Sunday Sentiments: Old Friends

 

            This week, a friend of mine drove two hours to see me…for the first time in nineteen years.

            Do you know what an absolutely beautiful thing it is to pick right up with a friendship where you left off almost two decades before?

            Deanna and I became friends when we were student workers together in the Financial Aid Office, and we’ve stayed in touch all these years on social media. I sent her a message a few weeks ago to thank her for a post that had encouraged my heart, and she responded by saying it had been far too long since we’d seen each other. Could she come visit me?

            Of course!

            So she came and we ate turkey sliders and grapes and talked about life over the past nineteen years. She caught me up on her husband and four sons, and I caught her up on our whirlwind of a decade.

            We talked, we laughed, we reminisced, and our time together was over all too soon.

            Back in the Financial Aid days, Deanna was sweet, bubbly, and always focused on praising the Lord. Not one thing about her has changed. She prayed over me and the ministry Ryan and I do together. She encouraged my heart, and I hope I did the same for hers.

            What a blessing to have a friend who will pick right up where we left off so long ago. What a blessing to have a friend who doesn’t view that as an insult, but instead recognizes it as life just being life. What a blessing to have a friend who doesn’t skip a beat.

            May I be this kind of friend to those around me!

Saturday Suggestions

 

ONE. 

Last Sunday, I wrote about “listening in Midian.” I know that over the years, I’ve had people ask me what it means to listen to God. How do you HEAR God? I’ve shared with them a few ways that have been meaningful for me, but I don’t know that I’m an expert on teaching this to others. I looked around to see if I could find an article that described it well, without being a little on the strange side. This one fit the bill, so I’m sharing it with you today. If I had to pick one thing that I think cripples people in listening to God, it would be busyness. We don’t slow down and sit in the quiet very well, and I think that’s absolutely necessary for hearing God’s voice.

TWO. 

I’ve been using my daily planner (which is a prayer planner, too) for keeping track of prayer requests and praises, but a few years ago, Iwrote this post about making a prayer binder dedicated to journaling prayers, keeping track of requests and praises, and so much more. I still love this practice too, so I thought I’d reshare this post today. If you’re looking for a way to organize and focus on prayer, this is a fantastic way to do it!

THREE. 

If you’re wanting to grow in an area of life, and you want to keep yourself accountable for slow, steady progress, try a habit tracker! You can use them for just about anything, and there are so many versions out there. Here is a post with a few freebie ideas, but if you don’t like any of these, you could hunt around for something you like better. I’ve used a habit tracker this year to make sure I don’t miss a day of Bible study, and it has been a HUGE help. I don’t want a blank circle on my tracker, so that motivates me not to miss days. This post also includes some explanation of how to use them. Could be a great way to pursue steady change!

FOUR. 

I wrote earlier this week about making room on your shelves for new books, and I know from the comments that I’m not alone in feeling a little bad for getting rid of books. (For me, it’s the author in me. I don’t want people to toss my blood/sweat/tears book, so I don’t want to do that to someone else’s book either!) But I found this article this week, and it’s based on a quote from Anne Shirley, so you know it has to be good, right? The writer has some helpful insights on knowing what to keep and what to purge when it comes to home libraries – and book lovers!

FIVE. 

Thinking about pedicures this week made me think about years ago when I had a couple of friends who liked having at-home pedicure parties. Any excuse to get together for some fun was good for us, so we would plan an evening or a Saturday afternoon and hang out, eat fun food, do our own pedis, and talk. I found this post with some great menu ideas and just overall advice for a thrifty at-home spa day. With spring break coming up, this could be a fun activity for your kids and their friends – or you and YOUR friends. Or both!

SIX. 

And though this isn’t related to anything I wrote about this week, and even though I’m sure I’ve shared it in a previous year, I’m sharing it again. This is one of my favorite pieces of Lindsay Letters art. We bought it several years ago, and I love its message. I’m trying to be more purposeful about the Easter décor in our home – making sure it reflects our faith more than bunnies and chicks. This one is so meaningful. You still have time to get it before Easter! (It comes in canvases and art prints – and in different sizes.)

