Hiya friends (and May!),
I just wanted to say hello and check-in with my monthly goal progress! Here we go...
- Reading 2 books a month. Yes! I started with The End of Your Life Book club by Will Schwalbe---a true story about a mother and son who start their own "book club" after they receive the news that the mother has an advanced form of pancreatic cancer. Knowing how aggressive this cancer moves, the two decide to focus on their favorite hobby: reading. This book was moving and bittersweet, but the overall theme of choosing to live joyfully despite hard circumstances was so inspiring. I felt like I was the third member of their club as I read, and I loved that. And what bookworm doesn't love a story about people who also like to read?! The second book I finished was Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist. Shauna is one of my favorite authors, and I had been anticipating this release for months! (Exhibit A) I even recipe tested for the Gaia cookies back in October when she was still in the editing phase of the book---just look at page 284! This book is a collection of short stories about Shauna's life and the importance of sharing meals with the people you love, with recipes sprinkled throughout. It's like a memoir-cookbook-inspirational read all in one....and it is wonderful!
- SheReadsTruth. We're tackling the intense Hosea! Hosea can be painful for me to read because Israel wanders from God about a thousand times and it's hard to see God so sad. BUT God's love is so big that he redeems and redeems and redeems, so the moments of sadness are always replaced with feelings of gratitude for God's compassion, no matter how far we stray!
- Blog 3 times a week. Are you as tired of hearing me say I don't blog as much as I'd like to as I am? It's ok if you are. I don't blame you. I'm going to be a little more realistic and adjust this to once a week for May. Say a prayer for me?!
- Grow my Etsy shop. Like the little graphic above? Want some notecards that say just that? Good news---I have some up in the shop! AND I just got some new items in this week that I'm going to take some photos of and add to the shop!! Canvas prints, anyone?! Super exciting!
- Be in the sunshine. That was a little goal I threw in for April, and yes! I went for walks and spent more time outdoors, thanks to the fact that Indiana is finally showing signs of spring! I needed some of that vitamin D. Cheers to more of it!
I hope your May is off to the best start ever.
lots of love,
Caitlin