On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.
Hello and happy last weekend of March. April is coming and we've had little glimpses of Spring this week. The other day I heard a pastor say that Spring is the evidence that in the cold and dark of winter, even though we couldn't have perceived it, God was working all along. Bring it on.
Here are some favorites from this week.
1. Veep
My son, Joe, has been so frustrated with me because the number of times he told me that I would love the show,Veep, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus is infinity times. For some reason, I never would start it. This week I finally decided to watch and I flew through the first season. I then promptly sent Joe a text saying, "I can't believe you didn't ever tell me to watch Veep. This is like the best show ever. I'm calling a flagrant personal foul on you." He replied, "There's no way you could've known." Sarcasm is our love language.The actors are perfectly cast and the dialogue is so quick and smart that I have to rewind to be sure I don't miss anything. 5 Stars.
2. Universal Thread Linen Jumpsuit
There is no world in which I need another jumpsuit/romper, but alas, this one is on its way to me. It comes in black, olive and blue also. I'm not sure how long the Target Circle discounts are happening, but I think they are still in play today. There is some great summer style at Target right now and the discounts are pretty fire.
3. Fresca
Listen. I'm over a decade late to Veep and now I'm going to bring up Fresca which according to the Internet has been around since 1966. I've really got my finger on the pulse, friends. This is the thing. My sister and I were discussing the rough patch we both seem to be having in our relationship with wine these days. For some reason, even if I drink one glass of wine lately, I sleep terribly and I feel like garbage the next day. I'm not saying we're breaking up, but we're going to start seeing other people. Add this new revelation to the 753 symptoms that menopause has so kindly delivered to my life.
While I love a Cosmo, they are a bit labor-intensive for making at home. So, Fresca with a splash of something else has entered the chat. The Fresquila, the Frodka or the Frumsca. We're workshopping the names. They're not great. No matter what you want to call it, this is my new cocktail of choice. It slaps. (Sorry for all the bro lingo. Can you tell I've spent a lot of time with the 20 year olds lately?)
4. Square Aviators Take 2
I bought these sunglasses last year and mentioned them here. I love them. But I sat on them last weekend. I ordered another pair because they're only $14.00ish with the coupon. So you can sit on them at will and not feel too bad about it.
5. Some Words on Following His Voice - Mostly from Kate Bowler
This week I spoke at my church's Wednesday service. It's legitimately my most favorite thing that happened this week. The Lord has given me many opportunities to speak at my own church and other local churches in the past several years. If you would have told me ten years ago that this would be something I was capable of, I would have called you a lunatic. And every single time before I walk up to the front of the congregation, I tell myself I'm a lunatic for agreeing to do this. Every. Single. Time. But, God, amiright?
Along with writing this book I've been working on for the past twelve years ;-), my soul tells me these speaking gigs are God's call for me. Maybe you've heard that still small voice calling you to something new as well? Or maybe that dream you had tucked way down deep in your heart years ago is pushing through again? I think many of us who find ourselves inching toward a new season of life without the responsibilities of raising decent humans, not to mention without the carpool schedule, find the possibilities of how to live out the rest of this one precious life both exciting and terrifying.
Did I hear You correctly? Is this Your voice or mine? Because if it is You, why am I so unsure? Is this dream my plan or Yours? And why does acknowledging that I really want to do this - the writing and the speaking - seem not only scary, but even a little embarrassing? Because if it really is You, then in the words of Psalm 8:3 "Who am I, Lord, that You are mindful of me?"
In the past few months, I think I've been hearing God clearly. There have been new friends, new opportunities, new hope. I'm stepping forward in obedience, trying to quiet my own shaming voice of self-doubt who is so very loud. These are tiny steps forward that seem to require such enormous faith.
This week I read a poem in Kate Bowler's book, Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day. Maybe it will be a blessing for you if a new dream has shown up or the old one won't die no matter how stuck in self doubt you have been. It was an encouragement for me to just keep listening. Just keep moving. Just keep trusting.
God go, and I will follow.
Because truly, I cannot lead.
I cannot drag myself forward,
chin up and eyes on the horizon,
when all I see is the mud
caking around my feet.