For a Purpose

 

            When I shared my desk tour with you a few days ago, I showed you this beautiful piece of wall art Lynnette gifted me several years ago. I love it and have always kept it close to my desk so I can see (and hopefully absorb) the words of truth.

            I used to think purpose was a singular event. I thought I would grow up and become a teacher, marry a pastor, have two children, run a women’s ministry, and do all of that every day until I was really old and died. I thought I had one purpose per facet of life, and I would latch onto that purpose early and do it over and over again for the rest of my life.

            I’ve come to learn that purpose is a compound event that continues for a lifetime.

            The jobs I work, no matter how few or plentiful they are throughout a lifetime, are places of purpose.

            The congregations with which I worship, also no matter how few or plentiful, are places of purpose.

            The relationships I have, regardless of how long they last or how they originate in my life, are places of purpose.

            The hobbies, extracurricular activities, and interested I pursue are places of purpose.

            All these pieces of life are part of an intricate weaving that accomplish a greater purpose than I will ever know on this earth. They may accomplish a greater purpose than I ever know period. Who knows how much of this life God will allow us to see and comprehend, even in eternity?

            Maybe you feel like your world has been small and your experiences have been few, and because of that, you haven’t accomplished the purposes you hoped to say you had. Maybe you feel like your world has changed so much and so often, you weren’t able to secure roots and accomplished purposes of longevity.

            I have come to believe God is not limited by any of that. Your world is not so small that He can’t use you for great things. Your world hasn’t changed so fast or often that He can’t use you for great things.

            You’re here ON purpose and FOR a purpose. What joy we can find in that if we allow the truth to steep in our souls.  

Quiet Moments: Pedicures at Home

 

            It’s been about fifteen years since a good friend of mine gifted me a pedicure at the salon she went to. She found out I’d never had one, and they were one of her favorite things in life. She wanted me to know the joy of experiencing one for myself, so for my birthday, she gave me a gift certificate.

            The lady who did my pedicure was wonderful. I loved her so much that I ended up going to her regularly for a couple of years for manicures, just as a treat for myself. I only left because she moved out of state, and I didn’t trust anyone else. Good things came out of that gift certificate – and leading the list was a sweet friendship with the lady I met that day.

            But I also learned I didn’t like pedicures.

            I just don’t like people messing with my feet. I’m ticklish, for one thing, so I always fear I’m going to kick some unsuspecting soul right in the nose. It would be pure reflex, of course, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less!

            Mostly, though, I’m just self-conscious about my feet. They work, and I’m grateful for it, but they aren’t showpieces. I don’t even like looking at them myself. I definitely don’t like other people looking at them. (I wear socks always unless I’m in the shower.)

            But just because I don’t enjoy having others look at or touch my feet doesn’t mean I shouldn’t give myself a little pedicure pampering at home. I don’t do it nearly as often as I should, but I do enjoy it when I make the time for it.

            Maybe you’re like me and don’t love people looking at your feet. Maybe pedicures are outside the budget. (I haven’t priced them lately, but if I had to pick how to spend my money, pedicures would be low on the list.) Maybe you don’t have time to go to the salon. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get to enjoy a little pampering at home.

            So today I thought I’d tell you how I do my pedicures, and maybe it will inspire you to do something similar for yourself!

SUPPLIES

Pedicure tub (Mine is a dish tub I bought over a decade ago at dollar general or some similar place. It’s the perfect size for two feet.)

Epsom salts (I use about ¼ cup of Epsom Salts for each pedicure, so one bag lasts me a while. I store mine in a glass jar and toss in mostly empty essential oil bottles. The last of the oils soaks into the salts and makes them smell pretty.)

Essential oils (I also add a couple of drops of Lavender, Tea Tree, and Peppermint oil to the hot water and Epsom Salts when I’m ready to do the pedicure. You could skip this step if you’re not an oils person or if you don’t have those on hand)

Beach towel and hand towel (I put the beach towel under the tub to protect the floor from any water that splashes out. It also spreads beyond the tub so I have a place to step when I pull my feet out of the tub. I use the hand towel to thoroughly dry my feet.)

Nail polish remover, nail polish, nail clippers, nail file, pumice stone (I feel like these are self-explanatory.)

