Hi there, readers!
For this post, I’m totally “borrowing” an idea from Tsh Oxendrider’s podcast My Good List. On the episode, Tsh interviews a guest and asks each one to share a thing, a habit, a piece of art, and a philosophy that is saving her life at the moment.
So, without further explanation, here’s my good list.
A Thing: Peppermint Bark—in all its various forms. Since Thanksgiving, I’ve had Ghirardelli squares in the house. Brad prefers the milk chocolate and I prefer the dark so there’s no competing for our favorites. Each square is individually wrapped so they’re easy to tuck in a school bag, a purse, or in my hand. This past Friday, I also enjoyed The Cheesecake Factory’s seasonal Peppermint Bark Cheesecake. Total yumminess. Even better, I ordered the slice at the To-Go counter and had the server split the piece into two slices. I enjoyed one half Friday evening and the other half Saturday evening. A wonderful, decadent treat!
A Habit: My Advent Devotional from Regent College. A number of years ago, Regent published four Advent devotionals written by faculty, staff, and former Regent students. The readers follows the liturgical calendar. For instance, this year’s reader started on Sunday, December 2, the first day of Advent. The fourth volume is a compilation of the other three devotionals. Each day contains a morning and evening reading. I love the thoughtfulness and variety of reflections written by individuals from all over the world. As busy as life can get during this month, I find these reflections slow me down and allow me to enter into the Advent season. Unfortunately, only The Cradle and the Crown (the compilation devotional) is available for purchase.
A Piece of Art: My Brilliant Friend on HBO. Tsh uses a broad definition for art on her podcast and I’m taking that liberty as well. I mentioned in an earlier post how excited I was that HBO turned the book into a television series. I am slowly working my way through the episodes and enjoying them very much. Watching the show has been my treat after a long day’s work.
A Philosophy: “Notice what you notice.” I heard this phrase last spring at a workshop presented by Marilyn McEntyre at the Festival of Faith and Writing. I’ve since used it often in my classes and in my own life. As I coach my students in active reading and annotating, I’ve told them, “notice what you notice” as you read. Underline, highlight, make margin notes. Personally, I’ve found this phrase instructive as I read books, listen to podcasts, or as I watch television and movies. I’ve found myself jotting down snippets of text or ideas in my journal. Later, when I reread my journal, I come across these quotes and ideas and find myself mulling over them again. It’s been a meaningful way of looking at life.
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Thanks for reading. And, thank you for spending some time here this past year. As 2019 approaches, I plan to make some upgrades to this site. I’m excited to share more about these changes in January.
May your Christmas be filled with joy, peace, and love.
Alicia Brummeler 