21 Comments

Happy belated birthday! I’m learning to say yes to organizing monthly, low effort pizza potlucks with neighbors!

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Oooh! That sounds so fun!

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Wow, so many nuggets that you've learnt along the way. I've taken some screenshots and quite a few will make it into my journal to remember - two favourites are accepting help as deepening friendship and growing towards a patient, gentle, joyful old lady through all my choices! Sooooo good 🤍

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Wow. Thank you so much for your kind words!! So glad that these are helpful to you 💛💛💛

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Bec, these are so so good. There's so many here that I want to shout "Amen!" to 👏🏻 #4 is so true - it isn't weird to put friendship things on the calendar, it helps us to be intentional. #6 yes yes YES to Whatsapp voice messages! I use them especially to keep up with long distance friends. #13 so true! #17 oof I'm not good at this, but acceptance is so important isn't it? #22 haha such a good observation! I do want to be a nice old lady someday. #25 just so good.

So much more I could say! I love this!

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Awwww! Kym! Thank you!!!

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Oh and to answer your questions:

Friendship - I know that new friends are just as good as old friends. The old friends know you through and through, the new friends bring new perspectives.

Community - I'm thinking especially church community: I know that accepting that everyone is different is much better than judging others because they're different. Life in community will be so much more peaceful and joyful if we let people be different and unique (within the bounds of God's Word, of course!)

Hospitality - I know that I usually love it, it takes work and effort and it always turns out better than I think it will!

Taking care of yourself - I know that even only 10 minutes of bible reading, prayer, being outside or reading a book can refresh me. And if I've got 10 minutes to waste on social media or YouTube then I most definitely have 10 minutes to do something refreshing.

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Preach 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

(My goodness, “If I’ve got 10 minutes to waste on social media or YouTube then I most definitely have 10 minutes to do something refreshing.” Convicting!!!)

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To me too!

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15 year expat, 52yo mom of 2 tcks and kept nodding my head with almost every one of these! Thanks for taking the time to articulate these…..will absolutely be copying several into my commonplace journal. And I’ve had the book you reviewed on my TBR….another encouragement to read it.

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Awww! Thank you so much Megan! Wow. 💛

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Happy birthday and happy return to Substack! I have 35 on the horizon as well! What a fun prompt. I think #22 was my favorite ❤️

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Awww thanks! My old women’s Bible study leader once said, “patient little old ladies don’t just happen!” And I’ve thought of that approximately one million times since then! Love to hear what you are learning 😉

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Number 35 is such a reassuring thought

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Thanks! I keep telling myself this ☝️ 💛

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Wow, so much to re-read here!! 14, 22, 28, 31, 32…the whole list. I really enjoyed this one!

I’m learning that I know less than I thought every year. And, I am still learning to take care of myself, even on a basic level sometimes, and that no one is going to magically know what I need from minute to minute…

Happy Birthday, Bec! 🤗

PS what is a toastie—I want one!

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Awww thanks Ashley! And ditto to realising you know less and less every passing year 🙈

Gotta love Aussie slang. Everything is shortened 😅 A toastie is a toasted sandwich 🥪

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Happy belated birthday Bec! Love to see you writing again!

Regarding point one: “Quit a book you hate.” I have the hardest time doing this, but you’re the second person to post about this lately. I did recently give one up, and it was a relief!

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Hahahah I know! It IS hard! But such a relief 😅

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Happiest of birthdays, friend!

1. Friendship: I believe there are times to dig in and times to let go. Fight for what matters, but let go of things when it’s the season for it.

2. Community: Risk being cringe in the name of being helpful.

3. Hospitality: Never ever mop the floor before a child’s birthday party. You can do it after. (And you’ll need to.)

4. Self care: Life will rarely if ever open a space of time for you to rest. You have to dig it out for yourself. Which might feel like more work on the front end, but it will give you the dividends of rest you need if you’ll only put in that initial effort.

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My goodness, I love this!!

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