Hey friends.
It’s been a week, I think? It was one where my body was like NOPE NAH NO THANK YOU we will no longer be participating in this reign of terror so here’s a couple of migraines and a medicine adjustment and let’s throw in some seasonal allergies for good measure.
I can’t tell if my body is keeping the score of ONE YEAR AGO (I literally cannot even begin to look back at this time last year, it’s giving me mental shingles), or it’s just a weird week, but I spent a good fifteen minutes watching a spider and snapped out of it when I realized I was pondering its mental state and if it had a family it missed.
Anyway on that note, let’s do some questions!
Q: Hi please tell us where you got your shoes. - like, 50 people
A: Here! They JUST restocked these and I’m seriously considering how dumb/smart it would be to get the blue version as well?
Q: Any thoughts on Sister Beth exiting the SBC as someone who has done the same? - @merhannah
A: Well, yes. Many. We’re actually planning on unpacking some of this in Sunday’s episode of Favored or Forsaken (subscribe to The Bible Binge if you have yet to do so!). For what my opinion is worth, I really can’t think of anyone who has had a bigger impact on white Christian women than Beth Moore, and she’s put up with a heck of a lot of epic bull honky. What I love about Sister Beth (and please remember, she doesn’t know me from Adam, nor do I know her except one time she tweeted back to me about Idris Elba, so that feels like a win) is that it seems like there’s no other agenda at play here. She just really loves Jesus and takes her calling from God seriously. The SBC as an institution went out of its way to throw her under the bus, and not only minimize her gifts, but actually demonize them. And while I know that’s #NotAllSBC, it is a trend I see, even know with people I love attending SBC churches. Leaving a denomination is complicated and hard, even if you’re clear on God directing you to leave. What I’ve discovered is the outskirts of faith and practicing faith is not only valid, it’s valuable. The margins are where Jesus lived, and he is still active in the places we tend to shun or shy away from. The closer you get to a center of power, the less likely (for the most part) you are to find him. More on this in Sunday’s episode, but my dream is still one day to go on a Beth Moore cruise, so crossing my fingers for that to come to fruition soon.
Q: Will you get a COVID vaccine when it’s available to you? - @glennahadley
A: I’m on like seven waitlists. Put it in me.
Q: What skincare product are you loving right now? - @ericamgoodwin
A: I remain a staunch Some Call Me Crunchy Soothe Serum stan, as well as this Biossance Squalane and Vitamin C Rose Oil that has lasted me since JULY.
Q: Fave place to buy summer clothes? - @jessdenny
A: I’m a big fan of these Madewell shorts (I have them in all the colors from last year and I guess I’ll have to get those blue ones as well).
We had great questions this week and I want to save some of them, so I’m holding out on you, but there are good treasures too so not really.
🍑 Guys, thank you so much for taking the time to complete the survey I sent out! The number of responses I received was amazing and the feedback was so helpful. The comments section of the newsletter was a popular topic of discussion - with questions like: “where the heck is this comments section”, and “why is it such a mess?” and also “how can I interact?” I wanted to give this opportunity for you - yes YOU- to go introduce yourself in the comments below. In lieu of this week being the anniversary that the world locked down, let’s start with this: your name, hometown, and one thing this year that brought you joy, even in the midst of despair. Maybe it was baking bread, or watching your kid learn to swim, or a blooming bush that smells like peaches. If you’re waiting for a sign to jump into the comments: this is it. Also, I did contact the winners of that Olive and June, so congrats to Kelleigh, Katie, and Alexandra! You should have emails in your inboxes from me!
😭 Speaking of the lockdown - this woman got a second job as a nursing home custodian so she could finally see her dad after months of being separated because of the pandemic. This makes me emotional.
📄 I loved this article Tim Keller wrote about facing death and dealing with grief and comfort simultaneously as he walked through cancer this year.
👑 For my fellow royal historians out there (or anyone following the Harry + Meghan saga) you should read this fascinating thread about the parallels of Meghan Markle and Princess Gouramma of Coorg.
🪴 It’s time for my annual obsession with houseplants and newfound aspirations of keeping them alive. If you are a plant person or have future ambitions of being one eventually, this article has a list of places you can order houseplants on the internets! You can shop around without feeling insecure about the garden shop people judging you. Blessings.
👕 TODAY is the last day to get your Texas/Mister Rogers t-shirt benefiting Texas winter storm relief! If you’d like to match with me and all your friends while simultaneously helping people, you can purchase your shirt at this link.
🌭 Ben texted me “stop what you’re doing and watch this” and I didn’t think I would find it funny when I saw the title, but lo and behold, I was crying by the end of it.
Good tweet time!
This whole thread:
Okay friends. Please join us in the comments if you never have and want to. Tell me your treasures from this year or this week. But mostly, thank you all for being a part of this community that has been an important part of my actual sanity for the past 365 days. I’m really really grateful.
Hey all! I’m a long time Lil’ Swipe but only a very sporadic commenter. I have severe OCD combined with anxiety/depression/panic disorder and sometimes even things that bring me joy, like these comments, are overwhelming. My OCD sucks so much energy out of me on a daily basis cause the most basic of things are hard for me. It’s also primarily focused on germs so the pandemic has been just a walk in the park for me. But whenever I’m in here reading comments, even if I’m not saying anything, I am just in awe of this community!!
For the fun stuff: I’m a wife and a mom of a red-headed, almost 9-year old (and this sentence does not pass the Bechtel test but I don’t know how to communicate that info more quickly.) I love reading and do it pretty voraciously, & I love tv so much too. Basically, I love story. I’m writing a novel, which is very new for me to claim outloud. I’m a knitter and a lover of red wine. But I don’t need fancy stuff, my $5 bottle suits me fine most of the time. 🤣 My 40th bday is coming up in May. I’m unclear about how I feel about that.
I’m super late to posting this intro, so I don’t know how many of you will see it. But I have a deep desire to be involved here even when I don’t do a good job at making it happen.
And...my sister and I took our mom to Asheville, NC (one of our fave cities and where my brother lives) for her big milestone birthday. It was the first time it has been just her and her 3 kids since I added an in-law nearly 18 years ago. Definitely a treasure!