Cocoa butter (You could use regular lotion if you prefer. When Ryan worked in physical therapy, he used cocoa butter on his patients if he did manual therapy on them. He really liked it, so we keep some at home now. My feet, when not tended to, get VERY dry, especially in the winter. Cocoa butter is my best defense against painful cracking. It works better for me than lotion.)

 

HOW IT WORKS

Set up the station. I choose my spot, which could be the couch or my desk chair, depending on when I am doing my pedicure, and spread out my beach towel on the floor. I make sure my hand towel, nail polish, clippers, nail file, pumice stone, cocoa butter, and something to apply the cocoa butter with are all handy beside me. I also take off my previous nail polish before I sit down.

Make the soaking bath. I sprinkle ¼ cup of Epsom Salts into the bottom of my dish tub and add water that is just slightly uncomfortably hot. It cools off quickly, so I start a little on the warmer side. I add a couple of drops of each of the essential oils and place the tub on the towel.

Soak. I make sure I soak my feet at least 15 minutes. I would go much longer if the water stayed hotter. (If you have a method for adding hot water to make the adventure last longer, go for it!)

Dry and Treat. After I’m done soaking, I pull my feet out one at a time and dry them off a bit with my hand towel. Then I use the pumice stone on the rough areas, rinsing and retreating as necessary. Then I dry my feet again.

Trim and Polish. After that, I trim my nails, file anything that needs shaped up, and polish my nails.

Apply Cocoa Butter. Once the polish dries, I apply the cocoa butter and put on socks to keep it all protected.

Clean Up. I clean out the tub so it’s ready for next time. The rest is self explanatory, I think.

 

I do keep the pumice stone in the shower, so ideally, I should be able to keep up with smoothing rough places during each shower, and I should apply the cocoa butter every day. In full disclosure, I’m not that great about keeping up with it, so pedicures tend to be fully involved adventures.

I should also add (though I hope you would just know this) that I'm obviously not a pedicure professional, so maybe some of my steps are out of order from how they do things in salon practice. But this has been my routine for several years, and it's been working well. Just sharing a few ideas, because even though I’m not a big “feet” person – my own included – I always love how much better I feel after taking time to do a pedicure at home! Summer’s coming (they say), so I would encourage you to make time, too!

Make Room on the Shelf

 

            In a few days, I plan to update you on my reading adventures from the past few weeks. I’m thoroughly enjoying making/having time to read again, and I’m enjoying the push of my reading plan. I’m exploring books I otherwise might not have picked up.

            I actually moved my library to our new home ahead of our “real” move, and it was one of the sweetest experiences. I had an entire day devoted to unpacking my book boxes and shelving everything in a loving and orderly manner. I was able to reuse the boxes to pack other things, and when the official moving day arrived, I already had one wall complete. That was a win for my tired mind that day!

            This library of mine means something to me. When I worked at WBCL, my library grew significantly. In the years following my station work, I reviewed books and packed the shelves even tighter. Eventually I realized I needed to go through and downsize the overflowing collection. It was so hard to do. It seemed wrong to get rid of books – even if I wasn’t banishing them from the earth. They went to new and loving homes, but it still felt wrong to my reading and writing heart to remove any from this home.

            It ended up being one of my best decisions, because it allowed me to fully determine what kinds of books I wanted to own. There are books I may only want to read once, and when that happens, borrowing from a friend or library works perfectly. But what do I want to own? If someone walked through our home and stopped to peruse the shelves, what story of my life and heart do I want them to see from the books they find on my shelves?

            In clearing out books that weren’t really a fit for my passions and interests, what books did I make room for?

            Here were some of the guidelines I followed in making those decisions:

·        *  I gave all preference to authors I’ve grown to love. Whether fiction or nonfiction, if I love the author, the books stayed. In some cases, that meant keeping complete collections. In other cases, it meant I only owned a book or two, but I wanted to make space to own the rest penned by that author.

·       *   I kept books that were significant to a piece of my life’s journey, even if I may not go back to those books again and again. There’s a book I read probably twenty years ago, and it infuriated me in a way no book ever has. I was offended to my core – and publicly called out by the author, too, but that’s a whole separate story. I doubt I will ever have the stamina to ever reread the book, but I kept it, because seeing the cover reminds me of the way I do not want to write. It reminds me of how I do not want to behave in interacting with people who may read any book I ever write. And it reminds me of a book I’d like to write someday in relation to the same topic.

