Favorites of 2022!

I love looking back at things. Reflecting and remembering are such important actions. We can’t measure growth or analyze what is working and not working without taking the times to look back.

This year felt slightly different to me for several reasons. As my children continue to get older {which is sad but exciting at the same time}, I found myself passing off chores and tasks that used to be too hard for them. Suddenly, I had more help in the kitchen, cleaning, folding and putting away laundry. It’s a fun stage to arrive at. My kids are also becoming better at amusing themselves. While we still do school, play games, etc. together, they are also content building Legos, crafting, imagining, and reading without me. These two changes have afforded me more free time in pursuit of new hobbies. I was able to practice watercolors, doodle, read, write, and work in the garden.

The reason I mention the two things above is because these shifts allowed me to enjoy some of the things I’ll get into in a minute. Stages of life change and this year I could definitely feel that difference. In previous years, I was not able to read as much, try new interests, get my plans finished. My family took more time and energy, which was fine because that’s what was needed in that season of younger, needy kids. As we’ve moved beyond that stage, I am able to pass some responsibility to them.

There is no portion of life that {I believe} is better than another. Every stage has challenges, joys, disappointments, frustrations, fun, excitement. The freedom of more time in my current stage means, yes, more time to do things I enjoy! But I also have to manage that time well, my children are maturing and that brings needed deep, meaningful conversations about life and guiding them in a difficult world.

So as I look back on the highlights of 2022 and what I enjoyed, I wanted to bring together a list of a few favorites that maybe will benefit you this next year for whatever stage you find yourself.

Podcasts

I’m not a huge listener of podcasts. It’s very hard to focus my attention on just audio unless it’s music. But when I’m folding laundry, doing my makeup/hair, fixing dinner, I sometimes turn on a podcast and these are some of my favorites.

• Why or Why Not with the Watsons - These conversations between Benjamin and Kirsten are always interesting and fun. And I like the practical ways they blend biblical wisdom into their daily lives.

• Based on a True Story - I find this fascinating. The host takes a Hollywood movie “based on” some historical story/event and interviews an expert on what they got right and what they got wrong in the movie.

• Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey - If I have a little more time, I’ll find one of her episodes about a current day issue. I enjoy that she is factual and biblically sound in her advice without being rude or obnoxious.

• The Bible Recap - I listened to this {and also read the corresponding book} after my daily Bible reading to get the host’s breakdown of that day’s reading. Very helpful.

Books

It’s always extremely hard to pick favorite books for me! And I read a dozen more than in previous years. You can read this post about some of my favorites in 2022 but a few honorable mentions are:

• M is for Mama - So encouraging and helpful.

• Hill House Living - I loved seeing her English home through the seasons and finding ideas for decorating and making a house more homey.

• A Visual Guide to the Bible - Not really a book you sit and read; more like a reference and resource to pull out when you have a question. Because I’m a visual learner, the charts and graphics in this book are so helpful for me.

• The Diamond Eye - This historical fiction was fascinating. Based on a real Russian {actually she was Ukrainian} woman sniper during World War 2 who later came to America and met Eleanor Roosevelt! Amazing story, some objectionable language/elements.

• Our Castle by the Sea - A YA novel about a seaside village in England before, during, and after Dunkirk. Themes of bravery, loyalty, who we trust.

movies

I don’t watch a lot of movies or TV. I usually have other things I want to spend my time on. But sometimes it’s nice to sit and enjoy a visual story and be transported away! Also great to have on while working a puzzle! These aren’t new movies; frankly I can’t think of anything new I want to waste time on. But these are some favorites I don’t mind watching again and again.

• Any black and white movie with Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Katherine Hepburn, etc. I grew up watching these and we still quote them! Musicals, comedies…I am here for it!

• 1917 - This movie makes you feel like you are in the middle on World War 1. Shot in a unique way, you travel with two soldiers on a mission to save 1600 lives. I jumped at a few places that surprised me and shed a few tears at the ending. Caution: war violence.

• Sense and Sensibility - One of my favorite Jane Austen books and the movie {1995 version} captures it so well. I love the music, characters, settings. It’s beautiful.

