Lisa notes

On the Blog—February 2022

By LisaNotes February 28, 2022 Archives No Comments

Here are brief summaries and links to posts on the blog, Lisa notes, in February 2022.

7 Books I Recommend—February 2022 (2/28)
Here are 7 books I recommend from what I finished reading in February 2022.
This. Here. Now. (2/28)
It’s good to use our imaginations. But it’s also important to stay grounded where God is present with us in this, here, now.
End Well (2/27)
If you want to make the memory good, aim to end well.
Share Four Somethings—February 2022 (2/26)
I’m sharing four somethings for February 2022. Here is something loved, something gleaned, something braved, and something achieved.
Let Go or Be Dragged (2/26)
Learn when it’s time to release. Learn what it’s time to release. Let go or be dragged.
Why Do You Ask? (2/25)
Instead of giving an answer, sometimes the best response to a question is: “Why do you ask?”
They Don’t Have to Understand (2/24)
We will be misunderstood. If we let it, it can be an opportunity to grow in humility. They don’t have to understand.
Whatever Happens, We’ll Handle It (2/23)
We’ll never be abandoned without resources of some sort. Depend on that. Whatever happens, we’ll handle it.
Love Matters More (2/22)
Love no matter where. Love no matter how. Love no matter what. Love matters more.
One Word 2022 Linkup—February (2/22)
Find three challenges to practice your One Word for 2022. Link your blog posts about your One Word.
Say Yes to This Moment (2/21)
The small individual moments are actually the biggest moments of all. Say yes to this moment.
The Greatest of These Is Love (2/20)
Faith and hope are things within us. But love is something we give outside us. The greatest of these is love.
You Are Never Alone (2/19)
The presence of another person (and of God) is a true gift. You are never alone.
This Is Not the End (2/18)
Life never truly ends. It just changes into something else. This is not the end.
Don’t Believe Everything You Think (2/17)
Listen to what you say to yourself. But don’t believe everything you think.
Make the Memories Good (2/16)
Today’s experiences become tomorrow’s memories. As much as it depends on you, make the memories good.
Oh, Well. So What? (2/15)
Do we have to take everything so seriously? Maybe we should say more often, “Oh, well. So what?”
You Don’t Have to Finish Today (2/14)
Give yourself permission to stop for the day if your project isn’t time-sensitive. You don’t have to finish today.
Book Review: Good Enough by Kate Bowler (2/14)
It’s okay to not be okay all the time. Here is another great book by Kate Bowler: Good Enough.
Focus on the Highest Good (2/13)
What is your ultimate goal for today? Focus on the highest good, not just the practical surface goal.
Presume Goodwill (2/12)
When possible, give each other the benefit of the doubt. Presume goodwill. It’s better for everyone.
Take One Step (2/11)
Sometimes taking just one step is enough for now. What one step can you take today?
Is Is True? Is It Helpful? Is It Kind? (2/10)
Do your words pass this test: true, helpful, kind? Without these, your words may just be noise.
It Is What It Is (2/9)
Accepting “it is what it is” can better position us to receive healing and to grow forward.
Tell Something Personal (2/8)
Sharing something personal can foster humility and bring us closer together.
Empathize with the Hurt (2/7)
Empathize with the hurt that needs healing. Sometimes that’s what matters the most.
I Don’t Know (2/6)
Unless we can say “I don’t know” more often, we may never know. There’s always more we don’t know than what we do know.
Bad Things Happen to Everyone. So Do Good Things. (2/5)
Do you think bad things happen only to you? They happen to everyone. But so do good things.
That’s Interesting. Tell Me More. (2/4)
When you get stuck in a conversation, practice saying, “That’s interesting. Tell me more.”
See Everything. Forgive Much. Judge Little. (2/3)
Everyone deserves to be seen, and to be given grace, because none of us knows the other’s full story.
Even This Will Change (2/2)
Don’t get too settled here with the way things are, whether good or bad. Even this will change.
Just Show Up (2/1)
Never underestimate the power of your presence. Telling yourself to “just show up” can give you enough courage to put your body where it needs to be.

See previous months’ archives here

7 Books I Recommend—February 2022

By LisaNotes February 28, 2022 Books I Recommend 12 Comments

Even now, at this late day, a blank sheet of paper holds the greatest excitement there is for me—more promising than a silver cloud, prettier than a little red wagon.
– E. B. White

Here are 7 books I recommend from what I finished reading in February.

[See previously recommended books here]

Nonfiction

1. Atlas of the Heart
Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience
by Brené Brown

One of my favorites of the year! With her usual insight and wit, Brené Brown walks us through 87 emotions that we all feel, but we don’t all recognize.

“The entire premise of this book is that language has the power to define our experiences.”

