5 Links, Books, and Things I Love—August 2020
Every month I share my list of favorite 5’s.
- 5 interesting things online
- 5 funny memes
- 5 articles about words
- 5 pictures of things I love
- 5 things on the blog
What are you enjoying this month?
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5 Things Around the Web
4 Coronavirus, Conspiracy Theories, and the Ninth Commandment
[The 9th commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”]
“The good news is that we’re often wildly wrong about the nefarious intentions or beliefs of our political opponents. The bad news is that there does not seem to be a Christian exception to these polarizing trends. Our community isn’t so much resisting those trends, it’s empowering them.”
Also, this: Too many evangelical Christians fall for conspiracy theories online, and gullibility is not a virtue
Here’s what church leaders and concerned laypeople can do.
Discipline-Specific Guidelines for Classroom Social Distancing
This is an amusing “helpful” guide for college faculty as their students return to school.
We Can’t Talk about Racism Without Understanding Whiteness
“If the racial order is really to change – and there are those who don’t want it to – it is not just black lives or racial minorities that should be the topic of discussion, but the racial ideology that currently calls the shots in western societies.
This is what brings us to ‘whiteness.'”
And this: Multiracial Congregations May Not Bridge Racial Divide. Is your church multiracial? Mine is, but it still needs work.
COVID-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool
This is a helpful map from Georgia Tech to assess your possible COVID exposure at any given event in the U.S., depending on where you live and how many people will be in attendance.
For example, with 50 people attending an event in my county, the odds are 92% that at least 1 person will have COVID. With 25 people, it’s 72%. (Of course these are just estimates. Who really knows? But it’s a good starting point.)
Why We Can’t Stop Waving at the End of Video Calls
Do you wave when you sign off a video call? Sometimes I do. We can’t help ourselves. Here’s why.
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5 Things to Make You Smile
This first one isn’t necessary funny. But if you live in a football state, you’ll see it happening anyway.
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Yes, I do understand this relationship. I had to use a pencil for this quite a few times back in the day.
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This isn’t 100% true for me, but maybe a little? 🙂
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5 Things About Words and Books
21 Mistakes Bloggers Make (and How to Avoid Making Them Yourself)
Darren Rowse always has interesting things to share. Maybe there’s something in here you can use yourself.
How to Respond to Common Racist Statements
Have you made any of these statements? Words have power. Click through this Instagram post to see how we can learn better to do better.
Lots of resources here to read and act on. If we’re serious about promoting racial equity, let’s keep working at it. Don’t grow weary.
The subtitle pulled me in: “How fighting to be right keeps us from loving like Jesus.” I listen to Jared Byas on the podcast, The Bible for Normal People, with his co-host Pete Enns. I’ve read several of Pete Enns’ books (and loved them) so I’m looking forward to Jared’s new book coming out soon.
Here are short summaries of great books I finished reading in July.
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5 Things I Love
Finished Pack of 12 Puzzles
I didn’t realize it would be possible, but I finished the box of 12 puzzles that I bought in March. Granted, they were all relatively small. But I enjoyed each one. Puzzles are stress-relievers for me during this extra time at home.
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Zoom Lunch with 4 Corners
The last time my group of BFFs got together in person was right before the lockdown in March. Four months later, we finally found a video platform that worked for everybody and had our first Zoom lunch. It was great “seeing” each other again finally.
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Planting Pumpkins
Our oldest granddaughter and her dad planted a pumpkin patch on July 4. She’s been so excited about it and is eagerly awaiting a pumpkin to pop up in the patch any day now.
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Visiting Gramps
We enjoyed the granddaughters visiting for several days in July (and coming again this week!). The baby is already 9 months old.
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A Walk in the Woods with Granna
One of our favorite things to do with our oldest granddaughter is just walking around the yard to see what we can discover. I wonder how long this will be fun to her. Hopefully several more years!
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5 Things on the Blog
Repeat After Me: “I don’t know!”
We’ve all got some of this wrong about COVID-19. A little humility goes a long way.
Honestly, We’re Not Very Good People. Here’s Why.
Anyone with an attitude of moral superiority never made a good impression on Jesus. Honestly, we’re not very good people because of our pride. Review of Brant Hansen’s very good book, The Truth About Us.
Do You See the Family Resemblance?
We often spot family members because they resemble each other. What about the members of God’s family? Do we look alike?
It’s Not Fair! When You Resent Those Ruining It for the Rest of Us
Life isn’t always fair. Here are 5 steps to get over resentment when you feel others are making your life harder.
We immediately cry, No, I’m not a racist! But when we dive deeper, we’re swimming in racism.
What did you enjoy in July? What are you looking forward to in August? Please share in the comments.
