confessions

This post has been in my drafts for 2 weeks but I thought you might enjoy my friend Susan’s house pics, late or not.

It was a rough week for our family.  One of my very favorite uncles in the whole world passed away and my other favorite uncle is being treated for lung cancer.    I don’t believe I’ve ever known two finer men.  Both true Southern gentlemen, both smart and successful business men and both committed family men.  I am heartbroken for my cousins and my aunt and all we could think to offer was our presence—which as it turns out, is almost always the best gift.  Life seems difficult at every turn and there is always a cross to bear.

So my mom, sister, and my brother and my little girls and I hopped in the car  and made a quick  road trip to Birmingham.

The visit was so therapeutic for us all.  Even my poor brother survived two days in the car with all us girls.

The visit with Uncle Troy and Aunt Rosie was so special.  I’m so glad we went.

These two uncles have been so influential in my life and my brother wrote this about them as a comfort to my cousin:

 “I too am sorry for the passing of a great, great man. he was indeed all those things you said he was and more. On our visit this weekend to Aunt Rosie’s and Uncle Troys, we were reminded once again of the kind of men these guys were and are. Jack and Troy are two of the finest men I have ever known, the epitome of true “southern gentlemen”. I feel the same as you, in that if I can be half the men that they always have been, I will have been a success.”

My dear friends Johnny and Susan live in Birmingham and have a farm house that they so graciously opened to us.   We were so blessed by their hospitality and couldn’t have eaten all the food in the fridge if we’d stayed two weeks.   Their farm was absolutely beautiful with every touch and convenience of home.   And every possible bow/gun/camo jacket known to man.

My favorite of Susan’s tchotchkes was this priceless little number which played ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ when you pressed the button.   Which we pressed over and over and over and over.  The hunters’ heads bobble to the music too.   I know, you’re jealous.  You should be.

I loved everything about how she decorated the place but this custom piece of art was so cool.   There are meaningful words and names from their lives that are randomly placed on this canvas.  “Johnson City” is on there which is where Susan and I raised our oldest children together.   She taught me so much about mothering and Jesus and Southern charm.   She and Johnny are one of a kind and probably two of my favorite people on earth.

I love the antler lamps and light fixture.

And all the bedrooms were perfectly outfitted with exactly what you need when you’re staying overnight somewhere—-comfortable beds, warm blankets, chargers for all your electronics and beauty everywhere you turn.

Another guest room…..

But the thing that took my breath away was the carolina jasmine.  Oh my heavens, I’ve got to plant some this spring.   Isn’t it todiefor?

There’s something so beautiful about Susan, that even from a long distance friendship, she can still inspire and nurture the best parts of others.  I’ve learned more from her about being a mom, wife, friend, and believer than anyone else I’ve ever met.  I’m so thankful for her and Johnny.  I’m only sad that I didn’t stay at their house and stay up til 3 in the morning talking and laughing and crying.  I miss them everyday.

Then like all road trips, it went downhill on the way home.
We sang old school country music for far too long. My girls may never be the same. There was a lot of eye rolling.
I love my family so much and am thankful that even as adults, they’re the best road-trip buddies ever.
Happy Weekend!

a quiet place to read (and a hideously dirty phone)
colors and patterns
the candy of january
the best cuppa joe in town
a beautiful duct tape bouquet, courtesy of a very cute 9 year old
the lego family got a new ride
the jerusalem cherry tree sink-side
lemon-joy
bird beauty
and a tiny vestige of Christmas, lingering in the heart and on the mind.

hope you’re enjoying your saturday gifts too!

xoxo,

edie

good stuff from today’s reading:

Culture yourselves, I pray you. Live on the great thoughts which expand the soul and charge the being with forcefulness, and eschew utterly the wretched stuff out of which so many girls are building up flabby-tissued brains. Enrich your nature with true art. Busy your days with better preparation for your future position than the frivolous play of society, which wastes the energies and belittles the stature of womanhood. Above all, see that you live in open-souled up-look to the Father, the Source and Fount of all high life, in fellowship with the Son, the pattern and exemplar of all nobleness of human form, and in communion of that Spirit of Holiness who ever moveth in you all pure, true pulses, the Lord and giver of Life.

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p.s.  thank you to those of you who sent me your stories.  i’m still reading and responding so thanks for your patience:)  y’all are the BEST internet friends ever.   and so smart.  loves ya lots 🙂

i love january.

i know it’s my birthday month and i know it’s the new year but i don’t know very many people who love january like i do.

i always hunker down in january.   i’m fit to be tied with reVolutions and i’m busy making a good start on every last one of them.

i probably read more in january than any other month.   that may be the key to why i like it so much.

there is NO better way to be inspired than to read the right books.   i read 2 books the first weekend of the new year (the flip side of feminism and the church of Facebook) and i’m almost done with 2 more (lectures on womanhood and my not-so-storybook life)

my  soul must be famished.

i’m also always eating cleaner in january and i think the clear head combined with beating down the physical appetites makes for a great combination.

and despite last week’s semi-urgent gallbladder removal, i had already made nice with my running shoes and the 30 day shred.  hopefully to be started back tomorrow.