2. Jesus and John Wayne
How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation
by Kristin Kobes du Mez

This is a thorough and painful look at the most recent 75 years of white evangelicalism. Kristin Du Mez walks us through the transformation of church culture from one thing into another. I highly recommend this one, too.

“Understanding the catalyzing role militant Christian masculinity has played over the past half century is critical to understanding American evangelicalism today, and the nation’s fractured political landscape.”

3. The Book of Joy
Lasting Happiness in a Changing World
by the Dalai Lama XIV and Desmond Tutu

I listened to the audioversion of this book. Such a delight! The readers’ voices sounded so similar to the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s voices, capturing their personalities well. The content is joyful, of course, yet also sobering.

“Yet as we discover more joy, we can face suffering in a way that ennobles rather than embitters. We have hardship without becoming hard. We have heartbreak without being broken.”

4. The Grieving Brain
The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss
by Mary-Frances O’Connor

Grief isn’t just a function of our emotions. It’s a function of our brains. I learned so much from this book.

“Because learning is something we do our whole lives, seeing grieving as a type of learning may make it feel more familiar and understandable and give us the patience to allow this remarkable process to unfold.”

[my review here of The Grieving Brain]

5. Wholehearted Faith
by Rachel Held Evans with Jeff Chu

Rachel Held Evans had been working on this book prior to her untimely death in 2019 following an allergic reaction to medication for an infection. Her good friend and author Jeff Chu took her notes and finished the book. It’s a beautiful collection of spiritual essays and reflects Rachel’s love for Jesus and God’s grace.

“Before we do anything wrong and before we do anything right, God has named and claimed us as God’s own.”

6. Cultish
The Language of Fanaticism
by Amanda Montell

How do people fall into cults? Amanda Montell has done her research into all things cultish and writes about it with clear and disturbing details, from cults like Heaven’s Gate to the modern MLM (multilevel marketing) organizations.

“Language is a leader’s charisma. It’s what empowers them to create a mini universe—a system of values and truths—and then compel their followers to heed its rules.”

[Read more about Cultish here.]

Fiction

7. State of Terror
by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny

This thriller centers on Ellen Adams, the new secretary of state, and a dangerous nuclear physicist with big plans for nuclear bombs, beginning with bus bombs. Interesting, fast-moving, and well-written. I totally enjoyed it.

Reading Now

Permission to Feel
Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive
by Marc Brackett
The Expectation Effect
How Your Mindset Can Change Your World
by David Robson
Love Letters to God
Deeper Intimacy through Written Prayer
by Lynn Morrissey
The Five Wounds
by Kirstin Valdez Quade
The Storytelling Code
10 Simple Rules to Shape and Tell a Brilliant Story
by Dana Norris
All the White Friends I Couldn’t Keep
Hope—And Hard Pills to Swallow—About Fighting for Black Lives
by Andre Henry
Fall in Love, Have Children, Stay Put, Save the Planet, Be Happy
by Frank Schaeffer

What good book are YOU reading this month? Please share in the comments.

My books on Goodreads
More books I recommend

This. Here. Now. {Mantra 28}

By LisaNotes February 28, 2022 Mantras 10 Comments

I’ve saved this mantra for last. It’s the one that’s helped me the most in reducing anxiety.

When I feel anxious, I jump too far ahead of God. I worry about many things that might happen (and they’re usually all negative).

Instead, to counter the future orientation, I try to come back to this moment, where God is most present.

I benefit by repeating this to myself:

This. Here. Now.

This—This is the what.

Most of our moments are NOT tumultuous ones. And when they are, those events keep our attention focused in the moment; we don’t have to be concerned with those. But the moments that do tempt our minds to wander into worry are the ordinary moments. Come back from the future (or the past) and stay anchored in THIS moment instead.

Here—Here is the where.

We also are prone to imagine how wonderful we’d feel if we could be at the beach right now. Or how terrified we might feel next week in the dentist’s chair. But even if we’re in a bad location here in this moment, we’re more apt to stay clear-headed if we’ll stay present to it.

Now—Now is the when.

This is the crux of the mantra for me. Now is when I can talk to the person beside me. Now is when I can concentrate on this step I’m on. Now is when I can feel the emotion I’m feeling and process through it.

Jesus—Jesus is the who.

And if you’re a Christian believer like me, I start this mantra with “Jesus. This. Here. Now.” Jesus is the foundation underneath it all for me.

Our minds can be both exciting and sometimes terrifying places when they wander here and there and everywhere. It can be healthy to exercise our imagination.

But it’s also important to stay grounded where God is present with us in:

This. Here. Now.

Share in the comments.

Read More:

You are on Day #28 of the series: Find Your Mantra {28 Daily Mantras}

Previous:
“End well” {Mantra 27}

End Well {Mantra 27}

By LisaNotes February 27, 2022 Mantras 5 Comments

We all love a good beginning . . . of a story, of a vacation, of a life.

