🐧 Lil Treasures #63: It's Impossible to Function, But We Live in a World with Bird Murmurations

We're talking spinning plates, middle parts, and weighted blankets

Well. This is a week that we had. It was compiled of days and hours, and we did things within it.

I reached a point this week (it was on Wednesday) where I think my body was like, hey, love your whole energy of just pushing through until you’re sitting on the floor of your shower cranked all the way to the hottest temperature scalding your back with your phone in a plastic bag so as not to get it wet while you play a makeover game your kids downloaded that you’ve somehow become addicted to when you should actually be attending to real problems and issues in your life or just doing laundry, BUT we’re gonna give you a migraine so you go to sleep, you absolute NUT JOB.

I keep having to tell myself: none of us is equipped to handle this. This being…everything. I do not have the tools to be a person who thrives in the middle of a global pandemic, while also dealing with family and friends and work and a calendar and spirituality and bills and not snapping at my kids and cooking dinner and keeping up with laundry and trying to have a middle part. So since I do not have the tools, I am using whatever is available BE IT CHICKEN MINIS or the Peloton hack or the weighted blanket that Ben has taken to calling “Erin’s Best Friend”¹ or CHICKEN MINIS. I really have exactly zero advice or helpful content surrounding this [screams expletives into the void] pandemic we are all dealing with, other than:

• The fact that some things suck and some things are okay doesn’t mean it’s not all taking a toll on your various categories of health.

• Just because it’s not as bad for you as it is for some people doesn’t mean you can’t grieve it.

• It’s impossible to function right now.

• People who look like they are functioning right now probably aren’t.

• You have to give grace to yourself, and you have to give grace to the people around you. Sometimes grace looks like just disengaging from the things that rile up your self-preservation hackles.

• We’re getting closer to Lil Swipe Camp actually being a thing we can do and not just a dream.

But here’s what I realized a long time ago and strangely it tracks now: everyone is spinning plates. Some are beautiful heirlooms and some are just regular plates you get at Wal-Mart and some are paper plates. Everyone’s heirlooms are different and everyone’s paper plates are different. If you drop the paper plates, it’s fine. Pick it up, start again. If you drop the Wal-Mart plate, it’s also okay. I mean it’s messy and annoying, but again, in the grand scheme of things, not the worst. You drop that heirloom plate, it’s almost always fixable but it’s harder to repair. It means more. Don’t let your paper plates stay up at the expense of your heirlooms.

OKAY SO LET’S DO SOME TREASURES, yes?

✝️ Lent begins this Wednesday! My Lent study for this year, Memento Mori, has officially dropped and I can’t wait to get started this week. I’m feeling the heaviness of Lent more than I ever have before - this post from my friend Alissa of Little Way Chapel really helped me process through why. I’m even more thankful for the added community aspect of the study this year because of this - I need others to walk alongside me in the heaviness. If you haven’t grabbed your copy yet, you can do so here. Don’t forget to use the code LILSWIPES for 20% off! [And of course, as always, if you don’t have room in the budget for it, but you want to join, just email me at hello@erinhmoon.com and we’ll get you set up!]

🐧 Guys look at this video of bird murmurations. I would watch 100 hours of this.

🎙️ I had the absolute pleasure of being a guest on a couple of podcasts this week - Front Porch with the Fitzes, Determined to Disciple, and Your Enneagram Coach (this one has multiple episodes). Add them to your favorite podcast app this week if you don’t already subscribe! Also, I have an episode coming out next Monday with the universally beloved Kendra Adachi of The Lazy Genius podcast where we talk about what to do when you have a faith crisis. I REALLY loved this conversation (and it sparked in me what I want to do for my next project), so if you aren’t subscribed and that sounds interesting to you, smash that button there as well. (I am a Lazy Genius acolyte and love everything Kendra does, so I might be slightly biased but WHO CARES?!)

💝 I’ll tell you what has given me a lot of joy this week: seeing all of you post about your Galentine’s Lil Swipe Swap. I seriously cried over it. I remain convinced the kindest and loveliest people have gathered here. You are all my Galentines and I mean that.

🇺🇸  The marine who escorted Lady Gaga at the inauguration ceremony took to the internet and shared his experience. It was honestly so wonderful! You can read about it here.

🧙‍♂️ Have you ever wondered what Christian denominations would be like if they were Hogwarts Houses? If so, this video is for you.

🦸‍♂️ This mashup of High School Music + Avengers is *chef’s kiss* perfect.

👨🏻‍🏫 How freaking cute is this kindergarten teacher? Dana posted one of his videos (Dana you are my meme queen) and I went down the rabbit hole.

mrdtimes3

A post shared by Joe Dombrowski (@mrdtimes3)

Okay are y’all ready for the good tweets?!

Professional Worrier @pro_worrier_

Remember when we couldn’t find the lyrics in the cd booklet and we were just like “guess I’ll never know the real words to this song”

ARTMEMESCENTRAL @artmemescentral

Emily Murnane @emily_murnane

Ugh guys I’m starting to suspect that taking my little walk every day just isn’t gonna cut it as a substitute for a rich and full life outside the home and physically interacting with friends and loved ones on a regular basis :\

Let it be said that I love Gen Z, but this is accurate

Gabrielle Moss @Gaby_Moss

Reading a lot about how Gen Z hates Millennials for our dumb side parts, as if middle parts were not a key part of our Proud Millennial Heritage

Heather Thompson Day @HeatherTDay

Me to everyone else: Feel your feelings! Me to myself: YOU’RE FINE

Lore FergusonWilbert @lorewilbert

I can trace almost every prejudice I've had to a lack of understanding another's experience or position or belief. I assumed I knew it or understood it and I didn't. Not really.

Petty tweet👇

my pal andy™ @andylevy

too many people who should have impostor syndrome don't

Aaron J Smith @CulturalSavage

I just saw someone say, "You didn't make good choices. You had good choices." and I am completely floored. I mean, what a great way to talk about privlidge.

MaryLauraPh @MaryLauraPh

Is everybody... ok out there?

jenny⚡️cavallero @jennycavallero

Do you ever feel Like a plastic bag In a larger bag Full of plastic bags

Okay team. Imagine me in a sparkly gown on the Star Search stage, belting out Josh Groban’s “You Raised Me Up” to all of you while a single tear rolls slowly down my cheek. Can’t to read your treasures!

1. It’s an affiliate link, my loves.