On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote or Bible verse, 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.
I don't want to jump the gun here, folks, but I think it appears that January might finally end today.
Sometimes the Lord's timing and our timing doesn't match up. Thank you, Sweet Jesus. Here are some of my favorite things from a week when I was sure it was January 27th every single day.
1. A Real Winter Coat
I moved from Texas to Northern Virginia almost 28 years ago and my husband still has to remind me that my denim jacket isn't going to cut it in January. I recently heard someone say that there is no bad weather, just bad clothing. This appears to be somewhat true. I got not one, but two great coats for Christmas this year. This Sam Edelman Hooded Puffer Jacket is on big-time sale at Nordstrom. It comes in some great colors. I have the Latte color, but I also love the Spruce. It is so cute and warm and I wore it all over Nashville last weekend when it was in the 30s.
I mentioned this Orolay Thickened Down Jacket from Amazon last month and I have to say that it is the absolute best thing that has ever happened to my dog. I hate walking Mack in the winter and since I bought this jacket, we're basically like this around the 'hood lately.
2. I'm With You by Amy Grant & Nichole Nordeman
We are studying the book of Ruth in our Women's Bible Study. I think it might be one of my favorite stories in the entire Bible. Years ago I went to a concert called The Story which featured a whole lot of Christian music artists singing songs that take you through the Bible. It was there that I first heard this song which is inspired by Ruth and Naomi. It's one of the most beautiful songs about loyalty and friendship I've ever heard.
3. Miracles and Other Reasonable Things by Sarah Bessey
I try to alternate between fiction and non-fiction books, so since I just finished reading Little Women, I'm on to a non-fiction now. I started reading Miracles and Other Reasonable Things: A Story of Unlearning and Relearning God by Sarah Bessey this week. I have heard amazing things about this book and have heard Sarah on podcasts many times. I'm not into it quite enough to know much about the content yet, but what I do know already is that she is a stunningly gifted writer. So gifted that she pretty much makes me want to throw my laptop out the window and never write another word. So there's that. ;-)
4. A Valentine's Day T-Shirt
To be honest, I have spent the majority of my Valentine's Days for the past decade in basketball gyms sharing popcorn and a diet Coke with my man. It's not super romantic, but it is budget friendly and there is actually no place I'd rather be. I saw this cute tee on Amazon for those of us who want to celebrate our love by biting our tongue when the ref misses the VERY OBVIOUS foul call rather than sharing heart shaped chocolates with our beloved in a fancy restaurant.
5. Perspective & These Guys: The Only Thing that Matters
There has been no limit to the amount of beautiful, heartbreaking tributes and perspectives I have read and heard this week in the aftermath of the horrific tragedy that happened when Kobe Bryant's helicopter crashed on Sunday. We are a sports-obsessed family, so it was no surprise that our family text chain blew up with a flurry of messages that afternoon. We are sad not because we lost someone close to us or because Kobe Bryant was more important than anyone else, but because we are called to grieve with those who grieve and no one on the planet is meant to suffer sadness alone.
The beauty that might rise from these ashes will be hard to find. But for me, it came in little moments. There was an unexpected phone call from one boy as he walked to class in the freezing cold wind. Then as news came of the other families, there was a short text simply saying "just wanted to say i love y'all. this kobe stuff . . ." from another. And at home there was a big sigh and a hug that lasted longer than usual from the littlest one. For all of us, it gives us pause to think about how we want to live in these days that we know are not promised to us. It forces us to think about what we want our people to most remember when we're gone. It is a reminder about who is most important and why we have to tell them. This, an excerpt from Beth Moore's new book, comes pretty darn close to how I hope to live out these days. If only it didn't take such tragedy to force us to remember.
"I want to love Jesus with my whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. I want Him to be able to say, "Man, that girl just would not quit." I want my husband to say, "I would have chosen her again, knowing it all." I want {my children} to say, standing over my casket, "Mom was so funny." I want Jesus and I want my family. That's what I will want most in the end. Have guts enough to choose the things that matter now."
That'll preach, Ms. Beth. That will preach.
Happy Weekend, Friends. Here's to hoping we all have guts enough today and every day forward. :-)
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