friday 5 at the farm: some great internet finds

Hello, happy Friday! TGIF!! What a week it’s been here. It’s been one of those solid, smooth running, list-conquering weeks, fairly unremarkable but very satisfying, you know? And all the spaces in between have been happily filled with Love and prayer and strong running and great food. Also, we finally found a few comedies to watch, so hallelujah for that!

The “big stuff” in life, the traumas and temporarily unanswered questions, are either staying the same or being worked on by God in the unseen background, however you choose to see things. I think you know where I stand with that. He is so generous and steadfast, so faithful with His promises. Trusting Him is the only way, really, that we get any sleep. And it’s only by His assurances and grace that we can move through our daily lives while waiting for answers about our Girl.

Thank you, by the way, for your continued prayers and love notes.

Anyway. It’s Friday!! We have almost made it through another incredible work week, and before the weekend kicks up I thought I’d share a handful of internet treasures with you guys, Friday 5 style. Please feel free to send me links to excellent articles or ideas you’ve found, too! I love good brain and body and soul stuff. 

Sandy the Reluctant Entertainer shares gorgeous, approachable recipes all the time, and they always accompany some much-needed life advice. So I hope you follow her somewhere for your own sake. But this recipe for stuffed poblano peppers jumped out at me thanks to my current craving for hot and spicy food, and her story about family bonds and seizing the moment is well received. Also! Poblano pepper seeds are on my garden ordering list. It’s going to be a fun food growing year at the farm!

I found this article on marriage over at Ann Voskamp’s blog. It’s a guest post by Barbara Rainey, and it is beautiful. I hope you give it a few minutes of your day. Handsome and I are big believers in the small stuff. 

When the small stuff of marriage isn’t diligently attended to, then big-stuff crises provide plenty of reasons to quit an already muddy marriage. ~Barbara Rainey

Some Very Necessary Writing Quotes by Marisa Mohi. I am pretty crazy about Marisa for lots of reasons, not the least of which is her prolificity. How she manages to write thorough and engaging blog posts on top of a full-time job and the needs of a well attached Rosie Puppins is kind of amazing to me. I love her posts. This one is like a delicious appetizer menu for people who need to prime the writing pump. (Raises hand in shame…)

What Journaling Actually Does to Your Brain, at mindbodygreen. Yes. How lovely that a scientific study is provided. I recently revamped my pen-and-paper gratitude and journal practice and am loving it. Whether it has made me more altruistic, I don’t know; but I do feel calmer and more peaceful toward people and situations that normally wind me up pretty hard. If mindfulness and open-heartedness are feelings you crave in the new year, then journaling could be an excellent start.

Are you following Adriene? Are you doing her TRUE yoga series? It is, no surprise at all, luscious!! Luscious in every way. My body feels incredibly loose and strong, spacious, which makes running even more fun. And every day she offers these beautiful little pep talks that are just soothing. Each session has a theme word, and often they line right up with my private journal focus and Bible devotion for that day. Isn’t that cool? This daily yoga practice has really helped slow down the January rush. I feel like I am squeezing more good stuff, more nutrients, out of each day, and I plan to keep at it after this series ends. If you’re looking for some regular doses of yoga, consider this one. Start it anytime.

We tried this homemade bread recipe to make little scooped-out bread bowls for serving homemade broccoli-cheese soup. Handsome and I both loved it! It had an almost old sourdough flavor, was easy to make with basic pantry ingredients, and baked up very fragrantly. I love any recipe that makes the house feel cozy like that. The bread finishes crusty and hollow-sounding with a soft, fluffy middle, perfect for scooping out. (I twice-baked the scooped bits with olive oil for really great croutons.) We’ll keep this on our regular menu rotation, at least during the cool months.

Okay, that was a list of six, ha! Bonus points, ok, because that bread bowl recipe is not to be skipped. Make it and be happy!

Happiest of Fridays to you, friends! Feed yourselves well, nourish each other, do everything you can do, and then trust God. It’s going to be okay.

“How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.”
~Henry David Thoreau
XOXOXOXO