·       *   I kept books that have been dear and meaningful to my growth. These books are highlighted, underlined, and lived-in. They have been my teachers in paper classrooms, and I can’t possibly part with them.

·      *   I kept books I’ve still not read, but I promise I will…I promise! (As you’ll learn in my next reading update, the book I’m reading right now has been part of my library since 2005, and I’m just now opening it.)

·      *    I kept books that I have referenced in some of my own writing and speaking. They have sticky notes peeking up from within, marking passages that are worth sharing.

·     *     I kept a few books that I know are out of print, so even if I’m not entirely sure if they’re my favorites, I don’t want to risk not being able to return to them one day.

I have a running wish list of other books I’d like to add in years to come, but I’m grateful for the robust library of literary goodness I’ve collected over a lifetime. Some have been with me since childhood and others arrived just this week. (Those were for work, but they still matter!)

If you’re a reader…what have you made room for on your library shelves?

Slow Growin'

 

            One of our friends loves Lexi so much. She probably loves her almost as much as we do. (I refuse to believe anyone can actually love her as much as we do, but if it happened, she would be the one.) She likes for me to text pictures of Lexi every day, multiple times a day, if I can. I get behind and have to send a few days’ worth at a time, but I do my best to keep her well-supplied.

            Over the weekend, I sent her a picture of Ryan decorating above Lexi’s bed. Several months ago, I had a canvas made of a picture of a sleeping baby Lexi. It has her name on it and hangs right above her bed. Our friend asked about the picture and wanted to know how old Lexi was in it. I had to scramble through old photo files to find it, and I learned she was a mere ten weeks old in that sweet little memory I captured.

            As I hunted, I ran across so many pictures and videos of our baby girl. I’d forgotten just how little she was. I’d forgotten her baby waddle and how she could barely see over the top of the coffee table, even if she stood on her tippy toes.

            Is this how parents feel when they look at baby pictures of their children? All weepy and sentimental?

            Partly because of her breed and partly because of her age, we still have oodles of work ahead of us in training Lexi. But when I look back over this past year with her, I can see so much growth! Not just physical growth, although certainly I see that – but I see so much change for the better in her behavior.

            She doesn’t bite all day every day anymore. (I’m sure that is largely because she’s no longer teething all day every day anymore.) She can put herself down for a nap. She can make it through a whole walk on her own, rather than needing Ryan to carry her the last stretch of the way. She can self-entertain.

            We went through phases when we weren’t sure some of those things would ever happen. And I’m sure, in another year, I’ll be able to look back and see growth in some of her challenging areas right now!

            It gives me great hope for myself. Growth – true growth – is slow. Painfully slow, sometimes. Only with the perspective of time can we look back and see measurable progress. That makes it hard in the moment, but it’s so rewarding on the other side of a stretch of time.

            If you’re frustrated with yourself over something that isn’t happening or changing as quickly as you’d like, let me gently remind you that growth takes time. True change is more likely to last when you work through it slowly and let it take root.

            It will come. Be faithful to show up every day and work through to new habits. Growth is slow, but it will come. One day you’ll be able to look back and see how far you’ve come! Don’t give up!

Faithful in Prayer

 

Last week, I wrestled through a few days when it came to things of the heart. I have some long-standing prayer requests that I’ve committed to the Lord, but I find it hard sometimes to leave those things in the hands to which I committed them. I’m sure I’m not alone in that.

            A handful of them surfaced all in one day last week, and I struggled to even make sense of how it all made me feel. This word girl had a hard time putting words around the feelings, and that’s so frustrating.

            Somewhere along the way that day – probably on a social media post – I saw the words of Romans 12:12, reminding me to be faithful in prayer.

            Faithful. In. Prayer.

            The truth is, the things that overwhelm my heart are beyond my ability to change, control, or manipulate in any way. In some cases, I’m praying over decisions that are not mine to make. I’ll be affected by their outcomes, but I’m not the one in charge of the decisions. In some cases, I’m praying for provision that is beyond my ability to provide. In some cases, I’m asking for answers to questions that utterly baffle me.

