Acts, Unplugging, and Getting Outside: November Goals & Joys

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The longer I keep this little blog of mine, the more I appreciate how it’s a time capsule of my life over the years. There are gaps of course, but I like how I can trace certain seasons of my life by going back to see what I was writing about and sharing. So, even if no one reads these words but me, I’m glad they exist. Ultimately, we must create things for ourselves, first. (File that under Lessons I’m Still Learning.)

What will I notice when I look back at today’s post? Here’s a snapshot of life at this time, as written in list form and captured through the goals and joys of November.

Goals:

  1. Work through one book in the New Testament. I’ve decided to read back through Acts this month in a slightly new way. First, I’m allowing myself to listen to it through the Bible app. In the past, I’ve been too strict with myself about feeling like I must sit down and read my physical Bible. While this is my preferred way to read most things, realistically, I just don’t have the time these days for lots of quiet, sit down, focused reading. I can listen to a chapter or two on the Bible app while I make my morning coffee, then I’ve just been jotting down a few notes in a specific notebook—words or messages that stood out to me, quick recaps of what’s happening. It’s been a nice way to experience some Bible reading time—holding the practice more loosely makes it less daunting.

  2. Learn one new piano piece really well. Is it too soon to begin practicing Christmas music? I think not, but right now I’m also working on a really simple version of “Puff the Magic Dragon.” Playing music is something that absolutely helps me reconnect with something essential in myself—I don’t have a ton of time these days to play, but when I do, I always feel better.

  3. Get outside with Peter a lot. Peter, my 2.5 year old, LOVES going outside. Our house has a covered patio out the back door, and he loves going out and riding around on his tricycle, strider, or in his little play car. We’ve had fun this month putting up Christmas lights together (and replacing burnt-out bulbs—with which he was completely obsessed), raking leaves (and for Peter, riding through them on his strider), and playing in the first snow. I always feel better getting some fresh air, but I forget this too often. What’s that saying, “there’s no bad weather, only bad clothing”? I’m beginning to see the truth in that. So I’m going to pull out my warmest coat, my hat and gloves, and delight in the chilly November air as much as my son does.

  4. Finish two books—The Unplugged Hours and The Rom-Comers. The Unplugged Hours, by Hannah Brencher, is a beautiful collection of stories and thoughts on the power of turning off our phones and reconnecting with the life right in front of us. I’ve listened to this one, but I’d love to own a hard copy because there have been several passages I’d love to underline and return to again and again. The Rom-Comers, by Katherine Center, was a fun read for a new book club I’ve joined with my sister! I can’t say I’d 100% recommend it—it kind of lost me at the end—but it was well-written, and I particularly enjoyed the Author’s Note at the end which was a love-letter to the romance genre in general.

Joys:

  1. Slowly putting up Christmas decorations early. I know that “early” is something of a subjective term when it comes to this topic. Some people roll their eyes at the idea of decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving. Over the years, though, I’ve discovered that slowly putting up my Christmas decorations in November brings me a lot of quiet joy. I heard a teenager say the other day, “don’t yuck my yum” when it came to starting Christmas festivities “early”—and I thought that was a hilarious and accurate description. If getting down your holiday mugs and putting up your Christmas lights on November 7th makes life a little bit brighter? Why the heck not.

  2. Going to the indoor trampoline/adventure park with my toddler. My husband will often take Peter to the trampoline park on a weekend day, but last week, Peter and I went to a special “toddler time” they offered on a weekday morning. I can’t really explain why, but it brought me a lot of Mom Joy (I think that’s a really specific kind of joy) to see how much fun he was having, and to see the other moms who were there, too. It strangely made me feel a little less lonely.

  3. Joining a romance book club with my little sister! I have wanted to join a book club for a long time, and this month we went to our first meeting of the Romance Book Club at our local library. It was lovely to connect with friendly people over shared interests, and very lovely to have a reason to get out of the house and hang out with my sister.

That’s all for this post. What goals are you tackling this month? What’s been bringing you joy? Leave a comment below—I love to hear from readers.

Thanks for reading.

Beth



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Beth H.

Hello! My name is Beth and I'm a full-time high school English teacher living in beautiful western Montana. I'm also a writer. Before turning to teaching, I earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. A few years of adjuncting at small two-year colleges helped me realize how much I love teaching, so I returned to school for a Masters of Education. There, I was lucky enough to meet my wonderful husband. Together, we head off to our classrooms (at the same school, which is pretty great) each morning. Our town is a small one, but also an incredibly beautiful one. I've lived in Montana all my life and feel lucky to know exactly where I want to live. While starting my teaching career, I also published my first novel, The Actor, with Riverbend Publishing (a Montana publisher). When I make time, I'm working on a few other new novels and creating content here!

Thanks for visiting this space; I hope that some of what I offer will provide insight, beauty, and inspiration to your life.

-Beth