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Happy Go Stuckey

Tethering Grace & Togetherness

My 2015 in Review (the year that I drank a lot of coffee.)

January 5, 2016 by HappyGoStuckey 3 Comments

One of my favorite practices is the monthly Share What We Learned link-up with Emily Freeman. It helps me notice and pay attention a bit more. The monthly recap is fun but the annual recap usually throws me for a loop– so this year I took to Instagram to remind myself of the highlights and lessons learned. I’ll give you two guesses of what I found.

Pictures of coffee.
Iced Coffee. Hot Coffee. Black Coffee. Coffee with a book. Coffee on the porch of a cabin. Coffee on Main Street in Disney World. Coffee at Allume. I’m really not sure what that says about my year. Was I that tired all year long or is coffee that much of a work of art to me? Either way, in 2015 I apparently learned how to drink coffee like a Gilmore.

Final.My 2015 in Review-8

Kidding. I actually only drink one coffee a day, I just happen to think it’s pretty.

There actually were several highlights during our last dance around the sun. 2015 review1

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF 2015:

  • I read more than SIXTEEN books, start to finish. That may not be many for some– but the last time I read that many books in one year I was in college and it was required! As much as I love to read, I have always been a book stacker instead of a book devourer. But, this year I set out to simply read more– and 16 books is an accomplishment for this girl. My 2016 reading goal is 24 books. That’s two a month and my hope is to make it about 50% Fiction. (Curious what I read? I wrote a little list below. I would recommend nearly every one.
  • By God’s grace and the help of a very patient husband, I finished my first book proposal. The future is certainly unknown to me in that department, but just completing the task was a major mountain climbed. The technical and spiritual processes of it all were entirely educational and, mostly— fun. Such a valuable exercise.
  • We had a great year as a family. We took a few trips and enjoyed both travels and times of just being home. We cooked a few new things, worked on our house a little, and just loved being together.

LESSONS I LEARNED IN 2015: 

  • We spend our whole childhood standing on our tip -toes to be grown and then relish in the things that make us feel like children again. My daughters are just six and three and already– I hear them say things about growing up and being big. And I hear them say it as I hear my younger self ringing in my own ears. One day I’ll be grown and I’ll do… They do it already, I did it for sure.But a couple of weeks ago I sat in a dark theatre rich with the smell of salty popcorn and anticipation. As the words, “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..” rose slowly up for everyone to read, I sneaked a look around at a room full of grown-ups and I saw one thing: sheer delight. Many in that theatre remembered what it was like to be small and not be able to read well enough or fast enough to know what those opening words said. But now we are big enough, and it feels good to still feel a little small. And it is still every bit as cool. It’s why I clutched my husband’s arm the first time the Millennium Falcon came across the screen. For the very same reason I teared up when we met Belle at the Magic Kingdom in September and saw the fireworks over Cinderella’s castle. I feel it still when I curl up on my parents couch and sigh. It’s interesting to me– and I don’t really understand fully but I think all of us grown-up’s? We have much to learn about being small. Being like children in our delight and our faith and trust and enjoyment of every little thing. And P.S.– did Chewbacca seem taller to anyone else? I have a theory about him being bigger this time around.. since well, many of the audience would be bigger than the original movies. (ok, Star Wars-Talk Over.. but in my defense–as a child of 1982, The original trilogy was basically the background music for most of my childhood.)
  • Perspective is crucial when listening to the voices of others. It is possible that I can learn many things from those I disagree with on many things. I can listen and appreciate the input of people I have little to nothing in common with, from one Image-bearer to another, I can listen and hear them. I can learn. There is a need for balance when listening to others.. others that in the past we would be afraid of. Those we may feel threatened by and want to build a wall to keep out. Balance, sure. Wisdom, definitely. I can disagree and STILL BE RESPECTFUL of who they are as a human being. And at the beginning and end of everything, there is God’s truth as the only REAL truth we can know. If God is silent on a matter, than I need humility above all else, above all opinions.

