Lovely Things
Lovely things are better when shared with friends.
Take a Look at What I am Finding Lovely.
The Bible in a Year Podcast
I first heard about this podcast well into 2021. I listened to a few episodes then and felt very intrigued, but it felt like a weird time to start something since I had missed keeping up with it from the beginning.
In the meantime, I heard more about and from Father Mike Schmitz and found him so likable and relatable. I was so happy to hear that, because this podcast had been so well received in 2021, it would be remastered to air again in 2022!
I have taken advantage of the opportunity to start it from the beginning this year, and I’m loving it as an addition to each day.
Please don’t count it out just because you might not be Catholic. I’m not either and can tell you firsthand it’s also for people just like you and me!
Episodes are relatively short, so as we close out the first week in January, you still have plenty of time to catch up and join me in listening for the rest of the year, and I’d love it if you would.
I am so encouraged to think that, by the end of 2022, I will have listened to Father Mike read and teach me something about the entire Bible! Join me?
I am so proud to recommend this special book!
This fascinating story follows a life filled with Real Life struggles including alcoholism, addiction, family secrets, and loss.
I am even more proud to call the author my friend!
A generous portion of the story takes place in West Virginia, and I feel certain that other local friends will find it as relatable and easy to visualize as I did.
For those who prefer audiobooks, a new version was released last month on Audible!
Please check out this hopeful, redemptive story, and keep it in mind to share with others.
Then be sure to follow Sarah Blizzard on Instagram and thank her for her vulnerability and bravery in sharing a story with the power to help so many others.
Recently Read…
I’ve continued to read everything I can find by Charles Martin. I previously shared The Water Keeper, which served as my introduction to this talented author. The Letter Keeper is the sequel, and I enjoyed it just as much. I am so excited to hear that the third installment of the series, The Record Keeper, is coming in June 2022! Meanwhile, I’m building my library with some of his stand-alone titles and have yet to be disappointed in one! Follow Charles Martin on Instagram for updates and to see more about his work!
Mrs. Meyer’s Limited Edition Fall Scents
I am a year-round fan of Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning products.
It all started for me with Basil.
Since then, I have been known to grab Lavender in the springtime, Peppermint at Christmastime, and whatever other fresh, seasonal scent has caught my eye in the meantime. Every one has left me enjoying cleaning my home just a little bit more.
I am unapologetically one of those “Fall is Best of All” girls, and I simply cannot say enough about this Limited Edition Apple Cider formula I just recently discovered. I started using it in August (sorry - not sorry!) and discovered how much I loved it. Clearly, everyone else loves it, too, because even though it’s still only August, it’s selling out everywhere.
I made a mission of finding more while I still could, and I shared a bottle with my daughter. I speak for us both when I say that, if you’re a fall lover like we are, you’ll want to find some of this stuff while you still can!
Try online - or at Target, Giant Eagle, or Whole Foods…
Happy Fall!
(We don’t care that it’s still August. We’re ready.)
A Timely Word.
This time of year finds so many mamas (and dads, too) struggling to let go. I know so many of you - and I am one of you.
I have good news and bad news for you:
(When given a choice between which of those I want first, I always choose the bad, so that the good can come last and cheer me up… so here goes!)
The bad news is that the struggle never really ends, and it doesn’t get easier. In fact, I think it gets even harder as they get older - because when they’re grown, we really have to let them go.
The good news is that, if you’re feeling this way, you are not alone.
My kids are all grown up. That’s how I know it never ends, and that it keeps getting harder as the ways in which we have to release them get bigger and more permanent. I am right in the middle of that struggle again. Right here with you.
We have each other.
Much more importantly though, you and I are not alone in this because God has us - and more importantly them - covered.
Maybe you’ll relate when I say that as I opened my eyes this morning, the thought of it had already taken hold of my consciousness. I reminded myself and God that I really want to release everything and everyone to Him. (Wanting to is one thing. I’m still working every day on doing…)
Then I opened Jesus Calling and found this.
It just never fails to amaze me how, no matter what I might be going through, those pages seem to offer me the help - and the hope - I need. Right at the perfect time.
Please pause and read the words it says today.
I think it will help you, too.
You are not alone. We are not alone.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
If your garden is overflowing with zucchini like mine is, then maybe you appreciate creative (and delicious!) ideas for ways to enjoy it just like I do.
