Sorry it has been so very quiet around here. All I have for you is a couple of good excuses and some pictures.

First this month has been…crazy. Like over the top crazy. Between Christmas, snow storms, out of town house guests, holiday parties, family get-togethers, a few run-ins with Santa, buying a new car, Compassion reunions, conferences, getting everything squared away to start 2011 strong, and work there hasn’t been much time left for blogging. Boo.

Second I have been basking in the rare “in real life” time I have gotten to spend with family and friends. As great as technology is at connecting us, it doesn’t compare with late nights lounging on the couch with good friends, with lingering over a long meal where the only thing better than the food is the conversation, with ooohing and aaahing at the new addition to Suzanne and Bryan’s clan, with crowding on the couch for a family “Sound of Music” sing-along, or with seeing the joy on my nieces faces as I “make” them some hot chocolate (with lots of marshmallows of course).

What are some of your favorite December memories?

PS – My favorite new social media tool is Instagram. If you have an iPhone you need to try it. I absolutely love how easy it makes it to share pictures and engage with others.

Sometimes it is easy to overlook the progress made over a span a time. Sometimes it is easy to focus on how far I have left to go and not celebrate how far I’ve come. Sometimes it is easy to convince myself I am stuck in a rut, when in fact I am speeding down the road oblivious to all the mile markers.

With the closing of 2010, I would like to recognize some strides I have made this year. This is my own little personal progress report.

I moved into a place by myself and I bought a sweet new ride.

I finished a half marathon and I ate some incredible food to balance it out.

I invested in my Church, my community, and myself.

I gained some new responsibility and I delegated, or deleted, some “not to dos.”

I made friends who bullishly enter into hard conversations and friends who fight for me, and for what is right.

I traveled domestically and internationally and I continued to nourish my Nashville roots.

I relaxed and I served. I learned and I shared. I worked and I played.

I grappled with hard questions and I pursued divine Truth.

I stepped out in fear. And I stepped out in faith.

What are a few things you did in 2010?

I am still struggling to find my words. It is quite an interesting predicament I find myself in, because I so wish I could I tell you how dinner with friends and an evening of worship at the Ryman restored my joy. I wish I could tell you how the advent musical reverberating through the pews was  food for my hungry soul. I wish I could tell you how a remarkable group of musicians reminded me that when we chase our God-given dreams He shows up in ways that we could never imagine.

And I wish I could share how pregnant my heart is as I wait the arrival of two dear friends, friends whose shear presence makes me feel more comfortable in my own skin. I wish I could share how their unlikely friendship makes me want to scream from the roof-tops of the unfathomable “wonders of His love.”

And I wish I could put words to the seemingly circular debates battling it out in my heart, my soul, and my head. I wish you could all weigh in, guide my path, and give me clarity on what exactly is good, and right, and just.  But this I know, there are some things that need to be left between me and my God.

What are you wishing for today?

I attended college at The University of Colorado…in Boulder. (Yep, that’s the one. I know it doesn’t really fit into whatever box you’ve probably put me in, but it is where I went. I promise.) Whenever I tell people they immediately want to ask two questions.

The first most are hesitant to voice, “Did you graduate?” Why, yes, I did. In three years. Thank you very much.

And the second slips out without hesitation, “Did you ski ALL THE TIME?” That’s the one I hate answering. Because while I always made it out a handful of times each year, I definitely did not ski enough. So I start explaining…

When I lived in Colorado, I was spoiled. The mountains were there, well, all the time. Life happened. College happened. I carefully picked and choose days when I could afford to get up early, gather my gear, head west, and tackle the conditions. My aspirations of hitting the slopes were impeded by obligations…a sorority formal, a test, a birthday dinner, a date with a dark and brooding boy (I loved the dark and brooding boys). And by the weather…too much snow, not enough snow, too cold temperatures, too warm temperatures.

In short, I waited for the stars to align, and only skied on the all-too-rare perfect day.

The lesson I learned too late to make an impact on my skiing, and that I’m still learning over and over again, is that “perfect days” are few and far between. And that wonderful memories can be made when I stop waiting for all the proper circumstances to align and say yes to adventure, to the unexpected, to life.

