Thursday Things #105
Just a few (ahem) playlists, the most precious video, and good words to carry through to 2024.
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!
Somehow we’re nearly to the end of 2023. Whether you’re feeling like “thank God, bring on 2024!”, a whole lot of “how is that possible?!”, or there’s still so much on your to-do list that you can’t think beyond Christmas Day yet—I pray the remaining days are full ones . . .
In the rest-full, hope-full, joy-full way.
I’ll be back in your inbox two Thursday from now, as usual, but instead of Thursday Things you’ll receive a new piece I wrote titled: For When the Storm Just Won’t Let Up
Y’all, this is not a Christmas piece. It’s just not. When I received the just-after-Christmas date from (in)courage, I considered for all of .482 seconds writing something holiday-ish or new year related. But this—this is what I personally need to hear as the year comes to a close. I’m grateful for the baby in the manger, yes absolutely, but also, I’m outrageously thankful that He didn’t stay wrapped in swaddling cloths . . . but instead grew and loved and died and was wrapped in cloth again and raised to life so that He might stay with us for all the other days, in every storm, on every calendar page. Until one day we’re finally Home for always.
If this year took everything you had and then asked for more, if you’re showing up weary and worn, if you’re trusting but also you’re tired? The December 28th article is for you. Or, perhaps, someone you love. I’ll send it your way here, via email, once it’s published by (in)courage. And then we’ll return to regularly scheduled programming with Thursday Things on January 11th!
Today: We’re going heavy on the good words, videos & songs . . . plenty to carry through the end of the year!
Good words.
Let the last short days rest gently on your shoulders . . .
This right here—so good.
Perfect for Advent, this season of anticipating and longing, hoping and believing, looking and finding . . . click here or on the image below so you can swipe through and read the entire prayer from Hannah Brencher.
The most precious classic part.
I’ve only watched this eight or nine times now.
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(The TikTok link doesn’t work for me in the Safari browser, but it does in Chrome even if you don’t have a TikTok account. Or you can Google ‘overjoyed by classic part in nativity.’ His delight is infectious but also big points to his mom for the immediate “that’s amazing!”)
A beautiful twist on a classic.
Last year I invited you to leave a comment with one of your favorite Christmas songs. This one comes via your recommendation and it’s now among my favorites.
P.s. If you want to drop one of your favorites in the comments? They’re open!
A deep breath.
6 Christmas playlists.
I mean, in case you need more . . . These are some of my go-to’s year after year. Click play and let it run on a loop. :) I’m linking to the playlists on YouTube, but you can find the same or similar on Spotify.
Adding in this idea here at the end, because I’ve received a number of emails/DMs about wanting to join All The Things in 2024. First, YAY! I would love to have you there. Second, maybe you’d like to ask for a subscription as a Christmas present? :)
Here’s where your friend or family member can do that:
If you aren’t familiar with All The Things, it’s a smaller group of paid subscribers that receive a bunch of extras every month (in addition to Thursday Things & regular emails), including:
surprise gifts in the mail + giveaways
digital prints and lock screens
private Zoom calls with authors and friends
access to our private All The Things Instagram account
first-word news about writing/life updates
The real-real: The financial side of All The Things makes it possible for me to say no each month to a potential paid work project or two and instead set aside time every week to write new articles, social media posts, and put together Thursday Things. Truly, ATT makes that possible—and it’s my joy to create and share a lot of extras there as a thank-you for supporting my writing!
You can upgrade from free to paid at any time, and gifting a subscription—or receiving one as a gift—is available year-round. And of course, you can ignore every bit of this, stick with free content only, and you’ll continue to receive Thursday Things! But if you’ve thought about joining ATT and want to add it to your Christmas wish list? Send that subscription link on (there’s even a fancy option where they can schedule the “you’ve been gifted a subscription!” email to arrive on Christmas) and hopefully I’ll see you there in 2024!
(Note: I’m mailing a surprise to ATT subscribers in January, so make sure if you receive a gift subscription you fill out the address form ASAP!)
Alrighty, I’m off to start making my packing list and gathering all the presents stashed here there and everywhere throughout the year. I’m driving home this time and while it’s a trek, it comes with the bonus of not having to squeeze everything into a carry-on. AKA I don’t have to choose between presents, actual clothes, and bringing along a few new puzzles that are waiting to be done while a Christmas movie plays in the background.
(These new, 1,000 piece ones may slow us down, but we’re nothing if not determined. See: puzzle proof from ATT Instagram Stories circa December 2022.)
Happy puzzling to you and yours. :)
Merry, merry Christmas friend!
The entire Crowder Christmas album Milk and Honey is just incredible. I am hard pressed to pick a favorite song from it, even though The Elf Song is just about perfect. The entire album is so good I can never just listen to it and be time through.