• Planet Earth/Blue Planet - We love watching these {and their sequels} as a family. The cinematography and music are incredible. And, for a secular nature show, there isn’t an overwhelming amount of evolution — but my kids call it out when it’s presented! I love sitting back and marveling at God’s creation.

newsletters

This might seem like an odd category but I have found several newsletters that have been interesting, good sources of information. These are all free to sign up for!

• Glenna Marshall’s monthly newsletter - Marshall is the author of one of my favorite reads of 2020 and her newsletters are filled with encouragement, recipes, book reviews, and other good things.

• The Pour Over - This Christian worldview news email has been helpful as I try to stay current with events but don’t want mainstream media bias or information overload. Emails arrive Monday, Wednesday, Friday and give a brief rundown of what is happening with links if you want to read more.

• The Cultural Tutor - I stumbled on this on Twitter and have found the weekly emails extremely interesting. Every Friday, the Tutor presents one of each example of seven pillars of classical culture: music, art, historical figure, architecture, rhetoric, writing, and The Seventh Plinth (which is usually something comical from history). It’s a good introduction to a variety of topics and would be great for high schoolers to add to their curriculum.

youtube

Like any type of social media, YouTube is a hole that’s easy to fall down and easier to get lost in! Here are the channels I keep going back to!

• Watercolor - This topic is the majority of my feed! It’s so tempting to get sucked into all the tutorials available with gorgeous paintings to try. But what I’ve found most helpful are the simple, basic channels that talk me through each step and color. My favorites: Shayda Campbell, Kristin Van Leuven, Ellen Crimi-Trent, and Emma Jane Lefebvre.

• Royal Fashion News - I have enjoyed getting to know more about some of Europe’s royal families and this channel indulges my favorite part: the clothes and jewelry! I’ll be honest, I was the little girl who wanted to be a princess when I grew up so watching actual royal ladies dress up and act elegant is my cup of tea! My favorites are Catherine, the Princess of Wales and Mary, the Crown Princess of Denmark.

• Suibhne and Absolute History - The first channel gives brief, animated histories of all different countries. We’ve watched a few for school and they give a nice overview. The second channel is more documentary style learning.

• The Waldock Way - This is a homeschool mom who gives book and game reviews. I’ve found some interesting things I wouldn’t have heard of otherwise through her channel.

Music

The last section is music. I listen to a variety of styles but I’m a little particular. I don’t listen to what most people consider popular music and I’m not sorry about it! But here are the things I turned on again and again in 2022. Note: I didn’t link any of these songs/singers because I can’t link to every streaming service you might be using. But they should all be available and easy to find wherever you listen to music!

• Togo soundtrack - I love this movie also {unfortunately it’s only on Disney+} but it’s perfect for reading background music on a snowy day.

• Michael Buble, Josh Groban, Matteo Bocelli - When my kids turn on music, it’ll probably be one of these guys! Our favorite dinner prep music!

• Hide ‘em in Your Heart by Steve Green - I listened to these when I was young and it’s a joy to sing them with my kids. Bible verses set to music make it so much easier to memorize! These songs are singable and memorable with words straight out of the Bible. The other day, one of my kids read the reference Romans 8:28 and another of my kids started singing the song!

• CityAlight - Not all their songs are my favorite but “Only a Holy God” “The Night Song” and “Jesus, Strong and Kind” are hummed, sung, and listened to on repeat over here.

This is definitely not exhaustive but I hope it gives you a few new things to read, try, watch, listen to, and enjoy in 2023! I would love to read some of your favorites in the comments!

Photo by Zoritza Valova on Unsplash

A Happy New Year!

We are almost finished with 2021!

This week, I’ve been looking back at things I learned, read, tried, and failed at. I’ve also been anticipating everything 2022 might hold. Even though change is not my favorite, there is a special excitement going into the new year.

I’ve been planning my Bible reading schedule, setting up my planner, and trying to organize the house from the Christmas chaos. Today the decorations will start to come down and I’ll get my kids on dusting/vacuuming duty!

