A Prayer for the Everyday

A Prayer for the Everyday

By Sarah Earles

Guide me in the everyday,

I pray:

In the rising,

in the resting,

in the waking

in the doing

in the shopping

in the work

in the eating

in the cleaning

in the running

in the stretching

in the loving

in the losing

in the morning

in the evening

in the mid-afternoon

in the twilight

in the words

in the wisdom

in the speaking

in the listening

in the reading

in the prayer.

Guide me Spirit, everyday

I pray.

Eats and Empties (Week 34)

 

The Eats:

Basic cornbread (Little House Living)

Best lentil soup (Cookie and Kate)

Black bean and quinoa bowl (thrown together from black beans, cheese, leftover pickled jalapenos, leftover quinoa, and salsa; and topped with an egg!)

Chicken and vegetable risotto (Meal Prep in an Instant)

Gravy (Macrostax)

Quinoa (Meal Prep in an Instant)

Pesto (My Quiet Kitchen)-frozen for future use

Protein breakfast bowls (Two Raspberries)

Protein peanut butter (Nadia's Healthy Kitchen)

Protein sourdough pancakes (Secretly Healthy Home)

Sourdough protein pancakes with whole wheat (For the Pleasure of Eating)

Stuffed pepper soup (Meal Prep in an Instant)

The Empties:

Old apples
Arborio rice
Two boxes of fresh basil
One box of chicken broth
Creamy protein peanut butter (Cheat Day by Design)
Frozen easy sourdough muffins (Baker Bettie)
Three bags of frozen green beans
Two green pepper
Head of iceberg lettuce
Can of pickled jalapenos
Lentils
Jug of maple syrup
No cook nectarine chia jam (The Fit Cookie)
Three pound bag of onions
Peaches
Two pound bag of frozen peas

Quinoa
Frozen red bell pepper
Pound of baby portobella mushrooms
Old brown rice
Five cans of diced tomatoes
Two cans of tomato sauce

Pound of ground turkey

What went to waste:   

Some of the basil leaves were bad, but we knew that when we bought it on sale, and the rest made good pesto!

This March Called Life

This March Called Life

By Sarah Earles

Marching, marching

Will it ever, ever end?

But God said march.

God said pray.

God said stay the course,

so another round I'll go.

Marching, marching.

I'm getting tired, Lord.

But you said if I marched,

the walls would fall,

So I'm waiting,

Waiting.

Waiting, waiting,

obeying marching orders.

The seventh day hasn't come

but God said it would,

so I keep marching.

I keep walking by in faith.

Maybe these days are years.

Maybe these days are centuries.

I don't know,

'cause I haven't seen the victory yet.

But God said it would come,

and he hasn't failed me yet.

Marching, marching,

on and on I go.

God said He'd give victory

and I know He is able.

So as long as I'm able.

I'll continue, until the walls fall.

Until the walls fall,

or God me releases.

This life is my march.

Obedience is my call.

God deserves it all,

my obedience, my life, this ongoing march.

(Loosely based on the fall of Jericho depicted in Joshua 6).

Eats and Empties (Week 33)

 

The Eats:

Caesar dressing with anchovies (Cuisine with Me) 

Golden gravy (Dr. McDougall)

Homemade mozzarella cheese (Simmer and Sage)

Honey peach grilled cheese (Budget Bytes)

Lemon lentil soup (What Molly Made)

Pan de mie sandwich bread (The Perfect Loaf)

Puttanesca sauce (The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook)

Turkey spaghetti (Meal Prep in an Instant)

The Empties:

Jar of applesauce
Can of baking powder
Head of broccoli
Two pound bag of frozen broccoli

Two pound bag of carrots
Five pound bag of carrots

Box of chicken broth
Jar of corn starch
Dozen eggs
Head of garlic
Container of Greek yogurt
Bag of frozen green beans
Head of iceberg lettuce
Fresh lemon
Half gallon of milk

Gallon of milk

Rice flour
Box of spaghetti
Twenty-eight ounce can of whole tomatoes
Pound of ground turkey
Bottle of Worcestershire sauce

What went to waste:   

Some of the whey leftover from making mozzarella. I saved most of it, but goodness, a gallon of whey is a lot to even try to save!

Real Life Marriage: We Stress Each Other Out!

"Who in your life causes you the most stress? What do they do that causes it?" The couples connection questions asked. I tried to caveat my answers. I tried to add nuance. Nevertheless, my answer remained: my husband. He is the person I care most about in the world. He is the one person from I really cannot separate myself. Boundaries be had or not, he stresses me out!

I wondered what my husband would say when he answered the questions. Honestly, waiting for him to answer made me a little nervous. Eventually, he gave me a smirk and I was pretty sure I knew his answer.

"Me?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied. And he nuanced his answer a little bit too. "I think anybody who is married would answer the same way," he said (or something like that).

I know I am a lot to put up with. I am my own ball of stress and nerves, and I know that affects my husband. I don't try to be a pain in the neck, but I am. At times, I am not sure I am worth it, but at this point, my husband is committed, and he is a man of his word.

I was honestly somewhat relieved by his answer, though. The fact that I stress him out shows that he does care about me. The fact that he is not bothered by that fact is reassuring. I think I do stress him out, but on my side, it is more me stressing about him that is the stressor. My husband is low needs, and he would like me to do less (and tells me as much), but that is hard for me. I do care about his health and well-being and happiness, and I monitor it more than I do for anyone else. He is part of me. If we go with the biblical definition of one flesh, he is me. I want to take care of him. I want to take care of us. I want to take care of me.

