5 Friday Favorites: January 13, 2023

 

 

 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.

Happy Friday! Lots of words today, friends. Let's go:

1. Lessons in Chemistry

I've been seeing this book at the top of all the best sellers lists for awhile. No offense to my high school chemistry teacher, Coach Cunnyngham, but I wasn't super fired up about encountering any kind of chemistry ever again. This book is absolutely delightful. No need to fear the title. I haven't finished it yet, but I love it.

2. Corduroy Overalls

Did I buy ANOTHER pair of overalls? Yes, I did. Do I have any shame about continuing to dress like a toddler in 2023 even though I will be 54 years old tomorrow? I do not. These corduroy overalls from Amazon are so cute and obviously, comfortable. They are cut a little slimmer in the legs than my Target blue denim overalls and are longer than my Old Navy white denim short overalls. So clearly, this is a completely new look. ;-) I got the black, but you can also choose off-white, maroon, olive or khaki. 

3. 1/2 Price Clarins Mask!!!!

YOU GUYS!!! RUN. The Clarins mask that was my beauty product favorite of 2022 is 1/2 price at Sephora. It's the remedy to the consequences of your margarita and chips and salsa. FYI:  I heard about this because I follow Kathleen Jennings Beauty on Instagram and so do about a gazillion other people, so it could sell out fast. 

4. Crest Earrings

Park Lane Jewelry came out with a new line this week and I love these adorable huggie earrings. They come in four colors - silver, gold, hematite, and rose gold. They just might be the perfect earring for any age, any style, and every day. So cute.

5. Wednesday

It makes me laugh at all of us, but especially me, when the calendar turns and we will ourselves to make everything better. I'm not an anti-resolution person at all. I think it's great. What I noticed this week is that my effort to control myself - whether it's to eat better, be a better friend, exercise more, be more present with my family, be more organized, work harder, volunteer more, keep a routine, pray, recycle, etc. etc. etc.  - bleeds into expecting that I can control my universe. Some where in the back of my mind, even if I am not fully conscious of it, I think that if I can get myself to be better, the whole dang world will better. Somehow all the problems and people I have worried for and prayed about - problems and people who, by the way, aren't in any way, shape, or form within my power to solve/affect/fix - will just sort of line up nicely and all will be well. 

So it's not just "New year: new me!" It's "New year: No cancer for anyone, perfect opportunities for everyone, no addiction, no loneliness, no dysfunction, no pain, no fear." WE GOT THIS!!

Is that not the dumbest thing you've ever heard?

So when we're only in week two of this brand new year and cancer still rages and rejection still happens and uncertainty still looms and anxiety and fear still rise up? Can I tell you something? IT REALLY PISSES ME OFF.

Because I was feeling hopeful. And happy. And energized. And excited. So this week, a voice in my head jumped into all of that and said, "Hey, dummy. Did you not forget? You're aren't allowed to feel that way. Everything is still uncertain. There are somethings - lots of things - that you can't fix . . .including, apparently, that muffin top you've got going on."

So you know the drill. I went to Wednesday Bible Study. I got real teary-eyed and tried really hard to hold it together. I wondered if I could really find joy in the midst of pain and fear that continues to loom. At the heart of it, I wondered if I was allowed to? After our study ended, I went to our Mid Week Service and here's what the reading of the day was - printed right there in the bulletin:

"It may seem naive, in a world of grief, to choose joy. It may seem foolish, in a world where solemnity is power, to sing and dance to a different tune, it may seem cruel, in a world of suffering and injustice, to speak of light and celebration; But you have come, Jesus, to bring joy into our grief, light into our darkness, singing into our mourning; and it is an act of healing and proclamation to believe and embrace the joy you offer. Joy to the world. The Lord is come."

The Lord wasn't telling me that all my new year's plans and hopes and dreams and positivity were going to solve problems. He was telling me that no matter how I might change or not change, no matter how many problems and fears were to remain or disappear in 2023, He would remain the same. And what He is? Is joy and hope and goodness and light. He was assuring me that there is still a place for joy. There is still a place for hope. There is still a place for laughter and smiling and having moments when it is well with my soul.

Goodness gracious, I love the Lord. And I don't know why I still get surprised at how He shows up for me. He has never once taken His eye off of me. I'm so grateful.

Joy has come. It's available and He offers it every single day. And in spite of everything that threatens it, He will not be overcome. So take some joy today, friends. It's free. I'm gonna grab 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.