This past weekend, I made this chocolate zucchini cake. When I did, I thought it would be just for “us". I didn’t realize that we would end up with a larger crowd than I anticipated for dinner. (I don’t know when I’ll just start anticipating that - because it happens a lot around here - and we love it!) When dessert time came, I felt a little nervous that this is what I had to offer… some people can be funny about the idea of a vegetable in their cake…
I don’t do sneaky food tricks on people, though. So I fully disclosed that I was offering them not just chocolate cake - but Chocolate Zucchini Cake. A few wouldn’t try it - but among all the ones who did - it was a pleasantly surprising hit!
My words to describe it: Don’t think of zucchini bread with chocolate in it… It’s not like that. It’s rich. Moist. Velvety. …Chocolate cake! Yum!
Try it!
(Notes: I did swap applesauce for the oil to cut some of the fat. Instead of frosting, I left it naked and used a dollop of whipped cream. I did add the optional chocolate chips - a combination of dark chocolate chunks and semi-sweet mini chips.)
The Enneagram
If you’ve ever wanted to learn about the Enneagram, or if you’ve never heard of it but feel intrigued, please start here! With THIS book.
I hope to talk about my experience with it someday soon on the Blog, but until then, I hope you’ll trust me when I recommend:
Get it. Take time to read it.
And then, especially if you combine it with your faith - prepare for it to change your life in the most profound way.
Magnolia Table White Vegetable Lasagna
This Magnolia Table book is one of my favorite things to keep on my kitchen counter. I enjoy the images and the stories just as much as I enjoy the recipes - but the recipes are pretty amazing!
I made this White Vegetable Lasagna for the dinner party I recently hosted for my mom’s birthday, and it was a tremendous hit. I love that it uses a generous amount of both zucchini and yellow squash. I definitely plan to keep it in rotation this summer when, hopefully, my garden supplies me with an abundance of both.
The recipe was simple to put together ahead of time, so that I only needed to pop it into the oven - and then relax with my guests. I followed the recipe exactly, only instead of a 9x13 pan, I made it in this dutch oven - which I find to be the perfect dish for cooking almost everything!
Edenlife Candle Co.
A friend gave me this candle as a birthday gift.
The first time I burned it, I immediately started researching online to find out where it had come from - and how I might get more! It is seriously one of the nicest candles I have ever had.
My research did provide me with a clue as to where my friend had probably gotten it: A Facebook page for Edenlife Candle Co. explains the touching story behind this family-run endeavor located in Holmes County, Ohio. Several of the posts on the page mention various retailers who carry the candles.
I know that Amish Country in Holmes County is a popular destination for many, especially in the summertime. If you happen to visit the area, I highly recommend keeping your eyes open for these candles. I know you will not be disappointed.
My Most Recent Reads
My favorite kind of book is one I can’t wait to pick up, every chance I get.
Each of these felt uniquely different from anything else I have recently read, and they both certainly kept me eager to return:
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah gave me a whole lot to think about. I saw some undeniable similarities between the period of time in which it is set and some of the major issues facing our society today. I would not call it a light read by any means. The story drew me in, and took me though a complete spectrum of emotions - all the way through the very end. Now more than ever, I also appreciate anything that helps me think from a different perspective than I might have before, and this book certainly did that for me. Check out the link and the reviews and decide for yourself if you want to give it a try.
The Water Keeper by Charles Martin completely surprised me - because of how much I liked it! I truthfully ordered it thinking my husband would enjoy it - but before he could start it, I ended up opening it myself. I could not put it down. If you aren’t into boats and water, the level of detail regarding those things might feel overwhelming. But because we are very into boats and water, I found it fascinating. Set in Florida, the story takes place in several areas with which we happen to be very personally familiar. That certainly helped pique my interest, but the suspense of the main story is what really made me eager to keep coming back. (That, and the Labrador Retriever who especially stole my heart!) I have already pre-ordered the sequel, due to release in June 2021.
Innocent Kindness
It’s been something else around here.
A whole lot going on.
Today, Monday, I have felt pretty much all the ways Monday has earned its bad reputation by making us feel.
Believe me, I have tried all the positive stuff in my usual bag of tricks to change my outlook. The truth is that, in Real Life, sometimes the usual stuff just doesn’t work.
Then, this afternoon came.
I found myself face to face with a little girl. I smiled and said hello to her, and she smiled and said hello back. …Then, a few seconds later, she smiled again - and said, “You’re pretty.” I smiled back and said, “Well, so are YOU.”