Got a great laugh from the memes, Lisa. Thank you! And so excited for you being able to have the granddaughters this month. One of Virginia’s favorite things to do, even when she was nine, was to explore our yard. I think you have many joyful years ahead in that department!
Blessings!
I think walking with a grandchild can have a very long season. Our oldest grandson (now a second year medical student) still most enjoys a visit with me while we walk. He is pretty kinesthetic and our times together are often most fun on our walks and he is 23!! Be encouraged – you’re making a memory with her! (Although my granddaughters do most enjoy coffee dates?)
It’s hard to say what we most enjoyed in July given limited travel and options, but two things come to mind: my husband’s successful recovery from his 2 surgeries and the impactful book, You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit by James K.A. Smith (This one is going slowly so I can savor his words.)♥️
Lisa,
Love the pics with your grandbabies – seize these days! Wow, you could open an art gallery with your puzzles – gorgeous! Interesting why we all wave “bye-bye” at the end of virtual calls. Got a good laugh over the cassette and the pencil…okay, I guess I am old lol. Always enjoy your list of “good reads.”
August blessings,
Bev xx
Those memes are hilarious! I need to start using “… in a pandemic?!” when asked to do something I don’t want to do, haha. Those walks with your oldest granddaughter sound so sweet. I hope she continues to enjoy them for years to come! Is that a pond in your yard? If so, WOW!
Lisa,
Lovely photos of your grandkids. I hope to come back and check out the resources you provided. Thanks. Oh my, tape decks…yes 🙂
Blessings,
Dolly
I’m glad you had some quality time with your grandchildren, and I love the photos! I was interested in the link about why we always wave goodbye on Zoom. I had been thinking recently about how weird it is but somehow we all do it. It was interesting to understand a bit more about why!
Lisa, this is one of “my” favorites of your list of favorite 5’s. And, oh my word, that first photo of your granddaughter with the flower looking up and that outfit! Priceless! Love the humor about Covid19 you shared. “When does football start?” made me laugh out loud. Finally, “Love matters More” resonated with me!
Oh Lisa, what a joy it is to visit your site! So entertaining, insightful, and thought-provoking. Well done, sister. I cannot remember last time I saw a pencil and a cassette. Haha. I hope you are well. Be safe and God bless you and your family.
P.S.I hope there’s some college football too, Lisa. I am hoping to see Trevor Lawerence play for Clemson again before he goes pro! I asked my mother to stop giving me Texas Longhorn stuff for Christmas, I have plenty. Besides, I root for Clemson and Dabo. She said, Who is Dabo and where is Clemson?” (Dad went to University of Texas;) Blessings…
Wow, Lisa! I don’t know where to begin to comment–you’ve given us so many amazing resources, articles and funny memes to pick from! But before any of that, your granddaughter is just beautiful! What bright blue eyes she has … like her grandpa, I’d say?!
Thank you for giving us so many challenges to stretch our thinking and to view things from the lens of those who are different from us–from those who have suffered under injustice, suspicion and loss for years. I’ll be pinning this and checking out as many links here as I can!
Your Favorites Posts are always among my favorites because you think so widely and so well.
Blessings!
Yep, I’m waving hi and bye, too!
But just to family and close friends. Most of the rest of the Zoom stuff have been webinars and seminars. And there I stay quiet as a mouse ….
;-}
What a great post! I found things to look at, learn from, and laugh with. You mixed the serious and the lighthearted well. I appreciated the laughs and the links!
So much to love in this post, Lisa. The photo of your youngest granddaughter with hare Grandpa is adorable. So is the picture of the oldest with her Granna!
I have not ben doing jigsaw puzzles during the pandemic, but I have been doing Sudoku. I think it helps keep my brain sharp. I hope I am right!
I always enjoy these posts, Lisa, and this one was no exception. The school guidelines brought humor into such a hard topic. I have used a pencil, more than once to restore a cassette. And I LOVED the precious photos of your grands!!!
Love this! I enjoyed your funny captions and the book suggestions!
I still walk with my grandgirl – she’s 23-1/2 yrs old!!!
Puzzles are huge stress relievers for me too and it looks like you had some really beautiful ones to work on! Thanks for sharing with us at Encouraging Hearts and Home. Pinned.
Loved these precious photos of you and your husband with your grandgirls! What precious gifts they are! Thank you for always giving us pause for thought here! You are a blessing!
Wow! A Lot to digest here. Thanks for a place to start on many topics.
Your neighbor at @grace & Truth
Lisa, as usual, this is full of so much good stuff. I’m afraid what I’m stuck on, though, is the cassette tape and pencil thing … whatever does it mean? Hugs, friend.