Bring the Rain | 2009 August

Crazy Love…

August 27, 2009 By Angie Leave a Comment

Update on the book club…

We are so excited that so many people will be joining us, but at this point we are unable to commit to sending them to anyone else. We are doing our best to get them to the people who have already emailed, and should funds become available, we will let you know!!!

We are working on a way to get a discount, and have a couple other ideas, so we will keep you posted as we find out about those. If you want to sponsor someone’s book, please email me and let me know (see previous post for details).

Because it is going to take awhile to get all of these together, we are going to push back the start date to September 13th. Sorry we have had to change it a few times, we weren’t quite expecting the response

It is going to be great!!!! Can’t wait to dig in with you all!!!!

Much love,

Angie

Filed Under: Bloom (in)courage, crazy love

The Book Club

August 27, 2009 By Angie Leave a Comment

So I don’t know if I have mentioned this or if I was waiting for the official debut, but I will be doing this fun little book club with my friend Jessica Turner (who is giving away Selah CDs on her blog today), and we are seriously ecstatic over it. Danielle has been working tirelessly on a whole new button and blog that we will use for it, and trust me when I say it’s the cutest thing ever. Seriously. I CAN’T wait to start it up, and I think you all are going to love what we have come up with. We have a couple really cool secrets up our sleeves that you aren’t going to want to miss!!!

I love the book so far. I mean, really, really, really love it. I can feel myself stretching and reaching for a different version of Christianity than I have known. Francis Chan is brilliant and so easy to read and yet profoundly deep…such a hard combination to get right!!!

In my previous post, I said that we had been donated enough books/funds to be able to provide books to all those who wished to participate, but couldn’t afford to do so.

Well, the needs have increased in a glorious, overwhelming way.

So, I have a proposal for you all.

If you would like to donate a book (or bookS) to someone who can’t buy it, will you shoot me an email (angelac519@gmail.com) that has “crazy love sponsor” in the title? I will send you the address of someone who has requested a book and you can send it directly to them.

Maybe you own the book and have already read it and want to pass it along…GREAT!!!

Whatever you can do is so appreciated. I want this to feel like community, and if I could do it all myself, I promise I would. Unfortunately (and fortunately…), Mr. Chan has written a book that A LOT of people want to be a part of, and there is no way I can do it on my own.

I have had several people write asking to donate books and it triggered this thought, so if you can do that, let me know!!!!

Cook Publishing is also generously donating copies of the book, so thank you to them as well. We so appreciate your help

The site will be up in a few days (have I mentioned it ROCKS?!?!?!) and it will have all sorts of cool interactive stuff. We have a list of amazing guest-posters and the capability to chat live so we can all gather up and talk together.

Because we are sorting out the details, some of you may not receive your book in time to start with us on Sept. 6. But, that’s okay. Thanks to a brilliant reader of mine (thank you!), I have learned that if you click here, you can read the first 2 chapters in google reader, so that will buy us some time while we sort out details behind the scenes. If you know someone that may enjoy this book or being a part of this book club, we would be honored if you would invite them. All are welcome. Jessica and I believe that this is the start of something big and beautiful.

Okay, that’s all for now! I’m off to try and get some writing done and then enjoy a night out with Toddy for our anniversary…

Much love,

Ang

Filed Under: Bloom (in)courage, crazy love

Music and Love

August 25, 2009 By Angie Leave a Comment

***updated to say that if you would like a copy of Crazy Love, please email me your request instead of leaving it in the comments because I would hate to miss it on accident…and be sure to include your address!!!! ALSO, we are planning on starting our first session will be on Sunday, September 6th…we bumped it back to make sure everyone could get their books in time!!!***

So the new Selah CD was released today, and I am pumped about it

I am ridiculously proud of my Toddy, and honestly think this is one of the best CD’s they have ever made.

Here’s the link…it will take you to itunes, where you can search for “selah you deliver me” and purchase the cd right there. Any local store (Lifeway, Family Christian, Target, Walmart etc.) will also have it…

I love you Todd…and I am so proud to be married to a man who loves the Lord fully and with complete dedication. Your Father is honored by your offering and your heart. All your girls are praying for you today as you share your gift…

So friends, consider this an offer to be blessed through amazing music that will bring you right to the feet of the cross.