So there you have it. My husband and I are each other's greatest stressors. I'm not proud of the sin that causes me to stress my husband, but I am thankful that he accepts that responsibility. On my side, I am thankful that I get to have a husband to be a stressor. Marriage is not a gift everyone gets. So, good or bad, for better or for worse, here's to stress, and to maybe learning to stress less as God grows and matures us in our marriage.

Eats and Empties (Week 32)

The Eats:

Blooming potatoes (Daily Yum)

Classic lasagna with ground turkey (Meal Prep in an Instant)

Easy beef stir fry (Meal Prep in an Instant)

Easy sourdough muffins (Baker Bettie)

Gravy (Lisa G Cooks)

Instant Pot golden lentil soup with spinach (Kitchen Treaty)

No cook nectarine chia jam (The Fit Cookie)

Sourdough Greek yogurt cheddar biscuits (Cooking Katie Lady)

Whole wheat Greek yogurt bagels (MPM Nutrition)

The Empties:

Frozen apples
Can of bean sprouts
A whole cantaloupe
Two pound bag of sharp cheddar cheese
Frozen chicken broth
Box of store-bought chicken broth
Carton of a dozen eggs
Ginger root
Container of Greek yogurt
Two bags of frozen green beans
Jar of mayonnaise
Box of lasagna noodles
Five pound bag of potatoes
Red onion
Bottle of crushed red pepper
Fresh red pepper (Frozen for future use)
Head of romaine lettuce
Package of frozen spinach
Frozen steak
Frozen three ingredient blueberry bagels (Calla's Clean Eats)
Can of tuna
Pound of ground turkey
Frozen turkey, chorizo, and egg breakfast burritos (Meal Prep in an Instant)
Five pound bag of whole wheat flour

What went to waste:   

Some of the red pepper was bad, but thankfully I could freeze the rest!

Afghan 87

We will call this my car blanket, not as in a blanket for the car, but a blanket made in the car. Yes, I crochet most of my afghans in the car going to and from church. I made most of this one on our summer road trips, however. It was not without some angst, not due to the pattern, but due to the skeins of yarn that kept getting matted and tangled, even after rolling into balls. (I did not do the optional borer row because I just wanted to be done.) In the end, this afghan turned out on and lean, not quite the 36 by 54 inch crib size I aimed for, but still a blanket that I hope will bless a baby.

Hook: Ergonomic crochet hook size J

Yarn: 

Mainstays white

Pattern: Simple crochet blanket (Jewels and Jones)

Size: 32 by 55 inches

Eats and Empties (Week 31)

The Eats:

Breakfast potatoes (Cooking Classy)

Creamy protein peanut butter (Cheat Day by Design)

Greek yogurt pizza (Something Nutritious)

Grilled corn on the cob (Joyful Healthy Eats)

Homemade artisan crackers (Sally's Baking Addiction)

Homemade ranch dressing (with Greek yogurt) (It Starts With Protein)

The Empties:

Jar of applesauce
Package of bacon
Bag of baby carrots
Three pound bag of whole carrots
Frozen easy overnight sourdough bagels (Daddio's Kitchen)
Candy canes-yes, left over from Christmas!
Frozen apple cider
Eight ears of fresh corn on the cob
Container of cottage cheese
Trader Joe's cinnamon graham crackers
Cream cheese
Greek yogurt cream cheese (Free Your Fork)
Bag of frozen green beans
Package of ham
Hemp seeds
Bag of mini marshmallows 
Half gallon of milk
Two pound bag of mozzarella cheese
Frozen pineapple
Frozen homemade pizza sauce (Budget Bytes)
Five pound bag of potatoes
Head of romaine lettuce
Container of sour cream
Old jar of sourdough discard
Spicy ranch dressing (The Spiffy Cookie)
Frozen tomato sauce (The Flavor of Wisconsin)
Can of tuna
Pint of whipping cream

What went to waste:   

Just a little bit of lettuce that went bad, but I just pulled it off and was thankfully able to salvage the rest.

Everything I Read in July

I do not feel like I got in as much reading this month, but then I finished up a bunch of books right at month's end. This month, I read quite a few longer books. I am particularly proud of myself for finishing Jonathan Haidt's tome. After years of being a podcast girlie, I am really digging the story aspect of audio autobiographies and memoirs, especially those read by the authors, and completed three. All in all, I would say it's been a good month, even if maybe it got off to a slower start.

54) The Solid Grounds Coffee Company by Carla Laureano —Whew! What a finale to the Supper Club series. Analyn Sanchez and Bryan Shaw have liked each other from afar for years. A life crisis for both of them draws them together, and into launching The Solid Grounds Coffee Company, a business designed to support Colombian farmers converting their coca fields into coffee fields. Everything is going well, until both of their lives blow up further. They are forced to confront their pasts and imperfections in painful ways and really surrender to God, and to the love God has given them for one another. The plot of this book packs some punches, but isn't that the way God's grace is sometimes? Solid, confrontational, and just what we need.

Note: I appreciated the author's note about coffee and its production at the end of the book. As much as this is a good story and a fictional prod towards God's grace, it is also a work of advocacy on behalf of Columbian and other indigenous coffee growers. Props to the author for this!

55) Made for This Moment: Standing Firm with Strength, Grace, and Courage by Madison Prewett Troutt—Madison Prewett grew up in a Christian home, went to Bible school at her church, graduated from Auburn University, and then went on The Bachelor reality show. This book is more about learning identity in Christ and living out of that, but it does include some tidbits about her upbringing and time on the show. The book is easy to read, with questions to help with application. It encourages readers to be confident in and through Christ. Overall, this book is a quick ready with a solid message from which younger girls might especially benefit.