Just like that: We were new friends.
She ended up deciding to draw a picture for me. She asked me what I like, and I told her I like flowers. She drew a red rose. I told her it was beautiful, and I meant it.
I’m not going to pretend here: What girl among us doesn’t like to hear someone say she’s pretty?? But the thing that gave my mood a much-needed boost today was honestly way less about that, and way more about the refreshing feeling of hope her innocent kindness made me feel.
Why do we hear things like that and chuckle because kids think things, and just SAY them – with total abandon?
When did we grown-ups learn to hold back giving compliments or saying kind things – even if we think them?
Why did we start believing we should do that?
How many days might we make better for others – when we don’t even know they need to have a day brightened, just by saying the nice things we think?
I think we can really learn so much from children.
I will keep her beautiful rose. I will use it as a reminder of her sweet, innocent kindness, and of how much it meant to me. I will try to follow her example, and to do for others what she did for me today.
Cross Point
Today I had a question from a reader asking for more specific details on the church I mentioned in “No Ordinary 40-Days”.
(If you haven’t read that entry yet, I welcome you to jump over to the Blog page and check it out.)
I love that you’re reading and thinking and finding things here that interest you enough to make you want to ask questions and seek more information!
That is exactly the kind of space I want to create here, so I always invite you to reach out and ask questions.
As for the church I mentioned in “No Ordinary 40-Days”, Cross Point, I have linked it above in the title to this entry.
I have specifically linked the message from yesterday, April 18, 2021, delivered by Annie F. Downs. It was because of how much I admire Annie that I found Cross Point to begin with. (Cross Point’s entire teaching team is wonderful, but any Sunday I tune in and see that Annie is teaching the message feels like a little extra win for the way I get to start out my week!)
I found this message of hers in particular to be heartfelt and such an important thing for all of us to hear, consider, and take to heart.
I can see tremendous value in this message for people of every life stage, and I do especially hope that some of my youngest readers will check it out.
Jesus Calling
My mom gave me a copy of this book: Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence (with Scripture References): Sarah Young: Amazon.com: Books on Easter 2020.
It has become one of my favorite things, and such a treasured resource in my life.
Broken down into daily devotionals for every day of the year, the format is not the least bit overwhelming. No matter how busy we are, who cannot make time for ONE page a day?
I have developed a routine of reading each day’s entry as the very first thing I do each morning after I pour my coffee. This calibration toward the mindset I want to take with me into the rest of my day makes such a positive difference.
I find myself going to sleep at night anticipating morning - because this time has become my favorite time of day.
The relevance the passages in Jesus Calling always seem to have to exactly what I am living or facing on any given day truly amazes me.
I love it so much that I have given copies as gifts more times than I can even count in the past year. (If you received one from me, please know that means that I really care about you.)
As a result of my interest in the book, I have also become an avid listener of the weekly podcast Podcasts Archive | Jesus Calling .
Give it a listen. I think you will be as surprised and encouraged as I have been to learn how many people - including many very well-known people - use this incredible resource.
The book, the podcast, or ideally both - I cannot recommend Jesus Calling highly enough.
Fresh Flowers in my Home
The way I have felt about this over the course of time has run the entire spectrum: From “What a waste,” to “This is EVERYTHING” - and everything in between.
Maybe someday we will talk about that whole process on the blog, but for now, I can say for sure that I am in the place where it is EVERYTHING.
Whether I spend $5 in the grocery store every couple of weeks, or (even better) can pick them myself outside, having fresh flowers in the house doesn’t have to be as extravagant as it might have once sounded to me. But it does make all the difference in how home can feel to me in any given season.
I think the people who live with me are beginning to know that I feel this way.
In fact, my husband came through the door with these beautiful white tulips the week before Easter… but he handed them to me with the disclaimer that he wasn’t sure if I would even think it was a good idea…
The truth is that they are all the more beautiful to me because he thought of it - and of me - in the middle of whatever day he was having.
I told him - and (after all that I have lived, learned, and come to appreciate) I mean - it: “Fresh flowers are never a bad idea.
Downtime
We all need some downtime. Over the past year, I have discovered that for me, downtime in the form of the elimination of electronics is a very Lovely Thing.
I realize this is not exactly a hot take. Many others have also begun thinking, talking, and writing about the fact that we, collectively as a society, have possibly taken a good thing too far.
