a little of what we've been up to

Firstly, as I write this, I am listening to the Big Boo Cast.  If you've never listened to that, it is a podcast by Melanie Shankle and Sophie Hudson, two of my favorite bloggers-turned-authors, and BOTH of whom I have met in the last year.  I love them both, and the podcast is just a bunch of random things they talk about, from makeup to Mississippi State baseball national championships (Sophie's alma mater and passion).  I was talking to my best friend yesterday about this.  Apparently it is a thing for us to go and meet people whose books we love.  We have a third outing planned that is coming up and I am beyond excited for our whirlwind, one day trip there and back.

But that'll be another post.

If you would like to sample this podcast, here is a link for you.

http://boomama.net/

Also, y'all, now is the time to read fun and lighthearted books.  It's summer, and we all have spare time on our hands, or most of us, and it's a great time to try their books.  My favorite books are by these ladies and I will read them again and again for years to come, because while they are funny and interesting, they are also so encouraging as we all walk through this life together in need of some uplifting and biblical truth that we can apply to our lives.

Speaking of books, I am thinking of selling some of mine that I love, but that I won't read again.

Different subject now.

I have been reading the bible chronologically since January.  If you know me at all, you know how much I love the word of God.  But y'all.  Sometimes, it is just plain old hard to read.  And I am thankful for that, because like our lives are broken and messy, that is also the case for so much of what we read in the bible, especially where I am reading right now.  The thing about the chronological bible is that the way this one is written, and how I've learned in the past, is that the bible is one continuous story, with the common thread of redemption throughout.  That just means that we see Jesus in every single part of it, even in the Old Testament.  The way I've been taught in this is that there are different eras of the bible.  For example, the first would be creation, then the exodus, and so on.  Right now I am in the divided kingdom era, and all the kings are bad!  Well, some of the are good, or they start good, but then they end badly.  (I can expand more on those eras someday, but for now, I don't have my cheat sheet.)

I've been going to a Wednesday class at church where the ladies are teaching us as we read, and last night I heard really sweet, reassuring words.  They were essentially that sometimes the bible is just hard to read, it's unsanitized, just like our lives are, but that even though it's like that, it is still the word of God and we just need to PRESS ON.

I feel like someone else needs to hear that today.  Press on!  Whether in bible reading, or in life circumstances.  Just like the Lord is faithful, be faithful in your relationship with Him.

Someone dear to me sent this to me the other day in a text, and I needed it so much right then.  It's an older lady that has recently been brought into my life, and while I'm not quite ready to share about that just yet (hello, slow processing problems), know this: if you ever  feel like encouraging someone, or if you are reading in the bible and come across a verse and you think of someone, friends, that is the Lord putting them on your heart.  Reach out to them!  I assure you, they need it right that moment.

I so appreciated this verse.

Also, does anyone else love Instagram and hate Facebook right now?  No?  Just me?  I cannot tell you how many folks I have unfollowed in recent days.  I especially love Insta stories.  I watch them often.

I came across this yesterday on there and loved it and shared it on my own account.

This was one of the best pieces of marriage advice I ever got twenty something years ago.  It is so true!  It is understood between my friends and me that husbands and families always trump our own time together, and if I say anything to anyone about my man, it will only be good.  I don't complain to my mom, or to my best friends, you can ask them.  If I have a complaint about him, I take it to Jesus.  That is my advice to you.

And on a much lighter note, did anyone else love the Indigo Girls in the nineties?

I heard about this recently, and think this song Galileo is beautiful of them singing while The Colorado Symphony Orchestra plays behind them.



Here is a new favorite of mine, too, that I found on Monday.  This one's a worship song, though.  It's We Turn Our Eyes by Travis Cottrell and it features his daughter singing with him.



This is from his newest album.

Also this week, I met with a couple of dear and older-than-me friends Monday morning for coffee.  On Tuesday, my sister and I went and swam with my mom-in-love.  Yesterday I went to my happy place and loaded up with some new books.  After that I met one of my best friends and we prayed together, then later on we all went to church.  My boys and Todd all went to youth and I went to my women's class.  Today I am doing laundry, and going to Walmart.  And possibly posting pictures of the books I want to sell.  I also have bible study later on and I plan on cooking an actual meal tonight.  It's been a while.

I hope your day is great!  Thanks for reading.  Love to all.