56) Provenance by Carla Laureano —As a former foster child, Designer Kendall Green has never really had much of a home or a family. Then she gets words that her maternal grandmother willed her land and houses. This takes her from California to Jasper Lake, Colorado to explore not only her heritage, but the history of the homes willed to her. This story does a good and gracious job of depicting some of the struggles of youth in the foster system, as well as having a good story line. There is a little romance, some mystery, some history, and a lot about God's provenance in ordaining life and bringing people to himself. This is an interesting read, even if a bit different than some of Laureano's other books.

P.S. Don’t miss the very special epilogue only on the author’s website!

57) For the Love of Money by Terri Blackstock—This little novella was a quick read; about Blake Adcock and Julie Sheffield who quickly gain, and give away millions. This book is pretty cheesy, and slapstick, laugh-out-loud funny at points. Parts are too unbelievable to be true, and other parts, like realizing that money fails to bring love, ring true. Overall, I think the story is just too short to have a well-developed plot.

58) The Recipe by Candace Calvert —Okay, this story gets five stars for cuteness! Dietary tech Aimee Curran is trying to bake her way into culinary school. Evidence tech Lucas Marchal is working tirelessly at his job, and trying to get his grandmother Rosalynn to eat her meals when he visits her after hours. Rosalynn is the only family he has left, and he’s not willing to let her go. More a short story than a full novel, this book is a good one about loving God by loving people—truly the best recipe for living a sweet life.

59) Hook, Line, and Sinker by Susan May Warren —A novel with college-aged characters was a bit young for me, the the story still hit on some timeless truths about forgiveness, love, identity and evangelism. Maybe I didn’t identify with Abigail Cushman’s age, but I could identify with her feelings about not measuring up. Ross Springer wasn’t an academic, but his grief and desire to be loved are also relatable. The hook, line, and sinker title is a bit cheesy, but this story admittedly reeled me in. I give it three stars.

60) The Voice: Listening for God’s Voice and Finding Your Own by Sandi Patty with Cindy Lambert—I am really enjoying autobiographies and memoirs read by their authors. This one was authored and read by Sandi Patty, a predominant voice in early Christian music, who fell from grace after a public affair and divorce, and then seemingly disappeared for quite some time. This book isn’t about that, though. Patty writes that she authored a separate book, Broken on the Back Row, about her divorce. She writes that she is not proud of the divorce and does not want to encourage others down that path. Rather, she wants to share about how she lost her voice as a child, and regained it as an adult. This is her story, of being raised in a Christian home, of experiencing early sexual abuse from a teacher, of struggling with self-esteem and food, and turning it over to God: listening to His voice and the truths it said about her. Each chapter of this book ends with a verse and questions for reflection. The book allows readers to learn not only about the trajectory of Patty’s career, but to consider the arcs of their own lives and what God has for them. I throughly enjoyed this book and if it is possible, suggest the audiobook over the paper book. After all, the book is entitled The Voice for a reason.

61) Broken Hearts Bakery by Carla Laureano—A self-published book, and a bit edgier than the author’s traditionally published works, this book follows lawyer Gemma Van Buren as she returns to her homework of Haven Springs, Colorado. She didn’t want to come back, except that her best friend, and it turns out the town, still needs her. The pain she faces is deep, though. Deep, too, run her feelings for her first boyfriend Stephen Osborne who has also returned to town. Will Gemma finally be able to make decisions out of hope rather than fear? Will both of them be able to make the right decisions for themselves, rather than than in attempts to please others? This is a good book, but felt lacking, and as I finished reading, I realized it was lacking mention of God or relationship to him. Looking at the author’s recent social media, that appears to be the way she is moving her career, too. More than anything, that breaks my heart, for her eternity, and for readers who will now miss her art. Although this book is one of a series, it is the last our library has, and probably the last of this author I will read.

62) The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt —More than anything else, reading this book was an exercise in mental strength. Written by an evolutionary psychologist (which I did not know before I started reading), it is more about how and why morality evolved, than about how to reach across political and religious divides. I did find it useful to understand how liberals base their morality around two foundations, while conservatives have six moral foundations. In the end, Haidt concludes that the best way to reach across political and religious divides is to try form relationships before making judgments. I think reading Compassion (&) Conviction by Chris Butler, Justin Giboney, and Michael Wear is a much better book from which to draw this conclusion, but for what it is worth, this book also ends with the same suggestion.

63) Things I Should Have Said by Jamie Lynn Spears—I never really listened to Britney Spears, but I knew who she was. Who I didn't really know was her younger (by nine years) sister Jamie Lynn. Jamie Lynn was herself a child star, but one who disappeared from stardom for six years after a teenage pregnancy. I checked out this book because it was billed as a life story about Spears' “journey back to faith.” While I would argue that this journey occupies a small space of the book, and that her journey was more about conversion to the religion of Catholicism than anything else, I did appreciate Spears' vulnerability in telling her own story. I admire how she is trying to break unhealthy family patterns and leave a new legacy for her daughters, who are Watsons (Spears' husband's last name), she notes. All in all, this was an easy book to read, with some statements worth considering. If you're a Britney fan, you might enjoy reading this Spears book even more.

64) Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers—I have read this book probably three times now, and before I proceed further, let me state that it is not safe for children! Based upon the book of Hosea in the Bible, it is about Farmer Michael Hosea taking a prostitute named Angel as his wife. That is where the strict to text allegory ends, but the portrayal of a love that never gives up is definitely biblical. I read the book after reading Hosea in my Bible reading plan, and as I read the book this time, I was struck by how sure of his identity Michael Hosea is. He knows who he is, which allows him to love like he does. Isn't that what Jesus did? Sure of his identity, he was able to love us fully, even unto death on cross! If that's not redeeming love, I don't know what is!

