Welcome to Pushing Pause! A once a month newsletter where we push pause to explore faith, rest and beauty in our everyday lives.
Well, hello! I want to start by talking about the beautiful fall weather but I realize that some of you have seen your first snowfall while others are still sweating through your tank tops. Seasons are a mixed bag of weather just like life I suppose. Whatever weather greets you outside your window, I’m glad you’re here!
Usually in this space we dive into a specific theme or topic that relates to faith, rest or beauty in our everyday lives, and we think about how these things form us and what practices or resources may help us slow down and engage more deeply. Today, we’re looking at the everyday goodness of this season in the form of a fall favorites list. While some things on this list are frivolous, naming and noticing good things is a practice in opening ourselves to joy. My friend, I need to crack myself open to joy more so let the fun begin…
Books
Start With Hello by Shannon Martin - I’m a fan of Shannon’s first 2 books and her honest and engaging way of sharing. If you want to cultivate community, be a good neighbor, open yourself up more to the people around you but aren’t sure how or it seems kind of scary…Start with Hello is for you.
Spiritual Direction, Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith by Henri Nouwen - My love for Nouwen’s writings continues to grow with each book I read. His words feel so true yet gentle and I always find myself being drawn to Jesus more and more in the pages of his books. More than the practice of spiritual direction, this book looks more closely at spiritual formation and asks questions for the reader to consider like, “Who am I?”, “Where do I begin?”, “What is prayer?”, etc. Each chapter ends with exercises for going deeper as well. This is a book I know I will return to and recommend again and again.
Products
Universal Thread Sneakers - I've struggled to find a fashion sneaker I like that didn’t feel so clunky on my feet or make me feel like I looked ready for a workout class. I bought these on a whim when they were on sale and am so glad I did! They’re comfortable, match everything, and have a slim profile. Most sizes seem to be unavailable but you can keep it saved for if they restock them.
Little Flower Lip Balm - I’ve been using this chap-stick for almost a year and it hasn’t run out yet! It’s the perfect texture and moisturizing. I like the light lavender scent but they have a lot of others to choose from. I also like their lavender citrus hand lotion. As the holidays come those would make a sweet little gift paired together.
No-Frills Weekly Planner - I’ve always been a paper planner girl but recently I’ve been finding I’m not using my weekly planning page in my planner as much. I’m trying out this weekly page along with my shared digital calendar with my husband and a paper monthly calendar spread. So far I like the simplicity of it while still providing a lot of room for lists and notes. It’s not dated so it doesn’t matter if I skip a week. The only thing I wish were better was the paper quality. I mean it’s fine and does what paper is supposed to do but I love a thicker, smoother page.
Everything Else
Fig jam with goat cheese - The sweetness of the jam with the tang of the goat cheese is so good on a cracker! My favorite fig jam is one that also has a hit of citrus. It’s an easy snack or appetizer to take to a party that feels a little more elevated than chips and dip.
Pickleball - In August I signed up for a beginner's
pickelball( I spell it wrong every time!) pickleball class. It’s been a fun stretch to try something new with strangers.Golden Hour album by Kacey Musgraves - This is not a new album this fall but I’ve picked it back up this season and remembered how much I like it! She’s soulful and country and the lyrics to a lot of the songs are great.
That will do it for this fall favorites list! I hope you found something lovely to try from my list or it inspires you to think of your own favorites this season. I’d love to hear about something you’re loving. You can leave a comment or reply to me directly. Thanks for reading!
I really love reading your blogs, Lindsey; thanks for sharing your thoughts. It makes me happy to take this little connection with me when we make the move to Austin!
I’m very interested in checking out the No-Frills Weekly Planner you listed, and in that same vein, here’s my offering back: “All Out Of” grocery list! I’ve been obsessed with it for years - makes grocery shopping lists SO much easier (and takes the pressure off of just one person to remember what’s out, because people can easily check it off as they go)!…
Knock Knock All Out Of Pad Grocery List Note Pad, 6 x 9-inches (Blue) https://a.co/d/6O4GoMX