Ugly Truffles: A Heartfelt Confession

 

I’m not going to waste time making excuses, I’ll just come right out and say it…

Y’all, I am terrible at holidays.

Decorating makes me hyperventilate.

My gift-selection skills are challenged.

I can’t sing worth a hoot.

My one redeeming quality is that I can make some serious treats. Yes, ma’am.

So a few years ago I got a truffle recipe from a friend. It involves a package of Oreos, cream cheese, and melted chocolate.

Eazy-peazy, I thought.

So I slaved away in the kitchen making my confections, imagining that I would soon get a phone call that went something like this, “What, Martha? Did you say you’d like to have me in the studio tomorrow? Well, I already booked with Rachel. Maybe next year.”

Needless to say, the phone did not ring and it’s a good thing because when I got done…

To read the rest (including a surprising lesson God taught me) just come on over to (in)courage!

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Conference Confessions: She Speaks

I've been writing some pretty spiritual stuff about my little trip to She Speaks. But you should know by now that I always do some sort of craziness when I go to a conference. For example, visiting the men's room and/or breaking water jugs.

So this year I made it all the way to Saturday without incident. And then...

Part of my role at She Speaks is to represent DaySpring and have appointments with people who might like to write for us. I always try to be on my best behavior for these sessions.

I sat in a little room with a divider down the middle. A very gracious editor from another publishing house was on the other side. During a break I typed away on my little laptop and all of a sudden it started going "beep!" each time I touched the keys.

Mortified at the ruckus I was causing, I stood up to take it into the hall.

Then graceful girl that I am, I tripped over the power cord, stepped on the corner of the tablecloth, and yanked that puppy off (along with everything I had on it) right into the floor.

Did I mentioned that I also had coffee? Oh, yes, my FULL cup of coffee went flying through the air in slow motion style. All that was missing was a soundtrack.

So everything landed in a soggy, brown mess. And the first thing that runs through my twisted little mind is...

I sure wish I had my camera so I could take a picture of this and put it on my blog.

Because I think about you all the time and everything is now material.

My sweetheart of a hostess, Sheila, came running in to help. I felt sure I would be escorted from the premises immediately.

Instead she scooted the table on top of the stain, smiled cheerfully, and said, "Why, it smells like a coffee shop in here now! Everyone is going to be jealous!"

All I've got to say after that is thank God for grace. And good Southern girls like Sheila.

Amen.

Happy Bloggy Birthday

Update:Thanks to all of you for celebrating my bloggy birthday with me! And congratulations to Kristina! The random number generator chose her comment as the winner for the necklace below. Kristina is a sweet friend of mine and I know you'll love her blog as much as I do so I hope you'll stop by to say hello! The necklace is still on sale at www.dayspring.com and you can use my friends and family code (holley20) for an extra 20% off too.

 

I'm heading to the She Speaks conference in North Carolina. While I'm there my blog will celebrate a birthday! I kicked it all off with this post so I'm sharing it again...

 

I recently read a story about a newly discovered underground cave. One scientist called the cave “a beautiful anomaly.” An anomaly is something unusual, or in other words, weird. The scientists were delighted with this cave and dubbed it a national treasure.

Through that story, God got me thinking about how we all have underground caves in our lives. They may be quirks, regrets, hidden habits, or any number of things.

We usually work hard to keep people away from them. But perhaps they’re actually “beautiful anomalies” (or that’s what God can make them) and we should invite people into those places.

So I’ve decided to kick off this blog by sharing some of my underground cave stuff with you. It ranges from silly to serious.

My Top Ten Beautiful Anomalies

1. I change the lyrics to eighties songs and sing them to my dog.
2. I eat really weird, spicy things that make my friends shriek “Holley!” in the middle of restaurants. 
3. When I’m thinking really hard about something I totally zone out. For example, the other day I put deodorant on my lips instead of chapstick.
4. I have trouble getting out of bed on time. I even put chocolate on my alarm clock and it still didn’t work.
5. I’m more afraid of failure than I am of snakes or spiders.
6. I wasn’t “popular” in high school…and I wanted to be.
7. I have a baby in heaven.
8. I’m unusually fond of turtles and short, fat dogs.
9. I’m named after my Grandpa Hollie and he’s my hero.
10. When I get really nervous, I sweat and think there’s something in my nose.

(By the way, all of the above are still true. I could add a few more like "11. I have an embarassing tendency to wander into the men's room--especially at conferences." Good thing there won't be any men at She Speaks!) 

Just in case you’re beginning to wonder, the point of all this is to declare up front that I don’t have it all together—and no one who comes to this blog is required to either.

Yes, I’m a Christian greeting card writer. But I’m also a wife, daughter, friend, and mixed up, messed up, saved-by-grace girl who gets by in spite of herself every day.

I imagine (or at least hope) you’re a lot like me too.

And you know what? God loves us that way. He knows all about our underground caves, our quirks, the things we think make us weird. Those anomalies may even be part of the story He is writing and we are living out.

I believe God has “beautiful anomalies” too. And His infinite capacity to love us as we are will always be one of my favorites.

What birthday would be complete without a gift? This one is for you--my fabulous readers! I'm giving away one of these sterling silver God's Heart for You necklaces from DaySpring...

It comes with a mini-card I helped create that has this message...

In God’s heart, you are…

created
I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. PSALM 139:14 NIV

chosen
The Lord has chosen you to be His treasured possession. DEUTERONOMY 14:2 NIV

celebrated
He will take great delight in you…
He will rejoice over you with singing. ZEPHANIAH 3:17 NIV

cherished
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. JEREMIAH 31:3 NIV

Just leave a comment or become a subscriber by midnight on Sunday and you'll be entered!

 

I recently read a story about a newly discovered underground cave. One scientist called the cave “a beautiful anomaly.” An anomaly is something unusual, or in other words, weird. The scientists were delighted with this cave and dubbed it a national treasure.

Through that story, God got me thinking about how we all have underground caves in our lives. They may be quirks, regrets, hidden habits, or any number of things.

We usually work hard to keep people away from them. But perhaps they’re actually “beautiful anomalies” (or that’s what God can make them) and we should invite people into those places.

So I’ve decided to kick off this blog by sharing some of my underground cave stuff with you. It ranges from silly to serious.

My Top Ten Beautiful Anomalies

1. I change the lyrics to eighties songs and sing them to my dog.
2. I eat really weird, spicy things that make my friends shriek “Holley!” in the middle of restaurants. 
3. When I’m thinking really hard about something I totally zone out. For example, the other day I put deodorant on my lips instead of chapstick.
4. I have trouble getting out of bed on time. I even put chocolate on my alarm clock and it still didn’t work.
5. I’m more afraid of failure than I am of snakes or spiders.
6. I wasn’t “popular” in high school…and I wanted to be.
7. I have a baby in heaven.
8. I’m unusually fond of turtles and short, fat dogs.
9. I’m named after my Grandpa Hollie and he’s my hero.
10. When I get really nervous, I sweat and think there’s something in my nose.