I’ll meet you there.

Much love and thanks!

*And for those of you who wrote and couldn’t afford it, the first round is going out tomorrow and we are waiting on the next shipment to come. Because of some very generous donations from people who asked to remain anonymous, we are able to send every single one requested. Praise the Lord!!!!

*If you have requested the book “Crazy Love,” just know that ALL of those are also covered as well. Feel free to email me and ask if you still need a copy!!! We have enough room financially to give several more and would love to do that. Please don’t miss a great study because if money…we would love to have you with us, and the Lord has provided a way to do that…

***

I also feel this pressed into my heart, and please feel free to ignore it if it doesn’t speak to you. You know I would never ask for your money if I was going to keep it myself. I have tried very hard to make it known that I am a good steward of what I have been given, and to make sure you know I am not out to make money with all of this. With that said, I would love to ask you to prayerfully consider helping “C” financially. We are making tremendous progress, and the Lord is showing up in amazing ways (you are absolutely not going to believe her story, which she is going to share here on a very special day).

Please hear my heart on this…I really want to help her, and she is about to lose her van and some other things which would really impact her life. We are actively a part of the process, but it just isn’t enough. Satan has thrown so many roadblocks in our path as she desperately seeks His will, and we know it is because the Lord is blessed by her decisions and her love for Him.

If this is something that the Lord pricks your heart about, could you please make a donation to my paypal account on her behalf (please specify that this is what it is for so I know…angelac519@gmail.com will take you to my account on paypal.com) or send me an email?

I don’t like to ask these kinds of things, and am really sensitive about what I do, but I know that this is what the body of Christ is all about, and I want her to experience it the way I have.

If you aren’t able or don’t feel led to give, would you please commit to praying for her? She and her family could really use those prayers…

The Lord is at work.

All praise to Him for everything we have, and praise even for what we do not…

With so much love and thanks,

Angie

Filed Under: Selah, Todd

Cranium

August 20, 2009 By Angie Leave a Comment

Here’s a funny video from last night (or, really early this morning actually…). C is HILARIOUS. I twittered it but a bunch of you don’t do twitter…

It’s all fun and games in the video, but the truth is, there is a miracle in the making and I get to watch it every day…God has FAR surpassed my dreams for this girl in ways only He could dream up. When the time is right, I’m going to share that story with you all…or better yet, maybe she will

Love you C…and the TRUE victory is in integrity, not the Cranium scoreboard.

At least that’s what we’ll say until we get our rematch.

You all have a great Thursday…

Filed Under: Just for Fun

The Book Choice Is….

August 19, 2009 By Angie Leave a Comment

CRAZY LOVE!!!!!!

I have wanted to read Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan, and keep hearing great things about it. I was so excited that so many of you said the same…and it’s a good price on Amazon. I was so excited that I bought it for $14.99 at the bookstore today and then found the online price. Oh well…:)

The other book that kept coming up was Same Kind of Different As Me, which is one of my favorite books of all time. My book agent acquired this book for Thomas Nelson, so I wonder if I can get him to pull some strings and donate a couple hundred copies for us…hmmm…maybe not. But you should read it anyway-if it doesn’t change your life, I will be surprised. I know that sounds dramatic but it really is true. Maybe we can do that one next?

Also, just so you know, I just signed up with a program through Amazon that tracks how many books etc. people buy because of my recommendations, and I get a portion of that sale (it’s not much for each book, but still, it adds up!). So, just know that if you click over directly from here, I will be making a little Amazon credit, and if it adds up to enough, I would love to send some books to people who can’t afford to buy them but want to be a part of the book study.

While we’re on the subject of making moula, I’m sure you’ve also noticed that I have BlogHer Ads on my sidebar, and in the event that you are wondering, I don’t keep the money that I make from it. I have gotten a few emails from people who were curious (they were very kind, which is why I even want to address it here). Please don’t think I’m trying to be all super-humble about the whole thing…the truth is that this is something I am able to do right this second in life, and am honored to be able to give back in my daughter’s name.