Whenever I look ahead to January and beyond, I try to think back over the previous year. How did I struggle? Where did my habits falter? How can I keep from making the same mistakes again? The Bible has many passages about Israel remembering their past. They were to look back and reflect on what God had done for them, how he had shown himself and protected them. And that looking back was to give them hope and courage for how he would continue to work in the future.

Of course, we see Israel struggling with this but it’s a theme we read again and again… “Remember how God brought you out of Egypt” “Remember when God provided manna in the wilderness” “Remember when God delivered you by parting the Red Sea”….

Our moments of protection might not be so dramatic but God certainly brings us through many trials, joys, hardships, and changes. And just as Israel was reminded to look back, we need to also. With the remembering, I hope we can also evaluate what we need to adapt going into 2022. Not everything worked or went well in 2021; maybe some bad habits were fostered and good practices lost. Each of us — with prayer and not pride — needs to honestly look back and decide what to keep and what to loose from 2021.

I created a simple printable for you to download and print off as a reminder of 5 small ways to make 2022 better. These are simple suggestions but they will take effort, time, and a decision to put them into practice. If you think of other things to add, I’d love to hear! Click the button below to access the printable! And thanks for reading in 2021.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Psalm 115:1

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Making Goals with Open Hands

It’s the new year and some people might be brave enough to make resolutions this year.

With everything going crazy in 2020, I know many people are more hesitant to make a list, plan, etc. And that’s certainly understandable! There were many things on my own calendar that were cancelled in the chaos of last year.

However, I don’t think all planning for 2021 needs to go up in smoke. Maybe we just need to think about it a different way. Go into the year with palms up, hands open, ready to change and modify.

I will say it again for those who missed it: I’m a planner!! Crossing things out of my agenda last March-July was hard. Especially since I love using fancy pens and markers {I would put the winking emoji here if I could}. Making plans just to have them cancelled, everything up in the air and unknown and uncontrollable was very difficult for me. And basically the entire year I was afraid to tell plans to my kids or write them with those fancy pens because they so often weren’t able to happen.

But the frustrations of 2020 will not keep me from thinking about and dreaming up goals for 2021. But I have a different mindset about the point of goals and the benefit of making them.

As I’m thinking through goals for this year and waiting with anticipation and trepidation for what it holds, here’s the process I’m following.

• Prayer. Before I write anything I want to do/accomplish, I ask God to convict me of areas I need to grow in, bring what he wills in my path, and help me seek humility above all else. This isn’t MY year. This isn’t MY life. It’s God’s, and I want to be right where he would have me.

• Write. This can be a list of things to accomplish in different categories (spiritual, health, family, bucket list, etc.), it can be a long journal entry of what I’m praying for this year, it can be a diagram of what to do/when/how. The main thing is I get it on paper! Then I decide what I can realistically do in a year with my current life (family, church, homeschooling, working, housework…).

• Talk. Tommy and I chat about projects we can tackle together, trips we want to make, things we would like to do. I also ask the kids. Usually their suggestions are a little unrealistic (visit Norway and Sweden, recreate dinosaur DNA, build an American Girl room in our house….) but they also request things like camping trips, playdates, sleepovers with Grammy or Nana. Family and memories are so important to me and I want to make room for those too!

I know goal planning isn’t for everyone. I’m not super strict with myself but I do like to sit and think and consider how God would have me use my abilities and time and energy throughout the year. Of course, those things can all change. Maybe we’ll be given extra time {think quarantine} or maybe we’ll walk through a trial with illness or family and not get anything from our list marked off.

For me, it’s not just about the end goal or accomplishing my list — although I love checking things off lists! It’s also about how God grows me and the things I learn through the events of the year. I certainly learned patience and trust, waiting for God’s time and will, and my need for rest and fellowship in 2020. None of those were things on MY to-do for last year but Gods knows best.

Going into 2021, I’m praying, writing, and talking about goals and desires and dreams. But I’m holding them in open, out stretched hands and I might start using a pencil.

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A Thrill of Hope

December has arrived and I see/hear people all over talking about how they can’t wait for 2020 to end because 2021 HAS to be better!!

