Because, you know, I’m the worst blogger in the history of June 2013.

I’m not one for making excuses [yes I am], but here are some solid reasons why the internet has not won my attention lately:

1. I have a book due to Zondervan in 20 days. And I have 20,000 words of said book left to write. So yeah, your prayers are needed more than you could ever know.

2. The Vanderbilt baseball season came to a surprising, heartbreaking, sudden, premature end this weekend. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Painful. Deeply. And then suddenly? All the boyz are packing their dorm rooms and moving out of Nashville AND MY EMOTIONS ARE A WRECK. Helping them deal with the loss, packing, moving, and trying to be strong for them and not be a weepy mess has been a challenge and has kept me away from my computer.

(Meanwhile, I am going to start cheering for the Detroit Tigers because everyone’s favorite intern, Connor Harrell, got drafted to the major leagues! Yes, it’s pretty normal for someone to go from interning at Downs Books to being a professional athlete. If you were wondering.)

3. I’m really tired. First book release in September 2012, first Girls of Grace season, two books written in the first six months of 2013. I am SO deeply grateful for my job, but I’ve been hustling pretty hard nonstop for almost a year and I am feeling it. Which, to be fair, is a bit unfortunate since I still have 20,000 words to go in the book. And July is coming – a month where I will not be writing at all – and I can feel the freedom coming coming coming.

[You know I'm grateful, right? I am NOT complaining. I just explaining why I have been a less-than blogger.]

That’s really about it. I’m going to try to improve for the rest of this month, but I can’t make any promises. Of course, I still manage to get distracted in the afternoon, but I do have to get ye old book written before July 1 as well.

So.

Love me anyways.

Also, I’ve started the book Lottery that I mentioned last week and it is incredible.

That’s how I am. How are you?

On Monday night, my phone rang at 1:45am.

That doesn’t happen. Ever.

I leave my phone on at night for a lot of reasons, including:

1. We don’t have a landline at our house
2. I have a lot of college kids in my life and they do not respect the appropriate hours of sleep when it comes to texting or calling. While it can make me feel sleepy, I am grateful that they want my voice on the other end of the phone any time of day.
3. I have a very sick family member right now, so a middle of the night phone call wasn’t off the list of possibilities this week.
4. I have a ridiculous fear that began when my grandmother passed away my freshman year of college. I worry that if I am not WITH my family, something could happen to them- implying that if we are in the same town, I have any amount of control over the health and well-being of my family. This is dumb on a billion levels, and I have worked through it a lot with my counselor and God, but I still want me phone on all the time in case. Just in case.

[I know. That got a little serious all the sudden. Sorry. But sometimes it is important to remind y'all that I'm a nutso.]

So when my phone rang, I shot up.

The number wasn’t saved, but it was a 615 number, meaning local to Nashville. So in a split second, I ruled out family calling and began to wonder which college student it was.

“uhhh… hello?” I answered while still sitting in bed with my eyes closed.

“Annie?” an older woman’s shaky voice was on the other end and now I was totally confused. Not a college student? And someone who knows my first name? I felt a little panicky wondering who this would be.

“Yes ma’am….”

“This is your upstairs neighbor.”

So I should probably explain this: we have an upstairs neighbor in our house. She’s a really sweet older lady who we rarely see. When I realized it was her on the other side of the phone, I had such a soft heart because maybe this was some sort of emergency and she needed help.

Bless her.

“Yes ma’am. Hi. Are you okay?”

“Yes, honey, I’m fine. Listen. I was just taking some mail to the mailbox and noticed your kitchen light on. Are you home? Just wanted to make sure you were if your kitchen light was on.”

Wait.

You are calling me, at 1:45am, because you were GOING TO THE MAILBOX and MY KITCHEN LIGHT WAS ON? Wait wait wait.

The confusion with a small side helping of anger began to mount, but I stayed calm and finished the conversation.

“Yes ma’am. I guess I left it on. Goodnight.”

And scene.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the fact that she was concerned.

But 1:45am.

This has made me re-think my need to have my phone on all night long.

. . . . .

How do you handle your phone at night? On? Off? Silent?