God, go and grace will follow
I've seen it all before.
How in the smallest moments
the tiniest efforts
multiply in your wake.
We've seen the sun rise
over an empty tomb
and life spring up from nothing but dust,
so all things considered,
I suppose I should finally believe
that you could do a lot with this day,
my life and these weary limbs,
and learn to follow
the God who goes first.
Have a beautiful weekend, friends.
Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com. Post might contain other affiliate links as well.
On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.
Hello. It's Friday - yay - and I'm up early - boo - and on my way to watch Drew's baseball games this weekend - yay. So this will likely be full of typos that I don't have time to correct - boo.
Here are some favorites from the week.
1. Tomato Leaf Candle
I heard someone on a podcast talking about this Tomato Leaf candle from Trader Joe's and she raved about how amazing it smelled. I had no idea what a tomato leaf scent would be like so I was skeptical, but this candle is a delight.
2. Chicken Pasta Salad
I made this chicken pasta salad from The Pioneer Woman last week. It doesn't have a ton of ingredients so it was easy and the baseball bros seemed to like it. 5 stars.
3. The Chair of My Dreams
Yesterday I had a bazillion things to write including a sermon I am supposed to deliver on Wednesday. Instead I spent a few hours by the lake in this chair. And I may never sit in another chair again. Listen, you are not going to find it in Architectural Digest or Elle Decor, but you will find it in my family room in the immediate future until I can get a handle on my neck and shoulder pain. This is the first chair I've been able to sit in for more than 15 minutes in a long time.
4. In the Meantime - Jess Ray
This song was a blessing to me this week. And it brought me to this:
5. The Blessing of the Meantime
Be present. Focus on the now. Savor the moment.
It's the struggle of my life. I suppose the frequency with which we see these phrases means that it's a struggle for most of us. Looking back or striving forward seems so much more instinctive to me. My natural state, I guess. I feel so firmly in the middle of things right now and I don't much like it.
No matter that yesterday marked the first day of spring, the weather's fluctuations tell me I am still in the middle of bitterly cold and delightfully warm temperatures. In the meantime, I wait. I am in the middle of healing because my neck/shoulder pain might be getting a little better, but we're not all the way there yet. In the meantime, I wait. I am in the middle of all of my children being constantly under foot and all of them being completely independent of me. In the meantime, I wait. I am in the middle of leaving the purpose I was absolutely sure of - the raising of my boys - to finding whatever new purpose the Lord has for me. In the meantime, I wait. And as we marked two years without my mom yesterday, I recognized again that I am in between the brutal shock of deep grief and the rejoicing that will happen when I see her again. In the meantime, I wait realizing that the daily garden-variety longing for her will remain in this middle space until I get to heaven's gate.
So many of us find ourselves in this middle place. We are either reminiscing or anticipating. Reflecting or projecting. Wanting what seemed good and right in our past or striving toward what might help us feel that way again.
This meantime. This waiting. It can be difficult. And sad. And chaotic. And stressful. Because the meantime is defined by uncertainty. And I don't know many humans who are big fans of uncertainty.
Last week I heard Ellie Holcomb on the That Sounds Fun podcast and she talked about liminal spaces which are defined as a transistional or in-between areas. Her examples of those spaces were dusk and dawn. That space between day and night. Between darkness and light. Essentially, a sunset.and a sunrise. She went on to mention that the sky is the most beautiful during that in-between time. This is why we rise early in the morning or make sure we reserve outdoor seating at exactly the right time. We are desperate to catch those perfect moments when God shows us the magic of both the past and the future existing together.
My mom chased after sunsets. She loved them. So I was up early at Lake Anna yesterday to see the sunrise and it was stunning. Last night Steve and I went to a brewery on the lake at sunset to toast her life and even though rain and clouds prevented the orange and pink colors we'd seen in the morning, I still was able to see that maybe the space between now and then, between here and heaven, between my mom and me isn't so wide. And in the midst of darkness and light the Lord reminded me. If I can stop gripping so tightly to the past and stop projecting so far into the future, there will be goodness and beauty and wisdom to be found here. Because amidst the uncertainty and the longing and the fear, He is here right smack in the middle of the meantime. And He will not leave.