We are often too plugged in. Too connected. Too addicted to the constant presence of our electronic devices. Too bombarded with information and news (often bad or otherwise stress-inducing).
I first remember thinking about it when I read Rhythms of Renewal. The idea that it had all become “too much” really resonated with me, and I began hearing and noticing the theme repeated in so many places.
John Eldredge hits the topic head-on in his book Get Your Life Back. I loved this discussion he had with Annie F. Downs last year.
Once I realized that electronics and “connection” had gained more hold on my life than I had ever intended, I took some small steps to take MY life back: Small steps that truly have made a big difference.
For starters, I set app limits on my phone. Among other things, it now “allows me” no more than a total of one-hour on Facebook and Instagram combined each day.
I also set a “Wind Down” time and “Bedtime”, so that my phone goes into “Do Not Disturb” mode at the time I have selected. That means that everything on it essentially “goes to sleep”. (On Apple devices, you can execute all of this in your settings.)
I customized my settings so that calls from my husband and my kids can still get through, but everything else is held until the time I have selected that it can “wake up” in the morning. (If anyone else needs me that badly in the meantime – they know other ways to reach me.)
My efforts to completely remove screens from my life at that time each evening even includes discontinuing the use of an e-reader.
I know that’s a very polarizing subject: People either love them or they hate them.
I have used them in the past and can say that I personally feel pretty neutral about them. They certainly have some advantages, but what is truer for me is that I am for sure one of those “I enjoy holding a real book,” girls. So, the removal of one more screen and source of light in that particular form is something I can easily do and not miss at all. I have found that eliminating even that has helped so much in establishing a rhythm that lets me know it’s really time to relax and rest.
I know that, once we get so used to our electronics and our “connection”, we can come up with a thousand reasons why we just “can’t” go without them. However, I have found that, in the ways I just described, I really can.
The resulting quieter time to be truly PRESENT where I am has turned out to be a Lovely Thing, indeed.
Grace
Some days can feel way less Lovely than others.
Sometimes when we least expect it.
Take, for instance, a couple of days ago: I looked out my window, saw one of the loveliest looking days we have had yet this spring, laced up my shoes, and set out on a run.
It didn’t take me long to realize that it was maybe a little too lovely, because it quickly became apparent that my body is not accustomed to sunny, 75-degree runs (with a slight head wind) in April.
I walked and cycled over the winter. I really didn’t run at all. This spring, though, I’ve added it back and have been steadily increasing my mileage to work back up to where I left off last fall. I’ve been generally content with the progress.
On this particular day, I had honestly set out to just enjoy the beautiful weather and do the miles, with no real goal in mind.
But when I realized that - even with those loose “rules”, I was struggling, (I mean REALLY struggling. I actually took a WALK break in the middle!) what I had set out to enjoy quickly turned into something else.
I know that I do my best (most days!) to take care of myself and stay in decent physical condition. Yet I still found myself questioning whether it was really “enough”? Have I been kidding myself? Had I really been too lazy? I started telling myself other mean things, too. Like: “I’m old and out of shape. My best days are behind me. I should have worked harder. There is really something wrong with me. I’m a mess.”
By now you’re probably thinking, “Why is this in the ‘Lovely Things’ section? What is Lovely about any of this?”
But, that part comes next:
So, there I was, plodding along feeling terrible about myself, when I had a thought:
If my kids or anyone else I love were having an “off” day, would I talk to them the way I was talking to myself? Of course, I would not.
What I would do is give them credit for trying. I would believe that they had done the best they could on that particular day. I would tell them that not every day can or will be the best day. I would remind them that the things we do faithfully and consistently MATTER. Even - or maybe especially - on the days when we struggle to do them – yet we do them anyway. If I were saying those things and extending that kind of grace to someone I love, I would mean it.
Why do I not give myself the same grace? Why is that so much harder to do?
That very day, I also heard one of my favorite Peloton running coaches, Rebecca Kennedy, say these words: “You’re the keeper of your own thoughts. You’re the maker of them, too, and not everything you think is true. But any thoughts you think on a regular basis WILL become your LIFE.”
I know what kind of thoughts I want to allow into my life - and what kind I do not.
I also know that I am more critical of myself than I am of anyone else. I have a lifetime of practice at that. I have a LONG way to go toward learning to just stop it.
But just having the awareness that I really can have grace with myself; that I should; that the best I can do – at anything, on any given day – is ENOUGH… That is a very Lovely Thing.
I recommend trying it with YOUR self, too.