In what areas of your life do you find yourself waiting for the perfect day?

I have a growing stack of books on my bookshelf. It is getting so out of control that it is stressing me out and causing me to avoid reading all together. (I know that makes no sense, but sometimes I don’t make sense.) I continue to buy books that friends recommend, get freebies in the mail, and pick up titles that look interesting at work. All of which add to my problem. My book problem. Seriously, I have all these books in my queue right now. (Don’t judge me.)

One Thousand Gifts (Ann Voskamp) – This one I have started (and sometimes starting is half the battle). So far I have been stunned by Ann’s insight, honesty, and way with words.

The Next Christians (Gabe Lyons) I am fascinated by the conversations about what is next for Christianity. Fascinated.

Margin (Richard A. Swenson, M.D.) I bought this book two years ago. Still haven’t found enough space to read it. And over the last couple of weeks I have heard 3 people recommend it. (Sometimes God’s nudging is not very subtle.)

Bonhoeffer (Eric Metaxas) I’m a little scared by the shear size of this tome but I have heard NOTHING but good things about this New York Times bestseller.

From Head to Foot (Annie Downs) I heart Annie Downs. Not sure I know anyone with as much exuberance and WOO (well, maybe Bianca, but it is a close call). I can’t wait to hear she has to say about offering your whole self to the Lord. Plus, I so admire the story of Annie’s persistence in bringing her dream to reality.

Advertising Headlines that Make You Rich (David Garfinkel) Michael Hyatt suggested this one. And what kind of idiot doesn’t read the books her boss suggests? Pretty sure that once I finish it I will have to go back and rename this blog post.

When You Reach Me (Rebecca Stead) Reading this with some girls at work. It’s the only fiction on my list and it’s actually written for young adults, which will suit me just fine.

Radical (David Platt) Just ordered this one today, because everyone is talking about it and frankly I am sick of not being able to add value the conversation.

Curious. What is on your bookshelf right now?

I have been traveling the last five weekends.

I don’t how it happened exactly. I would have never planned it that way but…

There was a wedding of a close friend and co-worker in Dallas. There was a Women of Faith conference that my sister and Bianca could attend. There was a baby shower in Birmingham that I was helping host. There was Thanksgiving in Asheville with the whole family. There was a reunion of Compassion Bloggers at Deeper Still.

They all seemed like opportunities I could not turn down. So I went. Every weekend. For the last five weekends.

And it wore me out. My house is a wreck. My bills are piled up high on my desk waiting to be paid. My puppy has been neglected. My friends haven’t been properly loved on. My life is in general disarray.

But I learned a lesson. There is always a lesson.

I need to learn to say “no.” (Let’s practice it together…”nooooooo.”) I need to build more margin in my life. I need to build in down time so I can fully enjoy the experiences I say “yes” to. This is key…I found myself so tired last weekend in Birmingham that I couldn’t fully revel in the incredible opportunity at hand. (Shame on me.) I found myself knowing exactly what Beth meant when she said, “Our treasure gets lost in the same trash as our time. Where there is no margin, there is no treasure.”

In 2011, I am going to TRY to living with a new rule.

I will be in town at least 2 weekends a month.

We’ll see if I can do it. In the meantime, I am going to enjoy being in Nashville the next few weekends.

What kinds of boundaries do you put around your time?

This weekend I was back in Birmingham for a reunion of Compassion Bloggers at Deeper Still. It was incredible. The conference, the speakers, the worship, the laughter, the food, the time with friends, old and new…incredible.

I heard solid Biblical teaching from three powerhouse women. Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, and Kay Arthur brought “it”. A lot of “it”. So much of “it” that my head is still spinning.

I worshiped with Travis Cottrell and 14,000 women. For me, there is no time I feel more connected to my Creator than when I am belting out (much to the chagrin of the people who have to stand by me) lyrics of adoration and praise. Worship is good for my soul.

I ate AH-MAZ-ING chicken and mashed potatoes with friends who share two of my passions, social media and the good work that is being done to rescue children from poverty in Jesus’ name by Compassion International. Never have I felt less worthy and more privileged to be a part of a group of people. These folks, each one of them, are world-changers.