Have a blessed weekend, friends and chase a sunrise or a sunset while you're at it.
Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com. Post might contain other affiliate links as well.
On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.
Hello and Happy Friday!
You guys. There were some days this week when the temperatures were in the high 60s. I worked outside on my deck. I ate lunch out there. I read a book in the sunshine. I walked through parking lots without a coat and also without muttering profanities under my breath. What in the world? Does it suddenly seem like maybe everything is going to be okay?
Don't touch anything. Be cool. I think Spring might be a real thing and it might show up soon.
Here are some other things from the week that were lovely besides the weather.
1. Cookies by Baked in Broadlands
My church held its Women's Retreat last weekend and it was such a fun day. One of the sessions offered us the opportunity to decorate cookies with Laura Erickson of Baked in Broadlands. I was pretty nervous about it because I am the least crafty/artistic person on the planet. I was so surprised to find it incredibly relaxing and easy. I was giddy with excitement at the beauty of my cookies. I'm not sure I have ever been so proud of myself even considering I grew human beings inside my body three times. Bonus: the cookies were delicious.
2. Sooae Hydration Sensor Mask
We've established that I am a sucker for all the skincare products in the land, so let's just say I have no idea if the "science" of this particular sheet mask adds up. I got this as a Christmas gift and the label says that it "has a star pattern that changes color based on skin temperature indicating where skin is losing hydration due to excess heat." Is this bunch of baloney? Highly likely. I didn't see any color change, but I liked the cooling effect and my skin felt really moisturized after wearing it for 15 minutes. A 12 pack is 25% off today for $12.13. That's $1.01 per mask and that definitely adds up. PS It says it provides "bouncy" skin. Was not aware this was a goal for our skin. Add it to the list.
3. Glory Necklace
I love this Glory Necklace by Park Lane. It is only $44 and would make a great gift for an Easter basket.
4. Lucky Charms Treats
We're off to see the kid play baseball again this weekend and Momma will come bearing St. Patrick's Day treats for the Baseball Bros. I found this Lucky Charms Treats recipe on The Pioneer Woman's site. Basically you switch out the Rice Krispies for Lucky Charms in the old Rice Krispies recipe and you're suddenly Mrs. O'Skinner. PS I did not do the candy coating decorations like she recommended because that is a bridge too far for me. I already tapped out my decorating skills with the cookies at church.
5. Brian
One of the things I decided to do for Lent is to look at least one stranger in the eye each day and give them a compliment or at least a warm greeting. Listen, I'm clearly setting pretty low level goals here. But I'm finding a need to prove to myself what I absolutely believe to be true. We are surrounded by good, decent, kind people in this world. To be honest, it is a little more selfish than it sounds. It forces me to appreciate the people God throws in my path everyday.
Although I believe in the goodness of people with my whole heart, what I have found since the beginning of 2025 is even more of an intentional effort by so many on social media to make it their mission to point out as often as possible that this world we are living in is a dumpster fire full of terrible and/or really dumb people. Of course this is not new to 2025, but maybe since my 2025 has been a bit of a struggle, it has been way more than I can take. I'm not putting my head in the sand about the problems out there I just can't stomach the onslaught day after day or even hour after hour. It's exhausting to me. Which is why the Lord also told me during Lent, "Thou shalt employ the "Mute for 30 Days" button, Child. I made it for a time such as this." So my mute button has been active and does not discriminate based on political leanings, by the way. It works equally and often on all sides and on all community page posts that begin with "remind your children", "who is raising kids these days . . ." etc. ;-)
Anyhoo - one of my favorite things about this week is the hero who is pictured above. Pretty much every single solitary day, he takes my $1.58 and gives me a Large Diet Coke fit for the angels. He never makes fun of me or scolds me for driving through for just this one thing - an aspartame-filled joy in a cup which so many people remind me will very soon kill me dead. He has kind eyes and a nice voice. Everyday I look forward to him saying, "Welcome to McDonald's. Will you be using your mobile app today?" Everyday I say, "No, thanks. I'll just have a Large Diet Coke, please." Everyday he says, "Great. That'll be $1.58 at the window."