65) The Woman in Me by Britney Spears—Once again, I am not a Britney fan, but I am fascinated, and in this case, saddened, by people’s stories. Britney comes from a background of decades of mental illness and abuse. Her brother had a traumatic accident as a child, and so did her niece. It is pretty clear from this audiobook that fame forced Britney to act as an adult when still a child, and then as an adult, her family took action to make her a child again through conservatorship. While from an outside perspective, it does seem that Britney is not mentally well, it also seems pretty clear that her family is not well. If they really cared for her, why would they still force her to perform while in their 13-year conservatorship of her? All in all, this is a sad story, for Britney and for her family. I really hope and pray that they find salvation through Jesus, hope, health, and healing!

66) Cheering You On: 50 Reasons Why Anything is Possible with God by Holley Gerth—Given to me as a gift, this sweet little devotional was definitely encouraging! I have read books by Holley Gerth, but this is the first daily guide I have seen from her. Each day follows her (in)courage.me pattern with a daily verse, and a challenge to live out God's will in real life. Alternate pages includes sweet quotes from other authors. With bright and cheery colors and a gorgeous layout, this book is pretty to look at too. I already gifted this once to someone else and anticipate doing so more.

67) By your Side by Candace Calvert—It took me a little bit to get on the side of these characters. Maybe it was the medical lingo (since Calvert was an ER nurse in her previous life, I imagine it is very accurate)? Still, once I got into the story about former foster child and now ER nurse Macy Wynn and police officer Fletcher Holt, I was hooked! Macy has a lot of trust issues, but so does Fletcher. Each in their own way, have to make peace with God and learning to trust him, with everything, not just preventing bad things from happening, because both of them have had plenty of those. This book is full of suspense with its sniper sub-plot, and contains both medical trauma, sexual trauma, and grief, so reading it is not for the faint of heart. Getting to the end and reading about God being first and having a plan for life, though, is beautiful. If you have time to sit down and read a book from cover to cover, this is that kind of book. It's just hard to put down when so much is happening!

68) Go Big or Go Home: The Journey Toward the Dream by Scotty McCreery with Travis Thrasher—After the Britney Spears autobiography, I needed a more wholesome audiobook. This definitely fit the bill. While I didn’t watch Season 10 of American Idol, as a previous big fan of the show, I knew who Scotty McCreery was. This book gave me an inside look at his Idol journey, from the small town of Garner, NC, to stardom. Reading the book in his own voice, McCreery is authentic, honest, and real. He does not shy away from talking about his faith or his values (including changing an Idol song last minute due to finding out it was from an X-rated film). He unashamedly talks about his love for sports, especially the NC Wolfpack. I appreciate how McCreery takes time to name names and give credit to the people who have contributed to his journey. While I’m not a big country fan, this book makes me want to listen to McCreery’s music and helps me understand why he has the fan base that he does. He may be a big star, but at the end of the day, he’s a home boy. Even he says that.

69) The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents by Lisa Damour, PhD—This was a truly excellent book! Written by psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour, an advisor for Inside Out 2, the book is accessible and timely. Focusing more on what is normal than what is abnormal, Damour focuses on equipping parents with practical tools for helping teens regulate emotions. Rather than trying to get rid of distress for adolescents, Damour encourages parents to help their teens become emotionally healthy “having the right feelings at the right time and being able to manage those feelings effectively.” Damour normalizes the separation/individuation process, which can help parents take teen snark and sarcasm less personally. There are plenty of jewels in this book, too many to summarize in a brief recap. Parent or not, this book helps people understand teenagers, and the world could benefit from more of that.

__

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think? Please share in the comments section!

Strong(er) in July

I don't think I am getting stronger, at least in terms of my pull-up goals. Sure, I went down another band size, but now I can barely get to the top of the bar for one rep, let alone the three, five, or eight reps in the Nourish Move Love Assisted Pull-Up Plan. I tried to do one pull-up and nope, couldn't do it. I didn't even get half-way up. Still, I am committed to finishing this plan, because if I don't try, I can't know if a pull-up is really impossible for me, or just not possible yet.

Overall, I felt like I gained strength in the Overload 30 program, but now I feel that waning. I held my mileage steady these last few months, but started a specific training program on Sunday, which means less strength. Sigh. I am realizing that life is about priorities. I can't be strong everywhere, or at least not at the tip-top of my strength game in every area of my life.

Thankfully, marriage is going pretty well. We have our fits and starts, but more time to communicate, and re-communicate. I give God thanks for that. We are still working through The Marriage Devotional by Jennie and Levi Lusko, and I still try to listen to a marriage enrichment podcast each week. I am thankful for those resources. 

I continue reading the chronological Bible reading and listening to The Bible Recap podcast episode each day. I don't feel like I am not getting anything from this. (Maybe Bible reading has a cumulative effect?) I don't feel like I am getting as much as I can from it, either.

Maybe the theme of this month's post should be the summer doldrums. I am not not making progress, but I am sure not making the progress I would like. At the same time, I don't have the energy, or want to put in the energy to push harder. Maybe this is a rest. Maybe rest is a flex to get ready for the next season of God growing me stronger? We shall see.

Eats and Empties (Week 30)

The Eats:

Greek yogurt cream cheese (Free Your Fork)

Homemade protein vanilla latte (Pretty Delicious Life)

Polish strawberry pasta (The Modern Nonna)-I'd never heard of this, but when I read about it in the "Tuesday Things" post on How Sweet Eats and I had the strawberries and yogurt, I bought the pasta to try it!

