A couple of weeks ago some wonderful, beautiful, amazing friends threw me a book launch picnic party for the launch of At Home in this Life.
It was beautiful, delicious, and perfect in every way.
My friend Christen did the decorating, Kyran took pictures and helped me with book sales, Marna made the food with the help of Sam and Lilly, and she oversaw the whole shebang. Sara brought the most gorgeous plates and flatware (she has a whole company that rents it out for events!) and Katherine was the glue.
It was gorgeous and generous and exactly what I imagined a book launch picnic party to be. (Picnicking is one of the Sabbath Practices I write about in the book!)
I want to eat all of this again.
Sweet Man and I. I promise he was happy to be there….Also, no one is more supportive of me and all my endeavors than this fella. Also, no one is better at keeping me honest in regards to my writing, and at calling me back to where I actually need to be when I begin to look for greener pastures.
the luminous Kyran, fellow writer and church lady.
Writing and releasing this book has been a trans-formative experience. As a creative person, specifically as a writer in my genre, I used to think of myself as a little sister, and I thought of my writing – of all my gifts and callings really – as a little red wagon that I pulled behind me as I tried to keep up with the more successful and popular kids. This was endlessly frustrating and demoralizing because I could never quite get “there” – wherever I felt “there”was. Recently, thanks to a lot of silence, stillness, listening (thank you lessons of At Home in this Life!) and conversations with my Spiritual Director and friends – something inside me shifted and I no longer see myself as the little sister pulling the wagon, chasing after the bigger kids. These days I see myself as me, and I see my writing, my speaking, and my callings, as a beautiful farm house with an open floor plan and a wide deep porch. And instead of always feeling left out and left behind, I now see myself standing on that big front porch, the door open behind me, inviting everyone in to be a part of it all. This is the story and the song I want to sing bravely and with much joy.
My littlest fan.
Dear friends.
My baby cousin Mallory Sue! She even wore gingham!
Marna holding court.
This pretty much sums up everything about what I learned while living and writing At Home in this Life.
Things don’t always go as planned, but there is still beauty to be found! Also, you just have to learn to laugh and go on.
In the book there is a whole chapter about The Van‘s Katherine’s House, a refuge for homeless women, so it was so fun to see Tracy Speed, a volunteer with the organziation who started Katherine’s House at my launch picnic sporting here The Van t-shirt!How perfect!
To celebrate all the amazing work Aaron Reddin and Tricia Williams and all The Van volunteers are doing with the homeless in Arkansas, I will be giving 10% of profits made from At Home in this Life to Katherine’s House and other efforts from The One, Inc. to create beautiful and safe homes for our homeless neighbors!!
Order your copy here: And if you can remember to use your Amazon Smiles account (mine is linked to The One, Inc.!)
Awe – it looks like it was an absolutely lovely celebration. The antique china pulled at my heart – reminded me of my great grandmother’s table. The book did my heart so much good. Thank you for writing it.
I plan on reading your new book, and I know it will be a blessing. The photos on this post are beautiful. 🙂 I just finished A Homemade Year a couple weeks ago, and I have already made the spicy Cajun breakfast casserole twice. It is so good!!