(i’m healing fast and feeling pretty darn great!)

then there’s the spiritual reVolt.

i never miss devotions in january.   i read extra.   i pray harder.  i make lists of people to pray for and lately have been using Starck’s Prayer Book to guide me.

january is almost always a season of doing hard work, laying down roots,  forging new habits which makes the flowering seasons of spring even more sweet.

i’m also reading and writing a lot about ‘womanhood’.   i hope to publish an ebook(let)  in a couple months full of my own personal journey ‘home’,   the spiritual and philosophical underpinnings of woman’s work in the world, how to train our daughters to be ladies, wives and mothers and some fun stuff including new recipes, etc.   on that note, if you’ve left a professional career to stay home with your children, i’d love a short email (possibly to be included in the book) about your story;   your career path, why you left,  the emotional and spiritual consequences for your family and how you’re adjusting to life at home.  it’d also be interesting to know if you’d encourage your own daughters to take a similar path.

hmmmm, what else?

cleaning, reorganizing, you know the routine.

and planning the herb and vegetable garden.

and thinking i may just need to finish decorating the master bedroom pretty soon.

and planning dinners and breakfasts and parties and maybe even a retreat.

and praying and planning for Pearl—which i’d LOVE for you to attend.

i’m passing on my january love to my girls who woke up this morning with their fresh lists and goals and schedules.

they said it was the best day of school ever.  they have caught my january fever and it may take us through to March, if we’re lucky!

january is all the underground, behind-the scenes hard work that it takes to make every other month fruitful and beautiful.

never underestimate the power of january, unassuming and quiet as she sometimes may be.

she’s a force to be reckoned with.

she’s the  leader of  this reVolt, you know.

find a good book and some buried goals and let january make you over.

sending mucho january love your way,

edie

I am a complete sucker for a fresh start.  The new year is like manna from heaven.

I’m overwhelmed with list-making and dream-seeking and soul-searching .   Hope swells and washes the memory of past failures clean.

I couldn’t care less that I’ve made this list 20 times before and didn’t follow through with it.

As a matter of fact, this tendency toward renewal and resolution  wasn’t even our idea.

We borrowed it from our Father who promised new mercies every morning and fresh starts ‘seventy times seven’ times.

I completely believe deep down in my heart that this year will be different.   You couldn’t convince me otherwise if your life depended on it.

Despite the fact that I made this list when I turned 40, I still haven’t run a marathon or met Todd, Jeff and Craig, or made homeade bagels.

But isn’t part of the reward of our new years’ lists  the longing and the planning and hope beyond all hope that this year surely things can be different?

The gift is there already, in the courage to believe.   And when I fail, I fall hard into the hands of Grace.  There’s no downside—only endless expectation as we  ‘groan inwardly’  and ‘wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

And even if you don’t buy into my abiding optimism, what’s the worst that can happen.

What if I don’t keep my resolution to read 42 books this year?  What if I’m a complete failure and only read 30?

And what if I set out to run a marathon and only manage to  run a 10K?    Or what if I still don’t make those bagels?

Here’s why it doesn’t matter.

God has given me everything I could possibly need in His son.  I am forgiven and blessed with the every good gift from the Father.

The rest  is icing on the cake.

But this liturgy of life—the rising and setting of the sun, the coming of another new year—was never meant to be hum drum routine.

It is life-giving ritual and rhythm.  And I hope I never tire of it because it’s the stuff life is made of and it’s pure gift from our Father.

I hope that despite many my frailties and failures I always approach this newness with anticipation and joy.

It’s gonna be a great year.  Revolutionary even.  I just know it.

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Just for fun, here’s my very unorthodox observations and a peek at my list:

First of all, it’s two thousand twelve.   I don’t think I need to say more but I will.   The year of the Apocalypse, or so some claim.   I doubt it but even if the world comes to an end, that’s good because our resolutions will be null and void and we’ll be in heaven.    Here’s why it’s gonna be a good year.

1.  It’s an even year.   All even years are the best.  Stevie and I were both born in even years as were all my kids.   We were married in an even year and I graduated from college and med school in even years.  Need more proof?  Johnny Cash released ‘Folsom Prison’ in 1968 which was the same year ‘Stand by Your Man’ was released as a single.  I rest my case.

2.  It’s 2012.   12 is a very cool number in scripture.  There were 12 sons of Jacob, 12 plagues, 12 tribes of Isreal, and 12 apostles.    12 is 3×4.  3 signifies the trinity or divine perfection and 4 signifies the creative works of God, especially as related to earth.   12’s gonna be a good year.   Apocalypse or not.

3.  It’s gonna be a ‘flowering’ year.   As I’m sure you can relate, some years are for roots and foundations.   Those are the years that you have new babies or you move or start new jobs or your house burns down.  Those years are hard to measure in terms of resolution progress.  But they’re no less important.  In fact, the rooting years are probably the most important of all.   But they’re usually the ones that you’re glad to have behind you.  I’m pretty sure we’re due a ‘flowering’ year here at the Wadsworths.   I could be wrong but I see big huge hydrangea blooms in our future 🙂

4.  I’m convinced it’s gonna be a great year because I’m currently undefeated in Scrabble.   ANDDDD……on New Year’s Eve at approximately 11:57, I scored a 94 (or was it 99?) point word to clench the title of reigning Scrabble champion.   And that’s not all.   The word was AVENUES.   See what I mean?

So my advice?

Make resolutions with reckless abandon.   Kick it up a notch and call them reVolutions.  (thank you Katherine!)

And show two thousand twelve what you’re made of.

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Here’s my list, brought to you by Picnik and my very optimistic New Year’s self.  I chose 12 because I like number games and 42 because I’m almost 42.

Did you make a list?  I think you should.