Do you love crossing things off of a list? I love it until it feels like crossing things off lists is all my life amounts to. I have lists everywhere – on my Post-It note pad, on spiral notebook paper I stole from Kayla, on computer paper folded in half, on my phone. I won’t be writing any books on management strategies with this approach, but it works for me.

This week felt like the perfect combination of having a challenging amount of items on the to-do list, but regularly deleting items from “Notes” on my phone, and relishing an enjoyable level of productivity. Productivity makes my heart happy, even though I probably don’t execute it like the gurus.This week part of my work involved a lot of addressing envelopes, stamping them, and trips to the post office, (Kayla’s graduation announcements and invites to a statewide Pastor’s Wives’ Brunch) and if you’ve been reading here for a while, you already know how much I love all things having to do with the post office and agree wholeheartedly with Jane in Jane Austen’s Emma…

The post-office is a wonderful establishment!” said she.—“The regularity and dispatch of it!  If one thinks of all that it has to do, and all that it does so well, it is really astonishing!”  

A wonderful establishment indeed! I also had to box and return a few items I’d purchased online – one of which was a potential dress for Kory’s wedding. I do have good news about that though! Maybe an update next week…

Sitting at my dining room table with nearly 100 envelopes to hand-address gave me the opportunity to listen to a few podcasts. Here are my five favorite episodes from the week:

The Happy Hour Episode #190 with Jackie Hill Perry

It’s Jackie’s story of entering and exiting a lesbian lifestyle. If you’ve never heard her story, I want to highly recommend listening. It’s powerful, honest, and humble. And Jackie is so solid in her understanding of the Scriptures and the sanctification process we’re all in as believers. She also taught me a lot about expecting and receiving criticism and push back. Jesus got flack, why would we expect any different? Maybe someday I’ll progress in that area of sanctification and it won’t affect me so deeply.

The Happy Hour Episode #189 with Tova Sido

Tova’s story is one of heartbreaking loss – one stillborn child, and two who died before their first birthdays. But it’s also a story of healing and hope – proof of the power of Christ to redeem and restore all things. Tova taught me more about how to trust God in trials, not to mention having more perspective about what constitutes a trial or a sorrow. It’s relative, I know, but still. Fair warning: It might make you cry as it did me, but I find these sorts of stories so helpful even though they are painful.

Hey Girl Podcast Season 2, Episode 18: Welcome to New York with Christina Hovestadt

I loved hearing about Christina’s journey – not only to working for the NFL, but also to knowing Christ. From age 20-30 and as a single woman, God led her into jobs and service opportunities that were meaningful and exciting. Her faithfulness to seek the Lord in all of it was so inspiring. Will she marry Tim Tebow someday? Who knows…

Ransomed Heart Podcast: Five Agreements That Are Killing Millennials: Part 1

Ransomed Heart podcast: Five Agreements That Are Killing Millennials: Part 2

Oh man, as someone who spends A LOT of time with millennials, this was a good word. While most of my time is spent with Christian millennials in the church who don’t always fall prey to these “agreements” (John Eldredge’s language), some still do and these episodes put into concise language the concerns my heart weighs heavy with regarding that generation.  I think John Eldredge has a lot of wisdom and thinks well (biblically/theologically) about many of the deeper issues of our existence.

If you want a print version, the above “Agreements” episodes were born out of an article written here. But the written version doesn’t satisfy quite as much as the podcast version, since the hosts are able to give more explanation and examples. (The print version is a bit clearer and straightforward though.)

I didn’t listen to all of these over my envelope-addressing duties. Some were playing while I was out for a run, or out running errands and checking things off of my long list for this week. A couple of them I listened to while cooking dinner.

Speaking of, I listened to the John Eldredge podcasts while cooking Danielle Walker’s Hawaiian Chicken Burgers last night. Here’s the final product, which only Robert and I enjoyed, since Kayla had other plans for the evening…This exact recipe is not online (it’s in her Meals Made Simple book) but here’s the link to a very similar turkey burger version. The chicken ones have an accompanying sauce that includes mayonnaise, sesame seed oil, garlic and lime juice. Yum. We added sweet potato fries as a side.

Off to check a few last things off the list today. Picking up new prescription glasses being one of those. Sending off a belated birthday card to my 21 year old nephew being another. The list goes on, but the accomplishments feel good. Next week’s major to-do is a final exam in New Testament I.

I hope you have a few fun things on your list for this weekend. Our fun agenda item for the weekend is our church’s baptism celebration at a local pond on Sunday afternoon. Airbnb guests, too.

Happy Friday!