Edie Wadsworth

Around Here Lately

November 12, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 178 Comments

Four days after I turned my book in, we left for Sanibel for Stevie’s annual medical meeting. It was wonderful to get away and such a treat to spend time with his brother Jeff and Jeff’s wife, Vicki. I’d love to say I read voraciously and did lots of walking and running on the beach. The truth is, I think I took about 5 naps a day (mostly by the pool) and really that’s about it. The weather was beautiful and the shelling was fun, as evidenced by the display I set up on the outdoor table. I was forbidden to bring most of mine home because they were a little stinky but I did enjoy looking at them. [Read more…] about Around Here Lately

Where Can the Anger Go?

November 9, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 200 Comments

“Of the Seven Deadly Sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel of both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back–in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.” ~Frederick Buechner

I hit send on my memoir and my eyes filled up with hot tears, which came spilling over faster than I could catch them. Then I climbed in bed, curled up in a ball and slept for two hours, mascara smearing the pillow and the arm of my shirt. When I woke up, I looked outside and wondered how long the trees had been blazing with autumn. Writing your story is like deep sea diving for long stretches of time, coming up for air only long enough to bring items from the past onto the boat so you can see them more clearly and try to discover what they mean. Some of the things I dug up made me sad, many made me laugh, and others made me angry.

The anger surprised me most because it’s almost impossible to make me angry. Or thus says my pride. I’ve never been able to stay mad, almost no matter what the circumstance. But the anger was there, right there in the light of day and there was no denying it. I got angry when I looked back at a little girl that no one protected. I got angry at the times I felt abandoned and alone. Then I got angry at myself. For heaping my pain onto people who never deserved it and never saw it coming.

The anger that rises up in us needs somewhere to go, because if it lingers in us too long it becomes like poison.

A few days later I heard a song and I saw in it a picture of what our Father does with all that collective wrong we heap on each other. He comes in with guns blazing to mow down our demons, the ones tormenting us from without and perhaps especially the ones killing us from within. And in the strangest turn of events, he takes all that evil and wrong and pain and hurt and anger on Himself and dies on a cross to save both the oppressor and the oppressed within us all.

This is love that we can’t even fathom. This is the compassion of a Father who will go to every length to protect us from all the enemies that threaten us, those that rage against us and those that rage in us, bearing in His body the world’s collective misery so that you and I can go free.

He gives us His life and in turn takes on our death.

This is what it means to be cherished and protected against the gates of hell.

He lays Himself down on the altar and willingly becomes the Feast, the innocent One ravaged for us all.

A Few Things for Fashion and Health

October 31, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 305 Comments

My friend Cyndi is a style blogger for those of us over 40 and she’s participating in an awesome personal styling service in the form of a 21 day challenge! I’m doing it myself and can’t wait to get started!! Today is the first day to sign up so read a little about it and then click over from my link below and all your questions will be answered! Here a few things to know about the Build Your Wardrobe Challenge!

Style Me Pretty Challenge | Build Your Wardrobe

Imagine waking up every morning and knowing EXACTLY what you’re wearing that day. Better yet, having a closet full of age-appropriate wardrobe basics plus a multitude of mix and match outfits just right for any occasion. No more looking into your closet not knowing what to wear or wandering around the mall not knowing what to buy. All the work is done for you.

How Does the Build Your Wardrobe Basics Challenge Work?

You’ll receive a shopping list of age-appropriate wardrobe essentials perfect for just about any occasion. Don’t worry – you won’t have to invest a ton of money to participate. A lot of the pieces might already be in your closet and you’re free to shop at your favorite stores. You can spend as much or as little as you want.

You’ll get ten days to get the pieces in place. After that you’ll receive 21 days of outfit combos created from those pieces in your inbox daily. You can choose to style your pieces and wear the outfit that day or save it for another day. All of the outfits are able to be downloaded and printed so you can refer back to them.

