*updated for 2019 I’m typically one of those die-hard “don’t celebrate Christmas until after Thanksgiving” kind of people. And, while I’m still holding out this year, I do find it’s getting harder! It probably has to do with the fact that stores were displaying Christmas items in SEPTEMBER this year. What? Or maybe it’s the […]
books
Is Self-Care Beneficial? It Depends
Flourish: How the Love of Christ Frees Us from Self-focus by Lydia Brownback was on my list of summer reads. Now that it’s the end of summer (HOW did that happen?), I thought I’d share some thoughts from one chapter in particular. Self-care is a hot topic right now in mainstream media and in Christian […]
The Welcome Familiarity of Treasure Rediscovered
Forgotten treasures are even more wonderful once rediscovered. Just ask my son! Rocks with unique colorings, favorite plants, special snacks, a well-worn book, pictures that evoke special memories. They all elicit sparkling eyes, a dancing smile, and gushing exclamations. I found these pictures on my phone. They’re of magnets on the refrigerator – memories that […]
Book Ideas for Summer
My love of books was confirmed today when I went to my digital Hoopla account (available through our library!) and noticed I have 146 books marked to read at some future date. Ha! To be fair, some of those are marked for my son, but … still. And that’s not counting my amazon lists or […]
My Word for 2019
You know that phrase, “The best laid plans”? That’s my story for my One Word for One Year this year. Some of you may have read at the end of 2018 that I planned to continue my word from 2018 (grace) into this new year. I knew there was still much to dig into related […]
Reflecting On A Summer That Didn’t Go As Planned
Have you ever had a season of life where nothing went as planned or hoped? That was my summer! I had plans to play with my boy and enjoy long daylights. Instead, I spent much of it inside in a prone position. I hoped for a lightness to encompass these days where schedules are more […]
A Few of My Favorite Sabbath Resources
My understanding of Sabbath has grown for over a decade. It’s a topic that rouses my insatiable thirst for more. Others’ perspectives are varied and nuanced and help build my ever-enlarging framework for what Sabbath can be. Books, podcasts, articles, blog posts, lectures, personal conversations – God has used them all to lead me into […]
Summer Reading: Books for Enjoying Life
We started 100 days of summer at our house today – our plan to embrace the fun of summer and enjoy life while we practice counting too! One fond memory I have of summer is reading. I’m pretty sure we went to the library every week when I was a kid. I’m also positive that […]
How to Rest
I remember a time when I was busy, too busy really. There wasn’t enough time for adequate physical rest, much less soul rest. Always another need to fill, goal to reach, or way to serve. My body was weary. My soul languished. God gently compelled me to seek rest. But I had no idea how […]
Practice Biblical Meditation & Quiet the Noise in Your Mind
Take 1 minute and write down everything that’s filled your mind today. No, really, do it! To-do list items, random passing thoughts, decisions that have to be made, obstacles to overcome, relationships that need work, heartaches weighing you down, anything at all that you thought about. (Just make sure you set a timer or you […]