I used to love to watch this Canadian home show on HGTV and the girl always calls the job she does “a reno,” instead of a renovation. So that’s cool and Canadian and so I titled my blog post that.

You’re welcome.

Last week, I decided it was high time to reno the guest room. My parents had been storing some furniture for me in Atlanta since, well, 1999. And so it was past time for me to either use the furniture or give it to someone else. So on Wednesday of last week, I hitched a ride to Marietta and drove a UHaul of water damaged, dusty, and moldy bedroom furniture back to my Nashville home.

You know what they say about authors on a deadline? They have the cleanest homes because, you know, they are looking for anything to do besides working on their work. And in my case, it was the furniture that needed cleaning.

So I laid the furniture out on my front porch….

and then I simply used lemon oil and old socks to scrub and clean and attempt to heal these old and beautiful and long-neglected pieces.

[I am BEYOND thrilled with how all the pieces turned out! My grandma would be so happy to see her furniture restored and being used!]

Then it was on to the room itself. The walls were a boring white, so I wanted just a basic tan to cover some of the imperfections and add some bit of color to the room. I taped off the room because I am a big believer in the power of the blue tape.

I tested the paint in a few spots and loved it – Behr Almond Cream – so I grabbed a few cans and a few friends and off we went!

Then I brought all the furniture in the room and set it about where I wanted it.

And this next picture? It is the epitome of my lack of patience. The bed frame, being at least 50 years old, was rickety and would need some work before putting the mattress on it. But because I was DYING TO SEE THE BEDDING all made, I went ahead and made it. Because y’all. I’m a lunatic.

Finally yesterday [and I use "finally" loosely because seriously, this whole project just started last Thursday], a friend came over and repaired the bed and hung the mirror and I was giggly and clapping.

So all this to say… next time you head to Nashville, I’ve got a guest room waiting on you!

Now I’m no Nester… but I do love a good home reno job. Have you done any DIY projects lately that you shared on your blog? Leave the link below- I’d LOVE to swing by and check it out!

I sat down to dinner at 9:30pm last night.

To a bowl of rice krispies and almond milk.

I took a deep breath and my eyes filled with tears. For being the first day back from vacation, it was kinda a doozie – like a bad Monday sneaking up on your Tuesday.

Tears built all day but never spilled.

I woke up Monday morning honestly saddened over the end of a holiday that felt like paradise and escape, in all the right ways.

I wrote an article before lunch that was deep for me emotionally, pulling from some old places, and it bubbled emotion in me that those first-day-back-from-vacay blues already had simmering.

I read this post about being a teacher from Jen Hatmaker and my teacher heart, the one the still lives in me and still missed being in the classroom a lot of days, could barely take it.

My basement fills up more and more every day of college student paraphernalia as summer has arrived and the gals are just storing away their goods until the fall. So I said goodbye to a few until their junior year brings them back to this town and the second half of their college careers.

And then for some of my other college students who are walking through hard seasons – big choices, heartbreak, change that they don’t know how to handle, I feel like a triage nurse just trying to keep the emotional bleeding from getting out of control.

I almost cried as I finished Freefall to Fly by Rebekah Lyons Monday afternoon because it is one of the most beautiful books I have read in a long time.

And so, at the end of the day, when all this had built up and because I am me and I have been me for almost 33 years, I cried into my cereal, as one hand held the spoon and the other held my head.

I cried because some of my favorite humans who are also like family who are also seniors in college are graduating and the change that will bring to my life is more than I ever expected. And I feel the loss so deep that I can barely breathe when I think about it.

I cried because on the last day of the month all the finances for that month come in and go out and God allows me to practice faith and trust a lot in this area.

I cried because the war for our hearts never end when you are a believer, and I’m watching as people I love dearly are in the spiritual cross-hairs and can hardly stand under the weight of it. I cried because I know it doesn’t end. I cried because the enemy of our hearts doesn’t play by any rules and it sucks.

Trust me, I know Who wins in the end, but it doesn’t make the day to day battling pain-free.

I cried as I read 2 Corinthians. Not for my life, but for the lives of those I love that are feeling it.

