Thursday Things #125
Are we living in the future? (Cookbookery things, jewelry foam, and four real good lists.)
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!
Happy 2025, happy TT #125, and welcome to the future. (Doesn’t “2025” feel like it belongs somewhere far off in the distance? Yesterday the words “I think it’ll last until 2030…” came out of my actual mouth while on the phone with my brother, and then I paused for a full five seconds because that’s a real year and it’s basically around the corner but feels like it’s as far away as 2058. Time is weird.)
Annnnyway, I’m waving hello from here, and I hope you not only had a beautiful Christmas but that your year is off to a slow, gentle start. The last few weeks months have been filled to the brim, but I’m trying to ease into the year… as much as I can, anyway! Perhaps there will be time for reflecting/evaluating/dreaming etcetera at the end of January. ;) For now though, here’s our first round-up of randomness for 2025… a few good things I enjoyed toward the end of the year and added to the always-in-process Thursday Things note on my phone, tucking away to share after the holidays.
If you have jewelry that needs saving.
This might be the strangest way to start the first Thursday Things of 2025—I do recognize that—but let me tell ya, this has proven to be a lifesaver and if by chance you do need it, it may end up being your favorite “random” of the year.
98% of the time, I wear pearl earrings, my favorite lightweight gold hoops (yes, the ones I’ve mentioned here about 37 times give or take 🤣), or the smaller gold earrings I shared in TT in 2024. But life occasionally calls for something a little fancier, and my go-to earrings for weddings/ceremonies/headshots/whatnot were starting to look r o u g h. Comes with the territory after 10 or so years, but I hated to throw them out.
I searched and searched and searched for them online to no avail, but one day I noticed this jewelry cleansing foam in Wal-Mart and figured it was worth a shot. Maybe it would do nothing at all, maybe it would strip all of the coating and make the earrings worse, or maybe… it would work. When I tell you the earrings look brand new, I’m not kidding. I’ve since used the cleaner on five other pieces and am actually astounded. So all these words about something random—that most of you probably own already—to say that if you don’t have this, it’s worth $9.49.
Cookbookery things.
Thursday, May 20, 2021…
From Thursday Things #35:
Did I purchase Amy’s cookbook, Love Welcome Serve, just for the strawberry cake recipe? Yes. Am I embarrassed? Not one bit. It's so good.
Friday, November 22, 2024…
(Peep the 2019 message if you really wanna go back in time.)
Amy is just as genuine and adorable and kind as you think she is, and her new cookbook (Satisfied: Savories & Sweets) is so beautifully done. In the rush of all things holiday/end of year/packing to head to Florida, I haven’t had a chance to cook (bake!) through it yet. I’ve flipped through, though, and I think this is a big-time winner. (It’s 50% desserts and that is my kind of cookbook, thank you.) It’s patiently waiting for me back in Birmingham and I’m looking forward to picking a recipe or two each month this year. Honestly, as a single gal I don’t try out too many new recipes. There are either leftovers for daaaaays or, if you half a recipe, you often just end up with leftover/wasted ingredients. The desserts are calling my name though so local friends, let me know if you’re interested in receiving half a cake this spring LOL.
Bonus/P.s. If by chance you’re looking for a cookbook holder for yourself or to give as a housewarming gift, this one1 is lovely and sturdy. I ordered it in the fall after actual years of thinking ‘that would be convenient to have…’ as I made recipes, only to promptly forget each time. Problem now solved. (I prefer a less wordy, more simple design… if that’s you too, keep a cookbook in the stand so you only see the small flowers!)
List posts x 4
I’ve tried my hand at “list posts” a number of times over the years… and I have a couple notes on my phone with half-written collections that are forever simmering and slowly growing… but I always stop my scroll when a new one from one of these thoughtful and imaginative writers joins the IG feed. There’s just something about stringing the sentences together one at a time on my phone that helps me keep my eyes open… and something about reading someone else’s collection that invites me to take another look at the beautiful ordinary. I’m a fan.
I’m wrapping up this round-up of good randomness with an intentional repeat… but it just feels right to not only close out the last TT of 2024 with these words, but to say them again here in the first TT of 2025.
True then. True now.
A bridge between the two. Maybe a banner over the two?
Either way, an anchor to hold onto.
Whatever your 2024 held, here you are, still standing. And also: here you are, held by a God who does not change.
Thank You Jesus for the manger, thank You Jesus for the cross, and thank You Jesus for a tomb that is still gloriously empty. What a good, good story it is that we’re living, even when the current page feels all kinds of ways. As I said once upon a time2 and ten thousand times since: We can trust the unknown of the future to the God we know is authoring its pages.
Whatever 2025 brings, thank God for God, we won’t face a moment alone. And also: May 2025 be the year of miracles. 💛
Affiliate links are used in this post. :)
This quote is from the final pages of my book Even If Not.
Please share the strawberry cake when you make it! Happy new year! Hope it's kind and gentle for you!!