But wait! In December 2019, weren’t we all wide eyed innocents plowing into the new decade full of excitement and delight at what 2020 would hold? The truth is, no matter how bad we think the previous year was, that doesn’t guarantee a perfect new year. I’m not saying things are always doomed to be worse, but we need to not expect all our problems to magically disappear when the clock strikes midnight. It’s never worked in previous years and 2020-21 isn’t going to be the exception.

The good news is that we have hope! And not a shallow, I really HOPE this next year is better, but a sure, lasting, promise-fulfilling hope in our Savior. We can rejoice and celebrate this hope year round, although it certainly comes to mind easiest in December. The innocent baby in a manger, born to bring us hope and salvation.

It is so easy to get pulled into the mentality of better things are coming! Hang in there and it’ll all go away! While having a positive outlook certainly helps in life, we shouldn’t just sit around, waiting for the calendar to turn and solve our problems.

The truth is, God has already given the solution to our greatest problem {sin} through Jesus Christ. When Jesus was born on earth, fully human and fully God, the world was a dark place. Yet hope came, in the form of a baby Who was the promised, waited for Messiah. And angels filled the sky and rejoiced, wise men journeyed far and wide to worship him, shepherds couldn’t contain the news. The Savior was born!

The world continued to be a dark place after Jesus was born. Herod demanded young boys killed, paganism still surrounded the people, there was oppression and injustice. But God’s plan of redemption was in motion.

If {or maybe when} you wake up on January 1, 2021 and the same things that discouraged you about 2020 are still present, remain joyful! We are not living on a whim in a universe out of control. God’s plan is still in motion. We can — and should — still live in hope. Jesus has conquered sin and paid for our eternal salvation!

We can rejoice this Christmas season and continue into the new year filled with hope that God knows what the future holds.

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A Word for the Year

In the last few years, it has gotten popular to choose a word to ‘live out’ for the year. Depending on what your focus is, the word can be anything from kindness to confidence.

I don’t always pick a word but I do find it helpful to give some intentional thought to what I want to focus on for the year. And I usually try to study what the Bible says about that word or brainstorm ways I can put it into practice. I’ll get to my word for 2020 in a minute. But first, let’s talk about my process for choosing a word and my purpose in doing it.

When I start to think in December about a possible word for the next year, I think a lot about what my struggles that year have been. Is there something I need to pull away from, learn more about, focus on? Do I know of hardships, challenges, changes coming in the New Year that I need to prepare for? {I realize the next year is largely an unknown time but sometimes we know a surgery is coming, a move might happen, struggles from the previous year that carry over…} I start to pray and think about where God would have me focus my time and energy.

I already mentioned the benefit of focusing my study and learning about a single word. When I chose humility, I was blown away by all the things the Bible has to say — both positively about being humble and negatively on being proud. I started a running list of verses and examples of pride vs humility. I also noticed in my own life that a lot of things I struggled with looped back to being proud; either how well I did something, not asking for help, having a superior attitude. The root of it all was pride. It made the humility of Christ stand out even more in my mind.

Last year, my son was learning the Fruit of the Spirit in our church kids program and we talked A LOT about how we live out each of those nine words. So for 2019, I decided it would be good for me to dwell on them, study them, memorize them too so as I talked with my son, I would be practicing myself what I was telling him to do.

For 2020, I chose the word Ask. One thing that kept coming back to me at the end of last year was my struggle to admit when I needed something. And not just physical help from those around me but asking things of God — for wisdom, peace, everyday needs. My desire to control situations and be seen as a strong, self-sufficient person meant I wasn’t doing a basic thing — praying — and I was getting discouraged by all the things I couldn’t do. {Remember when I mentioned earlier a lot of issues boil down to pride? Clear example here!} The more I thought about it, the more I realized I needed to dwell on the importance of asking. And once I started looking for verses that talk about what we should ask for, why it’s important to ask, etc, I was completely convinced this needed to be my word!!

Do you choose a word or a verse to think about throughout the year?

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The Question We Should Ask

It’s the new year which means we are all thinking of resolutions. Even if we don’t write down a list of things, the beginning of the year always means reflection on the past and looking with anticipation for the future. That future usually has us considering what we would like to do, what we would like to change, and how we want to make those things happen!

