2025 Good List

Another year, another list of some good gifts I’ve been grateful for over the past 365 days…

• Friends’ timely words and encouragement 
• Writing two more books and a few other projects from bed
• Getting into puzzles
• Marveling at live productions
• Learning Substack
• Reading writer friends’ work
• Matt’s hilarious hairstyle 
• Experimenting with watercolors
• Listening to audiobooks 
• Free upgrades on vacation
• Figuring out what seems to be the cause of significant health problems
• Kind healthcare professionals who become part of life’s rhythm
• Going on “walk and rolls” with Matt
• Indy liking a coat for the first time
• Getting less afraid of being on video
• Readers who become pen pals
• Starting a Bible study with neighborhood friends
• Assurance in the Lord’s leading and provision as we changed churches
• Kids who appoint themselves our own
• A friend helping me clean out my wardrobe long-distance with a lot of laughs 
• Reading and writing more poetry
• Connecting with friends virtually and in person
• The Supersaurs book series!
• Not needing to host a whole meal to have company
• Opportunities to pray for friends going through difficult things
• Wrapping Christmas presents early
• L.M. Montgomery books
• Discovering Taskmaster
• Matt learning to bake the best muffins I’ve ever had 
• Seeing answers to recent and old prayers unexpectedly 
• Learning about parts of history I had never really though about, like the summer of 1927 in America
• Keeping track of when sunset is so as not to miss looking at it
• Greater awareness of the Lord’s absolute sovereignty and empathy
• My beloved birdsong clock
• Matt’s humility, humor, kindness, and hopefulness
• Revisiting an old Bible study for a new project
• Making our patio and guest room more comfortable
• Discovering mouth guards can really ease some jaw pain
• Watching dance and acrobatics reels
• Realizing there’s very little we actually HAVE to do
• Feeling so much less itchy since switching to fragrance-free everything
• How often Matt falls over laughing
• Finding out the Lord worked through something I did 10 years ago without me realizing it 
• Our niece reaching an age where she associates visiting us with certain toys, games, and activities
• Exceeding a 500 day streak on Duolingo
• The satisfaction of cleaning something out thoroughly 
• The Lord showing us we aren’t alone both by his presence and providing people who show up for us and check in
• Receiving sweet and silly videos and photos of kids we care about, and drawings they’ve done for us
• Lots of open-window weather, even on Christmas!
• A guy who doesn’t just stick by me for better or worse, but reminds me God will work the worse for better
• Soft, cozy blankets
• Slow Saturday mornings reading
• Worshipping together with church family in person
• Friends who grace others – including us! – with their gifts of hospitality and generosity 
• Talking around a fire with s’mores stuck to my fingers
• Dwelling on Philippians, Hebrews 11 and 12, Ecclesiastes, John, and more
• Sitting by the ocean being still
• Watching the trees change through the season out my window
• Keeping TWO whole plants alive for once  – a Christmas cactus and Carolina Jessamine
• An eclectic playlist featuring George Ezra, CeCe Winans, Brandon Lake, Samantha Ebert, Imagine Dragons, Haddon, Mon Rovia…
• Slowly memorizing Psalms 51 and 103
• Playing Wingspan, Libertalia, Machi Koro, Uno All Wild, and many more games
• Seeing how the Lord is at work on our behalf even in difficult situations 

Thank you, Lord!

What’s on your 2025 good list?