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Happy Go Stuckey

Tethering Grace & Togetherness

Summer Reading and Savor by Shauna Niequist

June 28, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey 2 Comments

My favorite wall in our house is the one that is covered by books. We are all big readers around here. I always keep quite a to-read pile and then a secondary of to-read-after-I-read-the-others shelf. Some books I finish rapidly, others I put down and pick back up several time over the course of a month or two. (Curious what my summer reading list is?)

I am currently finishing Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay and I LOVE that it has carried me a month into summer and now smells like sunscreen and boasts a few water spotted pages.

I am not too strict about going in my planned reading order, and there are a small handful of authors that have earned themselves a sturdy place at the top. If anyone ever hands me one of their books, I add them to the top of the pile right away.

Shauna Niequist is certainly one such author. Her writing style is exquisite yet personable– and I definitely want to write a bit like her when I grow up. (I’m not an adult yet, I still like chips on my sandwiches.) 

The only problem I ever have with any of her books is that they end too soon. No matter the length of the book, I gorge on the first half and then pace myself with small microscopic bits until I come to the sad conclusion that I’ve read it all. She has an especially beautiful way of writing. Shauna paints word-pictures so vibrant you feel as though you’ve just taken your first bite of something delicious at her kitchen table. I love that. One of my favorite things to write about is food and people, therefore her books inspire me on a very personal level.IMG_3584

When my friends at the BookLook Blogger program sent me a copy of Shauna’s newest book, Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are I *might* have squealed like a fangirl. The book itself makes a gorgeous presentation with a linen-cover and lettering by Lindsey Letters.  In fact, because the format is that of 365 daily readings– it would make an excellent (Psst. Christmas is 180 days away) gift. Each reading begins with a verse of Scripture followed by a short essay. An included list of Shauna’s recipe staples cause you to bring this book from your nightstand to your kitchen — and that’s certainly a good thing.

I, personally, love that Savor is long enough to enjoy in small bites throughout the year. The message of this lovely book, to remember to live abundantly, where you are, as you are.. is absolutely something we can all be reminded of on a daily basis.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. If you have been here before you know I take that seriously. This is definitely one of those times when I can say, “I wholeheartedly, honestly LOVED it!”

Pick one up for yourself here–Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are

Better than the Dream
What I Learned in June

Comments

  1. Lee says

    July 3, 2015 at 9:54 am

    This devotional is just plain awesome! Last month, I had to pick out a new one, and that always feels stressful…will I pick out the right one, the one that will speak most clearly to my heart and my need???Then I saw this one on the shelf. Not only is the cover design pure loveliness, but the title spoke of a desire that immediately resonated with my heart…living abundantly right where I am (which currently is a place of emotional struggle and want).

    I am so glad this is the book I picked out. I have enjoyed the candid, genuine, encouraging style of her writing (which I wasn’t familiar with before), and each night, her words are a soft call to thank God for my blessings.

    Reply
  2. Lee says

    July 3, 2015 at 9:54 am

    This devotional is just plain awesome! Last month, I had to pick out a new one, and that always feels stressful…will I pick out the right one, the one that will speak most clearly to my heart and my need???Then I saw this one on the shelf. Not only is the cover design pure loveliness, but the title spoke of a desire that immediately resonated with my heart…living abundantly right where I am (which currently is a place of emotional struggle and want).

    I am so glad this is the book I picked out. I have enjoyed the candid, genuine, encouraging style of her writing (which I wasn’t familiar with before), and each night, her words are a soft call to thank God for my blessings.

    Reply

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Hey There!

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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happygostuckey

Throwing it back but not way back: remember last y Throwing it back but not way back: remember last year when we *discovered* the whipped, frothy, goodness of Dalgona Coffee?

I made it again today for the express purpose of seeing if it would still work with less sugar and I rather like my lightened up version!

(Tip: in my opinion, it makes enough for two— especially because I use instant espresso— so it’s pretty strong! Not warm where you are yet?  Tap the little flag to save this post for later.)

✨Whipped Coffee✨ 
2 TBS. instant espresso
2 TBS. cold water
1 TBS. maple syrup or simple syrup
1-2 glasses of ice and milk

Whip/ Beat the espresso, syrup, and water with an electric beater, immersion blender, or hand-held milk frother until frothy and light in color. Scoop over the milk and ice and enjoy!
🪡Do I seamstressed to you?🪡 Really though, 🪡Do I seamstressed to you?🪡 

Really though, after completing my first embroidery project, I feel like it might just be the cheapest, prettiest, stress relief out there. I am officially a believer in relaxing this way. And PS, if I can do it, you can.

Thank you, @thebarmyfox for bringing this lovely art into my life!
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!}🤞🏻😂😬
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