I read the book, In His Image by Jen Wilkin for Bible study and before I got to the first chapter, I was hit by something she wrote. She said that the premise of the book is to show the difference between two questions: What should I do vs Who should I be.

When we think about finding God's Will for any decision, we usually ask for a specific outcome or guidance in what specific thing we should do. But, Wilkin argued, it's not about filling a list of qualifications before we know what to do. It's growing through sanctification to be who we should be that changes us. And as we grow in Christ, we pursue things that please God and decisions become a little easier.

All this made me think about why we always ask what instead of who. Our default it seems is to fix issues by changing our circumstances instead of asking if there is something about ourselves that needs to change. Those kinds of ponderings are usually uncomfortable because of one things: pride.

No matter what we think, we are proud. We might admit we need to grow in some areas but other things are practically sacred to us because “that’s just how I am.” I need to learn patience? No, I’ll just work harder to make things happen. You think I’m easily aggravated? You don’t know what I have to live with. We have a list of excuses for why we are the way we are. And in some ways, we don’t really want to change.

But over and over in the Bible, we are told to put off the former things and put on a whole new life in Christ. When God saved us, he didn’t want us to stay captive to our past selves and sins. He wants more for us. I’ve always found Galatians 5 convicting. In the same breath that Paul condemns sorcery, idolatry, drunkenness and a host of things I wouldn’t dream of, he also mentions envy, anger, jealousy, divisions. And he’s telling us to remove all those things from our lives (Gal. 5:19-21)! Then he lists what we are to be replacing all those sinful attitudes with: the fruit of the Spirit (5:22-23).

Another passage about putting off the old is Colossians 3. In verse one we are clearly told, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above…” If we are saved, we should want to be growing and changing, not still in our former selves. Verses 5-9 are filled with sins that used to characterize us but now should have no part in our lives. If that list discourages you, keep reading to see all the things we are to be putting on or growing in (3:12-17).

If this seems like the impossible mission — turning from all the former and completely becoming a new creature in Christ — remember this: you aren’t doing it alone. By God’s grace, we have the Holy Spirit living in us, convicting us of sin, helping us to put on these things, challenging us to change and not dwell in where we were. We can’t will or force ourselves to be better. It is only through the power of God and with a sincere desire to change.

So as we jump into 2020 and make all the plans for what we want to do and change, let’s not forget to also pray about who we are in Christ and how we need to seek God and grow in him this year.

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Looking Ahead

It’s December. Days are ticking away until Christmas and the beginning of another year. If this month follows the pattern of the previous eleven, it will go fast! I love the season from Thanksgiving to the New Year because of all the joy, traditions, fun, and family that it comes with. But because I love to plan and because I like to start the year off on a good foot, I always carve out some space in this busy time to focus on what happens beyond December 31.

During this time I decide on a Bible reading plan for the year and what version I plan to read. The past few years, I’ve chosen a word and Bible verse to focus on in addition to my read the Bible in a year plan. But this year I’m going to be doing something a little different.

I’ve decided to read my She Reads Truth Bible again in 2019 and use the reading plan that it has in the back to guide my daily reading {it usually is two Old Testament chapters, two New Testament chapters per day and you read Psalms and the New Testament twice}.

However, instead of focusing on one word for the year, I’m going to focus on prayer in general. I’ve been very burdened about my prayer life recently and the importance of asking God FIRST. So I’m going to focus on praying for specific people or things on certain days of the week. Of course there will be a certain amount of flexibility and some things I will pray for everyday, but hopefully this will help me to remember things like our government leaders, the persecuted church, etc.

I’ve also seen on Pinterest calendars for praying for your kids or spouse everyday for a month but being more specific than, “Please help little Johnny obey” or “Help my husband communicate better.” I want to incorporate some of these specifics - things like my children’s salvation, wisdom for my husband as he leads our family, good friends and influences for my kids. I believe when we are specific in our prayer requests we see how much God has already blessed us with and what he is already doing in certain circumstances.

2018 has been quite the year for our family. God blessed and went before and worked out so many things in ways we could never orchestrate on our own. I’m excited to see what I will learn, how God will stretch me, and what he has in store for our family in 2019.

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