Those two lessons stood out to me the most. What did you learn last year?

Books I Read: 

  • Dear Mr Knightley, Katherine Reay. Fiction.
  • Lizzy and Jane, Katherine Reay. Fiction. (I really love Katherine Reay books.)
  • Longing for Paris, Sarah Mae. Non-Fiction.
  • Nobody’s Cuter than You, Melanie Shankle. Non-Fiction.
  • Where’d You Go Bernadette, Maria Semple. Fiction.
  • Wild in the Hollow, Amber Haines. Non-Fiction.
  • Bittersweet, Shauna Niequist. Non-Fiction.
  • You and Me Forever, Francis Chan. Non-Fiction
  • Speak, Nish Weiseth. Non-Fiction.
  • The Fringe Hours, Jessica Turner. Non-Fiction
  • The Song, Chris Fabry. Fiction.
  • Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott. Non-Fiction.
  • Bringing Lucy Home, Jennifer Phillips. Non-Fiction
  • Longing for More, Timothy Williard. Non-Fiction, Devotional. I began this in Fall of 2014, but it’s a daily companion for me.
  • Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson. Fiction. I read this to teach to my 8th Grade literature students– I can’t believe I had never read it before.
  • Delicious, Ruth Reichl. Fiction.

(Books I began in 2015 but am still reading,)
Curious Faith, Logan Wolfram (This beauty releases March 1st !!)
The Bronte Plot, Katherine Reay (I am nearly finished with this one, and I hate that it’s almost over!)
Writing Down the Bones, Natalie Goldberg. Non-Fiction
Anne of Avonlea, L.M. Montgomery. Fiction. I mean, of course.
Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers. Fiction. This one I’m slowly going through with my Lucy girl.

 

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it is the voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.” –Mary Ann Radmacher

What I can learn from my old bedroom: on celebration, change, and staying little.
What I Need More than More Time.

Comments

  1. ashtoncmorgan says

    January 5, 2016 at 10:00 pm

    Ahh! I love Katherine Reay too! The Bronte Plot was a good one. And Melanie Shankle, duh. Some of your others are on my to read list of this year too 🙂

    Reply
  2. Amanda says

    January 5, 2016 at 10:13 pm

    Did I tell you we saw Francis Chan at WDW as we were riding the new mine train ride? As we were coming around a curve towards the end Andy thought he saw him standing outside the ride watching, my BIL yelled out Francis – and lo and behold he waved! Us and the seven dwarves were oh so excited about the sighting! It was fate!

    Reply
  3. Teresa says

    January 6, 2016 at 1:42 am

    I too am a book stacker. I’m also a book starter, and sometimes finisher. I’m going to be more intentional this year about reading. I’ve dabbled in a few on your list. I love to read, but for some reason the past few years I do less than I want. Congrats on the book proposal – I hope your receive a green light. I’m parked beside you over at Emily’s – I was late to the party, the end of year reflection takes me awhile to process.

    Reply

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I'm Cynthia and I'm so glad you're here. I am an introvert with an extrovert's love of gathering people together. I love good books and capturing moments. Whether you visit me here or on my own front porch, I'll be the one holding the Iced Coffee for us both.

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Joy is the courage of people who don’t have all Joy is the courage of people who don’t have all the answers, yet.

While you sit in a season of waiting,
the calendar can often be a cruel companion, reminding you that days go by, weeks, months— with what feels like very little change in the right direction.

Perhaps you can easily assent to: 
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

but you strain to see just how it will be when: “...a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12)

Wherever you and I are today— whether we wander, wait, stand firmly planted, or some pressed together combination of all three — we can take heart.

We are not alone.
And this will not be wasted.
What seems to be an unending blank space, an indefinite pause, is a space for new things.

Long before all is made right, and whether or not it all is tied up neatly with a perfectly crafted bow— we can know this:

We do not have to know the outcome to be faithful today.