With that being said, I have absolutely no problem reading blogs with ads. As long as I trust the blogger, I trust what they do with the money they make, no matter what they use it for!!! Maybe they need to buy groceries or want to set it aside for a college fund…if I didn’t want to be a positive part of their lives, I wouldn’t be reading their blogs!!! What a blessing to be able to help someone a little bit just by reading what I would have already been reading in the first place!!! Make sense? I hope so.

Good.

Now back to the book.

Okay, now for the logistics….if you want to be a part of Crazy Love, get ahold of a book and start reading…I would love for this to be conversational, and am trying to figure out the best way to do that…bear with me if it takes me one or two tries!

Let’s plan on reading the preface and chapter one by Sunday, August 30th. After that, we will do a chapter every week, and my posts will go up on Sunday evenings. I will talk about my thoughts and invite you all to dig a little deeper, with my hope being that you can connect some more with one another…

I’m ready for some Crazy Love…you?

Ang

*If you are unable to purchase the book, please send me an email and I will do my best to get you a copy!!!

Filed Under: Bloom (in)courage, crazy love

Help Me Pick A Book!

August 19, 2009 By Angie Leave a Comment

***OK, let’s skip the parenting topic because I don’t want to exclude anyone! A bunch of you all aren’t parents, so let’s do something we call all learn from and enjoy

***

For the longest time, I have wanted to do some sort of book club on my blog, because if you haven’t noticed, I’m kind of obsessed.

Seriously, my addictions include books, perfume, and candles.

And I want to give a shout out here to French Lime Blossom from Jo Malone. You have made me smell like the woman I have always wanted to smell like. Thank goodness I have a wedding anniversary this month, so I’m hoping I get some goodies from the hubs.

I would love for us all to read a book together, and I have a couple in mind, but I want to take a little survey and see what you guys think. Parenting? General Christianity? Prayer? Any book you’ve read or wanted to read that you might suggest? Please leave your ideas here and I’ll skim over them and decide what the majority feels like doing and then we can get a little game plan together.

Sound good? If you’re up for it, leave me some ideas…

Thanks!

Ang

And don’t miss the post right below this one! Congrats to the winners!

Filed Under: Bloom (in)courage

Winners for Homemade Home!

August 19, 2009 By Angie Leave a Comment

Random.org picked the following comments:

1. Shannon on 8/12/09 at 9:33 a.m.

2. Keifersgirl on 8/12/09 at 10:20 am

3. Sara d on 8/12/09 at 11:03

Send me your info and I’ll send it along to the publisher!!! Congratulations to you…you will love it! And if you didn’t win and want to buy it anyway,

Here’s the link…

Enjoy!!!

Angie

Filed Under: giveaway

Anne and the shower…

August 14, 2009 By Angie Leave a Comment

After I posted that little teaser the other day, I knew I was going to have to come back and fill you all in a bit on Mrs. Jackson.

It all started in Uganda, from what I hear.

Keely, the brilliant Compassio n photographer, was Anne’s roomie.

One day as Anne is leaving the room, she hears a loud noise that kind of sounds like a human body falling. So, she walks back to the shower area and asks if Keely is okay.

Keely is not okay.

She has slipped and fallen out of the shower and cracked her head open, which resulted in multiple stitches across the forehead (given outdoors with bugs swarming around and no anesthesia….yeah. I threw up a little in my mouth too.)

Turns out, Keely is even going to have to have more surgeries to fix her precious face (she also broke her nose in several places).

Don’t be concerned. She is still gorgeous, inside and out.

Did I mention that wonder-Keely still photographed the entire Compassion trip, despite the injuries? Seriously. The girl is some kind of amazing. Boomam a was on the same trip, and according to her they were trying to tell Keely it didn’t look that bad as the blood was dripping everywhere, because they didn’t want to freak her out.

You know, because of the third world country/stiches to the head combo not being umm, desireable.

Let’s fastforward, shall we?

Good.

So you all know that ~~attempted shower killer~~ Anne was my roomate in India, and to be honest, she doesn’t come across as dangerous. She’s sly, that one.

The way it works in our quirky hotel room is that you have to have a key card in a little holder to activate the lights in the room. It’s really weird, and may have all been a part of her plan…

I am getting ready to jump in the shower and Anne says she needs to run an errand (it’s all coming together now…). When she leaves, she somehow “FORGETS” that when she takes the key that’s plugged into the wall, the lights go off within a few minutes.

