5 Links, Books, and Things I Love – May 2018
Did you do anything exciting in April? What are you looking forward to in May? 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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5 Things Around the Web
1. You Are Not Your Personality: Why the Enneagram Matters
by Jon Singletary
Enneagram figure showing nine personality types according to the Enneagram of Personality (Image by PixelsAway / Bigstock.com)
I appreciate this balanced approach on personality typing. Systems like the Enneagram (which really helps me) are not definitive, but are just another resource among many to help us discern how God is at work in our lives.
“[Even] Enneagram teachers claim that the assessment tests are faulty and your true identity is not in your number. However, knowing your number is a remarkable tool for helping you to be formed in the way of Christ that reflects not your personality type or your number but the unique creation God has made you to be.”
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2. New Memorial Ends the ‘Silence’ on a History of Lynching
by John Hammontree at al.com
Jacob Winkelman/EJI
Although it will be painful, I look forward to one day going to this new museum in my home state of Alabama, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. It opened in Montgomery on Thursday. It is important to see their names, to read their stories.
“A stunning – and sobering – six-acre park overlooking the city, the project spearhead by the Equal Justice Initiative is the first memorial in the country dedicated to the stories of more than 4,400 documented lynching victims.
In a press preview on Monday, Bryan Stevenson, EJI founder and executive director, drew parallels to Holocaust memorials in Germany, Stevenson discussed the importance of engaging with a true history, and signaling to the world ‘never again.'”
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3. You Know Who’s Really Addicted to Their Phones? The Olds
Uh oh. Millennials have gotten a bad rap. Graying Gen Xers are the ones who can’t get their faces out of their screens.
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4. Doing Dishes Is the Worst
by Caroline Kitchener
“This is now an empirically proven fact. Dishwashing causes more relationship distress than any other household task.”
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My family will agree I really struggled with this! The video is too funny.
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5 Things about Books and Blogging
1. The Best, Least Annoying Books to Read to Children
by Jennifer Romolini
“Life is too short for uninspiring picture books. And it’s too complicated to settle for “classics” you read as a kid and now realize are problematic or somehow creepier than you remembered. Here are a few children’s books that are clever, quietly educational, and fun — that you won’t mind reading to kids again and again (and again and again and…).”
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2. 10 Best Fiction Books of 2017
by Laura Tremaine
Factors that Laura considered when making her list: Pure entertainment, quality of the writing and story, and how long it sticks with you after you turn the last page.
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3. Here’s Some New Blogging Statistics
by BlogTyrant.com
An infographic here of statistics about why people start blogs, the goals they’re trying to achieve, the amount of income they make, the challenges they face, etc.
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4. 15 Literary Novels that Will Have You Compulsively Turning the Pages
by Anne Bogel
By “literary,” Anne means: the kind of “serious” novels that probe human nature (and especially human shortcomings), focus on the interior lives of their characters, and generally focus on meaning over entertainment.
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5. Five Books I Recommend – April 2018
It was all non-fiction in April. (I’ll balance it back out in May.)
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5 Things I Love
1. 4 Corners’ Slumber Party
How many years have we been doing this? Probably since 6th grade, which puts it at over 40 years. We don’t stay up at late as we used to. But we have even more to talk about. I love these lifetime friends.
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2. All the “Kids”
The timing of our latest family meal on my side worked out for almost everyone. While this still isn’t all the kids, it almost is: grandchildren and spouses and great-grandkids. We do well to get this many together at one time anymore.
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3. Grown Cousins and Baby Cousins
I love this picture of Morgan and her cousin Lindsey with their babies. They are both happy, happy to be mothers. I hope little Hayden and Riley can continue the family tradition of being close cousins.
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4. At Church Together
This isn’t the clearest picture, but I’m proud to get it! It was Morgan and Riley’s first visit “up north” to our house since she’d been born. And the first time we all got to go to church together.
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5. Home
I hope Riley will come visit Gramps and Granna again and again and again through the years, now that she knows the way. Do Jeff and I look like proud grandparents?
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5 Things on the Blog
- 12 Ways to Be Content
If you want to be more content in your circumstances, here are 12 ways, revised from The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs. - What Dates You? Let People Define the Times
We don’t have to forget the people in our past. They become embedded in who we are now. - Does Your Mourning Feel Blessed?