✨Joy is not disregard for reality as much as it is obstinacy against despair.✨
Hi 👋🏻 I’m Cynthia and I’m a bit weary. T Hi 👋🏻 I’m Cynthia and I’m a bit weary. There. I said it. These days I’m gravitating to the true & the beautiful as rest for my weary self... and I wonder if you are too.

So much so, that I’m starting a new little offering, it’s called “The Feast: Wonder for the Weary” and the first issue goes out this weekend. It’s a bit more personal (okay this first one is WAY more personal. 🤭) It will be a little bit of everything, all with the goal of offering REST to both the feasters & foragers alike. If you’re already a subscriber— no need to do anything, if not— click through my bio to “keep in touch” and join the feast.✨
We are a people of both lament and praise. We hol We are a people of both lament and praise.

We hold questions without answers— yet we hold them in hands already full of good things.

We hold our daily bread, our daily gifts, and we hold the daily closeness of the God Who Sees.

The God who is no stranger to our lament, and Who Is the reason for our every hope.
He does not grow weary of our asking. Of our need to be told again, He will. 

You friend, are not invisible.
You are seen and cared for by the God who does all things well. (Even when they feel anything but.)
Married love ambition: making the kids roll their Married love ambition: making the kids roll their eyes at our “gushy-ness” as often as possible. 

President & CEO of the Lance Stuckey Fan Club— in every season, but especially on days like today.
Rainy day Mocha date, courtesy of our own toasty k Rainy day Mocha date, courtesy of our own toasty kitchen.😍🌧📚

On this chilly Saturday, we spent entirely too long browsing for books at our library and then all came home to a fire, mochas, and cocoa, respectively. Of all the things we do not know at this very moment, we know the gifts abound, and are worth counting.

PS, if you haven’t spread whipped cream on a foil-lined baking sheet to freeze, and then cut out cute shapes with cookie cutters to top your coffee or hot cocoa, may I suggest you get thee on that at once.
“If God sends us on strong paths, we are provide “If God sends us on strong paths, we are provided strong shoes.” — Corrie Ten Boom

✨File under, things to save in a fire.✨

The prayer journal pictured here contains six months of the hard & the sweet.
Six months of prayers asked & answered for ourselves and for others.
Six months of seeing through prayer, not how it changed our circumstances necessarily but how it changed us.

I always appreciate a record like this— being able to clearly see the paths we are led down, rocky though they may be? Priceless.

The ways God has come near us & drawn us to Himself again and again are written on these pages and I’ll treasure it forever.

Also pictured: Psalms Illuminated Scripture Journal. Highly recommend. Thank you always, @allifarnell
“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it th “The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.”
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

While scrolling through my photos today, my heart was heavy to realize how far back “before” was.

Before masks and distancing, before loss, before other, more personal bits of hard. Multitudinous change, neither all bad nor all good.

With our free time, we’ve introduced our girls to Tolkien, Bilbo, Frodo, and especially Samwise the Brave. They are officially hooked and we are delighted to watch them discover another world where evil doesn’t win, and the courage of the small matters much. {they close their eyes at the Orcs and we haven’t had a nightmare yet!}🤞🏻😂😬
I’m leaning increasingly more into the analog th I’m leaning increasingly more into the analog these days.

It started with the Sourdough and a dozen different kinds of jam last year.
I suddenly find great calm in activities that stand in direction opposition to hurry, the textbook definition of ✨work in progress.✨ And really, if you could see the other side of this piece, you would believe me. 🙃

Thank you to @thebarmyfox for making embroidery so accessible!
@thenester says, “It doesn’t have to be perfec @thenester says, “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful,” and I believe that the weeknight meal equivalent is, “Just because it’s easy— doesn’t make it a second-tier supper!”

Thank you, Spaghetti with Meat sauce for being both a ministry to mom AND a crowd pleaser. Especially on a dreary January-ish day. It is ✨quite alright✨ to make something we’ve made a million times just because we know it makes the people happy.🍝
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