Do you know that I had no idea what his name was for months upon months even though he is often the best part of my whole entire day? What the heck? So, I asked him this week. I said, "I can't believe I don't know your name! This is one of the best parts of my day. Am I the only weirdo that drives all the way here for this one drink everyday?" He laughed and said, "No, ma'am. So many people do that. Soooo many. My name is Brian." So I told him I was gathering photos of things and people I was grateful for during Lent and that he was at the top of my list. I asked if I could take his picture and I wouldn't post it if he said not to and he said it was no problem. Does he think I'm a nutjob? Maybe, but he faked it well.
This is my calling during Lent. To gather evidence of "the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" as Psalm 27:13 says.
Honestly, I do not want to appear tone deaf. I'll continue to consume the news and sort out what's true or not true the best I can with my own brain. I'm just not getting news from social media anymore. If a person truly feels called to be consistent in reminding people of all the bad things/people in the world and if that effort fills that person's soul with purpose and peace, then they should absolutely persist in that journey. Who am I to say they shouldn't?
But as for me and my house, we will celebrate the gift of my Diet Coke guy at the McDonald's drive thru. His name is Brian and he's a blessing beyond measure.
Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com. Post might contain other affiliate links as well.
On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.
Hello, Friday! Well, we are into the first week of March and this is pretty much what we've been dealing with around here:
Honestly, the weather has really been bumming me out. Apparently. next week we're supposed to be in the upper 60s, so we're going to keep running this race with perseverance. Lord help us. Last week Steve and I went to watch Drew play baseball near Lexington, Virginia which is an adorable, historic town so we decided to stay the night there. We stayed in The Gin Hotel which used to be called the Robert E Lee, but ain't nobody allowed to do that anymore so his name is gone. It was a lovely hotel and we had a great time in Lexington. Lots of my favorites for this week were discovered there. Here we go:
1. Nest Sicilian Tangerine Diffuser
The lobby of The Gin smelled so good. I asked the woman at the desk what the scent was and she said she had no idea, so I had to do my own investigating. Eventually I found a diffuser on one of the tables and it turns out it was this Nest Sicilian Tangerine scent. I'm basically Nancy Drew.
2. Joy Susan Faux Leather Tote Bag
There was a shop directly across from the hotel where I saw this adorable tote bag in the best green color. Green is my favorite color and with St. Patrick's Day on the horizon, I was starting to feel like this bag was made for such a time as this. Immediately, I had to high tail it out of there because there is nothing I need less than another tote bag. I was super proud of my will power and restraint . . .but then I found it on Amazon. I'm having to double up on the will power and restraint because gosh, this is cute.
3. The Perfect Cosmo
I know it is so basic, but my favorite cocktail is a Cosmopolitan. The problem is that every restaurant or bar seems to make them differently and finding one I like is like trying to find a pair of jeans that doesn't have a rise that puts the waistband under my bra strap. (Can you tell I went shopping for jeans this week? It's worse than swimsuit shopping.) Anyway, Saturday night we went to The Palms in Lexington and they made a really good Cosmo, so the waitress got the bartender to write down the exact recipe for me.
If you're basic too, you're welcome. It was great.
4. Devotionals for Lent (or whenever)
My husband got this devotional by Tim Tebow for himself and for all the boys for Christmas. They are really liking it.
Have a Beautiful Terrible Day is a book that I've mentioned before. Kate Bowler is so smart and so funny. I love her writing and her perspective. She has a specific section for Lent that I'm using for my Lent devotional.
5. Speaking of Lent
As I've mentioned infinity times, the past few months have been significantly difficult in the whole "I MISS MY MOMMY" area of my life. Ash Wednesday was particularly hard because we always sent each other photos of our ashes after we had participated in the Ash Wednesday service - me at my Methodist church and her at her Episcopal one. Ash Wednesday is solemn anyway, but this one seemed even moreso. The weather frankly just plain sucked. It was gloomy and cold and windy and the wind was getting on my last nerve.
This week brought some disappointments - prayers that have been unanswered or firmly answered with "Nope." And the brutal truth that life does not always line up the way I want it to for me or for my people was glaringly obvious. Shall we change the name of this blog to "The Debbie Downer Diaries"? The Lent vibes are really vibing around here.