            I can’t do anything to make anything happen. I can “only” pray. But as the verse reminded me, my job is to be faithful in prayer. My job is to trust the One who can guide decisions, offer provisions, and provide answers. He can do all of it.

            Why the wait for any of it? I don’t know. Perhaps the wait, in part, has to do with the growth of my own faith and character. Perhaps it has nothing to do with me and everything to do with someone else’s story, and I’m just part of the bigger story.

            I wrote the words “faithful in prayer” in my desk space so I can remind myself repeatedly that this is what I can do. I can be faithful to pray over the things that weigh on my heart. I’m responsible to pray over these things.

            My goal for the days ahead is to remain faithful in prayer. If you feel compelled to do the same, I’d love to have you along for the journey!

Sunday Sentiments: Listening in Midian

 

Ryan and I are co-leading our Sunday School class today – an opportunity that came to us a bit late in the week, so we scrambled to find a topic. I’ve been camping in Exodus lately, and I’ve been reviewing some of the lessons I learned to use in my upcoming women’s retreat, so I naturally gravitated to those chapters for some class discussion for today.

            Yesterday, as we worked to unpack a few more boxes in our office, I cataloged and shelved some books that had been sitting in a pile for far too long. One of them is a great book I read months ago, called Letting God Be Enough. It’s written by my friend and favorite Bible study writer, Erica Wiggenhorn.

            One of the chapters – the one we’re using for class today – talks about the years Moses lived in Midian. Erica talked about how God used that time to prepare Moses for the massive upcoming assignment, but she also wrote this sentence, which I had underlined for very good reason: Midian is the place where we learn to listen.

            I learned, as I studied in Exodus that Midian was a place of a (perceived, anyway) fresh start for Moses, and it was also a place of comfort for him. He was content there.

            But it wasn’t as much of a season of down-time as he thought it would be. It was the place where, in the quiet, God worked in his heart, even if he didn’t realize that’s what was happening. It was a place of listening.

            Does your life feel like a Midian right now? Maybe it’s kind of comfortable. Maybe it’s a fresh start. Maybe it’s mostly good – but not all it could be. Maybe you know, somewhere deep in your soul, that God has more for you, but you don’t know exactly what it might be.

            Can I encourage you to listen? You have no idea what God might have to say to you if you just…listen.

            I know I need to do some listening of my own.

The Saturday Suggestions

 

ONE. 

Last Sunday I shared about the anniversary of Nita’s death, which took place four years ago now. As I continued unpacking our home, I came across one of the meaningful gifts we received following her passing. My friend, Kari, made it for us, and it was such a sweet offering. She took a photo I had shared on the blog – of Ryan’s hand holding Nita’s hand while she was in the hospital, and she put it on one of these tabletop canvases. She added a Scripture and had it sent to us. It was so thoughtful (as were all the gifts we received in that time!) and a tender reminder of the relationship they shared. Little tokens like that make wonderful gifts – if you are looking for an idea for someone in your life who may be experiencing loss.

TWO. 

I was excited to see that some of you were inspired by the idea of the legacy Bibles I wrote about earlier this week. (If you missed Natasha’s comment, she had a spin on that idea that I loved!) Here is a post that talks more about the details of creating a legacy Bible of your own if you’re interested in making one! It’s never too late to start one!

THREE. 

When I shared about the corner of my desk earlier this week, I gave you a peek at a couple of pieces of wall art that have been gifted to me along the way. The one Lynnette gave me was designed by an artist named Dee Kasberger. Her line of art is called “Red Letter Words” and she has everything from literary quotes to scripture to song lyrics and more. You can check out some of her work in her shop and maybe find something that fits in your home, too!  

FOUR. 

In my attempt to become more well-versed on plants I own, I found this article about the “missionary plant” I have on my desk. I found some really helpful information in here, and if this is a plant you’ve not heard of before, maybe you would like learning more about it, too! I think I have three baby plants growing out of it, so if you’re in my area and want to try a start from this one, let me know! I’ll try to keep it alive for you!

FIVE.  