Three ingredient blueberry bagels (Calla's Clean Eats)

Three ingredient yogurt cheesecake tortillas (Goodness Avenue)

Black bean burger (Eat Plant-Based) bowl with sauteed peppers and onions (Artful Dishes)

The Empties:

Airplane snacks
Frozen blueberries
Fresh cantaloupe
Frozen fire-roasted white bean quinoa soup (How Sweet Eats)
Container of Greek yogurt
Green pepper
Half gallon of milk
Head of romaine lettuce
Can of Progresso soup
Two pound carton of strawberries
Package of ready to cook tortillas

What went to waste:   

Some frosting from my birthday that I kept forgetting about. Blue (mold) chocolate frosting is a no-go.

Changing My Thinking

"Do I want to?" 

"No. But I'm going to do it anyway."

That's been my inner dialogue for a long time. I used it to motivate myself, to get myself to do hard things, to slog through the mundane things that really just needed to be done. But recently, I realized that it was really not helping me in the ways I thought it was. It was making me resistant. It was making me angry. Instead of pushing me through, it was reminding me that I really don't want to do the thing. So with the Holy Spirit's help, I've been changing my thinking.

"Do I want to?"

"No, no that."

"I'm choosing...because."

"I'm choosing to run these errands now because I want time to go to the running store tomorrow."

"I'm choosing to do this chore because I will experience less stress tomorrow."

"I'm choosing to put the dishes away because I would want that done if it was me coming home late."

"I'm choosing to do this work now because I accepted the responsibility of being a supervisor."

This inner monologue doesn't change the fact that things are hard. It doesn't make me like cleaning the shower or slogging through running errands in the heat. It does remind me that I am blessed to have choices, and that I have control over making them. I am an adult living in America, so for the most part, no one is making me do anything. I choose to do things, and that choosing involves choosing my thinking. I can choose to think in ways that aren't helpful, or I can choose to change my thinking to ways that are. The choice is up to me.

Maybe We Should Pray...

Maybe you've seen the memes. There have been quite a lot of them going around about Astronomer CEO the JumboTron at a ColdPlay concert caught Astronomer CEO Andy Byron in a compromising situation with his HR chief (Levy, 2025). As my husband wisely pointed out: You cannot expect to keep a relationship private when you take it to the public arena. Or as my parents taught me growing up: "Be sure your sins will find you out." At some point sooner or later, a person continuing in a pattern of sin will be found out. It was true for OJ Simpson, who was never found guilty of murder, but still ended up back in jail for another crime (Seeman, 2024). It is true for Ruth Chepngetich whose marathon record seemed too good to be true, and probably was, now that she has tested positive for a banned substance. And it's true for us (Grez, 2025). No pattern of sin will permanently go uncovered, or unpunished.

Scholars debate whether or not John 8:1-11 should be in the Bible. It is probably a true story, but not canonical (Jenkins, n.d.) Still, it has lessons to teach us, particularly verse 7 "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her" (English Standard Version, 2016). I need to judge sin as sin, but I also need to realize that the same sin lives in me. Perhaps before judging others and making fun of them, I need to ask the Spirit to judge my own heart.

After discussing the Astronomer situation with my husband I felt conviction that I needed to pray for that man, too. Yes, he sinned. Yes, he got found out. But he has a wife and a family and friends and relatives. This is not a one shot take-down. This is a family that is going to struggle and suffer: a family that needs salvation and redemption. Then there is the woman and her friends and family. They all need Jesus. We all need Jesus.

Come at me if you want for maybe being too soft on sin, but you know what? God has been gracious with and merciful towards me. Jesus saved me from my sin and continues to cover the sins I continue to commit, sometimes because I want to, and sometimes because they come out of my innate sin nature. When I see things like the Astronomer CEO scandal, I want the Spirit to convict me to search my own heart, to confess and pray against sin, and then to pray for and against the sin of others, as well as for their redemption. It's easy to judge, but maybe we should pray instead of doing the modern version of casting stones and making memes.

References:

English Standard Version. (2019). Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/English-Standard-Version-ESV-Bible/#copy

Grez, M. (2025, July 18). Women’s marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich provisionally suspended after testing positive for banned substance

CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/18/sport/ruth-chepngetich-suspension-banned-substance-spt

Jenkins, C. (n.d.). Why we are not preaching on the woman caught in adultery. Christ Community. https://cckc.church/can-i-trust-that-the-bible-has-been-accurately-preserved/

Levy, A. (2025, July 18).  Astronomer CEO Andy Byron placed on leave after viral Coldplay kiss cam video. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/18/astronomer-andy-byron-coldplay-kiss-cam.html

Seeman, M. (2024, April 11). After 'trial of the century,' OJ Simpson spent prison time, rest of life in Las Vegas. 24 News. https://nbc24.com/news/nation-world/after-trial-of-century-oj-simpson-spent-prison-time-rest-of-life-in-nevada-death-cancer-las-vegas-robbery-case-lovelock-prison-parole-probation-bruce-fromong-alfred-beardsley

Eats and Empties (Week 29)

The Eats:

The best soft chocolate chip cookies (Pinch of Yum)-an old standby recipe that I haven't made for years!