Anyway, I took my selfie and imagined she could see me and was saying, "Honey, I love you so much. Y'all are all going to be okay. Now, go put on some lipstick."
Also she might remind me of the truth of 1 Peter 6:11: "And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."
Without the darkness, how would we recognize the light? Without the defeat, how would we recognize the victory? Without the suffering, how would we recognize the healing?
Hang on tight, Friends. The Alleluia is coming.
Speaking of Lent, if you're interested I delivered a message on Lent a few years ago at Aldie Methodist Church. You can view it below. It starts around minute 24:00.
Have a beautiful weekend.
Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com. Post might contain other affiliate links as well.
On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.
Hello and Happy Friday! Last week I was in a bit of a downer mood. My apologies. Grief can really throw you for a loop. You're just kinda moving along and it slaps you upside the head. It's a beast.
This week was much better. Mainly, it's because of the gift of my guys who keep me laughing with our family text thread - material which has the potential to get us all canceled, but my goodness, do they know how to make a gal laugh. Also, we had weather in the 60s for a couple of days which was a game changer.
I was pretty determined to find some joy wherever I could and the Lord hath provided. Here are some of my favorite mood lifters from the week besides inappropriate text chains and sunshine.
1. Will and Grace Reruns
If this show doesn't make you laugh, I don't know what to tell you. I cannot watch this without smiling. 5 Stars for turning a bad mood around. I found all the episodes on Hulu.
2. Sunshine + Windows Down + Fleetwood Mac
I'm not sure if any of you have heard of an obscure little band called Fleetwood Mac, but they have some bangers. Wednesday I was headed to Physical Therapy to deal with my literal pain in the neck. It was bright and sunny and 62 degrees and somehow a song came to mind that I wanted to listen to. In full disclosure, I had to text Joe to see if he could come up with the name by saying "you know that song that some college football team uses as its intro? Maybe it's USC or another marroon and gold team? There's a lot of drumming?" Anyway, Joe Skinner is a genius and he deciphered my text and said it was Tusk by Fleetwood Mac. So I rolled down my car windows and cranked it up obnoxiously loud. I highly recommend listening if you need a little pick me up.
PS Start with Tusk, move to Go Your Own Way, then Don't Stop, then Say You Love Me.
PPS My physical therapist would likely not recommed any "bangers" at all because if you start to really feel the jam? No bueno for the neck problems.
PPPS Skip Landslide if your children are grown up and gone because it'll put you back into a downward spiral of sadness unless you remember how many times they wouldn't take a nap and in that case, proceed.
PPPPS Perhaps don't take any advice on mental and/or physical health from me.
3. Here Be Dragons
Books always make me feel better - even those that deal with difficult subjects. Melanie Shankle was one of the first bloggers I ever followed online. Her writing is funny and faithful and relatable. Her new book, Here Be Dragons: Treading the Deep Waters of Motherhood, Mean Girls and Generational Trauma is not as light hearted as her previous books, but is as infused with her humor and charm. She details her childhood and the wounds she suffered growing up with a mentally unhealthy and verbally abusive mother and her fight to break those patterns, so that she could be a whole and healthy mother to her own daughter. This is a heartbreaking and ultimately beautifully redemptive story about how the love of her daughter, her friends, her husband and Jesus healed her.
4. Dr. Teal's Relax & Relief Body Wash
As I've mentioned more times than anyone wants to hear, I have some neck and shoulder pain issues that are a real bummer. I've always loved Dr. Teal's bath salts, but I had no idea they made body wash as well. This stuff smells amazing and I really think it helps relieve my muscle pain, promotes good sleep and helps with my winter sadness.
5. Baseball, Baseball & More Baseball (Shocker)
We established that last week was a downer and I was all up in my feelings, missing my mom in the worst way. I was tired of hurting both emotionally and physically. I had a really, really good mom. She wasn't perfect, but was pretty darn close. My sister and I talked about it. We determined that we had had been so well loved by her and had learned enough from her that was so deeply embedded in us, that she had left us quite capable of mothering our own selves. Which I suppose is a great goal for moms. And we've been doing that. And yet, mothering yourself when you relied so heavily on your amazing mom is ten kinds of exhausting. I guess this is the only negative about having a good mom. So I was tired by the time the weekend came. Utterly wiped out.
