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Something Other Than God {And also Texas}

April 28, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 89 Comments

There are a lot of great folks from Texas. I like to pride myself in all things Lone Star State, so humor me in a smidgen of Texas pride. There’s George W., Tommy Lee Jones, and Waylon Jennings. Don’t forget Gene Autry, Sam Houston and Don Henley. You probably would have guessed that Buck Owens, Roy Orbison, and George Strait all hail from Texas. A few of my personal favorites? Melanie Shankle, Shaun Groves, and Willie Nelson. Not to even mention Friday Night Lights, Tim Riggins, and Coach Taylor. (#texasforever #cleareyesfullheart)

I sometimes wonder if King David may have been from Texas, though you’re free to disagree. He definitely had some Texas tendencies.

What I’m trying to say is that it doesn’t surprise me when Texas shows off. And the great state has gone and done it again. They’ve given us another crown jewel and her name is Jennifer Fulwiler—a sixth generation Texan! [Read more…] about Something Other Than God {And also Texas}

Fairer Than Day

April 27, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 58 Comments

I breathe deeply, and certainty enters into me like light, like a piece of science, and curious music seems to hum inside my fingers.
Is there a single person on whom I can press belief? No sir. All I can do is say, Here’s how it went. Here’s what I saw. I’ve been there and am going back. Make of it what you will. ~Leif Enger, Peace Like A River.

You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. You probably wouldn’t even have believed me had you been there. But sometimes, the combination of weather and circumstance and near perfect humanity will leave you feeling like you’ve witnessed a miracle. And I needed one in the worst way.

Not because of anything insurmountable but mostly because I’m like you—a regular old unbeliever.

I doubt, I whine. My faith fades like it’s been washed in bleach.

I’m always teetering, falling, flailing. Losing my grip.

But, then grace overwhelms.

Mercy rains down.

Beauty breaks in.

The sun pours out its extravagant light on every last thing.

We are stewards of a string of magnificent moments in a land that is fairer than day.

And we’re not even home yet.

I believe. Lord, help my unbelief.

Weekend Grace

April 26, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 259 Comments

I’m so excited to announce that I’ll be speaking again this year at the Becoming Conference on August 8 and 9th. It’s held in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains at Ridgecrest Retreat Center near Asheville, NC. Some of my favorite women will be there speaking too, so I know this weekend will be a blessing. Check out this speakers page and register today! It sells out every year so don’t delay. It’s very inexpensive for a conference and so much fun! I’m working on a whole new talk this year that I’m so excited about called The Qualities of a Well Loved Home—7 Easy and Inexpensive Ways to Create a Home You Love. (The 7 things might surprise you!)

I’m also speaking next weekend in Milwaukee at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, so if you live in the area, email the church and join us on Friday night.

If you haven’t yet joined the Nester and Emily’s membership site, Hope*ologie, you should. They release new content every month on a private site and the cost is $10 to join. (I think soon going to $12 per month). I loved last month’s content and I think you will too. The May release is next week and I can’t wait to see what they’ll be sharing. They have blog posts, podcasts, videos and projects. Read all about it here!

I love Shaun’s new site redesign and think you’ll get some awesome ideas from his generosity post. Love the bookmarks too!

Happy weekend! Hope it’s the slow, simmering, countrified kind!

xoxo,

edie

Daily Grace

April 25, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 284 Comments

We’ve been in a string of busy weeks the likes of which we haven’t seen for a long time. The weekends, which for us are often retreats of reading and writing and food making, have been full to the brim. So, we decided to claim this one for rest. We are headed up to the mountain cabin for some much needed fresh country air.

Going to the cabin is like going camping, only with an indoor bed and indoor plumbing. Packing is fun, but there’s plenty to gather. You need stuff for s’mores, easy camp-ish food, books, yarn, the bow and arrows, ammo, fishing gear, and so the list goes. It helps if you take the slow country mindset and a heart full of gratitude with you.

Really, I guess those are things I wish I carried with me all the time.

That’s where Daily Grace comes in.

I thought I’d share with you these beautiful pieces from Dayspring, from their Daily Grace Collection. I LOVE them and have used them nearly everyday since they arrived.

These would make perfect gifts for Mother’s Day or for just any old day when you decided to have friends over and make homemade pizza.

Also? Apparently, I love cupcakes. More on that very soon!

There’s so much to love in this collection. Every piece is beautiful.

I especially love these salad plates and this salad serving bowl!

Dayspring is so generous to giveaway a wonderful bundle for one of you lucky peeps.

