Life is well….life. It’s messy and tiring and I’m tired with
it. (Someone literally said to me tonight, “How are you? Are you okay? You look
so tired!” So…yeah, tired confirmed. Not just in my head anymore. It’s also on
my face.)
I haven’t written on the blog in a while because there have
been some huge shifts in my life the last couple of years that I don’t feel
free to share here. I’ve taken to journaling again and that helps satisfy my
processing-by-writing desires a bit. I do often think of this space though, and
how I miss it. For now, for today, I thought I would offer a few favorite
things that connect to where I’m at, my passions that I still get glimpses of on
some days, and tangible things that are just generally saving my life in the
mess and tired.
Here we go…
Podcasts
As of last December, I’ve really gotten into podcasts.
Specifically, I’m loving (LOVING) The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey. When I
discovered this podcast eight(ish) months ago, I binged all the back episodes. Now
I never miss a new one. I get so excited for Wednesdays when new episodes are
released (and then so sad after I’ve listened and it's over). Thankfully, every other week
Jamie also releases a Happy Half Hour that adds an extra discussion into the
mix.
Why is it so great? It helps me feel less alone—especially as a
mom. Jamie features a variety of guests and it really feels like sitting at a
Happy Hour with friends. The host asks great questions and I am able to keep
listening even to guests I’ve heard in other places that I had a hard time
hearing.
Specifically, this week she interviewed Alexandra Kuykendall,
who is from Denver (apparently she’s distantly related to someone who married
into our family). I just recently started following Alex’s books and writing within the last year. I appreciated her words about having a family where children
are spanned out a bit. She has a span from 13 years old to 4 years old. Our
family has a similar span. She expressed how there are simply
things they can’t do as a family because of the age gaps, for example family
bike riding. This helped me so much because I think I had a lot of ideas about
things I would do with my family like camping or family bowling nights but we
can’t. (Yes, I do know people take babies camping. We tried it with Kyla when
she was a baby. Yeah. No.) Now I know it’s okay to accept these things. I don’t
have to live up to these ideals I set literally back when I was growing up. There
is a process to letting it go, but her words helped me knows it’s possible to accept that reality and move on to what we can do and who we actually
are as a family.
Other Podcasts I’ve enjoyed:
TV
My most recent binge (thanks to original shows on Netflix)? Bloodline.
It’s so painful to watch. And so, so good. First of all, let me say that if you’re
a Friday Night Lights fan, John Rayburn (played by actor Kyle Chandler) is no
Coach Taylor and it’s so hard to see. It hurts me. The Rayburn family is messed
up with a capital M. But, rather than accept it and change, they feel a need to protect
the family name and continue making messes. There are some serious moral issues
that come up with these people and I find myself cheering for them to get away
with major crimes. I know, I probably need help, but you watch it and see for
yourself the wrestling that goes on. The writing is good. Twists and details
that pull you back to earlier scenes you didn’t realize were key. I’m kind of
intrigued with the setting of the show as well—the Florida Keys. It adds to how
eerie the whole drama is. Created by the Kessler brothers. We also (painfully)
enjoyed watching Damages starring Glenn Close produced by the same brothers.
Other shows worth binging on Netflix:
Fuller House (I loved every minute of it.)
Daredevil
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Season 2—who didn’t love Tina Fey
as a therapist by day who needed to call an Uber to rescue her by night?)
Broadchurch (BBC, why don’t you just rip out my mama-heart?)
Books
A few years ago, I stumbled on a featured columnist on
McSweeneys named D.L. Mayfield. She’s quirky to say the least but so
gifted. She has the ability to speak truth about fundamentalism—her having
grown up in Pentecostalism, a different strain of legalism from myself. But I
could relate to her stories, her failed attempts to evangelize, and overall
desires to be a good Christian who saves the world. One of her other popular
posts I like is The Ministry of Funfetti. I’m thrilled that her first book is
releasing this August—on my birthday week. I just got a preview of Assimilate or Go Home: Notes from a Failed Missionary on Rediscovering Faith and it’s good. I can’t wait to read it all.
Additionally, I’m looking forward to this new release this
summer: A Woman’s Place: A Christian Vision for Your Calling in the Office, the Home, and the World by Katelyn Beaty
Other books I recommend:
The Listening Life by Adam McHugh (First 5-star book I read this
year. I couldn’t put it down. And no, it’s not about giving up your phone and
computer.)
How to Survive a Shipwreck by Jonathan Martin
Spiritual Sobriety: Stumbling Back to Faith when Good Religion Goes Bad by Elizabeth Esther (I wanted to
underline entire chapters of this book.)
Wild and Free by Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan (Loved
having two different voices speak to women about being too much and not enough.
It was just right.)
Last but not least…
I’m loving bike rides with Jeff. Because we had Kyla so
early in our marriage, we haven’t been able to cultivate many hobbies together (beyond
Netflix binges and some occasional golfing) in the last 12 or 13 years. But
Kyla is now old enough to watch her siblings while Jeff and I ride
around the neighborhood. As with many things in life, it’s good and hard (because I'm out of shape) and
freeing. And I like it.
Now off to journal…here’s my new one…
