5 Friday Favorites: March 14, 2025

   

It's time for my Friday link up with  A Little Bit of Everything and Momfessionals. 

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. 

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