What’s Included:

Your Build Your Wardrobe Basics Shopping List – A list of wardrobe essentials with links to recommended items plus a downloadable PDF to print off and take shopping with you.
21 Days of Daily Outfits – A different outfit combo each day created from the pieces on your shopping list. Outfits are released at 7:00 p.m. ET the night before so you can have it ready to wear the next day.
Facebook Group – Each style challenge has it’s own private Facebook group where you can show off your style, share shopping tips and make great friends. Most participants agree that this is the best part of the challenge!

Who is the Build Your Wardrobe Basics Challenge for?

Cyndi and I specifically created this challenge for women over 40 who are either starting a core wardrobe from scratch or are ready to update their basic wardrobe. We will provide 21 days of mix and match outfit options created from the pieces in the core wardrobe shopping list provided. It will be great for women who work outside of the home and those that don’t. There will even be some special occasion outfit options perfect for the upcoming holiday season!

Click here to read more about this fun 21 day challenge or to sign up with me if you’re ready to go! This is an affiliate program and one of my sponsors for November. Thank you in advance!

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I also wanted to sing the praises of Young Living Essential Oils, which I’ve been using now for about a year. As you probably know, I’m a family doctor on very extended sabbatical (as in, if you keep reading my blog and supporting my work, I’ll probably be on an eternal sabbatical!) so I was naturally a little skeptical of all the great things I had heard about the oils. I had used other brands of oils before without having any WOW results.

But after using YL and having consistent results over and over, I’m a HUGE FAN. And I’ve always been into natural remedies but these oils have changed everything for me. I think you’d love them too if you tried them. These are medicinal grade oils that are unlike anything else on the market.

We’re entering that season of colds and other seasonal ailments and I can’t tell you how relieved it makes me to know I have THIEVES around to support my immune system and promote overall wellness. GET YOU SOME!!

Also, with all the stress I’ve been under lately, I don’t know how I would have made it without the oils. I use them all day everyday! I’ve been using Peace and Calming at night for relaxation and sleep. I’ve also been using Frankincense all over my face at night before bed (to promote younger, healthier looking skin) and I LOVE IT!! Last week, I burned myself with a curling iron because my pixie cut was driving me crazy. I used Lavender and Frankincense and to promote healing and was so happy with the results. I adore these products so much that I’ve decided to use my referral link as one of the primary ways to sponsor my blog so if you’ve never heard of them or have been wanting to read more or try them out, visit my YL page and get healthy while you help support my site!

I’ll say this for sure—it’s makes way more sense to sign up as a wholesale buyer with the Premium Starter Kit because you get several hundred dollars worth of oils and a diffuser for $150. I just placed another order because up until now, I’ve been using only the oils that come in the starter kit, but after seeing how well they’ve worked in the last few months, I don’t want to be without them when sick season hits and there are others I wanted to try. I promise you that the money you will save this cold and flu season on OTC meds will pay for this kit easily and you’ll be using natural remedies that have so many benefits beyond what you’re even using them for. We have a WONDERFUL private Facebook group that I can add you to once you start using the oils that will answer every question you have and help you get the most benefit out of every oil you use.

Head over and read more! Let’s be oily friends!

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One more thing!! My October newsletter is going out this weekend, so join us is you haven’t already. With your newsletter, you’ll get a link to a private page on my blog that has a November meal plan, a download for a beautiful printable with the quote below, and a free download of my Hospitality ebook. The ebook will give you a fresh perspective on hospitality and some great practical tips as we head into the season of having people into our homes for the holidays.

Join the newsletter here!

Hope you have a dandy weekend! Follow me on Instagram for more regular updates and for a little short story I wrote on IF YOU GIVE A GIRL A PIXIE!

Smoochies,

edie

We Belong Together

October 27, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 252 Comments

fallcolors

It’s been a rough month, I’ve got no lies to tell.

I’m sorry for being MIA for so long without checking in here. I have been posting some on Instagram, but otherwise, I’ve been swimming in the deep waters of my book trying my best to finish on time. It’s due this weekend so your prayers would mean so much. Thank you for checking in on me, sending me notes and emails and texts. You so mean the world to me and I can’t thank you enough for the ways you’ve blessed and encouraged me. For the past 6 1/2 years that I’ve been writing in this space, you’ve seen the best parts of my life. My book will take you to some of the worst. In advance, I pray that the words I’ve struggled so hard to write will give you hope, that you will know beyond a shadow of a doubt to what extent your Father will go to see you redeemed. His work in my life has been nothing short of a miracle.