Thus, the need for good music, good books, good sit-com reruns and good shower products. The icing on the cake and by far my favorite thing last week - and perhaps the most healing (besides Jesus and my four guys) - will not surprise you. It is, of course one of my most reliable, steadiest friends - the gift I've had for over 20 years now. A baseball game - or three.
I understand that this will go away. The road trips and the hotel rooms. The freezing cold February games and the blazing hot summer ones. We're getting closer and closer all the time to leaving these days behind us. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. And I know because I've seen it with Joe and Kyle that the future will be bright. Having adult kids out in the big, wide world building their lives outside of our home honestly is so much fun. Until then, I'll be grateful that baseball is still hanging out with me.
I can be all at once missing my mom, worrying about my dad, brooding about the big boys' hearts and dreams and challenges, beating myself up over the latest crappy draft I have written, and lamenting the fact that my jeans are too tight. Just all muddled up. But when that flame-haired little boy walks to the plate, draws a cross in the dirt with the knob of his bat, looks to the sky and then takes his place in the batter's box, my mind clears. All the muck and all the sadness and all the fear takes a backseat because ain't nobody got time for that in that moment.
This past weekend we drove over 10 hours total in less than 48 hours. I watched 19 innings of baseball (that's three games - one that went into extra innings, if you're trying to do the math.) We stayed in a fairly sketchy hotel with a puke orange colored carpet and a shower curtain that made my skin crawl. After the game we went to eat dinner where I had a very subpar cheeseburger and a cocktail that tasted like garbage. And I was the happiest I'd been all week.
In May of 2023, two months after my mom passed and we were in the midst of Drew's senior season of baseball, I wrote about the healing power of this game for me. It still applies:
Baseball, as I've said before, is simple. It's routine. It asks nothing of me. It doesn't need me to send a writing assignment on a deadline. It doesn't need me to interpret a verse. It doesn't need a meal cooked or a sock laundered or a form filled out. It doesn't need a listening ear. I am solely focused on each player. On each pitch. On each run scored. The only thing I have to do is watch. Well, that and potentially change seats if things start going wrong for the team because superstitions run rampant at the ballpark.
Baseball has delighted me. It has thrilled me. It has made me nervous and taken my breath out of my body and yes, it has made me sad at times. But the best thing about baseball lately is that it requires zero effort from me. It is like the best friend who sits next to you and let's you be exactly who you need to be with no judgment and loves you unconditionally.
We're off to watch Drew and his buddies play again this weekend. I know my heart and mind will be settled even if the game gets tight and goes into extra innings. I'll be thankful again for the chance to watch him play. I'll sneak a photo when he's not looking and maybe this time I'll just offer to mix my own cocktail.
PS I mentioned last week that I'll be speaking at Arcola Methodist's Women's Retreat next Saturday, March 8th. There are some really fun and meaningful things on the agenda and I am the least interesting of them. ;-) If you are local and would like to join us, register here. I'd love to see you there.
Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com. Post might contain other affiliate links as well.
On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.
Hi and happy Friday. It is currently 23 degrees and we are planning to head to North Carolina to be at a baseball field tomorrow for a gazillion hours where the high is predicted to be a balmy 45 degrees. Despite that, I am looking forward to it since last weekend's games for Drew were canceled. Since the weather scrapped our original plan to be watching baseball on Valentine's Day you might think that the love of my life and I would have taken the opportunity to have a candlelight dinner or watch a sweet romantic comedy. You would be incorrect. Steve and I spent most of our weekend flipping between various livestreams of other college games so that we could watch some of our other children - friends of our boys who were able to get their games in. I will never tire of watching our neighborhood kids who played Little League one minute ago continue to play this game into college and even beyond. I have exactly zero chill about seeing them on my television screen.
Here are some other favorite things from the week.
1. The Housemaid
My sister-in-law gave me this book for Christmas and OH MY WORD. It is wild. It is creepy. And just FYI, it might give you nightmares, so proceed with caution.