If you know you need to start letting go of some of the things you’ve been hanging onto, but you don’t know how to start, check out this article. There are some helpful ideas in here that can help you understand what to let go of and how to do it. It also gives a lot of grace for when you need more time to think about your decision!

SIX. 

I don’t have a link, but I feel compelled to remind you that the time changes tomorrow – in the way that we lose an hour of sleep. My thoughts on the time change have NOT changed, and it’s okay if you don’t agree with me on it. I stand firmly on my opinion and long for the day it won’t change anymore!

A Blank Page: A Place for Hope

 

            This week has been full of creative bursts for me. I’ve loved every minute of it, because I haven’t felt terribly creative over the past few months. It’s the ebb and flow of a writer’s life – at least for this writer – so I never worry about the dry spells. Creativity will flow again if I just give it time.

            Every time I open a blank document on my computer, I feel a rush of excitement about what that page (and the ones that magically pop up after it) will contain when my brain empties into the keyboard.

            Sometimes my brain empties, and I promptly delete the document. The words came out and weren’t worth keeping or pursuing. I freed space in my mind by getting the words out and I can move on with my life and wait for something more worthwhile to come along.

            Usually, though, I find a deep connection with the words. The ideas they hold spur me on to find related thoughts and write about them, too. I can’t wait to learn as I go. That’s how learning works best for me. I write and learn as the words escape.

            For me, hope is found on a blank page. It’s a place of unscripted promise. It’s unexplored territory I can’t wait to discover.

            What does a place of hope look like in tangible form for those who aren’t writers? Do they have those places of unexplored hope? Goodness, I hope so, because I know the joy of a blank page for me.

            What does it look like for you?

The Things We Keep

 

I was born and raised in an era of collections. People not only collected things that came to them naturally, but industries created collections to lure people into purposeful gathering. When I thumbed through Mom’s magazines as a young girl, I saw pages of porcelain dolls, plates, coins, and more. I tore out the pages, because keeping those became the version of collection I could afford. I made photo albums of things I would collect if I could.

            And, to be fair, I did have a collection of my own. When my mom announced to the family that she was expecting me, my sister had just been to Washington D.C. on her senior trip. She had purchased a little souvenir liberty bell, and the story I’ve heard is that she ran around the house ringing the bell in great excitement at the news of a new baby on the way. That bell became the first in a bell collection that grew rapidly throughout my childhood. I still have it – boxed away in storage.

            That seems to be what happens to many collections. They’re boxed away – from a lack of space or a lack of interest. Collections leave us with more things, but sometimes (over time) less connection to those things.

            Ryan and I live in a community that is big on auctions, and I see ads often for estate sales. I flip through them just to see what people are selling, and I’m sometimes overwhelmed by the muchness of what we (collectively speaking) have.

            It’s so easy to collect much – whether or not it’s considered a collection.

            When Ryan and I were first married, we were eager to create a physical story in our home that reflected the daily story we lived. We began unofficial collections of our own. Sometimes we added to them and sometimes others gifted us additions. A decade into this story we live, I realize that we need to leave margin for the decades to come.

            The things we keep need to be meaningful. They need to make up our home, but they also need to leave room for things that may come along later, associated with memories we have yet to make.

            Ryan and I have always said – from the moment we were married and combined households – that we want anything we keep to tell part of the story of who we are. If it doesn’t accomplish that, we will let it go. But now we’re realizing that even within our own story, there are things we need to let go.

            It’s scary, sometimes, to put something away permanently. But I submit to you that even more than being scary, it’s freeing. We are grateful that we have photo albums chronicling memories, so if we want to go back to the memory itself, we can do it through a picture. We don’t always need an item in our face to add to that.

            Keep the things that matter to you. Keep the things that tell a story. But I hope you can also find the freedom in letting go of the things that no longer tell the most important story.

            The things we keep ultimately go to someone else. Maybe they go in an estate sale. Maybe they go through gifting. Maybe they go through inheritance. But they will all go. Let’s make the stories that go with them meaningful!

            Side note: Many months ago, I read on social media a story about a lady who had died. She was ill for several months before she passed away, and during that time, she went through her possessions and made gift collections for people in her life. She wrote letters to them explaining why she gifted them the things she chose. After her death, they received these gifts and letters – and none of them knew they were coming. What a meaningful idea!

