Monthly Miscellany: October Edition
Recent Reads and Favorite Things
If you’re new here, welcome! This is my monthly recap of things that I love, whether it’s a book, podcast, song, or nail polish color. If I love it, you’re going to hear about it! I love hearing what you’re enjoying as well, so please feel free to leave a comment or hit reply to this email and share your faves with me!
Life Lately
I turned 43 last Tuesday. The week before that, I confided to a friend that I didn’t care at all about this birthday. I typically love birthdays (mine and others, but especially mine), and I love celebrating birthdays in ways that stretch out the fun for as long as possible. But this year I couldn’t muster up the enthusiasm. I’ve been feeling depressed and I’m still grieving my friend, and all of this has led to a spiritual battle that I’m not quite sure how to explain but that nevertheless has consumed me. However, the Lord in His kindness reminded me on my birthday that I am loved. He reminded me that life is a gift, one that I used to wish away with alarming frequency. He reminded me that though I feel alone, I’m not. I was showered with love and hugs and calls and texts and gifts, and at the end of the day all I could do was give thanks. I don’t know what this year will hold, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared of what will happen next, but for now, I am trying to hope in the Lord. I can’t help but keep seeing His goodness in the land of the living.
Recent Reads
I read And Then There Were None1 by Agatha Christie for book club and loved it. I thought I had read it before, but it became clear to me fairly early in the book that I hadn’t. It’s a very cleverly devised, masterful mystery, and I recommend it if you have never read it!
I’m still working my way through Trusting God by Jerry Bridges, and it has been convicting and timely for me. I’ve made it through the first 10 chapters and highly recommend it, especially if you’re wrestling with the nature of suffering and the goodness of God.
Favorite Music
“Fighting for Me” by Tim Timmons. “Here I am with open hands/ Surrendering my circumstance./ Oh, I will rest in knowing that/ You’re working for good.”
“Take Heart” by Mission House. “Hear all you weary, trouble's companion/
Praying to find a peace unknown/ Where sorrow's river hollowed a canyon/ The Wounded Healer's water flows/ Take heart, take heart/ He has overcome the world/ Take heart, take heart/ He has overcome the world.”
“Why Don’t You Give That to Me” by Cadence Collins.
I’ve really been enjoying this playlist curated by songwriter Caroline Cobb. It has a lot of my favorites on it.
Favorite Podcasts
“The Problem of Anxiety” by Timothy Keller. I’ve been listening to some of Timothy Keller’s sermons, and this one really ministered to me. You can listen to hundreds of his sermons here.
“Prepping Teenagers for the Workforce” on Laura Tremaine’s 10 Things to Tell You podcast. There is good advice here, both for teens and adults.
“Under the Wall” on Criminal. I know very little about the history of the Berlin wall, and this episode was enthralling and enlightening2.
Favorite Articles
At the beginning of the month I went on a weekend trip with two of my best friends to Franklin, and we fell in love with Landmark Booksellers. I thought it a bit curious that they had a whole bookshelf devoted to Karen Kingsbury’s books, but after we got back my friend Stephanie sent me this link that explains the connection, and it’s lovely.
“On Caregiving and Creativity” by Heather Cadenhead. I have known Heather for many years and have loved seeing her writing pop up in my feed over and over again. If you’re not reading her Substack, please remedy that.
“Are Suffering and Hope Mutually Exclusive?” by Sara Hagerty. These words deeply resonated with me.
“Circles > Triangles” by Krista Dreschel. “Hey, scoot over. There’s room for all of us here. There is more than enough to go around.”
Favorite Finds Around the Web
I started using this after my friends informed me that I needed to use a leave-in conditioner. I must admit that I really love it, and the smell is lovely but not overpowering.
I believe it was Kaitlyn Bouchillon who shared this nifty screen cleaner, and it’s not only cute but also useful and portable.
My teenage daughter Charlotte got me an Owala water bottle for my birthday last week, and I love it3. The “FreeSip” spout is truly genius. I’m not a huge fan of most of the colorways, but Charlotte picked the perfect one for me.
See? So cute! Winter is coming, which means lots of reading while snuggled under a blanket, and with this remote I can keep my hands nice and cozy and warm while still turning the pages of my eBook. Is this next level laziness? Perhaps. Do I love it anyway? You bet4.
Helpful laundry hack: We recently had a load of laundry spoiled after a child left lip balm in her pocket and then tossed the pants in her clothes hamper. (The perpetrator of said crime shall remain nameless.) It turns out that the lip balm leaves nice pink residue on clothes when it’s put through the wash, including brand new jeans I had bought for the other child. After much googling, I made a paste with baking soda and water and added it to the stains, let that sit for about 30 minutes, and then I scrubbed dish soap into the stain with a toothbrush. Then I let the clothes sit overnight before I washed everything in hot water and line dried them. (If you’re thinking that sounds labor-intensive and annoying, it was, but that’s the kind of dedicated mother I am.). Fortunately, it worked, so tuck this away in case such a fate befalls you.
Postscript
Thank you to all who took the time to fill out my reader survey. It confirmed something I was suspecting: no one particularly cares about the Friday Five posts. I started them because initially it helped me to have something consistent to post, but I have lost interest in them myself, so you won’t be seeing them here anymore. I'm hoping to continue sharing poems and essays, and this monthly collection of fun things isn’t going anywhere.
That’s it for this month’s miscellany! What are you reading, listening to, or watching lately? Please tell me all the good stuff.
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And if you feel like crying, listen to Phoebe’s moving story about her mom, who died back in the spring.
She tells me it’s trendy?
Also, I have been dealing with pain in my hands, so this remote truly does make reading easier for me.
I read And Then There Were None last month for my bookclub as well! It was so fun, and because of that, we chose Murder on the Orient Express for this month!
Thanks so much for the share, Erin! Your encouraging words made my day!