Well, it's the time of year when I have to sprint past the Girl Scouts parked out in front of my grocery store shouting apologies because I have no self control when cookies are in the house. I tried to make myself feel better by purchasing these Think Thin Mint Protein bars. They have 20 grams of protein and 0 grams of sugar. I had very low expectations, but they are surprisingly good and don't taste chalky like a lot of protein bars do.
4. Cottage Cheese Queso
laurenfitfoodie.com
First, the Girl Scout cookie substitute and now this madness. I know what you're thinking:
I understand. I thought my sister was going to hang up on me when I was telling her about it. If you grew up in a house that was never without a block of Velveeta "cheese product" first of all, you are my people. And second of all, you are going to struggle with this, but hear me out.
In an effort to eat more protein (blah, blah, blah) and clean ingredients (eye roll), I made this cottage cheese queso this week and I know you don't believe me, but it was actually really good. I ate it with these grain free Siete tortilla chips which taste a little bit like sadness, but aren't tragically bad. It's worth a shot, I promise.
5. This Too Shall Last
I am speaking at the women's retreat on March 8th at Arcola Methodist Church so I've been spending a lot of time this week working on the message I'll share that day. I want that message to be meaningful and uplifting, of course. As I sat down this morning, it seems that I'm fresh out of those kind of words. My apologies. You've been warned if you'd like to "dip" now, as my kids would say.
The winter keeps wintering. Not just outside of the walls of my house, but on many days inside of my heart and mind and body.
I'm more overwhelmed with missing my mom than I have been maybe since those first few months without her. This grief, this longing, this anger, this absolute soul-crushing shock that she is not here and the panic that follows that shock comes at me so randomly. I have moments when I am utterly stunned that I haven't heard her voice in the last few days, much less the last 23 months. I've tried to figure out why. Is it because the house is so quiet and empty after the chaos of the holidays? Is it because I've been in such pain from this aggravating neck and shoulder issue which has caused me to be pretty depressed and needing my mom to tell me it's going to get better? Is it because I've been writing a lot lately and I desperately need her razor-sharp editor's eye and her unwavering belief in me?
Several times in the past few weeks, when I have been alone, I have shouted in my house or in my car or in the shower or at my desk, "WHAT THE HECK, GOD? THIS CANNOT BE REAL. THIS IS THE DUMBEST PLAN EVER. I WASN'T READY. I WANT MY MOM BACK." (Insert lots of cursing. Also, the chances I used the word "heck" instead of another word that ends with "k" are exactly zero. My language since she died has really been in a downward spiral.)
I just want to talk to her. And I know what she would say because she said it to me a million times. First she'd tell me to put on some blush and lip gloss and go for a walk. And then she would say, "Honey, this too shall pass."
You were wrong on that one, Mom. It didn't pass. It isn't passing. It won't pass. I miss you so much, you big liar. Sorry for all the bad language. I'll see ya later.
Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com. Post might contain other affiliate links as well.
On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.
Hello and Happy/Sad Friday. We were supposed to be leaving in a few minutes to go to see Drew's second weekend of baseball for the season, but the snow and rain this week ruined our plans and the whole weekend series was canceled. Cue the sad trombones. We'll have to figure out how to spend our Valentine's Day somewhere other than a baseball field or basketball court which will be weird for us as that has been where we've spent the majority of our Valentine's days for the past twenty-ish years.
Here are some favorite things from the week that do not include snow.
1. Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz
Since I'm having so much neck trouble, reading an actual book has been an issue, so I started listening to this memoir, Dinner with Vampires, by Bethany Joy Lenz on Audible. I think I was too caught up in babies, toddlers and Little League games to watch One Tree Hill which Lenz starred in from 2003-2012 so I really knew nothing about her. This book about her experience being part of a religious cult while filming that show was riveting. I was so taken by this story that I finished it in three days. Now I'm going to figure out how to watch One Tree Hill.
2. Elf Buffing Foundation Brush
I've always used a sponge to apply foundation, but my sister recommends this foundation brush and it's great. It's only $6.99.
3. Teddy Swims - Northern Lights
I'm super late to Teddy Swims, but somehow I came across this song last week and I love it so much.
