introductions.

Hooray! Our blog/podcast/discussion board chew* now has two new members: Kari and Jenn. After taking an unintentional month off in April, we're back and ready to discuss domesticity and the gospel. Kari and Jenn will be on board for this and our future discussions, and I've got to tell you: I'm pretty excited.

This is the kind of stuff that absolutely thrills me: Open discussion, thoughtful conversation, and the meeting of new and old friends.

So, hop on over to chew* and meet our new contributors. (Kari's bio is here; Jenn's is here.) If you'd like, let us know your thoughts on domesticity, and then tune in later this month for audio of our discussion.

you've been recruited.

Toward the end of 2008, I emailed three friends to test out an idea. The premise was simple: a monthly meeting of the minds to discuss topics centered on faith and creativity. Thanks to my lovely counterparts, the idea soon blossomed into chew*, a blog where the three of us post “podcasts” of ourselves conversing on a series of topics, including living simply, Don Miller’s newest book, and celebrating church traditions.

We’re all busy — really busy — and one of us has been in Europe for the past three months (cue jealousy), but so far, the concept has worked beautifully. I went to my friends seeking discourse, and I got it. I can’t thank them enough.

Now, though, we’re looking for some help. Trying to reconcile four separate schedules is difficult, and we’ve often had to settle for just three of us to join in the discussion. I’d like to see that change. Basically, if two of us are going to be out of town or working, the conversation falls apart. So, why not add a fifth collaborator to join in on the fun (and to alleviate the pressure from our four schedules)?

Are you eager to discuss topics of faith with fellow believers?

Would you describe yourself as a creative?

Are you open-minded and willing to truly converse with others regarding your faith?

Is your heart eager to learn new things?

Do you ask a good question?

If you answered yes, you might be just the person to join us on chew*.

Leave a comment or e-mail me (anniesbutterworth [at] gmail [dot] com) if you’re interested.

We hold monthly conversations via Skype or iChat (whichever happens to be up-and-running). Our discussions typically last no more than one hour, and usually are scheduled for late afternoon or early evening on Tuesdays. Two of us are on CST, and two of us are on EST, so don’t let time differences stop you from joining. We once held a discussion across continents!

Now, if you’re not really interested in making a monthly commitment, or if you’d just rather play along than be a key contributor, that’s great too.

Just head on over to the chew* blog and post your thoughts on our upcoming topic:

Domesticity and the Gospel

What role do you think domesticity (the art of cooking, gardening, creating, making things lovely) plays in the Gospel message?

We’d love to take your thoughts into consideration for our next discussion. Click over now to add your comments.

I hope by adding new voices to the discussion, chew* will continue to grow. I can’t begin to tell you what a blessing it’s been in my year to gather monthly with faraway friends to discuss things close to our hearts. I am so blessed, and I’d love to share that blessing with you!

down to business.

A few “important” things of note after this spring weekend…

First of all, I’ve joined the Twitter nation. I’m not really sure how long this will last (since I never intended on doing it in the first place), but for now, you can follow me by clicking the link in my right-hand sidebar. I have a feeling this last Facebook hiatus may be semi-permanent (it’s so refreshing NOT to know other people’s business), so Twitter and the blog — along with old-fashioned email and snail mail — will probably be the best ways to keep in touch.

Second, in the name of shameless promotion, I’ve added links to the blog where you can find information about my graphic design and editing services. I currently do a lot of freelance work for non-profits, but I’d love to expand my horizons by partnering with some of you! I can help you with announcements, invitations, business cards, blog headers and basic HTML, brochures, and more. Click to the left for more information!

Our third chew* chat is scheduled for tomorrow, and we couldn’t be more excited. We’ll be discussing Donald Miller’s A Million Miles in a Thousand Years (a book about the importance of living a story worth reading) and we’d love your thoughts! Leave a comment here or on the chew* blog if you’d like to see us cover something specific in our conversation. Your opinion would be a great addition to our conversation!

Lastly, I just finished the book 29 Gifts for our April book club meeting. (My friend blogged about it here), and I’ve embarked on my own 29 gifts journey. I started last Friday, and so far, it’s been a lot more challenging than I thought! So I’m curious: Can you remember a gift — of time, thought, or money — that meant a lot to you? As I try to give a gift a day for the next 29 days, I’d like to know what it is people love to receive. Is it a phone call? An anonymous word of encouragement? A monetary gift? Food? Flowers? Mail? Leave a comment with your ideas, and find out more about the 29 Gifts project here. I’ll be blogging my progress throughout my own project, so stay tuned!

{On another note, my bracket has bombed. Cross your fingers that Jordan’s disintegrates too. Currently, my only hope for a win is that my Cornell gamble paid off and that West Virginia keeps winning.}

another chew* chat.

We (Cory, Jenna, Annie, and Lindsey) hope you'll join us over on chew* for our latest conversation about Lent and the church calendar. You can listen to our chat (here or here), then join in the discussion by posting your own comments. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject!

{Not sure what chew* is? Click here.}

and we're off...

I'm headed out of town for a quick trip, but wanted to let you know that our first episode of chew* is up and running. You can listen to our hour-long chat online; we covered a lot of ground, and we'd love for the discussion to continue online. Leave your comments and let us know your own thoughts on living simply. I can already tell that this project is going to be such a huge blessing in my life.

chew*

As 2010 begins, I’ve got two new projects up my sleeve, and today, I’m happy to reveal one of them (to the six or so of you who faithfully read).

In an effort to maintain friendships with three girls who inspire me and to encourage open and honest dialogue, I’ve started another blog. (Don’t judge.)

chew* was born out of some serious thinking about my little life and what could make it even better. Over the months I’ve realized that perhaps the thing I miss most about college is the free and open exchange of ideas, the ability to talk about life’s deeper questions and to reflect on our callings as God’s beloved. Then I realized (after being inspired here and here) that discourse was possible, despite time and distance.

So I started chew*.

Three of my friends have graciously agreed to join me in this little venture. Each month, we’ll be discussing a new topic—ranging from the spiritual to the creative—via video chat. We’ll post our videos for you to see in an effort to continue the dialogue even further. (In other words, your comments are welcome and encouraged!)

I hope you’ll join us over at chew*. This month, we’re discussing living simply and intentionally and how it relates to our spiritual walk. You can get a preview of our talk here. Then, check back again January 22 for the full video.

This project excites me to no end. I can’t wait to see where it takes us. If you’re interested in contributing to the discussion or joining the journey, let me know. We’d love to have you on board.