Thursday Things #104
A dip in the deep end, treats from Trader Joe's, books for Advent, and music for the month.
Every other Thursday, I share a handful of things I'm loving, reading, watching, listening to or just discovered. AKA the random good stuff we’d talk about over coffee, or text if we had one another’s phone number. I'm glad you're here!
We’re dipping into the deep end at the start, then talking treats and Christmas. It feels right, a mix of lighter + weightier + random swirling together.
This is us + here we go: one post that rang true, two yummy treats, three songs, and a bonus list of Advent resources.
God bears witness.
Real good chance this had me blinking back tears.
From Annie’s caption:
“I stood there longer than anyone would deem normal. I played the French horn in middle school, never stopped loving it, and it felt like God gently poked my arm and said, “look! remember?” with a smile.
In this little life of mine, so far without a partner to bear witness to my stories and memories, God has done it. A lot. I am deeply grateful for seasons and experiences He and I alone have shared. I would not trade it.”
I feel this deeply, so many stories and memories that belong only to me and to God, to us, not shared with another because God was the only one to bear witness.
I imagine this is true for those with a partner, too, that there are absolutely still times where God alone bears witness in a particular moment.
For lack of a better phrase, though, it isn’t as “built-in” when you’re single. Like Annie hints, there’s a whole lot of road walked just her and God, no consistent companion there for the day in and day out of it all, witnessing and remembering year after year after year after year.
There are days that truth stings from longing, but honestly reading this just felt—sweet. That God hasn’t missed a single moment. That God is more than familiar with every quirk and every grief, every inside joke and ‘remember when.’ That it may be that no one was around but I was far from alone. That God has seen it all, big and mundane and overwhelming and so very small.
It took me right back to the months of weekly parking lot prayers and afternoon appointments. Every time, seriously every time, I was so aware of “Only God sees me here. It’s just me and Him in this, just us gathering courage and walking up the steps and sitting in a waiting room and choosing to risk hoping again. We get to share this, just us, and that He would bear witness? It’s enough. Actually, it’s astonishing. And I’m so grateful.”
I’m rambling now and we have other things to get to this Thursday, but I guess I just want to echo Annie and say “yes, all of that, me too and isn’t God outrageously kind?” I want to say that these words from July 2022, about how God is our witness and we’ve never been overlooked or missed? I still mean them. They’ve held true.
And I want you to end the day with a reminder that God remembers you.
Two desserts from TJ.
I discovered these while making a quick Trader Joe’s run recently and, wouldn’t you know it, they magically found their way into the shopping basket. So weird how that happens . . .
Trader Joe’s peppermint cremes. Cool, creamy, with a little bit of a crunch—these are peppermint patties taken to the next level.
Trader Joe’s cocoa truffles. Heads up that these are super rich, but would be great to set out for a holiday party or to include in a ‘sweets’ charcuterie board. Apparently there’s a mint flavor too? I’ve yet to see it, but it’ll be in my cart just as soon as it’s available at my local TJ.
A not-Christmas song.
It’s amazing how music can instantly transport you to another time or place. Desert Song always reminds me of high school, but it feels like one that has continued to grow up with me—if that makes sense? Like it keeps coming back, perfectly timed, when I need it again.
I included a portion of the lyrics in the November downloads email that landed in your inbox last week, but thought I’d link the song here too. Written by Brooke Ligertwood and originally released from Hillsong Worship, the video/music below is from Brooke’s newest solo album.
A not-so-Christmasy Christmas song.
I’ve shared this before but it remains one of my all-time faves.
A snippet of the lyrics from Hillsong . . . According to my camera roll, I wrote them out in 2018. Five years later and this portion still takes my breath when the song plays.
The God of greatness . . . in a manger.
“Like a seed You were sown
For the sake of us all
From Bethlehem's soil
Grew Calvary's sequoia”
A Christmas song.
If you need five minutes of quiet beauty at the start of December:
Books for Advent.
Cue the high-pitched, drawn out social media influencer voice we all know — “Sooooooooo many* of you have asked about Advent book suggestions, so I thought I’d share a few!!!!!!”
*Like, five of you.
A few years ago I put together an Advent round-up of resources for individuals, children and families. There are nearly 35 devotionals/resources/bible studies in the post, but even that isn’t close to exhaustive… a bunch of great ones have released in the last few years that aren’t listed here, but hopefully this will get you started.
P.s. My personal favorite is The Greatest Gift. I read it for the first time in 2014 and it’s pretty special to see teeny tiny dated answers to the daily questions stretching from 2014 to 2022.
Happy last day of November, friend.
May you hear or read or see a good thing or two today, maybe even finding one in the comments (please share so we can all enjoy — especially if you have a dessert discovery).
May you know in the deep that you aren’t alone.
May you come up for air to find laughter and delight in the lighter things.
May you hear the whisper of “Remember? I sure do.” and know that, in it all, you have a witness.
Ooh, can I add two obscure ones for the Advent list? One is "Waiting on the Word" by Malcom Guite (a poem a day!). The other is "Fixated: Advent Meditations from the book of Hebrews" by Tim Chester. I find myself looking back at it all.the.time, it's that good.
I come back to The Greatest Gift every year. This is my 9th year! And I still love it.