4. Foxy Earrings
These adorable earrings come in silver or gold. I think they're a fun everyday stud and love the texture on them. They're only $36 and there is also a necklace for only $48.
5. Even the Stones Will Cry Out
Well, in the opening weekend for college baseball the view from behind home plate for yours truly was a banger, as the kid's say. Drew's team had a heck of a start, winning all three of their games. Steve and I are determined to travel wherever and whenever we possibly can to watch every minute we can before this ride ends. It's early yet, but the entire team has come a long way since last year and Drew, personally, had one of his best weekends at the plate ever.
That was awesome to experience, for sure. But my favorite thing far and away is to see how my littlest boy has grown in the past year and a half. And I'm not talking about how he has grown that creepy mustache. What the heck is it with the college baseball players and their '70s stache obsession? I have found this is a "pick your battles" situation and one that I will not win especially since superstitions run rampant in baseball and if the 'staches have anything to do with the winning, they're here to stay. *sigh*
In addition to the facial hair, Drew's discipline, work ethic and leadership skills have grown so much since he left home, but the most fascinating thing to witness is to see how his faith and relationship with Jesus has grown. I suppose I find it so fascinating because his dad and I had zero to do with it.
How could it be? ;-)
To see my children thrive when they leave home and don't have the enormous benefit of my deep and unending well of wisdom (this is sarcasm, if you missed it)? Perhaps the word is not so much fascinating as it is humbling. It's also been rather comforting.
Sometimes we hold so tightly to our children that we become anxious about other people coming into their sphere of influence. Whether it's a coach whose um . . . motivational technique(?) we're not real sure about, peers we think might steer them in the wrong direction, teachers and professors whose views are antithetical to our own, bosses who seem shady, or even the opinions of people they watch on Tik Tok, this fear of letting our kids see and hear and learn from the world around them is foolishness. Especially for people of faith who are told "Do not fear" more than any other command in the Bible.
Is the world full of bad influence and lies and danger? Of course it is. But it is also full of good, wise, faithful people and if we insulate our children too much, they will miss the lessons that come from both sides of that coin.
I have often counseled my children that when someone's character or actions seem sketchy, I want them to take notice. I want them to learn. I don't want to rip them out of those situations. Of course, consideration of a child's age and maturity is important, but they can learn as much from people that model the kind of human that they want to be as they can from the kind of people who show them exactly who they do not want to be.
When your kid leaves for college or, as two of mine have, find jobs and lives in new cities and new states (so rude), we find ourselves completely unfamiliar with their communities. Who are these new friends? Where are they from? Who are their parents? How were they raised?
As I thought about how much Drew has grown and about how letting go of all of my boys in the past few years has grown my own faith, a verse from Luke 19 came to me. In this chapter, Jesus is entering Jerusalem on what we know now as Palm Sunday. There is much fanfare and shouting as He comes in on a colt. Verse 37 says that "the whole multitude of disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen". When the Pharisees admonish them and tell Jesus to "rebuke [his] disciples" for the scene they are causing, Jesus responds: "I tell you if these were silent, even the stones would cry out."
When our voices are not near and we can't whisper in their ears to remind them of their worth and their purpose? That's when we have to remember. There are stones all around our children. Our Father has put them there. If we're lucky they might be mentors, they might be coaches, they might be a Bible study group or new church or they might be one good and faithful friend.
Or maybe not. Maybe we don't yet see our young adults finding community the way we had hoped. What we can trust and know to be true is that God's power and His presence in our children's lives are actually not all that reliant on our voices or the voices of their new friends and community.
The verse from Luke 19:40 reminds us that if all other voices are silenced, even the stones will cry out. They will remind your child of who he is and whose he is and that assurance might just come from the very air surrounding him as he walks to class or gets on the elevator to go to his office. And in that moment he will hear the truth: "You are loved. Trust in me. Believe in me. I am real. I am here."
I am trusting the stones to speak into my children's lives. It sure does take the pressure off. Also, if I could just get one of those stones to throw a razor my kid's way and cry out, "Shave that thing, Son." that'd be a bonus.
Have a great weekend, Friends.
Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com. Post might contain other affiliate links as well.
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