            Whether or not we take a cue from the woman I read about online, we all keep things that will all one day go to someone else. May the stories they reflect – for us and for them – matter much!

Quiet Corners: The New Desk

 

Today I want to introduce you to a quiet corner of our new home. It’s one of the spots I loved most when we first toured the place, and it remains one of my favorite corners. I don’t know that I’m prepared to call it finished, partly because I realize I may yet uncover some more packed items that somehow need to find a place in here. But I also don’t have much more room in this corner, so it has to be just about complete. It’s certainly complete enough for my work days and the stimulation of all the creativity.

            This desk is built into a corner of the kitchen, and while I know (via the magic of Pinterest articles) that desks in kitchens can be somewhat controversial (aka dated), I like it. I’ve never had a kitchen desk before, so it feels new to me, even if it’s not trendy.

            The cabinets around the desk hold kitchen items, though I did claim a few of the drawers for office purposes. The chair came with the house and is actually a little piece of town history! It apparently belonged to the old schoolhouse, which I would guess isn’t even standing anymore. It’s a solid, heavy chair with a ton of character, and I’m so glad the previous owners left it. It doesn’t have any padding, however, so I found a nice pillow we already owned and threw it on the seat for a little extra cushion.

            I put the blinds down for the photo, because you can see it’s a bright day here, but normally I leave those wide open so I can enjoy the view! 

We also didn’t change anything in this space other than putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls.

            Here’s a tour of the desk! All my pen and pencil holders make such great décor. The Flair Pen holder on the left was a gift to me from my friend Amber (pictured with me in the frame) and came stocked with the pens. What a magnificent gift! The typewriter pen holder was a very sweet gift from Ryan on my first day of my temp job at the church back when we lived in Kokomo. He wanted me to have something on my desk that was mine, since I was merely borrowing the desk space and chose not to personalize it while I worked there. And is a desk even a desk without a family photo?

            The wall art was a gift to me years ago from Lynnette. I love it. I love the work of the artist who created it – and even interviewed her on Mid-Morning! I love what the piece says, and I love the reminder it brings to my days.

            Remember my tenth anniversary gift from Ryan? It was this little card catalog, which I adore. I’ve filled it with office supplies like paper clips and rubber bands. It’s perfection in this space.

            The sign around my colored pencil holder is a piece of art Amber made for me one year. She meant it as a half-joke, but I actually love it and always have it displayed in my office space. The hot air balloon piece is actually just a black and white (printed on office paper) free printable I found on a blog back when I worked at WBCL. An author made it as a gift for her readers, and I loved it. If you can’t read it, it says, “My impossible dreams…aren’t.”

            The tiny pitcher was from a retreat I spoke at a few years ago, where the theme was “Pouring In, Pouring Out.” I keep it there to remind me to pour into others even when I’m tired or feel like my efforts are in vain.

            The Proverbs 31 art was a gift from Ryan on my last day at WBCL, and I love the message it offers. I need these words every day. The little lamp in the corner brightens the desk in the early morning and late evening hours and is one we already had from many years ago. I’m not sure it’s the best fit for right there, but it’s what we had, so it works! Maybe someday, along the way, I’ll find something that fits the area a bit better. For now, this works just fine.

            Those little flowers down in the corner are almost two weeks old and are still going strong! They were a housewarming gift from some friends of ours. I love flowers so much and have appreciated the joy they’ve brought to this corner for almost two weeks!

            Last Saturday I talked about the plants I’ve kept alive, and this is one of them! This one has a story to it, so let me share. The little white pot it sits in says “Rooted for Success” and was a gift to us from Rob when we worked at WillowBridge. We took that trip out west a couple of summers ago, and when we returned home, we found it in our apartment with a great succulent in it. You know how you’re not supposed to be able to kill succulents? I did. I killed the unkillable plant in a pot that said “Rooted for success.” I felt it might have been telling of my life right about then, actually. But I loved the pot, so before we left Grabill last March, I went to the local plant shop and purchased two tiny little “missionary plants.” (They’re called by other names too, but that was the one that was meaningful to me.) I gifted one to our support couple as we left our work with them, and I kept this one as a reminder that new life and ministry can come from endings, too. This thing has grown significantly in the past year, and I’m pretty sure there are a couple of starts growing in there, too. I need to figure out what to do with those.

