The teenage years. Such an awkward time, right? Butterfly clips and body glitter and boy bands. No thanks. Adolescence was dicey in the nineties. I'm glad I never have to navigate those stormy waters again. Thank God the digital landscape was nearly uninhabited back then. It's exponentially more complicated for teens now since social media … Continue reading day 34/40: #40shoutouts40days
I have one last musical guest to applaud on the road to Easter. It seems appropriate for this man to precede the the remaining people. The rest of the bunch are those who have directly or indirectly shaped my spiritual life. To some degree, he falls in that category too. Some context for you. In … Continue reading day 33/40: #40shoutouts40days
"I'm going to miss this magic," I whispered. I felt my heart swell. My eyes started to tingle. I looked around and squeezed Steve's hand. He leaned in. My nose grazed his cheek. "These are special people, Steve. What a rich season. Right now I wish we weren't moving to Scotland in September." That night … Continue reading day 32/40: #40shoutouts40days
Well, well, well. This is humiliating. This is the first year I have ever bothered to number the days stretching from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. Guess what? I've been observing Lent incorrectly for years. Ta-da! It turns out that when people break Lent on Sundays it's because those days are not included in the … Continue reading silly elissa
The internet helped me figure out that October 23rd, 1991 was the day I was born again as a music lover. It's when Top 40 pop freed me from the clutches of Christian contemporary music. (No offense, CCM. We had some good days too. I know Mom and Dad meant well.) So why the picture … Continue reading day 31/40: #40shoutouts40days
Dear Glennon Doyle Melton, Forgive me. I haven't pre-ordered Love Warrior. Actually, I haven't even skimmed Carry On, Warrior. Truthfully, I didn't know you existed until a few months ago because life just gets away from a mom with busy toddlers. I try to cover the basics before getting lost reading. Some days I don't … Continue reading day 30/40: #40shoutouts40days
You guys. I finally figured out where and when my fiery love for goal setting started. When I was young, maybe seven, I received a book called The Silver Slippers. (If you're old enough to share my affinity to Lauryn Hill you may have owned it too as a kid.) I think it was a … Continue reading day 29/40: #40shoutouts40days
Dear Anne Lamott, Twenty-nine days ago I pledged to praise one extraordinary human being each day for Lent. Forty shout-outs in forty days. Miraculously, I am writing more than ever and somehow I am not losing my mind and neglecting my personal hygiene, at least not entirely. I'm out of dry shampoo but that's another … Continue reading day 28/40: #40shoutouts40days
Dearest Michaela, You, my dear. I can barely articulate a thought without welling up in tears. Yes, we haven't met yet but I feel as if a tiny piece of my heart holds you closer than several whom I know well and cherish. Vulnerability makes this possible across an ocean. Your writing, Michaela, bleeds vulnerability. … Continue reading day 27/40: #40shoutouts40days
Today is Mother's Day in the UK. Perhaps you thought I'd capitalize on this opportunity and reverently bow to the woman who raised me. Mom, I love you immensely. You are a jewel but today is not your day. I could praise the women - young and old, past and present - who have influenced … Continue reading day 26/40: #40shoutouts40days
ELISSA JOY WATTS 