Out my Window: overcast rainy off and on, humid
Enjoying: break from writing papers, reading my friend’s Daybook, waterfalls, watching 3 crazy zucchini plants that I did not plant grow wild in my non-tended to garden, visits with good friends
Listening to/Watching: Finished listening and watching lessons on Acute Stress, Grief, and Trauma and Theories of Counseling now on to Intro to Stats. Holy Post Podcast Holy Post Podcast. There have been some really good interviews. I have appreciated the wide range of topics and getting to know people living the gospel in their context. I listened to Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim after Sarah Clarkson mentioned it in her book. It is a lovely, simple story, but so enjoyable. Some good quips here and there. The narrator on Audible was wonderful (plus it is free on Audible).
“Beauty made you love, and love made you beautiful.”
Elizabeth von Arnmin
I listened to a really good Proverbs 31 Therapy and Theology podcast: Therapy & Theology: The Signs, Symptoms and Cures of Emotional Immaturity (proverbs31.org) I highly recommend it. Be prepared to do some self-reflection. I have had various others randomly pop up in my playlist that have been good. Cultivated Podcast You Have Six Weeks To Change My Life — Cultivated (cultivatedpodcast.com) Craig Groeschel had an interesting podcast Q&A with Rory Vaden: Procrastinate on Purpose | Craig Groeschel (life.church)
Brene Brown’s podcast sent me down a rabbit hole of listening to some great leadership books, Brené with Simon Sinek on Developing an Infinite Mindset | Brené Brown (brenebrown.com) Brené with Adam Grant on the Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know | Brené Brown (brenebrown.com) Because of these interviews I listened to both books Think Again and Infinite Mindset. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Infinite Mindset read by the author Simon Sinek. I think I would have preferred to read Think Again instead of listening. Adam Grant was the better interview, but Simon Sinek’s book and reading were more preferable. Both have so much to think about. I think every teacher, leader, and parent should read Infinite Mindset and Think Again. I haven’t felt that way since Quiet by Susan Cain.
I stumbled onto Brene’ Brown’s other podcast, Unlocking Us and thoroughly enjoyed two of the interviews. Brené with Samin Nosrat on Grief, Gratitude, and Connection | Brené Brown (brenebrown.com) and Brené with Drs. John and Julie Gottman on What Makes Love Last | Brené Brown (brenebrown.com)
I just started listening to Atomic Habits by James Clear. I have been following his social media pages and then signed up for his newsletter. Finally I decided that this needed to be my next listen, so much usable and helpful information. Charles Duhrigg’s The Power of Habits is one of my favorite books on this topic, so I had not paid much attention to Atomic Habits in its early days. I listened to an interview and thought that was good enough. I am thankful that I didn’t write it off. It is very good. So far I would recommend it. This one is much more accessible and user friendly.
We signed back up to Disney Plus to stream The Falcon and Winter Soldier. (we may have “binge” watched this since I was hooked right away.) Kept Disney Plus to watch Loki and then found The Mysterious Benedict Society which we were thrilled to find since we loved the books. They did a good job being true to the books. It has been an enjoyable diversion. Baseball is on often.
Reading: Due to taking classes, my reading of actual books has been a slow go. I am still slowly reading Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections between Neuroscience and Spiritual Practices That Can Transform Your Life and Relationships by Curt Thompson. By my bed has been Barking at the Choir by Father Gregory Boyle of Homeboy Industries. I loved Tattoos on the Heart, his previous book. This one has much beauty too, but more chaotic in its structure and even more really loose theology. I have a stack of books to read during my summer break. Not sure which ones will win out. So many great books and some really good ones coming soon.
I did manage to participate in a few book launches.