But what about endings?

Did you know this? When we assess our experiences, we tend to rate them on two key moments:

(1) the best or worst moment, and

(2) the ending.

So says Chip and Dan Heath in their incredible book, The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact (I highly recommend it!).

As long as our event ends well, we tend to rate it well, even if there were horrible moments in between.

End well.

But what constitutes an ending? The Heath brothers say:

“Beginnings and endings can blur—if you change cities for a new job, is that an ending or a beginning or both? That’s why it’s preferable to talk about transitions, which encompass both endings and beginnings.”

With that caveat, if you want to make the memory good, when it’s within your control to do it, aim to make the ending good. The end of your story. The last day of your vacation.

And the end of your life.

End well.

Share in the comments.

Read More:

You are on Day #27 of the series: Find Your Mantra {28 Daily Mantras}

Previous:
“Let go or be dragged” {Mantra 26}

Next:
“This. Here. Now.” {Mantra 28}

Share Four Somethings—February 2022

By LisaNotes February 26, 2022 Life updates 19 Comments

Near the end of each month I share four somethings with others at Heather’s.

The four categories are:

something loved,
something gleaned,
something braved, and
something achieved.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something Loved

PICTURE-IN-PICTURE

Would you rather read a transcript or watch a video?

I’m more of a reader than a watcher. But occasionally there are videos I like to watch. They may not need my full attention though.

So I very much love the picture-in-picture option to keep open a floating window of the video I’m watching on top of all other windows. I can still check email or scroll through Twitter or edit photos, while still seeing the video in a corner of the screen.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something Gleaned

28 MANTRAS

I’ve been blogging every day this month for the #Write28Days challenge. It has been a challenge.

But it’s also been beneficial for me to review the 28 mantras I chose to write about. They each hold meaning for me, and have been useful in my life.

I’ve been gleaning wisdom from applying the mantras themselves but also from reading the comments underneath each blog post. You all are some wise people out here in the blogosphere and I’m grateful for you.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something Braved

ASKING FOR WHAT I NEED

Maybe it’s because I was an independent middle child. Maybe it’s because I’m an Enneagram 5. Maybe it’s because I’m a female in the Christian tradition.

But asking for what I need doesn’t come naturally to me. It feels selfish.

Yet allowing others to love and support us isn’t selfish. And if our friends and family are willing to help us (and they usually are), it helps them if we’re clear about what we need.

Ugh. {uncomfortable}

I’ve been a bit clearer this week to ask for some specific things I need. It felt awkward. It took some courage to be vulnerable. And a lot of humility. I’m still reeling from it.

“To be vulnerable is to be exposed, but it’s also to be seen.”
– Dana Norris

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something Achieved

MEDITATION STREAK

As part of my year of RELEASE, I’ve committed again to a daily meditation practice. My goal is 20 minutes a day. I didn’t start until January 10.

The app I use (Insight Timer) tells me I now have a 46-consecutive day streak. I don’t know how long I can continue the daily streak, but for now, that feels like an achievement. I count it as a win.

What’s one highlight from your February? What are you looking forward to in March? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More:

previous Share Four Somethings

Let Go or Be Dragged {Mantra 26}

By LisaNotes February 26, 2022 Mantras 3 Comments

Once again, we don’t have enough hangers in our closet. Jeff is good about getting rid of an old shirt when he buys a new shirt, thus freeing up a hanger.

But I’m not.

So eventually we run out of hangers for our clothes because we have more clothes than hangers.

The disproportionate amount of clothes vs hangers isn’t a sign to me to buy more hangers. It’s a sign to to let go of more clutter.

We only have room in our closets (and our lives) for a set amount of clothes, and I don’t want to hoard extras.

Too much clutter drags me down.

Whether it’s physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional, holding on to things that I need to release is unhealthy.

This popular mantra is a useful and vivid one:

Let go or be dragged.

There are dreams I need to let go of too. Dreams of how I want things to be.

Like unworn clothes in my wardrobe, I want to release outdated dreams that I’ll never wear again. I don’t need them dragging me down and taking up unnecessary room in my closet.

The more clutter we release, the more full we can be. Getting rid of excess gives us more space to connect with others, to connect with ourselves, and to connect with God.

We don’t need to let go of everything, of course. As Thích Nhất Hạnh said,

“Letting go doesn’t mean we let go of everything. We don’t let go of reality. But we let go of our wrong ideas and wrong perceptions about reality.”

Learn when it’s time to release. Learn what it’s time to release.

Let go or be dragged.

Share in the comments.

You are on Day #26 of the series: Find Your Mantra {28 Daily Mantras}

Previous:
“Why do you ask?” {Mantra 25}

Next:
“End well” {Mantra 27}