We are hard pressed on every side, 

but not crushed;

perplexed, 

but not in despair;

persecuted, 

but not abandoned; 

struck down,

but not destroyed. 

I sing it over them as I pray. I feel it in my bones.

If you feel that today too, trust the Word of God. You are not crushed. Those you love will not live in despair. You are not abandoned. You, your people, your heart – they will not be destroyed.

Amen.

I hope you’ve seen this already. It made me cry. It has me thinking. It is an important piece of work.

[hey subscribers- there's a video here. Click over to watch it!]

There’s a lot more information and videos over at the Dove Real Beauty Sketches’ website. I think Kela is my favorite. “It’s so magical,” she says, “when you see someone who has it… who knows they are wonderful and beautiful.”

Isn’t that the truth?

I’ve got to tell you what goes on in my brain when I see this video. I wonder how to teach this to teen girls. I wonder how we can do something like this at an event. I wonder why women are so lost when it comes to their own beauty.

How do we do this? How do we, as God’s people, start calling out beauty when we see it in others? How do we choose to believe the truth for ourselves?

What do you think?

First of all, thank you for your kind words this week and I’ve sludged through the fear of writing the next book.

Here’s proof that I’m really started. Really really.

Also, I hashtagged #book4 and Megan said “wait, I thought this was just book 3.” So let me clarify- I’ve written Perfectly Unique and Speak Love, but I also wrote What’s Your Mark?, so I consider those my first three books. The one I am currently working on is #4.

There are a few random tidbits around the world wide web that I wanted to make sure you saw, so here we go.

. . . . .

First of all, the weather in Nashville has been pure spring beautiful this week. But today I fly to Minnesota to speak at a conference and it is SNOWING.

REAL SNOW.

Mama no likey.

I mean, I like Minnesota and the people of Minnesota, but I am not excited to return to winter.

And then next weekend? GIRLS OF GRACE IN DALLAS! If you live anywhere near Dallas, pop back around here Monday because I’ve got tickets to give away! [I'll also have tickets for Girls of Grace in San Antonio to give away... just so ya know.]

. . . . .

A few weeks ago, I got to be a part of the QuarterLife Conference. All the content is now free online to view- so if you have just been DYING to hear my talk about relationships for 11ish minutes, allow me to make all your dreams come true with one click.

CLICK.

. . . . .

I am reading some incredible books right now that I wanted to tell y’all about. First of all, Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist. It’s full of beautiful essays and recipes and these words are so well written that it makes me tear up sometimes. I’m also just starting Freefall to Fly by Rebekah Lyons and it is amazing so far.

. . . . .

Me thinks that’s all I’ve got for you. Pray for this weekend, won’t ya? Pray that God would encounter those Minnesota gals and they will never be the same.

How’s the weather in your neck of the woods?

For starters, if you have NOT seen the finale, step away from the blog. I’m going to spill all the beans from last night.

First of all, Women Tell All from last week.

Tierra. She is just a pile of crazy. And if you think she is really engaged to a human, you are a kinder soul than I. That child pure wasted her 15 minutes of fame.

AshLee. You know, AshLee and Sean’s convo about her accusing him of saying that he had no feelings for the other two girls? It has been widely discussed around our Bach-circles in Nashville and honestly, no one really knows what to believe. Maybe he got swept up in the moment and said that… twice? Maybe she took his words to mean something different than he meant? Maybe she is cuckoo? I don’t know, but I was sorry she went out like that.

Now for Monday night’s episode.

First of all, the live stuff? When Chris Harrison is interviewing the audience? That part makes me feel weird, like we live in the Capital from the Hunger Games books, like we as a people consider pain and heartbreak entertainment.

[Ahem. I'm gonna leave that alone. Just making an observation.]

Here was my favorite part of all three hours of my Monday night television watching: when Sean and his mom were talking about which girl he should pick and she starts to cry, Sean’s face gets LEGIT concerned and walks his mom away from the cameras.

That boy. He’s a keeper.

I really loved when the girls got to meet his family. Seriously, y’all. Don’t you just want to KNOW them? I mean, I was all teary both times Sean’s dad spoke to the girls. Isn’t it sweet to see a Godly family represented well on television?