Curried chicken salad (Savor)

Greek yogurt ranch dip (Center Cut Cook)

Pepper jelly breakfast quesadilla (Budget Bytes)

Pork stew with sage cornmeal dumplings (All Recipes)

Strawberry shortcake cupcakes (Sally's Baking)

Turkey, chorizo, and egg breakfast burritos (Meal Prep in an Instant)

The Empties:

Jar of applesauce

Ripe bananas

Bell pepper

Box of unsalted butter

Three pound bag of carrots

Two pound bag of shredded cheese

Frozen shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot)

Two boxes of chicken broth

Bottle of chili powder

Container of cottage cheese

Package of cream cheese

Two dozen eggs
Bag of frozen green beans

House sauce (How Sweet Eats)
Half gallon of milk

Frozen sour milk

Seventy ounce container of picante sauce

Five pound bag of potatoes

Head of romaine lettuce
Pound of pork

Soft sourdough potato buns (The Perfect Loaf)

Leftover frozen Little Caesar's pizza

Frozen Thin and crispy pizza (Budget Bytes)
Package of ready to cook tortillas

Can of tuna
Pound of ground turkey
Pint of vanilla ice cream
Zucchini

What went to waste:   

Part of the half gallon of milk soured, but I used it for cooking

Grieving the (Maybe Not So Little Things) Anew

After about nine years living with focal dystonia in my right hand, you think I would have gotten used to it. In many ways, I have. I accept, or at least am used to, my hand curling. Taking medication three times a day is routine. Oversalting my food to counteract the hypotensive effects of the medication is a regular practice. I always type holding a pen and often find pens lying around the house because I forgot I was holding one in order to straighten out my hand. But then there are times like my botox injection a few weeks ago when I realize anew the relative permanency (unless God should choose to supernaturally heal me) of my condition.

I work for days, sometimes weeks, up to my botox appointment to get everything possible done so that I can rest after my injections. I learned the hard way that doing housework spreads the botox, especially cooking and cleaning that involves repetitive movement. When the botox spreads, it not only fails to treat my condition, but makes my hand weak, so weak that I can't turn the key in an ignition, unscrew the gas cap on the car, or even clip my own fingernails. No fun, so I prep. I prep and freeze food. I do chores like a crazy women. I usually rush right up to my appointment, sliding in the door just when I am due. I liken it it to the nesting pregnant women do before they give birth, only I am not giving birth. I am receiving toxins into my body to release my muscles and prevent them cramping so hard it feels like I have wires pulling my fingers back into my skin.

I experienced a few moments of mental relief after getting my botox injections this time, but when I went to schedule my next appointment, I felt grief. I grieved the fact that I will have to go through this cycle all over again. I grieved that I had to schedule this appointment around a planned visit to a friend, as that visit requires toting my luggage around, and would therefore not be appropriate after botox, when my arm was supposed to rest. I grieved that this botox treatment cycle will be my life for the rest of my life, unless God heals me.

In some respects, these are little things. Focal dystonia is not a terminal condition. It's not cancer. I shouldn't die of it. While I cannot do repetitive motions for three days after botox, I can walk. I can run. Botox doesn't make me sick or ill overall (as do chemo and other such treatments). Other than a few tiny injection pricks and ongoing muscle atrophy from the injections, my arm does not look much different. My condition is chronic, though, and that brings with it some grief. Maybe that grief is more about the little than the big things, but it's still grief, and I am still needing to work through it. Maybe this is part of my sanctification process. Maybe this is part of my journey in practicing self-acceptance and self-compassion. Whatever it is, may the Lord help me through it, because only in and through him are all things possible.

Eats and Empties (Week 28)

The Eats:

We cooked nothing new this week, but rather ate off the Texas chili con carne (Serious Eats) my husband made last week. Eaten off soft sourdough potato buns (The Perfect Loaf) and tortillas, it was delicious (but we preferred the tortillas).

The Empties:

Avocado
Bag of baby carrots
Container of cottage cheese with pineapple
Two packages of frozen green beans
Frozen easy homemade chicken gravy (Creme de la Crumb)
Head of iceberg lettuce

Frozen easy pepper chicken gravy (Go Happily Ever After)
Frozen hearty lentil and potato soup (Hummusapien)
Fresh tomato
Watermelon

What went to waste:   

Nothing to my knowledge

Real Life Marriage: Acceptance

I’ve had some frustrations with my husband lately, well not just lately, but throughout our marriage. But you know what I’ve realized? I’m not perfect either. As much as I want him to grow and change, maybe I need to grow and change just as much or more. And maybe we both just need to accept the fact that we are radically different in some ways.

There are so many good things about my husband! He is kind. He is generous. He is caring. He is a good problem-solver. Who am I to harp on what I want him to change? And if he was able to change those things, would he still be the man I love? If he valued cleanliness and home and communication and emotions at the levels I did, he probably would have not have the brain space for the things that make him tick. And maybe asking for him to change in these ways is really asking for the impossible. Maybe I just need to buck up and do the things that I keep wanting him to do. They are my priorities, after all.

After six years, perhaps I am coming to a place of more settledness. I love my husband. I really do. Life with him is a gift from God! Sure, things are not perfect, but they won't ever be. We need to change and learn and grow to avoid stagnation, but part of that growing might be in acceptance. It might be in accepting that we really are different, and though we may grow together, we will not grow into each other. We are, after all, different people.

So here's to year seven of our lives together, not a year or perfection, but a year of further acceptance, further growth, and perhaps even some changes. May God be glorified in us, and in our marriage. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Eats and Empties (Week 27)

The Eats:

Budget-friendly lentil minestrone (Work Week Lunch)

Easy pepper chicken gravy (Go Happily Ever After)

Grilled portobello burgers with house sauce (How Sweet Eats)-Made by my husband

Indian-spiced lentil oats (Oatrageous Oatmeals)

Soft sourdough potato buns (The Perfect Loaf)-Made by my husband

Texas chili con carne (Serious Eats)-Made by my husband

The Empties:

Small bottle of barbecue sauce

Fresh broccoli
Two pound bag of frozen broccoli
Bag of baby carrots
Five pound bag of carrots
Cashews
Two pound bag of shredded cheese

Frozen cheesy ranch chicken casserole (Meal Prep in an Instant)
Big bottle of cinnamon
Fresh corn

A dozen eggs
Container of Greek yogurt
Package of green beans
Frozen grated ginger
Jalapeno
Box of elbow macaroni
Half gallon of milk
Rack of pork ribs
Four portobello mushroom caps
Two pounds of strawberries
Tomatoes
Two cans of diced tomatoes
Frozen tomato paste
Four pounds of top round roast

What went to waste:   

Nothing that I know of!

