THANKSDAY #103

Hi friends. A couple of updates:

1. It’s been two weeks and my plant is still alive. Isn’t it the cutest? I have no idea what it’s called. That’s a robin’s egg blue bowl I got at West Elm on clearance for $2 that I transplanted it into. I’ve felt so high and mighty about it’s long life that I bought a mini daffodil plant, too. However, we’re just a week in and it’s desperately grasping for life. Sigh.

2a. I’ve eaten three-quarters of the jar of peanut butter.

2b. I’m wearing out that running app due to 2a.

3. Bad news: It’s been at least three weeks since I’ve used my Movie Pass. Good news: This means #thatfreelancelife has kept me super busy and Greg’s happy about that. #coldhardcash

4. I walked into Fresh Market on Tuesday to get the kabobs Little Big Meal (meal planning!), and found out they weren’t available until Wednesday. Now what? Aimlessly walk around the store and throw something together all willy-nilly that resembles a meal with no direction or instruction? #kidding #sorta #ihaveothergifts

5. G-Day was a ton of fun, and always reminds this Pac-10 girl that football in the SEC is a million times more fun. And loud. And packed.

Here are thankfuls for this week:

1. PLAYLISTS. I’m an Apple Music junkie and love making my own playlists. Currently, I’m listening to one I call Anthems. I had made it for a Be Free Friday, and am still adding songs to it all the time. It’s currently a 2.5-hour long playlist chock-full of the songs that remind me of who God is, and songs that have become my battle cries.

The other playlist on rotation is one I like to call Sunny Dayze☀🌸🌼 (yes, with the emojis in the title). It’s a playlist I listen to on a beautiful sunny day driving around town with the windows down (come on in, pollen!). It was designed for a day when you want to lay in the grass or on the beach, with the sun on your face while light dances in red, orange and yellow behind your eyelids as you flirt with dozing off for a few minutes at a time. #oddlyspecific Some are Christian, some are not. All are great. I’ve linked both playlists for you below; if you don’t have Apple Music, sorry!

ANTHEMS (TAKING HEART)

SUNNY DAYZE ☀🌸🌼

2. CANDLES. I’m addicted to candles. I light one first thing in the morning and it’s lit all day if I’m home. I’m super picky about scents (no florals, no citrus, no cinnamon [my gosh no cinnamon]), so I have a few tried and true I stick with, but primarily I only buy what’s on sale so it’s usually never the same kind twice. Kroger recently had a BOGO on some three-wick ones that made them only $6 each which is a bargain. After Christmas, Bath & Body had some artisan 3-wick ones that were 70% off so I bought like six at once to last me (a week? a month?). But nothing feels cozier or homier to me than having a lit candle in the house. I’d burn a pine tree scented one all year long if I could still get some (on sale).

3. Everyday Holy: Finding a Big God in the Little Moments (100-Day Devotional) by Melanie Shankle. If you’ve known me for any length of time, you know I love Big Mama (and Boo Mama) (Sophie!) (friend of the podcast!). She’s a hilarious writer and her podcast The Big Boo Castwith Sophie is my favorite thing ever. Well Melanie just released her first devotional, and y’all I so love it. I try not to skip ahead because I don’t want to finish it in a month. But it’s sweet, funny and tender. It’s just all about finding God right where you are, in the everyday and little places. I highly recommend it.

4. Chick-fil-A Cow Calendar. Now that we have a CFA just two miles away, it’s become a whole thing with the kids wanting to go after school every day. Mind you, I don’t take them there every day, but they always still ask because they take the words of James in the Bible very literally: “You do not have because you do not ask.” I always respond with more of James’ words: “You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.” (The Message translation is always on point.) I have to respond sternly to them because they get all up in arms if I take a bite of whatever they get (which in my house is called a tax. I’m teaching them about LIFE.) As Jesus Himself said, “Give Caesar what is his, and give to Mom what is hers.” (Monica International Version)

Needless to say, having free treats from the Cow Calendar has been incredibly handy in keeping my cash in my wallet. (And has put CFA gift cards at the top of all birthday and Christmas lists.) And now the coupons actually come on a gift card that you can sync to your CFA app on your phone, we always have our coupons handy. (Or koo-pins, as the Cows like to say.)

5. ChapStick Total Hydration in Coral Blush. Listen. I’m a sheer balm/colored chapstick girl. I will never, ever have too many of these. I almost never wear actual lipstick (unless I’m feeling a bold red lip), so sheer tinted balms are literally my everything. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still an enormous fan of the Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss in Cherry Me and use it religiously. What I’m loving about this particular one is the peachy/tan-ish color that’s different from the pinky/red of the Baby Lips. To-may-to, to-mah-to.

That’s all for this week, folks. I’m heading out of town and am off to pack, finish cleaning and all that jazz. Okay even I laughed. I do have to pack but I’m probably going to paint my toenails instead of clean. #priorities

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and make sure to tune in Monday for our Be Fruitful episode on Gentleness!

– Monica