            I keep this plant right here to remind me I can be rooted for success and my work, no matter what it looks like in detail, can be a ministry.

            The little file cabinet is actually a business card holder. Isn’t it adorable? And the “Wish” art is a print on a wooden block made by – can you guess? Amber! I love supporting her art whenever I can. I chose this one because I’ve written a yet-unpublished book called A Dandelion in September. This reminded me of it.

            This little corner has some fun gadgets provided by my job! See that white piece? The flat part is actually a white board you can scribble notes on! It lifts up to reveal a small organizing space that holds little supplies. You can see that in the back, you can store notebooks and pens, too. It is the coolest thing. I’d never seen one before my first day of work. My boss has one and after she saw my face light up, she ordered me one too! And beside it is my work phone holder, which I love. It elevates the phone so I can see the screen easily.

            I have a wedding picture I plan to hang up on the wall there, but we didn’t have the right hardware for hanging it, so it hasn’t been added just yet.

            Like I said, I may yet uncover another thing or two that should go in this space, but for the most part, my desk feels complete! It provides a beautiful space for creating, and I dearly love it.

            Lexi also says hi from her perch. Most of the time, when I’m working, she hangs out beside me in her little bed. Sometimes she goes to hang out with Braeya or to stretch out on the couch, but most of the time, she wants to be right beside me.

            Thanks for visiting my quiet corner! 

Legacy Bibles and Lunchbox Snacks

 

It’s been a few weeks since I learned about these ideas, and I’ve been looking forward to sharing them with you, but life has been newsy in other ways, so I haven’t gotten to these topics until now!

            Right around the first of the year, I saw a post from a writer-friend of mine who spent all of 2022 studying out of a new Bible she purchased for her teenage daughter. As she read through the Bible in that year, she highlighted verses that she found especially meaningful and wrote prayers, notes, and lessons in the wide margins. At the end of the year, she presented that gift to her daughter, who is now a senior in high school. She mentioned her husband was doing the same thing in another Bible for their son.

            I loved this idea. As I scrolled through the comments on her post, I found notes from other parents and grandparents who had done this very thing as a legacy for their children and grandchildren. What a wonderful gift!

            Even if you’re not a parent or grandparent, this would be a tremendous gift for someone you’re mentoring in the faith or a dear friend who might be newer to walking with the Lord.

            Right after I learned about legacy Bibles, I saw another great idea that I wanted to pass along to you. It’s also a grandparent-geared idea, but it wouldn’t have to be limited to grandparents. You could alter it to fit your own life!

            My former pastor and his wife retired from their respective jobs within the last year, and I have loved watching them embrace everything about retirement. They are so purposeful in investing in others and living actively, and it’s a joy to see what they’re doing with these post-working years.

            They have a handful of school-age grandchildren, and most of them live locally. One of their daughters posted about an adventure they had last summer and repeated again over Christmas break.

            They picked a Saturday and invited all the children and grandchildren to come over, and they spent the entire day baking together. They made dozens of treats: cookies, brownies, popcorn balls, puppy chow…you name it. They packed everything in individual serving bags and put them in the freezer. Throughout the school semester, one of these treats went in the kids’ lunches every day (or was available when they came home from school). They were able to daily enjoy something they remembered making with their grandparents.

            The post said the first round of treats lasted the first semester, so they reconvened over Christmas break to make a second round of treats for the spring semester.

            Goodness, how I loved that! Knowing them like I do, I could just hear the laughter, stories, and lessons shared on those (probably chaotic) baking days, and even if the kids don’t verbalize it in the moment, I know they think about it every time they enjoy one of their lunch treats.

            What I love most of all about both of these ideas is the intentionality that went into making a specific investment in a loved one’s life. Whether investing in their faith journey or the daily mundane, both these gifts go far beyond the tangible in front of them.

            Maybe you’re a parent or grandparent…and maybe you’re not. But either way, I know you have people in your life you love and want to bless. These are magnificent ways to show love!