Hello and happy Wednesday!

It’s been a while since I did one of these. Since Stephen left I’ve been on the road a lot but am finally back in FL and getting settled. 

It was certainly a difficult month with him being gone, but I am blessed to have family that is ready and willing to help me. My dad stayed with me for a week and later I went to Charleston and spent a few days with mom. They both babysat quite a bit so I could get things done and even see a few friends! So so grateful. I really do believe that every mom needs community/a support system. While my family is not in the same town or state as I am, they are within a day’s drive and have the flexibility to take time off and help me—I don’t think I’d make it long without them.

I hope the beginning of this new month finds you well! 

What has been resonating with me lately:

• as I said in the intro, you need community. You need a support system. I think people have become very isolated from each other, in part due to technology and in part due to the pandemic. This needs to change.
• Pray. Act. Repeat. There have been many things I have been contemplating in terms of work/creative outlet. I’ve been in a state of ambivalence for quite some time. I realized that instead of waiting for the right answer, I need to pray, act, and then pray again. The Lord will re-direct as needed and I need to trust that.
• Our bodies are temples. We should act in a way that reflects this reality. 

Where I’ve been finding encouragement:

• Salt Fat Acid Heat. I’ve really been enjoying this cookbook. It is quite popular and has won some awards, I definitely see why. I recommend it if you want to improve your culinary skills but don’t know where to start! She covers the basics in a way that is really entertaining + accessible. 
• Jen Fulwiler’s latest podcast episode. She’s really taking off and I’m so glad to see it. She is such an encouraging (and hilarious) person and I think she has some really great insights about work, motherhood, and life in general!
• Another podcast episode from Make Joy Normal She interviewed one of my favorite Instagram accounts: Married & a House! They talk about homemaking as a path to holiness and I loved it. Lots of truth imparted and inspiration to be found.
• The viral Shia LaBeouf interview. It’s all over social media and the internet so you’ve probably already watched it. But if you haven’t, you should! It’s not really for spiritual guidance, but incredible to see how God works in our lives and how he really does want to reach even the most lost of his sheep.

Things I’m excited about:

• September!!! I love starting a new month and this month is extra exciting because we welcome FALL! Here in Florida we don’t really feel the change, but it’s still a lovely time of year for so many reasons.
• Homemaking. I’ve been trying to do more of a deep dive into home-making. Ex: homemade bread, snacks, IRONING, scrubbing the floors… so many things have been automated these days and even though it is convenient, I think manual labor is actually really good for us. So I am taking on some new challenges with this side of things and it has been FUN! 
• Journaling! I’ve been taking time in the mornings to do some spiritual reading, pray, and journal. I always resisted the idea of journaling in the mornings because it seemed so much work…but it’s been really enjoyable and fruitful so far.

That’s it for me!

In all sincerity,

miranda