Monthly Miscellany: September Edition

Recent Reads and Favorite Things

Sep 26, 2023

Recent Reads

I read Homecoming by Kate Morton for book club this month, and it was fantastic. I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads, and it would have been 5 if the editing had been a little stronger. Too much description for me. It took me a little while to get into the story, but the way Morton slowly untangled a very complicated knot of a plot was excellent and made for a very fun book club discussion.

I DNF’ed (did not finish) After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It was too depressing, and even though I feel pretty sure things work out in the end, I didn’t want to go on that particular journey.

I’m still making my way through Memorizing Scripture by Glenna Marshall and Midnight Mercies by Christine Chappell and learning a lot from both.

Favorite Music

I found a lot of music I loved this month, so I decided to make a playlist devoted to my September favorites. You can see and listen to it here.

Favorite Finds Around the Web

“When You Long to Know the ‘Why’ Behind Your Sorrow” by Tim Challies. “Times of suffering are a tragic reality on this side of heaven. And as you endure them, I plead with you not to cheapen your tragedies by being too quick to assume you know God’s purposes in them.”

“Borrowed Strength” by Melissa Edgington. “When we have so many conflicting desires that we don’t even know for sure what our heart wants, He is forming us, showing us that what we really need is His strength, His might, His authority, His goodness.”

“Moms, Make the Most of Margin Time” by Ann Swindell. Some good tips here. I get a lot of reading done in the margins!

“The Adventure Way” by Joy Nicholas. As someone who does not often choose the hard way, this post encouraged me.

Joy in the World

The Adventure Way

“My dog was a–she came from a… how you call it… death station?” Jakob stood in the hallway of our Airbnb, telling me about the German Shepherd he and his wife had rescued. He was a compact man in his early sixties with a head of thick, gray curls, a tidy beard, and sparkling eyes the color of the sky. I nodded, but barely, because the ground under my fe…

2 years ago · 18 likes · 10 comments · Joy Nicholas

“My Simple 46-Step Writing Process” by Ruth Buchanan. Relatable, except for the fact that I have no book deals and am barely a writer.

And Another Thing

My Simple 46-Step Writing Process

Step 1: Convince myself I’ll never have another good idea ever again. Step 2: Have a good idea while driving, working out, showering, or engaged in some other activity that makes it impossible to write idea down. Step 3: Panic. Step 4: Hurriedly complete task and rush to write down new idea before it evaporates…

2 years ago · Ruth

I have been slowly making my way through the Coffee + Crumbs fall collection, and it is a treasure trove. “Between Mothers and Sons” by Stacy Bronec is my favorite.

Just for Fun

I am terrible at fixing my girls’ hair in anything other than a ponytail or braid, but Stacy Bronec recently shared this YouTube account that has been such a help! The styles are very cute and relatively simple, even for my clumsy fingers.
We had to get new sheets recently, and my friend Stephanie told me about the wonder that is bamboo sheets. I got this set and fell in love immediately. Slipping underneath these sheets makes me happy every night.
I got a new, 40-ounce water bottle recently that was just begging for stickers, so I ordered these book-themed stickers. Yes, 200 is way too many, but for 8 bucks, I got what I wanted out of them and was able to share them with others, too. Some of them are random and a few are downright weird, but most are very fun!
I haven’t pulled the trigger on this item yet, but I am very tempted because the plastic storage situation at my house is out of control. A lid organizer seems genius. I’m hoping the price might go down during the Prime Deal Days on October 10-11.

*All Amazon links are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you purchase through my link.

Life Lately

We are in the thick of softball season over here (Charlotte is playing for her school for the first time!), and that means lots of busy nights and on-the-go dinners and not a lot of downtime as a family. I have loved seeing Charlotte be a part of a team and work hard and learn important lessons, but I am also really glad that the season ends next week!

I’m preparing to speak at a women’s event in early November and am very excited to talk about the ways Scripture has helped me refute lies I have believed. If you need a speaker for an event at your church, I’d love to connect with you! Visit this link for more information or email me at erinmountspeaks@gmail.com.

That’s it for this month’s miscellany! What are you reading, listening to, or watching lately?