And did I mention that at that point, the room is PITCH BLACK DARK.

So I (innocent victim) have just stepped into the shower and the lights go off. Seriously, I can’t even see my hand in front of my face so there is no way this is going to be pretty. I fumble around the room, finally cover a portion of myself with a glorified hand towel after tripping over my shampoo bottles, and the doorbell rings.

Despite the fact that I am pretty much half naked and soaking wet, I decide that a funny prank would be to open the door so she can see what she has done to me.

So I did.

Unfortunately, I didn’t make proper usage of the peephole, which is designed to let you know if it is your dear, close friend or a LARGE MAN WORKING IN THE HOTEL.

I so wish I was kidding.

We did get a good laugh out of it though

And I couldn’t have asked for a better roomate…I never told you all this (and seriously, please don’t make fun of me!) but I have a little something called a “woobie.” It was a pillowcase when I was a baby and now it’s just two nasty pieces of fabric held together with a safety pin. The thing goes with me everywhere I travel and I sleep with it at night.

She is my precious.

Moving on.

While we were there, I formally introduced Anne to woobie (they totally hit it off).

So one day we come back to the hotel room, and the beds are made. I realize that woob was in the bed, and I immediately throw back all of the covers in a panic.

Nothing.

I call downstairs to see if anyone has found some dirty cloth and a safety pin that used to be a pillowcase (“Pillowslip?” He says. That sounds pretty fancy, but okay, “pillowslip.”)

Well, we tried for the next several days to rescue the woobster, but it seems that she got gathered up in the bedding and went out into a trash heap.

I’m not even gonna lie.

I cried like a 3 year old. And then I laid on my bed and kicked and screamed “It’s not fair!” just like the girls have taught me so well.

And the best part?

Anne understood.

And that is one of the bazillion reasons I love Anne Jackson. Because she cares about what matters, and she cares about what matters to those she loves.

So, as I tell you a little bit about her here, I want to ask you to please be in prayer, as she is having surgery on her heart today. She has SVT (same as sweet Stellan), and the procedure is designed to alleviate the symptoms she has been having.

Will you pray for her? Her twitter name is @flowerdust if you want to follow her journey.

Seriously, you might want to be on her good side.

Just sayin’.

Love you Anne, and I am praying for today….

Ang

Filed Under: Compassion International, India

Homemade Home

August 12, 2009 By Angie Leave a Comment

***I AM GIVING AWAY 3 BOOKS, AND THE CONTEST WILL END AT NOON ON SUNDAY!!! ENTER NOW!!!!***

I am so excited about Amanda Soule’s new book, Handmade Home
She sent me and my friend Jess some advance copies so we could check it out, and we had a blast making one of the projects in the book.

Enjoy! And thanks to Amanda for letting us take a sneak peek…you are so gifted!

Homemade Home from angie smith on Vimeo.
Love to you all!
Ang

Filed Under: giveaway

(in)courage post

August 12, 2009 By Angie Leave a Comment

(I thought this was going to be up late tonight, but I guess it’s first thing in the morning! Check back on (in)courage then and hopefully it will be there!)
AND there will be another fun post up tomorrow (with video!) How fancy is that?!?!?!

The Yellow Line
When I was about 4 years old, my parents checked me into the hospital for a week.
My feet dangled off the edge of a chair, ankles crossed together and swinging from front to back while I waited.
I had bitten my nails down to nothing, and now they were tucked into fists, sweaty and restless.
I had on a blue corduroy dress with flowers on the pockets.
I was terrified.
I wasn’t a normal four year old, or at least that’s what they told me.
Normal kids don’t have to check to see if the stove is turned off before they go to bed, nor do they obsess about baby sister’s breathing.
They don’t stare out the glass door and wait for daddy’s car, crying because he might be hurt or lost.
And so I sat.
A few minutes later, I followed the nurses down a long hallway and they put me in a big bed with plastic rails. They gave me a red Popsicle and told me they would be back.
Then they disappeared around the corner with my mother.
**To read the rest, please go to www.incourage.me***

Filed Under: (in)courage, fear, growing up