Also, I just feel it my duty to make sure you know that Sean’s sister Shay has a blog and it is awesome.

I’m not good at recapping every detail of the episode and honestly, I don’t really want to. But I’ll say highlight moments:

• Lindsey taking off her shoes to walk away from the rose ceremony
• When Sean told Catherine he loved her
• Shay’s son saying, “Emily didn’t pick you”
• Sean crying when he re-watching his engagement
• Catherine’s face during her engagement… hilarious, hyperventilating, etc.

Low points:

• Lindsey’s voice [sorry]
• Chris Harrison’s interviewing skillz… off the mark last night, bud.
• Lindsey’s final rose ceremony dress [sorry again]

Overall, I was sad for Lindsey, I am happy for Catherine. I really really hope they make it- it seems like they will. You know, when Sean said that he spent the whole week praying and asking God to show him what to do, I believe him.

This New York Times article is really interesting, about the resurgence of The Bachelor and how this season has had such a boost in ratings, and I think it is 100% because of what a good guy Sean is. Huzzah for ratings going UP when a Bachelor is honest, kind, openly Christian, and not knockin’ boots in the fantasy suites.

[We discussed last night the future of the fantasy suite situation- have Emily and Sean removed the coolness of having relations with three different people on television? Possibly. Could be interesting to see what happens the next time a Bachelor/Bachelorette uses those rooms as ABC intends.]

I’m sad this season is over. It was terribly fun to watch.

I made a promise to myself that I would no longer blog about people that are famous that I hope to be friends with because then it may happen [this is Nashville, things happen, remind me to tell you the Mumford story sometime] and I will feel silly that a real life friend can read blogs I wrote about him/her before we were real life friends.  But I shall break that promise for Sean. I hope I get to be friends with him and Catherine, even though I blogged about them.  I have a blog. His sister has a blog. We’re practically besties.

My final thoughts?

Three cheers for the best season of The Bachelor yet. Three cheers for a Godly man staying true to himself [as best we know] in this process and restoring my hope that every bachelor won’t be Ben. And I am genuinely glad that Sean seems to have found the woman he will marry.

And I am praying that Sean’s influence continues to grow and that God continues to be honored through his life.

Amen.

. . . . . .

So what are your thoughts?

Happy with the outcome?

Do you like Sean? 

Do you think he and Catherine will make it?

What was your favorite part of last night’s episode?

This post shall include spoilers for anyone who gives a rip about the world of The Bachelor. You’ve been warned.

Let’s get serious about Sean the Bachelor.

[In the following blog post, I'm going to say things like "he is s0-and-so" and I want you to know that I do not actually currently know Sean, so the things "he is" are things he is presenting to use via television and internet. Caveat complete.]

Sean is a good dude, isn’t he? I mean, at every turn he just seems to be seeking God and actually being wise and I’m all, “No joke, if this guy lived in Nashville, we’d be buds.”

We would.

We wouldn’t be in love, but we would totally sit together at church and I’d try to set him up with lots of my friends and I bet we’d sometimes hang out at Portland Brew and I’m just telling y’all he has won me over and I want to be his friend forever.

See? Look at us. Just two buddies, hanging out, I’m smiling too big as I tend to do when I’m with my friends.

So, with that being said, my friend Sean had a big night last night and has now narrowed down his choices to three gals: Lindsay, Catherine, and Ashlee.

No one can be shocked that Dez went home. I mean, seriously, that brother? WOOF. Surely he feels bad today, right? I mean, surely. I can’t blame Sean for letting her go- to be related to that fella for the rest of your life? No to the thanks.

Catherine? Eh, she’s alright. My #2. She seems like fun, but the things her sisters said? I would be concerned. Sean, I’m concerned. I wish you’d listen to me because you know I’m a genius and I’ve been right so far in every other situation where you’ve asked my advice. [These are things I say to my guy friends.]

Lindsay is my #3, though her little teen brother was adorbs and is probably a hit with all the ladies now at school. I think she’s too young to make this thing last.

My hopeful winner? AshLee. Am I sympathetic to a 32 year old single girl finding love and being FULL OF EMOTION all the time and dramatizing the polar bear swim into a type of baptism?

