when many of us start making our homes warm and cozy for the seasons and holidays ahead.

Because the holidays can also be a time of stress, conflict, loneliness, sadness and disappointment, I want this course to be a reminder of what you bring into your home, your family and the beauty that your life and gifts bring to those around you.

You will be encouraged as you hear honestly from each woman about the times things did not go as planned during their holidays.

You will hear honest discussions about their own journey of hospitality.

You will walk away inspired as you hear about the traditions and special moments from their childhood and how they create special moments with their families today.

You will be able to watch beautiful videos with gift giving ideas, decorating projects and favorite family recipes.

We all want to create authentic moments with our friends and family.

We all desire for the ones we love to leave our homes knowing that they were welcomed and loved.

My hope is that this course will help you to slow down and find the joy and beauty in the holidays.

 

 WHAT IS INCLUDED

* Each week you will have amazing truthful videos from the nine teachers.

* There will be 30+ project videos.

These will be incredible videos that include everything from cooking, gift giving and decorating.

                                *Tons of beautiful house photos from each of the nine women

 

*Supply lists and PDFs for each project

 

*A digital recipe book of the recipes shared in this course

This course is about loving your home, loving your family and blessing those around you….and having fun doing it.

If you have taken my other courses you know how much I put into them.

This course will lavish you with ideas, beauty, inspiration, joy and encouragement!

Come and play with us.

Registration is open NOW and you will have access for one full year!

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Because of the nature of the course there are no refunds.

All other refunds before the course begins fall under the policies in my shop.

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If you would be willing to blog about this project, you can take the course for free.  Just email with the post link, after you have blogged about it and we will get you signed up to take the course for free.

I’m also giving away two spots in the course today to anyone who comments and shares the course with some form of social media.  I trust you so just tell me in your comment where you plan to share the link.

If you decide to register in the early registration phase, you will ALSO  need to register at jeanneoliver.ning.com after you pay for the course.  This will give you access to Jeanne’s teaching classrooms.   You will create your own login and password and will have instant access on the day the course begins, which is October 1st.

I can’t wait to share some holiday inspiration with you!

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Click here to register for the course!!