Going back to the hard parts of the past has been grueling and painful but freeing and necessary. But to be honest, I’m ready to write about cakes and boots and unicorns. AND? I do have a few great new recipes to share with you soon. I also have some super AWESOME stuff to share with you in my upcoming newsletter, which goes out at the end of this week. If you haven’t subscribed, you’re gonna want to. I’ve commissioned a friend of mine to do an awesome printable for us as a free download, along with the meal plan and a short writing sample from my book. Sign up here, dear friends!

To illustrate the current state of my mind, I went for 6 out of 8 days where I wore this outfit. Please don’t judge. I did shower and change other garments (ahem), but it just seemed to hard too hunt for different clothes when these were laying right there on the chair by my bed.

I may need to be supervised and possibly placed in assisted living for a short time after my manuscript is turned in.

pixie

On the bright side, I made the BEST EVER BEEF STEW, which you should totally make this week for your people. This is how I apologize profusely to my family for what they’ve had to endure the last few weeks and months. This is like love and forgiveness and absolution all in one pot. It’s the glory of October. It’s the one pot wonder of the world. But, I digress.

We either serve it with cornbread or with garlic toast. Either way, this is so unbelievably good. Is it the bacon fat? the wine? the cream? I don’t know but what I do know is, Stevie as much as asked if we could renew our vows after I made this. #trueloveeats

beefstew

Coming soon to a blog near you when said blogger has turned in her book and slept for two weeks straight—braided bread or challah. THE BEST! Holla, challah! (as my Instagram friends pointed out). And it’s so fun to bake for company because it looks so fanciful and precious. Also, it’s one of my very favorite things in the entire world to make and eat.

braidedbread

In other news, I went to Allume last week and met up with my editors and some of my favorite people in the world. I slept very little, danced very much, was encouraged and inspired to keep on trucking, and hugged so many familiar faces that have made my life so full and rich.

It reminded me that we belong together. You and me. What we have here on these internets is pretty special. Sophie’s keynote will do your heart good because it will remind you what an honor it is for us to be a part of each other’s lives. I want to honor you. I want to honor my other writer friends. I hold you in the highest esteem and want you to know that I am cheering you on. Thank you for showing up everyday in the lives of your people. And thank you for showing up in mine.

Love you and see you soon,

edie

MY NEWEST BLOG SPONSOR:

This post is generously sponsored by my YL. I am into natural choices for my family, and this is the main way I help boost our immune systems and alleviate lots of minor aches, pains, and injuries. Read more about how we are using them everyday! My Young Living essential oils are also my newest business venture, and the oils are so well loved that they sponsor my blog!!! Thank you, friends! Enroll by clicking here.

Define Your Style {A Dutch Boy Collaboration and Contest}

October 7, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 295 Comments

I always assumed that when I got really good and grown up and got everything in my house just how I wanted it, I’d stop wanting to repaint and redecorrange my rooms. I should have known that no such day would ever come. My style continues to evolve and change and my love for creating a welcome and cozy environment for my family only gets stronger. [Read more…] about Define Your Style {A Dutch Boy Collaboration and Contest}

When the Truth Comes Out

October 6, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 685 Comments

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down to a typewriter and bleed.” Ernest Hemingway

I woke up at 3:15 on Saturday morning and crawled out of bed, fumbling around on the floor for my computer. I knew I wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep so I made my way to the living room where I knelt down on the floor beside the sofa and prayed, “Please give me the courage to tell the truth. I need You. Amen.” And with only the angst in my stomach for fuel, I began to write about the hardest year of my life.

I kept getting stuck. I kept wanting to skirt around the truth, wanting to say what needed to be said, but guarding the deepest hurt and shame like a fractured bone. I wanted to tell the truth but so strong was the desire to protect myself. I wrestled with it until I finally had the courage to write one true sentence. Hemingway said, “Write hard and clear about what hurts. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest thing you know.” [Read more…] about When the Truth Comes Out