5 Pictures of Things I Love—October 2020

I’m splitting up my five groups of five favorite things this month, sharing one per day. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

5 Pictures I Love

A FRIEND IN PERSON

I haven’t seen this sweet friend since the pandemic began. We finally got to see each other in person this week. I appreciate technology, but I still prefer in person the best.   

~ * ~

FALL FLOWERS

My sunflowers have been beautiful again this fall. I love their brightness as the days are already getting shorter. 

blank

~ * ~

SISTERS ARE GRAND!

They don’t always get along this grand together, but having our granddaughters for the weekend is always grand to me.

blank

~ * ~

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA

The 2-year-old has learned to pose, unprompted. And she does it quite well!

blank

~ * ~

OUR HAPPY PLACE

This is definitely a fun season of life! Playing with the grands has been the best. 

blank


previous Links and Books


5 Things on Reading and Writing—October 2020

I’m splitting up my five groups of five favorite things this month, sharing one per day. 

5 Reading  

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

5 Things on Reading and Writing

1. Nonfiction November Is Almost Here

I did this challenge last year and loved it. Write weekly on your blog or post pictures daily on Instagram with prompts. Get details here.

Blog discussion prompts include:

  • Week 1: (Nov. 2 to Nov. 6) – Your Year in Nonfiction
  • Week 2: (Nov. 9 to 13) – Book Pairing
  • Week 3: (Nov. 16 to 20) – Be The Expert/Ask the Expert/Become the Expert
  • Week 4: (Nov. 23 to 27) – New to My TBR

2. One Word 2021—Too Soon? Nah!

What is your one word for 2020? (Mine is “Linger.”) Are you already thinking about a word for 2021? It’s not too soon!

I’m working on an easy monthly linkup starting in January for anyone interested. I’d appreciate accountability with my word and having a community would help. (So far, my word possibilities are…maybe “Uncertainty” or “Enough”???)

One Word 2021

Details coming next month. 

It’s also not too soon to start thinking about Anita Ojeda’s annual writing challenge for February. Join the #Write28Days group on Facebook to start planning for Feb ’21.

3. Quote Investigator

This is supposedly a reliable way to check the source of a quote. (I didn’t have a lot of luck with it, but maybe you will? I’m not giving up yet.)

4. The Booktrail

When I’m planning a trip, I like to read a novel set in that location. This site is supposed to search for books by their setting. I haven’t used it myself yet (I haven’t been outside Alabama in 6 months!), but it’s good to know it’s available.

5. 4 Books I Recommend

4 Books I Recommend September 2020_Lisanotes

What’s the latest book you recommend? I finished reading these four wonderful books in September:

  • a book about the Bible and spirituality (Love Matters More)
  • how to use the Enneagram to become more like Jesus (The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation)
  • how to talk across our political divides (Beyond Your Bubble)
  • a novel about two generations of two NYPD families (Ask Again, Yes)

previous Links and Books


5 Memes I Love—October 2020

I’m splitting up my five groups of five favorite things this month, sharing one per day. 

Today we look at 5 of my favorite memes from the month.

5 Memes I Love  

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

5 Things to Make You Smile

blank

~ * ~

blank

~ * ~

blank

~ * ~

Call It a Year

~ * ~

blank


previous Links and Books


5 Links I Love—October 2020

I’m changing it up this month. Every month I share my list of favorite 5’s.

And I still am. But for October, instead of 5 groups of 5 things in 1 day, I’m spreading it out: 1 group of 5 things over 5 days this week.

It seemed a little less overwhelming to me. 🙂 TBD what I’ll do in November.

blank

What are you enjoying this month?

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

5 Things Around the Web

Sisters, You Have Permission to Lead an Ordinary Life

Breathe easy. Instead of thinking you have to do world-changing things, relax and live your quiet, ordinary life. It’s extraordinary enough as it is. (HT to Barbara)

Stop! Think Twice Before Switching Churches in 2020

I admit that temporarily changing churches has crossed my mind during this pandemic…but only because there aren’t many mask-wearers at my church so I haven’t been back in person yet. I miss Sunday gatherings.

About Those Old White Men

Confession: I’m often guilty of stereotyping “old white men” as most resistant to seeing their own faults and being willing to change. But this article reminds me there are still quite a few “old white men” that I know personally who are incredible human beings. 

How To Organize Your Digital Information

How easily can you locate a document or folder on your computer? I try to stay digitally organized, but it’s a battle. Some good tips here. 

Embrace the Rule of Awkward Silence

“Intelligent minds like Tim Cook and Jeff Bezos embrace the rule of awkward silence. You should too. In a word of instant gratification, awkward silence is more useful than ever.”


previous Links and Books


Want to Do an Amazing Thing? Enjoy God
—Grace & Truth Linkup

Underachieving?

What have you accomplished during the past 6 months of the pandemic? Have you compared your life now to your life a year ago?

Prior to the pandemic, I had built a tidy schedule of activities that felt meaningful and were enjoyable.

But the past few months? Many of those opportunities have been canceled. I feel I’m doing very little out there in the “real world.”

Often we lose our purpose when our activities change. And many of our opportunities have changed drastically in 2020.

But what if we’re measuring our purpose with the wrong yardstick?

Instead of judging ourselves as underachievers this year, what if we reevaluated what we’re trying to achieve anyway?

Remember What God Really Wants

Beth Bullington’s story is a wakeup call. She’s the mother of a daughter with special needs. But she doesn’t want our pity because of it.

And she doesn’t want us to be sad for her daughter, assuming her daughter can’t do amazing things because of her disabilities.

Instead, Beth reminds us of this:

“Remember what God really wants. Loving God is the amazing thing that each of us can do.”

Beth’s daughter finds enjoyment in her life. Everything is her favorite. She “appreciates things, expresses joy, and tells people that. That is reflecting God.”

Yes!

The most amazing thing any of us can do is to enjoy God. 

Amazing Thing Enjoy God_pin

This Is Amazing

Look for God’s goodness today. Discover God’s grace. Delight in God’s presence. This is loving God.

And loving God is its own reward.

That doesn’t mean life will be easy. Or that we’ll always feel happy. But enjoying God will give us more contentment, even in the hard times.

Godly contentment reminds us that:

  • all things eventually pass,
  • we receive grace in the meantime,
  • and that God stays with us the whole time.

And who knows? Maybe one day we’ll even change our definition of “hard” things.

I’ve been counting 2020 as a hard year. Maybe years from now, I’ll look back on it as a year God shifted my thinking into a healthier direction. A direction of less comparison. Of more contentment. Of more enjoyment of him.

That would be amazing.

Featured Post

Read all of Beth’s post here at her blog, AsHeLeadsIsJoy.com:

Don’t Pity Me Because I Am a Special Needs Mom

What amazing thing can you do? Share your own blog posts at the linkup below. 

Thanks for sharing, Beth! Here’s a button for your blog.

blank


Grace and Truth_Rules

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.   

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

Grace Truth_Button

Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

HEATHER HART & VALERIE RIESE – Candidly Christian
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Now Let’s Link Up!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Have you felt like you’ve done more this year, or less? Where have you seen God at work in 2020? Share your thoughts in the comments.


On the Blog—September 2020

Here are brief summaries and links to blog posts from September 2020.

blank