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Happy Go Stuckey

Tethering Grace & Togetherness

Winter Favorites

February 14, 2020 by HappyGoStuckey 2 Comments

(and why it matters to pay attention to the little things.)

“For you are the sunshine-maker in your family and if you get dismal, there is no fair weather.”

Marmee to Meg in Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

The Camellias are blooming in the backyard. We enjoyed both dinner in front of a crackling fire and grilling outside in short sleeves, all within a matter of days. It must be February in Georgia.

I don’t know about you, but this time of year can seem tedious and longer than winter in Narnia. Especially if you happen to be in a season of waiting. Often when we are waiting, the object of our wait can become bigger than all the things we already hold in our laps. Good things. Things that are life-giving gifts. I believe in naming those things, even if the practice seems small and unhelpful.

To me, it is helpful. To make a list of the good things that aren’t necessarily things– helps me to wait well.

So here’s my little list of small things that I’m making bigger– by paying them the attention they deserve.

Good Things on the Internet

Never Believe Anything Bad about God episode 111 of The Next Right Thing podcast

Sarah Sandel on Instagram. I met Sarah through the wonder of the internet and have adored her voice — especially her hashtag #agraciouslight — Both have brought me joy lately.

Good Gifts Worth Counting

Seeing a video of my mom ringing the “completion with radiation” bell yesterday. Many of you know she has been going through cancer treatment these last few months. I am grateful for beyond words for the way she is being healed.

Celebrating a newly minted Eight-year old in our house. This morning Facebook reminded me that we brought her home from the hospital eight years ago Thursday. What a gift she is.

In the BlueHouse Kitchen

This Citrus Avocado Salad with Orange Vinaigrette is reminding me that there is something to love about every single month, even the dreary ones. A tiny splurge on Cara Cara oranges to mix in with clementines made it a bowl full of bright, vitamin-C filled goodness. (Note: I added roasted chicken for protein and was out of tahini so I also subbed this dressing — always delicious.)

On my Nightstand

Last month I finished my first complete unabridged read through of Little Women, and I believe it’s the new book that I will read regularly, forever and ever, amen.

I’m nearly finished with the fifth Louise Penny book.

I also just added The Things We Cannot Say to my Audible queue after several trusted friends recommended it. And my mom recently gave me this book with her high praise and approval.

And this is the current read aloud for the girls and I each morning. So far, we’re all truly enjoying it though it is making us long for an extended trip To England.

Really, I need a reading vacation. I love hearing suggestions of how people find time to read– so if you have any tips, please share!

Some News about Simmer

If you received an email with this post, then you’ve likely already received your free copy of Simmer: Six Soups & the Stories that Inspired Them. If not, click here to get your copy of the book.

Simmer is available still and will be through the end of winter. Once spring comes, it will slide quietly over to Amazon. Want to grab yours before it disappears?

Here’s a quote from Simmer,

We make the soup for hungry people and we feed our souls as we feed their stomachs. We stand willing to go make huge differences out there, knowing that it may be that we will make decades of seemingly small differences in here. We do the things we are given and we do them well. We keep our eyes on our own motives and we do not worry about theirs. 

We stay in our own lane, and we love the lane we are in. 

— Simmer- Six Seasonal Soups & the Stories that Inspired Them

What are you taking stock of during this long season? I’d love it if you’d send me a quick email and tell me one of your small things that is actually a big thing.

Loving Lately in November
Egg your Neighbors & Spread Some Joy. (free printable)

Comments

  1. Kim says

    February 15, 2020 at 7:01 am

    Painting on my deck in the sunshine.

    Reply
    • HappyGoStuckey says

      February 15, 2020 at 8:10 am

      That sounds like the perfect way to spend an in-between seasons day.

      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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