Let’s go back to July 5th.  [If you haven't read that post, PLEASE do so. It will make the rest of this post way cooler if you know the back story.]

Days before, I lost the only two jobs that were going to pay my July bills.

And I gained the chance to trust God to provide for me.

I remember saying to a friend, “I mean, play devil’s advocate and tell me this- what happens if I CAN’T pay the bills?”, just preparing myself in case I needed a Plan B.

Dear bloggy-friend, Christians don’t need a Plan B.

Let me tell you about the jobs that have come my way this month:

• Someone at African Leadership needed a nanny. JUST FOR JULY.
• My normal nanny family ended up needing me a few more days than they thought.
• Mocha Club needed me to do some extra hours.
• A sweet friend in town hired me to do some mailing work for her.
• I had three REALLY AMAZING writing meetings with big companies in town.
• I ran across an audition for a movie. So I did it.
• I had a for real job interview. Mind you, I didn’t particularly want the job [nor did I get it], but when the opportunity came my way, I figured I should walk through ANY door that God was opening.
• I did two editing jobs.

So pretty much, remember that month that I didn’t have any work?

I WORKED EVERY DAY.

Now, mind you. I had to work. I didn’t get to sit on my couch and merely check the mail, hoping that God would mail me a gazillion dollars. [Though He can do that and is welcome to at any point.]

But I did get to wake up every morning and go somewhere and get paid for being there. Some would call it “a job”. Or, in my case, “a bouquet of part-time jobs.” And all my bills got paid.

As much as I would have loved to come to you at the end of this month and say I WON THE LOTTERY, or I GOT A BOOK DEAL, or GOD MAILED ME MONEY, I think there is something beautiful about the truth of how God provided for me.

He gave me work. And then gave me so many new writing opportunities that kept me busy most weekends- and possibly for many months to come. [I can. not. wait. to tell you all about those. Soon, grasshoppers. Soon.]

July was an amazing month. Thanks for praying for me.

Psalm 34:8

Here’s another installment of YouBlog- where I introduce you to one of your fellow blogmies. Remember the goal is to get to know each other! Many of you readers/commenters were born to be friends- I just know it. And I’m out to prove it!

First of all. Just look at Erin. Oh. My. Cuteness. Just seeing her sweet face makes me want to be friends with her so bad. Doesn’t she just look uber-inviting and friendly and awesome? I. KNOW. I thought the same thing.

I also love reading her blog. It’s so real and honest in ways that I’m personally not brave enough to write about. But she does it beautifully and with huge amounts of class and humor and humility and spirituality. Yeah, I kinda like her blog.

I absolutely love this post she wrote about comparing yourself to other people. I mean, seriously, who doesn’t deal with this? It’s worth the read. Head over there, read up, and tell her AnnieBlogs sent ya!

Gah. I’m enjoying YouBlog mucho. It’s kinda like having a party at my house and y’all all coming over. But bring your own chair for the porch- I only have 5. And a tree swing.

Hey you local yokels- wanna be featured one week as the YouBlog-ger? Just email me at annieblogs [at] gmail [dot] com and put “YouBlog” in the subject line. Or leave a comment. I don’t know… just get in touch with me.

Like, for my job.

So when I spent 20+ hours of my weekend writing, and then have had meetings or projects every day this week, ye old blog has been neglected.

Undeservedly.

I apologize, dear blog. And blog readers.

But I will say this: I LOVE BEING A WRITER OH MY GRACIOUS.

A bulleted list for your Wednesday explaining additional reasons why I may not have blogged in the last few days?

Yes and amen.

• I’m headed to SheSpeaks tomorrow, which I. Am. Thrilled. About. It.
• I’ve been prepping for that.
• I get to see Sophie, Melanie, Shannon, Holley, Lysa, and so many other friends that I am so typing fast- if my fingers could squeal with excitement, they would be doing it now.
• I haven’t blogged because I’ve been making sure my bills are paid. [And y'all. My bills are paid. I can't wait to tell you the story. You're just gonna die when I tell you how God pulled through for me.]
• I did kind of warn you things may be slim pickins around here.
• I have painted my fingers and toes a color that shall be called “Offensive to the Eyes Fuchsia”. And for some reason, I love it.
• I have a hard time believing that FUCHSIA is really spelled like that. But trust me, I checked around. It looks borderline offensive. Like the color.
• I think I’ve decided trendy = confident. You may look silly, but if you work it, people think you are trendy. True or false, Amber?
• That isn’t explaining why I haven’t blogged.
• I’m about to hang out with my new bloggy friend Sarah from Adding Focus
• We’re going to eat popsicles.
• Don’t judge me.

Tomorrow is Thursday so you know what that means: YOU-BLOGGER TIME!!  Yeeessss!!!

Peace out.

Remember that time I tried to make homemade oreos for a birthday party?

This is what they looked like.

Yikes. I know. And if it is possible, they actually TASTED worse than they looked. Shocking, but true.

