Links, Books, and Things I Love – June 2017
Here are favorites from May and what I’m looking forward to in June. We share once a month at Leigh’s.
1 Second Everyday
[If you can’t see the 1 Second Everyday video, click here]
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Around the Web
• Why Stay-at-Home Moms Don’t Need to Be Embarrassed
by Courtney Reissig at Crossway
“In a Christian subculture it might be easier, but in some parts of our society it feels like we’re letting down the team or we’re not doing something of value by staying at home.”
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• Removing Confederate Monuments in New Orleans
If you haven’t heard or read this speech yet, it’s worth your time. Read here the full text from New Orleans’ Mayor Mitch Landrieu about removing Confederate monuments.
“Another friend asked me to consider these four monuments from the perspective of an African American mother or father trying to explain to their fifth grade daughter who Robert E. Lee is and why he stands atop of our beautiful city. Can you do it? Can you look into that young girl’s eyes and convince her that Robert E. Lee is there to encourage her? Do you think she will feel inspired and hopeful by that story? Do these monuments help her see a future with limitless potential? Have you ever thought that if her potential is limited, yours and mine are too?”
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• How to Organize Digital Photos
I’ve been attempting to organize my photos for a couple of years now. Ugh. Still not finished. Here’s a helpful article by Caroline Guntur: “Photo Funnels: How a Professional Organizer Manages All Her Photographs.”
via Caroline Guntur
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• Senior Discounts for People Over 50
by Steve Herman, shared on Mogul
If you or parents or friends are 50+, check out this list. I’ve yet to qualify for most of these, but I’m getting closer, for better or for worse. Includes restaurants, supermarkets, department stores, and more.
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A former Navy SEAL and his CEO friend in my nearby city of Huntsville, AL, made this excellent documentary. They became homeless for four days to see how our city would treat them. Watch the 40-second trailer here or the whole video 40-minute below.
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Favorite Podcast Episodes and Books
• Bryan Stevenson on why the opposite of poverty isn’t wealth, but justice
on The Ezra Klein Show
“We also talk about his argument that the question is not whether a criminal deserves to die but whether the state deserves to kill. . . . We talk about what it’s like to be a black man in the South, driving down highways named for Robert E. Lee and attending high schools named for Jefferson Davis.”
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• 10 things every white teacher should know when talking about race
on Angela Watson’s Truth for Teachers Podcast
“I want every white teacher, particularly those who teach black and brown students, to understand some fundamental truths….We cannot be ignorant about race or avoid talking about it.”
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• Who Needs God, Part Three – The Bible Told Me So
on Your Move with Andy Stanley Podcast
This whole series is a good one to increase your faith in God.
“In this episode, Andy explains that Christianity doesn’t exist because of the Bible any more than you exist because of your birth certificate.”
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I’ve only recently discovered this podcast. It’s light-hearted and fun and informative for word nerds.
“A Way with Words is a fun and funny public radio program about language examined through history, culture, and family. Its mission is to change the way you think about language.”
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• 6 Books I Recommend
Here are 6 books I enjoyed this month, including The New Jim Crow about mass incarceration and The Power of Off about digital detoxing.
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• Books I’m Currently Reading
- Small Great Things: A Novel
by Jodi Picoult - 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You
by Tony Reinke - The Joy of Living
Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness
by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche - Flee, Be Silent, Pray
An Anxious Evangelical Finds Peace with God through Contemplative Prayer
by Ed Cyzewski
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Things I Love
• Freedom Conference
The grand finale to the weekly Freedom group I participated in this semester was to attend a Freedom conference together at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham. We had a great time worshiping together and laughing and crying. And of course eating.
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• Peoria Zoo
Our kids are too big to take to the zoo. And we don’t have grandkids yet. But we love zoos. So while we were in Peoria, IL, last weekend, Jeff and I went to the zoo anyway without a child (yes, we were among the few). And it was still fun!
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• Oldest Daughter
We drove to Morgan’s house on Mother’s Day. She and Fuller cooked/grilled a wonderful dinner for us and her in-laws. I wish they lived closer, but I’m thankful they’re within a day’s drive there and back.
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• Youngest Grandpup
Jenna and Trey adopted a new dog. That makes three dogs for them. Three dogs for Morgan and Fuller. And zero for Jeff and me.
