7 Narcissistic Takes

I was busying trying to write something mean, funny and poignant about Lena Dunham (I know, I didn’t really think it could be done either) when, mid afternoon, the gorgeous Chelsen Vicari named me one of the seven rising stars in the Evangelical World. My first thought was, how was that determination made? Did they put all the evangelicals in America in a hat and I got picked? But then I remembered that for some time I have been Blogging Every Day and so it must be God’s fault. Anyway, I won’t lie, my head blew up to be the size of the Binghamton Court House and I can’t seem to spiritualize my way out of it. I don’t know how I’m going to fit it through the door of my house in a few minutes when I have to toddle off in the snow to go to a funeral. Oh! That’ll be how I come back to reality!

So, shelving momentarily the depressing piece that was to have skewered Lena Dunham, let me do the usual Friday quick takes, but this time, A La End of the Year, I’ll do a look back of the seven best things that have happened to me. See, I haven’t gone to that funeral yet! The deep abiding self focus can go on just three more minutes, #problemsofanarcissist.

One–The discovery of Einkorn Flour
This has to top the list, of course. This single ingredient has restored my sanity to her shaky throne. Instead of climbing the summits of will power and lost weight only to plunge back to the valley floor in sorrow and trauma, now, as it were, I merely eat food. I eat meat sometimes, and vegetables, and, because of Jesus, even bread. I would never have counted as one of The Wonders of Life the ability to eat bread, but having tried not to do it for nigh on a decade, it is the very best thing that has happened to me in 2017.
Two–Seeing All The Family
I wouldn’t have said so at the time–especially when I was in the car trying very hard not to crane my head round to scream at all the children, instead keeping my eyes ever fixedly on the road–but getting to see so much of my family this summer was as wonderful as eating all the bread. My grandparents, my Oregon family, my North Dakota family, and Matt’s Texas family, Plus having my parents here for a bit in the fall was so gracious of God to organize.
Three–This House
Living in Babylon, I mean Binghamton has turned into a true charm. I read someone fretting about how, with Trump, lots of Christians are going to give up being in the world but not, as you know, “of the world”. Ha ha ha, I sniggered. I Totally gave that up when I moved in here. Bring on the compromise….well, not too much compromise, maybe just a little….Seriously, this house is so beautiful and every day I love it a little bit more.
Four–The Book
My husband has tried to command me to link my book in every single blog post every single day, no matter what I happen to be chattering about. And, of course, being the obedient wife that I am, I do always, of course of course of course, mean to do it. Because, as I tell him, that’s not weird at all.
Five–Jessica and Kalos Press
This should have come first, really. Working with Jessica on this book has been so surprisingly easy and fun. When I, in my far spent youth, tried to imagine writing a book visions of demoralization and typewriters with sticky keys was all that my mind could conjure. When really, what you do is lie around in bed eating chocolate and bashing words out into space and then a really nice person writes back and says, “too many commas” or “rearrange that” or ” I’m not sure what you meant here” and, occasionally, “that’s really good”. I would look up from my bright screen in wonderment and think that someone, particularly Jessica, was lying. “Why is she lying to me?” I would ask Matt, and he would say, “She’s probably not lying.” And there the matter would lie. I can only think that all the words in that book, then, must be God’s fault, or Jessica’s. if you don’t like them you can blame her for being way too nice. Just kidding! Blame Matt!
Six–Getting To Meet Other Writers
Toddling off to sit in a room with brilliant woman more brilliant than anything, and talk about women in the church, and the state of Christianity overall was seriously the highlight of my year. I’m working through my glorious book stack and I’ll be recommending them all to you, one by one by one.

Seven–My Cyber Community
I was going to say Matt and the children but I didn’t acquire them this year and I trust that they, and you, know how grateful I am for them. But I am also most grateful for all of you. I’ve met so many people this year online, wandering the halls of Facebook and Twitter, chatting with fascinating people a world away. For one, like me, who complains so bitterly about social media and the intrusive nature of the Internet into my life, the one thing I truly love is how small it has made my world, how easily I can meet and chat with true kindred spirits, how much the barriers of time and space have come to nothing.

So, I’m going to have to buck the trend and say that 2016 was pretty good, and I’m grateful to have lived through it, and that 2017 won’t be that bad, will it? What’s the worst that could happen? Don’t answer that! Just go read more and better takes!