Thursday Things #109
*The* movie trailer, a 14-word shacket, 2 songs, and a book birthday.
Every other Thursday, I share a handful of good 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!
By the time this lands in your inbox, I’ll be in the cell phone waiting lot checking the flight arrival time — my parents are back in Birmingham for a super quick visit!
A lot has changed since they were here eight years ago, and we’re cramming a bunch into a day and a half — a concert, dinner with two of our favorite people, new to them places to visit and at least one stop at Cookie Fix (iykyk).
I hope your Thursday includes several good things (and dessert of some kind)!
The first look we’ve been waiting for.
If you read Thursday Things #108, you KNOW #109 has to start right here. I mean, cue the lyric: “I couldn't be happier, no, I couldn't be happier. Though it is, I admit, the tiniest bit unlike I anticipated — still — I couldn’t be happier.” (song: Thank Goodness)
I’ll spare you two hundred more words about Wicked (see: #108) and simply say it brought a smile to my face when your DMs showed up during halftime the Sunday after I gushed in TT, wondering if I had seen the trailer or replying to my Stories about the trailer with “I thought of you!!!”
Wicked is my Super Bowl. You know where to find me on November 27th.
Am I nervous about it? Oh for sures. Do I think splitting into Part One and Part Two is a mistake? Yep. But maybe if we all just go in with low expectations and some hope and a general agreement that it is its own thing (not the original Broadway soundtrack, not like seeing it in person in the theater, etc) . . . maybe it’ll be absolute magic.
God isn’t disappointed in your pace.
Receiving your messages of ‘Running is the actual worst, but God has met me on the trail too…’ and ‘I struggle with chronic health issues, too. This put things into words I haven’t been able to find.’ — just, grateful. Wish we could walk some of these local trails together. Maybe one day we really can talk about the Good Things in person (coffees in hand + we will absolutely and obviously not be running).
It’s the line in the preview for me…
…and this one too — it might look crazy from the outside, but I was born again to blaze trail — because it released three days after posting this, about how AFD wrote about blazing a trail in 2012 and the gentle reframe of walking alongside one another.
The timing is interesting/weird, so I’m making a mental note & paying attention & asking God to help us remember where our joy is found (secure) in 2024.
The shacket with 14 words in its name.
If you’re looking for an oversized, casual shacket (shirt + jacket) that’s comfy, soft, textured, and has a pop of color? Here ya go. I bought this a few weeks ago on a flash sale (keep an eye out, it may go half off again) and it’ll be my winter to spring piece.
There are a bunch of colors, but surprise surprise I went with Lake (pictured above).
All the days, all the way.
Since we’re headed his way within the hour, I’m passing along a song from Phil Wickham. There are plenty with 35 million+ plays on YouTube (🤯) I could pick from, but I’ll leave you with this . . .
A deep breath, peaceful and simple, Psalm 23 set to music.
Okay, I’m off to play tour guide for a day! But . . . it’s also the one day a year I can say this, so if you wouldn’t mind indulging me for one minute? (A minute that includes a request and also the answer to your “will you write another book???” DMs.)
Well, a certain book has a birthday tomorrow.
If you’ve left a review, thank you from the very bottomest bottom of my heart. We’re one (one!) shy of an important number on Amazon (when you reach it, Amazon starts suggesting the book on other pages… basically free marketing, which is a huge deal for self-published titles (me!) that never had a marketing budget behind them) and fifteen away on Goodreads. If you’ve read EIN and would be willing to write even just one or two sentences, copy/paste from one site to the other? I’d be so very grateful.
Encouraging authors and sharing how to leave a review within Launch Teams is part of my actual job. I mean, literally. Part cheerleader and part coach, it’s the easiest thing when it’s someone else’s book. Then it’s mine and suddenly I want to backspace and delete every single word here—not because I don’t believe in the book (I do) or because it doesn’t matter (holy moly after nearly a decade in the publishing industry, believe me when I say reviews are gold), but because it feels uncomfy to ask. But I’m here, asking, because I believe in the message of Even If Not and the actual Author it points to. If a couple more reviews can potentially have it cross the screen of someone who needs it but would never hear about a title without a budget—then I need to wipe my sweaty hands on my jeans, humbly ask, and let it be, knowing I did what I could and trusting God will take it where He intends to take it.
P.p.s. Over the years, y’all have (so kindly) asked if I’ll write another book. (The first time I was asked about Book #2 was at the book release party for Book #1. LOLOLOL. Incredibly sweet but also, time takes time. I remember my exact response and will 100% pull it out again when it’s party time for Book #2.) The shortest answer is: I have ideas (😳😉😊) and will write another book, but I plan to traditionally publish so there’s a team behind the message(s). Generally speaking, three numbers need to be higher for a publisher to offer a contract (reviews, social media friends, email subscribers) so for real your words, shares, and quite simply, you being here1 means a whole lot—always has, always will.
I don’t take it lightly, and also: thank you for graciously allowing me and my sweaty hands to make this once a year request.
Same time next February 22nd? LOL. Maybe, just maybe, there will be a contract in hand and a manuscript in the works. ;)
Happiest of Thursdays to you, friend. Grateful for ya.
Many of you have been around for over a decade, some from the very beginning. I am tearing up just writing that sentence. Thank you feels like the smallest thing. But, thank you. For being here, sticking around, sharing these words, offering your own in replies and comments, supporting financially through All The Things so I can keep showing up here (that $ support truly makes it possible for me to pay all the monies to keep the blog running on the backend + set aside enough work hours to write these emails to you), and legitimately for becoming friends over the years. I will never get over it.