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On the Blog
• Why Don’t You Ask? And Why You Probably Should
We have our reasons for not asking each other more questions. What are they? And why should we ask anyway?
• Just Get Moving
Often we don’t know which way to go next. But sometimes the best move is just to make one. Do the next thing. God is honored when we move forward in faith
• Is Christian Meditation Okay?
I used to think meditation was bad. But this changed my mind.
• Where’s Your Phone Right Now?
Is your phone near you right now? Probably so. Are you more attentive to it or to the people right beside you?
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What was one of your highlights from May? What are you looking forward to in June? Please share in the comments.
Oh that dear giraffe!
I really like the 1-minute video of everything.
Thanks for the fun photos and light reads you recommended.
Hugs and Have a wonderful June, Lisa
That giraffe was adorable. There are certain animals that I love watching at the zoo, and giraffes are one of those. 🙂
What a great month in review. There’s a group of us women doing that with a sentence a day!! It’s so fun to look back!!
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
#TuneinThursday
How fun that you’re doing one sentence a day with a group! I haven’t heard of that. I keep a one-line-a-day journal, but it’s a solo adventure. 🙂
As usual, Lisa, I’m inspired by your productivity!
I smiled about the senior discounts — the morning my mum passed away, I went for coffee on my way home from the hospital and they rang me up with the senior discount — without asking for my age. I hadn’t realized I looked so terrible, but I didn’t have the heart to correct them . . .
I’m glad you got the discount that day, Michele, even though you weren’t “of age” yet. One of God’s little graces. Praying for your family as you adjust to this loss in your lives. 🙁
This is a very interesting collection, Lisa. I wasn’t aware that Andy Stanley had a podcast. Thanks for the recommendation!
Yes, this Andy Stanley podcast is from the sermons he preaches at North Point near Atlanta. But he also has another one called “Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast” that is also inspiring. I don’t consider myself “leading” anything, but it’s still encouraging to listen to the people he interviews or hear the advice he shares.
Love the grandpup! What’s his name?
My biggest highlight – and surprise – from May was being alive at the end of it, and to do the same is my hope for June.
Scary times.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2017/05/your-dying-spouse-317-lessons-from-floor.html
The grandpup is Macie. She is adorable, a real sweetie (although she did try to chew up Jenna’s glasses). 😉 I’m glad you’ve made it into June, Andrew!
I’m going to take a wild guess that the legs on the deck are the ones attached to the avid reader…
Big month! Do you ever sleep?
Good guess, Floyd. I actually don’t sleep very much, but I do spend a lot of time trying. 🙂 Books are always at the ready for when I can’t sleep.
What a great list. And many books I’ve not seen before. — I’ll have to look at that photography organization — that’s something we’ve been dealing with here at our house too. My husband has a personal cloud or whatever it’s called where he stores them, but I still feel like they’re just out there in lala land. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Lisa. ((hug))
I should put more of my pictures in the cloud as well. I just have so many that I’m not sure where to start. 🙁 It’s so overwhelming. But little by little, I am making progress so I am glad about that.
And I agree, it does feel like the cloud is lala land. 🙂
This is a fun approach to a monthly wrap-up! I love the favorite podcasts- I am just starting to gather and listen to some and these look really interesting. As always your reading list is so thoughtful and I always get some good reads from you~
Podcasts are among my addictions, for better or for worse. ha. There are SO many wonderful ones. But the beauty is they are free and so can be added or deleted at will, with no cost but time. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Barrie.
Wow. What a list. Very impressive. There is something for everyone. Something serious and fun. Thanks for putting this together. I bet you have fun doing it.
Thanks, Theresa. Yes, I do have fun putting these posts together! It’s interesting to look back over a month and choose what has stood out to me and what readers might also enjoy. Thanks for stopping by.
love this post as usual. Is it crazy that my fastest click was to the discounts for those in our second half of life???? wow I’m getting to be cheap in my old age. LOL
And I love zoos too.
enjoy seeing all the photos too.
Ha. I understand clicking on those links, Jean. By the time we get to those ages, we’ve earned the discounts. 🙂
Thanks for the linking up with #TuneInThursday this week, Lisa. See you next time!