After I recovered from the debacle, I called Kathleen. Cause Kathleen knows how to make everything. And after I over-dramatically retold the nightmare that was my baking experience, I begged her to try to make them. I emailed her the recipe and just said, “when you get a chance, will you see if it’s the recipe or…. sniff…. me?”

Because I usually pride myself in my baking skillz, so this was a tough situation.

And late last week a package arrived at my door with this note:

Apparently, it wasn’t the recipe. Because good gracious these are delicious.

So now that I know the recipe is trusty, I will share. Because I don’t exactly remember where it came from [sorry bout it], I’m going to rename them.

___________

KATHLEEN KNOWS OREOS

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [see recipe note]
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream.

_____________

I still don’t exactly know what I did wrong, but you better believe I’m going to give this recipe another whirl. Probably.

After, of course, I finish eating the ones Kathleen sent me.

It’s about time I came out with my own foundation.

[I don't know why that statement is true. It's actually probably not true. But I'm keeping it.]

And this foundation isn’t going to be “raising money” or “an actual foundation” or anything like that. So don’t worry.

But I was taking with my friend Marie Claire this week and we had a revelation.

NO ONE HAS TO DO ANYTHING.

You don’t HAVE to do anything.

Don’t you feel freed up? You’re welcome for that.

Sure, I need to be working on a writing project, and prior to HNF [Have Nots Foundation, obviously], I would have said, “Gosh, I have to quit blogging because I have to work on this or that.”

No, I don’t HAVE to quit blogging. I should make the choice to quit blogging.

Not because I HAVE to work on a project. But because I need to work on the project or face the consequences of turning said project in after the due date.

There is not a situation where you can say that you HAVE to do something.

Example: I HAVE to use the bathroom.

No, your body needs to eliminate waste so you are choosing to do that in the proper location. [And that's a good choice.]

Example: I HAVE to go to the bank before I purchase groceries.

No, your checking account may get a huge overdraft fee because you bought groceries before you deposited your nanny money [just for example, of course], but that does not mean you HAVE to go to the bank. It just means smart people would.

Example: Are you sure you HAVE to leave the party?

No, you don’t HAVE to leave. You may need to leave, want to leave, or be choosing to leave.

But we live in America. Where freedom reigns. And you. don’t. HAVE. to. do. anything.

So I’m going to quit saying it.

No more will you hear from my mouth “I HAVE to….” “You HAVE to….” etc.

[I will, on the other hand, continue to use HAVE in the possession sense- "I have a computer." Because, in fact, I do have a computer.]  Do I HAVE to use my computer to be a writer?

Some would say yes.

But those of us in the HNF would say NO. I do not HAVE to use the computer. I could choose to use the computer. Or a typewriter. Or a quill and ink well.

So join me, won’t you? You don’t HAVE to, but it is an invitation. Try, for real, all day to eliminate the HAVE in your vocabulary. Let me know how it goes. Or, give me a challenge: can you think of a situation where the only correct term would be have? [I'm honestly curious- Marie Claire and I could not find one example where have was the only option.]

If you agree with me, then welcome to the Have Nots Foundation. It’s the best kind of foundation- you don’t HAVE to do anything to be a member and you don’t HAVE to show up to any meetings.

[Disclaimer: This is what happens in my mind when I spend the day writing serious things. It's ridiculous and yet I'm laughing out loud and rolling my eyes at my own self. I can't decide whether to embrace this post or apologize for it. Either way, here ya go. We're still friends, right? Hope so.]

Here’s another installment of YouBlog- where I introduce you to one of your fellow blogmies. Remember the goal is to get to know each other! Many of you readers/commenters were born to be friends- I just know it. And I’m out to prove it!

Oh, you know Sarah.

She’s one of my best bloggy friends. And best real life friends. And hello sassy picture! Good-ness Sarah!! Wowsa.

And she is a GOOD. WRITER. And a better friend. If that’s possible. I mean, maybe it’s a tie. I don’t know. I just know that Sarah and her family mean a whole lot to me.

She wrote an amazing post about having faith and it has encouraged me over and over again. I hope that you will read it and I know it will speak to your heart.

Hop on over to Sassy Sarah’s blog and leave her a comment- tell her I said hi. Trust me, you’re going to want to read it all- so settle in, grab something cool to drink, and get to reading!

Hey you local yokels- wanna be featured one week as the YouBlog-ger? Just email me at annieblogs [at] gmail [dot] com and put “YouBlog” in the subject line. Or leave a comment. I don’t know… just get in touch with me.

This is Marie Claire. And today is her birthday. So I’ve decided to do a photo montage of our lives. I mean, actually, just the last few years. Because this is what Marie (rhymes with “sorry”) looked like when I met her. [I have many many more incriminating photos, but there are in Atlanta somewhere. Which is too bad because they. are. hilarious.]

Now she’s turning 20. And she’s one of my dearest and bestest and most wonderfulest friends on the entire planet. I know. I’m 29. She’s 20. It just works. Trust me.

Here are some of our random adventures within the last five years or so:

We go to weddings.

This may be my favorite picture of us. It says a lot of true things.