Nearsighted: Choosing to see Eating Disorders Differently Karen Kay Smith This is a good resource to have on the shelf. Karen shares her story and life experience with an eating disorder. I reviewed it on Goodreads Peggy Nagy’s review of Nearsighted Choosing to See Eating Disorders Differently | Goodreads
Singing in the Darkness by Ginny Owens. Ginny weaves her story of coming to grips with her blindness and life story with the Biblical narrative. Definitely a great reminder of God’s goodness and redemptive hand. My Goodreads review is here: Peggy Nagy’s review of Singing in the Dark: Finding Hope in the Songs of Scripture | Goodreads
Sarah Clarkson’s This Beautiful Truth was one I had been looking forward to for quite sometime. It did not disappoint. In Sarah’s trademark writing of weaving story and beauty, she shares part of her journey to get to that point. She is candid about her mental health struggles and wrestling with God over her many disappointments and hardships. I highly recommend this read. Goodreads review: Peggy Nagy’s review of This Beautiful Truth: How God’s Goodness Breaks Into Our Darkness | Goodreads
“Make no mistake, redemption is local. Our ordinary is where the kingdom of heaven comes.”
Sarah Clarkson This Beautiful Truth
Just Thinking: In January I jumped back into taking classes. Every 8 weeks I take 2 classes. I now have 18 credits under my belt to becoming an Addiction Counselor. It has been a learning curve and a stretch, but I am thankful for the opportunity. I have learned a lot about myself and others. It has definitely been a refining and growth season. My family encouraged me to take some time off this summer. At first I was torn, I was feeling the time crunch of my age and then I followed their advice and I am thankful. I didn’t realize I needed a break. I have been working hard since January. I am loving it, but I have neglected some home stuff that was starting to stress me and had books I wanted to read. With this break, I also took a sabbatical from church responsibilities. I am thankful for this season of rest. It is full of many good things and other responsibilities that now I have time to focus on. I am thankful for my family being willing to encourage me in this new endeavor, but also knowing me enough to help me take a break.
To rest is to acknowledge that we humans are limited by design.
Jen Wilkin
“In a culture where busyness is a fetish and stillness is laziness, rest is sloth. But without rest, we miss the rest of God: the rest he invites us to enter more fully so that we might know him more deeply. “Be still, and know that I am God.” Some knowing is never pursued, only received. And for that, you need to be still. Sabbath is both a day and an attitude to nurture such stillness. It is both time on a calendar and a disposition of the heart. It is a day we enter, but just as much a way we see. Sabbath imparts the rest of God—actual physical, mental, spiritual rest, but also the rest of God— the things of God’s nature and presence we miss in our busyness.”
Mark Buchanan
Body/Mind Health: I have stuck with my “daybook”, (not this one obviously), where I write down the basics of what was going to occur that day with the date and day of the week, if I had a meaningful connection with someone, exercise etc. This has helped me to pay attention to my days better. I pull out this “daybook” and my gratitude journal each morning so this has helped increase my use of my gratitude journal which is always good for my mental health.
This month I came back to the realization that I make things complicated. (I do know this already, but was reminded in the area of exercise.) So every month I start off strong and plan exercise that compounds quickly and then life happens and I end up losing my way, so this month I set the goal to move 4 out of the 7 days (which felt lame at the time, but ended up just right) and do 10 modified pushups (even if I feel like I can do regular ones or more). This has helped me to be more consistent. I even got out of bed the other night because I forgot to do my pushups and it would only take me a few seconds to do. Not sure how I will move forward but for the moment this is working.
Home: Catching up and cleaning up. The spaces behind closed doors are slowly getting tackled. My closet is done. Moving on to “Office” closet, then hall, and hopefully cupboards in kitchen. Trying to clean up and out.
Giving Thanks For: generous provisions, starting another job that allows me to work with kids, a quick visit from dear friends, a surprise visit from another kindred friend, and then time with one of my sweet young friends from long ago, watching some of our first youth group teens grow into beautiful leaders and servants, people who are wrestling forward, nature, opportunities to learn, God’s comfort for my friends who have to walk with hard stories, technology, God’s mercies, people who challenge and encourage me to think deeper and bigger about ideas and life, well cared for, my home, provisions, rest, so much beauty in this world, good books, poetry, challenging thoughts, community, grace, God ordering my days, His provisions and reminder of His heart for me, forgiveness, refining
Inkblot Life 