5 Friday Favorites: April 4, 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.

Good morning, Friends. Happy Friday. I'm off to Dallas today to attend a celebration of life service for my bestie's momma. This stage of life continues to shock us even though we knew our parents would age and leave us here. The number of times I have asked myself, "How in the world is one expected to live without her mom?" in the past two years is infinite. And now another daughter has to walk through it. One that I love with my whole heart. But there is nothing like a gathering to honor a woman who served God, her family and her friends with unrelenting love and joy to give you perspective on how to live life well. I don't think there is a "life coach" anywhere in the whole wide world who could teach me more about how to live a meaningful, impactful life better than Barbara Sue Craft Burnett. If you could pray for safe and easy travels for her friends and family today and for the hearts of those who loved her, I'd appreciate it so very much.

1. Spring - Ed Sheeran

I really love this song.

2. Dr. Scholl's Madison Lace Platform Sneaker

I tried these shoes on recently and they were so comfortable. So many cute colors, too. I love this sky blue.

3. Rosemary Mint Hand Soap

My sister-in-law's birthday is in December and mine is in January but we hadn't been able to get together so we had a little gift exchange last night. She gave me this fabulous Rosemary Mint Hand soap and it smells so good. I don't know who the genius was that came up with that scent combo, but it is perfection.

4.  A Really Cute Top that May or May Not Actually Arrive

Listen. This top might be the dumbest thing that I've been suckered into buying on the world wide web and if you've been around this blog for awhile, you know that's saying something. It's one of those things that has popped up on my Instagram feed 7,000 times, but I kept getting sketchy vibes from the website. I think it's so cute and would look adorable with white jeans and my new Dr. Scholl's sky blue shoes. Who knows when or if this thing will show up and what it will actually look like, but I felt like it was stalking me so I went for it. Stay tuned. It might not really have "5 Friday Favorites" status, but I will report back.

5. Momma Sue

My best friend from high school, Lori, is one of the truest blessings in my life. It doesn't matter if we don't talk for months, we can always pick up right where we left off. Lori makes me laugh harder than just about anyone. She can get me giggling with just a look. She loves me unconditionally and is one of the most gracious, giving people you will ever meet. She makes everything a celebration - she is joy in human form.

When my mom died, after I talked to my brother and before I could get in touch with my sister in California because it was so early there, I called Lori and sobbed and shuddered into the phone. I needed to talk to someone who knew my mom and who knew how important she was to me. Lori cried with me and then she didn't let a day go by without checking in those first few weeks. She drove into our hometown bringing pies and hugs and love. She made us laugh, cleaned up the kitchen, set the table for everyone to eat all the food that kept pouring into the house, ran errands and offered to take the boys out for awhile to experience Bootsburger's - our hometown burger joint which has the best burgers in the entire state of Texas. We all ended up going for burgers because if you know you know. In all the fog and grief of that week, what shined brightest for me was my best friend.

You know how you get a person like Lori? She gets raised that way. So as grateful as I am for her, I suppose my gratitude should be as equally pointed toward her parents who are known by all the 80s kids who grew up in our (then) little town as Daddy Duke and Momma Sue. Those three with me in the photo above are my favorite Texas Aggies in all the world and they love me despite the fact that burnt orange blood runs through my Texas Longhorn veins.

When we had sleepovers at Lori's house in high school, Momma Sue woke us up singing "Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory!" at the top of her lungs. She sang a special song for me: "Jenn Jenn, you make my heart spin! I love you JennJennJenn". She made everyone feel loved and seen and welcome in her house. She hugged tightly and often. She loved the Lord fiercely and was one of the finest examples of being the hands and feet of Jesus to her community that I have ever known.

Gig 'em, Momma Sue. I know that T'Sip Patsy met you at the gate and y'all are watching over us. Please help us feel your presence near us. We don't know how to do this without you.

Have a blessed weekend, Friends. Live well.

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