Maybe.

The girls I watch with were not so impressed with AshLee’s story telling or her dramatic arts. Meanwhile I say quietly and judged the fact that I totally related to her and found her ability to express herself to be very sweet and similar to what I would do.

Ahem.

So. I hope she is the one that he picks.

Meanwhile. Tierra is a loon and I am glad she is gone, though I still am not sure she lights a candle to the crazy that Courtney offered us. Also, Tierra is on instagram, so I hope that you waste a few minutes of your Tuesday scrolling through her insanity, including an apparent engagement?

And there is a Sean Tells All episode tonight, so that is great. I love when my friends are on TV.

. . . . .

Who do you think Sean is going to pick? 

Once he and I are friends, do you want to come hang out with us?

No. You. Didn’t.

I’m not going to spoil it, I’m just going to say No sir, Julian Fellowes, NO SIR.

My only consolation today comes thanks to Nester. She always knows how to deal with my heartaches.

Y’all have a great Monday. And don’t be that guy who writes spoilers in the comments. You can share your emotions about Downton Abbey ending last night, but don’t be Spoiley McSpoilerson.

[Also. We must talk about The Bach. Tomorrow. Seriously. So watch tonight if you wanna discuss Sean Lowe and his pretty stellar decision making thus far.]

For the first twenty-two years of my life, I was Methodist.

I guess I’m not NOT Methodist now, but I just mean I attended Methodist churches growing up and now I don’t. But there are a few Methodists traditions that I hold onto fairly tightly, including celebrating the season of Lent.

You can take the girl out of the Methodist church, but you can’t take the Lent out of the girl, am I right? BooMama? Missy? Amen.

[New to Lent? Want to know more? Nobody better to tell ya than the ol' Methodists themselves.]

I really love Lent. It has always been a season that means a lot to me, even when the church I attend doesn’t practice it.

For the second year running, my Cross Point small group and I are celebrating Lent together and in an attempt to resource them with many-an-option, I thought I’d share with y’all some of the stuff I’ve found that I think is great.

[Yes, I realize Lent started a few days ago, but it's not too late to jump aboard if you would like!]

So in no particular order, except Ann is always my favorite, here are the TOP 5 Lent resources I’ve found for 2013!

1. Ann Voskamp

I totally want to do this Lent tree. I think it sounds incredible. I’m going to pull the pieces together this weekend. And since it is only 17 days, you aren’t behind! Fear not!

2. YouVersion Lent Reading Plans

I am a big fan of YouVersion and how it offers tons of bible translations totally for free. Also, there are always a blue million reading plans [as my mama would say]. The three Lent ones all look great to me, but I’m reading the Lent For Everyone that lasts a few extra days because it is written by N.T. Wright, whom I think is one of the coolest theologians alive.

3. 40 Reasons Jesus Died [don't click yet]

This is a free devotional as well from Resonate Church in Pullman, Washington. I like it- such an interesting take on the 40 days. When you click the link, it is an automatic download, just wanted to warn you of that. [Ok, feel free to click now.]

4. Rachel Held Evans 40 Ideas For Lent

Such a great list! Lots of ideas of books and things to ask your self and activities. Love it.

5. Pray-As-You-Go

I am a longtime fan of this daily short podcast. They play music, read you a scripture, ask some questions, then read the scripture again. I like to listen when I’m folding laundry or making lunch or something like that. Lent is my favorite time of the year for the podcast, though it is pretty awesome year round.

. . . . .

BONUS MATERIAL!

– Lent is celebrated by giving up something in order that you might have more time for God and have a 40 day season of more intentional focus on the Lord. Laugh at me if you want, but one of the things I’m giving up is games on my phone. I can waste a TON of time playing things like Temple Run. It has already been hard because I’m so used to played in my downtime!

– Each member of our small group is memorizing a scripture during Lent. I’ll be memorizing Hosea 10:12.

Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.

– I also made a Lent Worship youtube playlist last year, if you want some jams for your season.

. . . . .

YOUR TURN!

Do you celebrate Lent? What’s are you giving up? Have a good resources to share?