She’s very talented.

She wears pretty coats.

But it’s not always fun and games. Sometimes we get really mad. Obviously.

And sometimes things like this happen. Where there truly is no sensible explanation.

We were in Scotland last year for her birthday- here she is turning 19 in St. Andrews.

Dear Marie,

I’m not going to use this public space to tell you how I feel about you. You already know. I would sell it, drop it, make it, change it, drive it, give it, take it- whatever you needed. At any moment. Just to have this in my daily life.

I love you, Marie Claire. I pray that this year is full of peace and revelation and confidence and life. I pray that God reveals to you every thing you need to know and the things that you WANT to know. I pray that when you look back on your long life (in 70 years), and you’re sitting across from me at the nursing home feeding me apple puree, you’ll say, “You know what year was really great? The year I turned 20. It was only the beginning, but it was really good…”

And then you’ll wipe my chin and say something sarcastic about how you swore life wouldn’t come to this.

And I’ll laugh. Cause you always make me laugh.

Happy birthday, Marie. My life is far better because you were born.

I love this dude.

Not in a give-me-a-ring-cause-I-want-to-share-a-house-with-you kind of way.

But in a my-life-is-better-because-he’s-in-it kind of way.

Seriously. Is he not the most darlin’ friend? I know, ladies. I know.

And he’s a super talented photographer.

[And maybe his bio was written by a blogista that you may or may not know.]

Here are a few samples that he’s kindly allowed me to steal borrow for your viewing pleasure.

This is one of my favorite of his wedding pics. I said this to Skip: “Skip. When I get married, PLEASE take a picture like this of my dress. Or, if I never get married… well, let’s not talk about that option.”

And here is a great photo of a musician here in town. I said this to Skip: “Skip, you have never made a v-neck look so good.”

Skip also does some work for Lady Antebellum. This is the coolest pic that I’ve seen from this shoot. I said this to Skip: “Skip, when I learn to sing, will you take a picture of me doing this just like Charles? Cause he looks like he means it.”

I seriously LUH-HUV Skip’s photos. There are tons more on HIS BLOG, so I totally think you should go there and check it out. I’m gonna warn you, if you click over there, you’re going to want to have a few minutes to look around, cause he has some absolutely beautiful stuff.

If you’re getting married, or just want a legit Nashville big deal photographer to take pics for you, Skip is your dude.

Enjoy. Nothing better on a Tuesday than an internet distraction…..

SKIPHOPKINS.COM

Even when I don’t blog first thing Monday morning.

Here’s why my blog post is delayed and not so good (anticipatory statement):

1. I’m working A LOT- tons of freelance work has come in the last few weeks (NO COINCIDENCE, y’all!) and so most of my writing time is busy. Busy. BUSY.

2. I’m getting ready for SheSpeaks and some things that go along with that. So. That’s all I can say about that.

3. I can’t talk about any of the writing projects I’m working on. So instead of filling your brain space with ridiculously unimportant writing, I’d rather just stay quiet. Until I can tell you. Cause then it will be really exciting.

4. Our community is in a really REALLY fun place. And the weather is 10 levels of heavenly (80 degrees, warm and breezy, perfectly shaped clouds, you get the picture). So I’ve spent a lot of time outside. With my friends. And not with my computer.

5. And I don’t forsee things changing in the near future.

6. I’ve also got some big decisions to make and you know that I can’t keep ANYTHING to myself. So if I blog, I want to blog honestly and openly. And I can’t right now.

7. But I will be blogging this week, don’t worry about that. I just wanted to warn you up front that the next two weeks may be a bit slim. Love me anyways, okay?

Tomorrow. Full on bloggishness tomorrow.

I love being a part of Mocha Club. But, there are some days that I’m uber-excited and lucky to work with Mocha Club. Like, way more than usual.

Today is one of those days.

Today is International Justice Day- where people around the world have the opportunity to look at the injustices of the world and actually discuss them. Maybe, somehow, taking a step towards making a difference.

And Mocha Club is about those conversations, and more importantly- those actions.

What does that video do to you? It makes me deeply sad that those words are real life for someone. I mean, clean water. CLEAN WATER?!? I start to roll my eyes if the water in the shower starts to lose its heat. But there are people who have No. Clean. Water.

Child Labor. AIDS. War. Debt. Sex Trafficking. It’s horrible.

And yet, at the same time, it makes me deeply grateful that Mocha Club considers this day one worth noting and bringing to the forefront of our minds. And I’m glad that these injustices aren’t invisible to us anymore- instead, they are a focus.

Today, Mocha Club launches a new website. And a new blog. And they have SO MUCH to say about international justice. Check it out.

What do YOU have to say? What does that make you want to say? I want to know. Leave a comment or write a blog post and link it in the comments. I would love to get a conversation going about what justice looks like to you and what we can do, here in the States, to be a part of bringing justice to the rest of the world. [And feel free to post the badge or the video- just link to mochaclub.org at some point too so all our conversations can have a home.]

Enjoy a glass of water today. Really enjoy it.

And have a great weekend.