Nine.

My husband asked me the other day what home meant to me. I asked him if he meant "home" in a figurative or in a literal sense. I answered him from both perspectives. "Home is with you. Home is where my people are," I said. "Home feels safe and comfortable. Home for right now is this house."

At year nine, I think this stint in Arizona is now the longest I have spent in any one state, and it is starting to have that safe, comfortable, predictable feel. It is not that there are not risks, but that I know a little bit more of what to expect. I know that the heat hits quickly, and therefore I need to hydrate early and often. I know to watch out for cacti whose spines have more than once pierced my sin. I almost always put the sunshade in the car when I park, and I know to be careful when touching the steering wheel after the car has sat outside for a while. I know that if I see rain in the forecast, it probably won't be for the whole day, or even come at all. I don't think about when Daylight Savings will hit. I expect beautiful sunrises and sunsets and try to watch out for them. Arizona is a place with which I have a relationship, and as such, I continue to get to know it better and better.

Arizona is not perfect. It is not Eden, but it is home. I enjoy living in Arizona, even with all of its quirks. At year nine, I'm thanking God to be back here and praying to be faithful in this place for as long as He has me here.

Everything I Read in June

My reading habit fell apart for much of June. Too much social media. Inattention. Not enough blocks of time to get into books. I even set aside crosswords in the evening in an attempt to read, and still only go through one book! When podcasts that interested me ran out, I did engage in an audiobook, and it turned out to be the best book of the month! I then put it in high gear and finished seven books in the last week (including a few more audiobooks). Will I actually read 100 books total this year? We shall see....

42) Finally Free by Michael Vick with Brett Honeycutt and Stephen Copeland— Though not my typical type of book, this was an interesting read. Michael Vick was a standout, stand-up football player, the “first African-American quarterback in history to be picked first overall in the NFL draft..." until he wasn't. He became a disgraced felon, imprisoned for his role in dogfighting rings, and then he came back. With the accountability and support of people like Coach Tony Dungy, Vick came out of prison to try to fulfill three goals raise his children in the Lord, become a role model for young people, and be a better NFL quarterback than when he left. His is a story of steps forward and steps back, of stumbles, and of attempts at recovery. More a book about the inner workings of Vick's life than football, this is a story that causes readers to think, about their judgments of Vick, and about the potential for redemption in their own lives. 

As the Sports Spectrum co-authors write in the introduction:

We [are] left to determine what we [are] going to do with the Vick issue. [Will] we forgive?
This, then, is a story about the rest of us as it is about Michael Vick. It will chronicle perhaps the most remarkable personal and professional turnaround in pro sports history.”

I have not heard as much about Michael Vick lately, but his message rings echoes that of the apostle John in the Bible, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (English Standard Version, 2016, John 8:36).

43) Coming Back Stronger by Drew Brees with Chris Fabry—I really enjoyed this book! I will be honest and say that I probably missed most of the football references, however. Football is not my thing, but human interest stories are, and this was a good one! Drew Brees planned to play pro baseball, but he got into football in high school. During high school, he came back from an ACL injury to play at Purdue. He went to play for the Chargers in the NFL, but after a severe shoulder-injury, he got cut. He thought about going to the Miami Dolphins, but found a home with the New Orleans Saints. His faith and tenacity kept him coming back, and that helped him lead his team to a Super Bowl victory. There is a little bit of health/wealth/abundance theology in this book, but more of it is about working hard and trusting God. There are lots of one-liners worth requoting, and I have already shared some of the life lessons I got from this book with others. All in all, I think it’s a good memoir, for both fans of football, and fans of the human story.

44) The Air We Breathe by Christa Parrish—Part thriller, part mystery, and part stories of redemption, this book also took me a while to get into. It is artfully written, following the stories of two different women in two different time periods. The character, Hanna Suller and Claire Rodriguez, both face insurmountable psychological pains. They need to learn to love themselves, others, and God, again. They need to find strength to break out of their prisons and breathe fresh air. I could not read this book at night due to the trauma portrayed, but I was glad I finished it when I got to the end. Having read all the library's book by this author now, I do wonder what her own story is. Given the depth of pain her characters experience, perhaps she, too, has a redemption story?

45) Until I Found You by Victoria Bylin—This was a good book, and it still took me some time to read it. Bylin writes in an interview on her website that her books are about “redemption, resurrection, and restoration.” This book falls into all of these categories. There is wrestling with God. There is a unique aspect of condor restoration that the author ties in with the stories of marketing expert Kate Darby, bad-boy-turned-Christ-follower Nick Sheridan, and Kate’s grandmother Leona. The plot has lots of stops and starts, which maybe fits with the story, but it felt jarring because I could not tell if these were intentional, or due to writing that needs more refinishing. All in all this was a good book, and I finished. I have not found any other library books from this author that I want to read, though.

46) On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living by Alan Noble—This is definitely one of the best books on mental illness/mental health that I have read in a long time! In it, Professor Alan Noble provides a balanced approach to the topic, naming its nuances and inconsistencies, all while insisting that people get support and help. He insists that getting out of bed in an act of worship, a testament, and a witness. He neither condemns suicide not encourages it, stating that God's grace is enough to cover all sin, and “giving up” fails to love neighbors because it gives them an excuse to give up, too. The last few chapters name practical ways to cope with ongoing, chronic mental illness, suggesting that sometimes the right thing to do is drop everything and seek help, and sometimes it is to put others before self and keep going. I appreciated this short read (two hours and eighteen minutes on audiobook) and highly, highly recommend it. As Noble states, whether you have struggled with mental affliction yourself, someone you know has, and they need you, and you need them.