Just leave a comment on the piece you love the most in the collection and you will be entered to win the candy bowl, the memo chalkboard, and the 16 inch platter.

I’ll close it down Sunday night and then pick a winner on Monday.

Happy Weekend, friends!

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

April 23, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 53 Comments

Dear kind and spicy friends, I took 817 pictures of this soup and I COULD NOT capture the deliciousness of this creamy chicken tortilla soup. Whatsoever. Please believe me when I say that this soup is the mother of all tor-tilla soups. (We say tortilla like gorilla, for special effects.) This is but a warm up post for puffy tacos, but it’s a gem in its own right. Like I’ve said before #foodieismyname #texmexismygame. This is THE perfect recipe for when you need to phone dinner in but still want it to taste liked you’ve slaved all day. Also? If you use my easy crock pot method for cooking turkey breast (cook a turkey breast overnight in the crock pot on low and it will be ready by noon), you could eat the turkey breast one day with sides and then use the leftovers for the soup. If beef stew is flirting with your husband 101 then this is the short summer version of that course, except with chicken. Flirt away my flavorful friends!

What you’ll need:

1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
3 cups cooked chicken (I actually used leftover turkey from Easter)
6 cups chicken stock
1 can black beans
1 can of corn
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 can of green chiles
2 T. cumin powder
2 T. honey
1/2 cup cream
1 8oz package of Mexican melting cheese (queso or queso with jalapeño for the spicy lovers among us).
jalapeños, chopped (as much as you like, we use about 2 T.)
fresh cilantro for garnish
grated cheddar cheese for garnish
fried corn tortillas for garnish and general deliciousness

What you’ll do:

Saute the onion and green pepper in 2-3 T olive oil.
Add the minced garlic and cook for a couple minutes and then add the cumin.
Add the rest of the ingredients except the cream and cook for 15-20 over medium heat until the cheese is mostly melted.
Add the cream, turn off the heat and cover and the rest of the cheese should melt.
Be careful not to let the soup come to a boil after the cream is added.
Serve with avocado, cheese, cilantro, and tortillas!
Now we’ll be jolly friends forever more, more more more.

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

2.50 from 2 votes

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 large onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 green pepper chopped
3 cups cooked chicken I actually used leftover turkey from Easter
6 cups chicken stock
1 can black beans
1 can of corn
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 can of green chiles
2 T. cumin powder
2 T. honey
1/2 cup cream
1 8 oz package of Mexican melting cheese queso or queso with jalapeño for the spicy lovers among us.
jalapeños chopped (as much as you like, we use about 2 T.)
fresh cilantro for garnish

Method

Saute the onion and green pepper in 2-3 T olive oil.
Add the minced garlic and cook for a couple minutes and then add the cumin.
Add the rest of the ingredients except the cream and cook for 15-20 over medium heat until the
cheese is mostly melted.
Add the cream, turn off the heat and cover and the rest of the cheese should melt.
Be careful not to let the soup come to a boil after the cream is added.
Serve with avocado, cheese, cilantro, and tortillas!

Now, do tell. Do you make a version of this already? Would you be willing to add a hint of cream? Because my current philosophy is this: Life is short. Add cream. Amen.

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How We Do Holidays Around Here

April 21, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 46 Comments

Good morning, Gorgeous! I hope your Easter weekend was beautiful and restful.

I have a holiday weekend strategy that you might find helpful. It comes from years of trial and error where I needed a vacation from my post holiday/over-stressed blues. Besides my weekend strategy, you also might want to adopt my Easter basket philosophy, which is— if you can’t get it at the grocery store, you’re not trying hard enough.

Also? It helps if the baskets are small, which the grocery store can most certainly help you with. Amen and amen. #easterbasketslackersunite

What I lack in Easter basket finesse, I make up for in food.

(Please see exhibit A.)

And after years of Pinterest-like Easter basket prowess, I’ve given it up for greener pastures. Gift cards and grocery store sundries are where it’s at.

Trust me on this.)

I do make a pretty serious commitment to keep the schedule light and the food over-the-top. And not the other way around.

I celebrate spring victories, like tulips……

and dogwoods

and perfect (unedited) sunsets.

I try to savor this…….

and this…….

and this…..

I give myself the gift of a good book and some poetry and some much needed perspective.

I try to remember the magic that every single day holds if I care enough to stop and notice.

The world IS charged with the grandeur of God. And morning comes again.

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.

Are you working toward holidays that really reflect your hope for your family? What is one thing you would change if you could?

Me? I’d hire The Avett Brothers to play music on our porch all day.