When we’re sad and in pain, we want it removed. What did Jesus mean, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”? - Your Enneagram Type and Mine – Book Review of The Path Between Us
Want to use the Enneagram personality system to improve your relationships? Suzanne Stabile’s new book, The Path Between Us, shows you how. - I Can Do It Myself—But Should I?
Just because you CAN do it by yourself, does that mean you SHOULD? Sometimes letting others help us—even if we don’t think we need it—is a gift to all.
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What was a highlight from your April? What are you looking forward to in May? Please share in the comments.
Love the post about the Enneagram, such a healthy perspective. Thanks for sharing!
Chuckling over the naming video. Our grandson took care of that for us, christening us “Bam” and “Bamp” right away.
We got into a conversation about the Ennegram in Sunday school last week, and it was so fun trying to explain it to the ladies “in a nutshell.”
That blogging statistics article is fascinating! Also love the family photos (and the babies!)
I love how many of your seconds in the video are of Riley. 🙂 I can identify! The cousins picture is sweet. It’s hard to get all the grown-up siblings together of either of our families, much less the grandkids and great-grandkids. It’s so special to have all our kids in church with us.
I struggled with what to be called as a grandmother, too! I wanted something a little different, but ended up with just Grandma. I wish I had gone with Grandmom as my husband prefers Granddad to Grandpa. Timothy’s “Grandma” sounds like “Gramma,” so I’ve taken to signing cards and such that way.
That’s so neat about the continuing visits with your four friends.
I found it interesting that the graphic about blogger worries doesn’t include coming up with relevant, interesting content. I don’t know if I’d say I worry about any of those things per se, but content and amount of time spent on it are two aspects I wrestle with most.
What a cutie grandchild you have.
I love the choosing your name video. Trying to choose your own name is so hard. Or at least it was for me.
Oh that baby is such a cutie! And growing so big so quickly!
And yes, I’ll be checking out that blogging stuff. Still a student for sure, even after all these years. And curious about the subtle yet very real changes that have definitely become part of this community culture we so enjoy.
Thanks, Lisa!
wow What beautiful photos. As I scrolled down I kept smiling and smiling. Love that your group has been together for 40 years. Made me stop and appreciate: i have two great friends and we do get together..mmm 56 years. wow. How precious is lifelong friendship!
Lisa, loved your lists and naming video. 🙂
Your granddaughter is so cute! My only hang up about choosing a grandma name was what the other grandma wanted to be called. Ultimately, I choose Nana. The video cracks me up. I’ve missed you and your words.
Loved the one-second video! Loved the pictures! Loved the Grandma names video too, Lisa! I saw that on FB and was tagged by blogger Pat Fenner who’s a prospective grandma like me. I think it’s hilarious, but both Pat and I don’t feel like we look as old as that grandma! ha! You certainly don’t either, my friend! You are one gorgeous grandma … or whatever name you’re called!
This is a full post of great things! I always love your monthly favorites. And that grandbaby is too cute for words! I’m intrigued by Modern Mrs. Darcy’s post, going to have a look there next.
And I just haven’t had time to learn about enneagrams, but it certainly sounds interesting. I did Strengthsfinders last year, and that was enough personality learning for the year for me, but I keep hearing so much about this. I’m curious.
As always, I love these monthly roundups, Lisa. Your granddaughter is really growing. She looks like she takes everything in now with her alert eyes. 🙂
I love that a New Memorial is up recognizing the lives and deaths of slaves. They never received justice, but at least they are now being remembered with respect. As I was looking at some photos, my heart really broke at the statue of slaves chained and families getting separated.
That Grandma video is funny. 🙂 I guess I never “picked.” I just answered to whatever name my grandkids called me. The other day one of our great-grandsons called us “Bompa” and “Gamma.” 🙂 Love and hugs to you!
I took an unintended sabbatical from blogging, including reading and commenting. I missed reading your blog and this was a great way to catch up!
How amazing is this gift of life? God is good!
So happy for you and your growing family!
I’ve been through that grandma dilemma… mine decided on, you guessed it, “grandma”…
That grand baby is precious! I knew this month’s video would be focused on your grand baby!
I know you know this, but all I can think is how blessed you are. Love the pictures!
I love a good rec list! Thank you! Visiting from the Tune in Thursday link up.
Oh my, I love the “grandma video”!
Lisa! I so love those pics of your grandbaby! So precious! Lots of awesome stuff in this post, though! Thanks, friend, for joining me at #MomentsofHope each week ♥
Lori