I spent time (but not nearly enough) with the bloggers who traveled with me to Guatemala. I am so thankful that Guatemala brought us all together. I LOVE these women. Lisa-Jo is an energetic and passionate connector. Ann is one of the most beautiful people I have ever met, inside and out. And Amanda is kind, gentle, smart, funny, and warm.

I returned home Sunday morning feeling a little tired and a lot blessed.

A special thanks to Amanda, Sophie, Compassion and LifeWay Events for hosting us. You outdid yourselves.

Do you like reunions? What is the last reunion you attended?

There are SO MANY conferences these days…blogging conferences, “get your creative juices flowing” conferences, leadership conferences, womens conferences, church conferences, “talk about changing the world” conferences. Seems like every time I turn around there is a new one launching that peaks my interest. And then there are the “old faithfuls” that I feel compelled to attend year-after-year.

It is so difficult to choose. But I must be intentional and choose the handful that make the most sense for me professionally. (Conferences where I represent Thomas Nelson, conferences where I can connect with like-minded individuals, conferences where I learn about technology and how it is changing our lives and our business, and conferences where I am inspired to think differently.) And then I must look at what conferences have sparked my personal interests.

Anywho, these are the ones that are on my radar for the first half of 2011…

Re:create Arts Conference – (February 7-10, Franklin, Tennessee) Re:create began as a dream by Randy Elrod in 1998. He longed for a conference where like-minded creatives could gather for a time of refreshment, encouragement and diffusion of ideas. This year speakers include Michael Hyatt, Patsy Clairmont, Ken Davis, and Dan Cathy. This years artists include Ed Kowalcyzk (of the band Live), Andrew Peterson, and Matt Maher.

Idea Camp: Orphan Hope - (February 25-26, Northwest Arkansas) The issue of the orphan and our call as Christians to care for them has been on my heart since Catalyst did the 143million.org project last year. I want to dig deeper, learn more, and figure out how I can help. That is why I am hoping to make it Arkansas (of all places) for Idea Camp: Orphan Hope.

Catalyst West - (March 2-4, Irvine, California) I love all things Catalyst, but I have to admit Catalyst West is my favorite Catalyst event. Set in usually sunny Southern California, the event which sells out at 3,500 is more intimate than their fall Atlanta extravaganza. It is a great place to connect and get inspired. This year’s line-up is killer. I can’t wait to hear from Britt Merrick, Jack Dorsey, Matt Chandler, Soledad O’Brien, and many others.

SXSW Interactive – (March 11-15, Austin, Texas) How do you say no to five days of good ol’ Austin goodness, compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders, the incredible new SXSW Trade Show and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new digital works, video games and innovative ideas the international community has to offer? You don’t.

Q Ideas – (April 27-29, Portland, Oregon) Q was created by Gabe Lyons as a place where church and cultural leaders could come together to collaborate and explore ideas about how the Gospel can be expressed within our cultural context. It is a conference where influencers gather and share ideas. It is a conference that can truly change the world.

What conferences are you thinking of attending in 2011?

PS – Speaking of conferences, this weekend I am headed to Birmingham to meet-up with some friends and Compassion Bloggers and attend Deeper Still. Let me know if you will be there, I’d love to connect!

It’s been pretty quiet around here lately. (Not too quiet since I have had some amazing friends sharing.) But I’ve been struggling, struggling to find my voice.

Most days my words come easily. I know precisely what I want to say and how to say it.

But sometimes my mind and my heart make things more difficult.

Sometimes my mind is a blank slate. I lay in bed at night and search high and low for a couple words that I can piece together for some semblance of a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph.

Sometimes my mind just races. So many thoughts jog through my mind. I tear off after each and every one, hoping, praying to catch just one that is worthy of sharing here.

Sometimes my heart is a tightly sealed vault; protecting my innermost feelings like priceless treasures from rogue strangers.

Sometimes my heart is a healing wound; bandaged and on the mend but still at risk of infection.

But I will not give up.

I will search. I will chase. I will pry. And I will heal until my words flow again.

What do you do when you’ve lost your voice?