47) Finding Kind: Discovering Hope and Purpose While Loving Kids with Invisible Neurological Differences by Kari A. Baker—Kari Baker always wanted to be a mom, and when she became one to Brady, she felt delighted. As Brady aged, though, she noticed some differences in him. Then he received a diagnosis of autism. In this book, Baker chronicles some of her journey as Brady’s mother. She shares how this journey grew both her faith in God and her empathy for fellow humans. This book is not treatment advice, but rather more of a spiritual memoir. Baker ends not with platitudes about Brady having a rosy future, but with gratitude for how her son’s journey continues to help her find kind and discover hope and purpose. That is the ultimate good, and a hope for parents whose children struggle, and may always struggle. Finding kind is not about finding ultimate earthly healing or success, but about finding and seeking God’s strength as the source of hope and purpose, for only His strength is enough to sustain the hard work of parenting a child with special needs.

48) The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano—Carla Laureano has a special way of weaving food into her books, and she did it again with this one. Chef Rachel Bishop has worked her way from the bottom of the food industry to the top, but loses everything in a misplaced, misused statement to the media. Writer Alex Kanin takes some of the blame for her fall from fame and tries to make it up to her. When he offers to try to help Rachel, she reluctantly takes him up on it, and a tenuous partnership to put on “supper club” dinners begins. Along the way, both must wrestle with trust, their pasts, and what God has for them. This novel's plot seemed to resolve just a bit too quickly, in my opinion, but that might partly have been because my book contained previews of Laureano's next books, causing me to think I had more to read than I really did. All in all, I enjoyed the book and look forward to more Saturday night reading from this series.

49) The Ministry of Ordinary Places: Waking Up to God’s Goodness Around You by Shannan Martin—This book was not quite what I expected. What I expected was a book about faithfulness in the home. What I read was a book about paying attention to and living faithfully in community. Shannan Martin and her family went from living comfortably to living and finding community on "the wrong side of the tracks." Martin has a lot to say about paying attention, about forming relationships rather than making judgements, and about truly learning to love and be loved on. Martin shares honest and vulnerable stories, sometimes along with self-deprecating humor. She encourages faithfulness in the small things, stating that this is the true definition of success. This book was not earth-shattering, but rather gently challenging and reinforcing. People moving to new areas for ministry might especially benefit from reading it, as their ministry might just be more in the ordinary than in the extraordinary.

50) Over It: How to Face Life’s Hurdles With Grit, Hustle, and Grace by Lolo Jones—I enjoyed listening to this book in audio. Read by Olympian bobsledder and hurdler LoLo Jones, it chronicles her journey from a broken, impoverished childhood to that of an inspiring, albeit controversial, athlete. Lolo is a self-proclaimed Christian, but an atypical one in some ways. She doesn’t believe that language impacts her testimony, and she curses throughout the book. She believes in care and kindness, but has a temper, and is currently banned from using Olympic training facilities due to cursing at staff. While LoLo Jones isn’t a golden girl, not standing up as a perfect Christian, and having not yet won an Olympic medal, if readers can get over the language in her book, it’s a good one.

51) Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe by Carla Laureano—Baker Melody Johansson has had a string of relationships that went up in flames. She lost her pastry job when her friend Rachel Bishop resigned from her chef job. Now Melody is at a run-of-the-mill bakery, exhausted, but thinking she has no other options. When Pilot Justin Keller rolls in and sweeps her off her feet, she begins to think that things are looking up, only for it to seem like everything crashes and burns. There is a little bit of spiritual inequality in the romance represented here, but overall some good lessons to learn about learning to trust God and people, and putting down roots. The books in this series are longer than some I read, but I am up and ready to consume the next one!

52) Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters by Abigail Shrier—This is a controversial book, to be sure, but if read objectively, it’s a qualitative study on the rising prevalence of the transgender identity, particularly for girls. Journalist Abigail Shrier writes compellingly, using a collection of composite stories, interviews with experts, and straight up research. She does not suggest that gender dysphoria does not exist. Rather, she suggests that transgenderism might be becoming a social contagion, drawing in girls struggling with things like anxiety, body dysmorphia, and social anxiety. Rushing these girls into choosing a different identity and supporting them with medical interventions like surgery and testosterone shots might not be the right answers, she suggests. Rather, these interventions might be causing irreversible damage. Re-envisioning what it looks like to “be a girl,” uplifting women (rather than putting them down or comparing them to men), and providing community support might be better answers. If individuals want to transition, they can do so as adults. Regardless of where people stand on the issue of transgender identity, I think this is a book worth reading because ultimately, it is a book about valuing humans, all of them, in all of their differences: men, women, children, boys, girls, and even adults who have chosen to change the way they identify.

53) Uncanceled: Finding Meaning and Peace in a Culture of Accusations, Shame, and Condemnation by Phil Robertson—Duck Dynasty Patriarch Phil Robertson might surprise readers with his very intelligent, pastoral writing in this (relatively) short book. In it, Robertson explains why he believes that cancel culture holds power for people of the world and not for people of the gospel. People of the gospel have always been cancelled, he states, but cancelling has to do with guilt and shame, and Jesus cancelled all that on the cross. This book is rich with scripture and with Phil's heart for the unbeliever. If you call yourself a Christian, read this book. Robertson has something to say, and as the next to last book he published before his death in 2025, I think it leaves behind a great legacy.