Happy first Sunday in Lent!
I’m in Spring cleaning mode over here. This year it’s a different sort of challenge: I’ve got a roommate moving out, a Fiance who will be moving in, Crate and Barrel sending eight boxes when they could send two, and a dog who inexplicably stinks. But there’s something about being able to open a window that reminds me that cleaning the bathroom really doesn’t take that long. And I will be grateful I mopped. And I have the freedom to throw away things that don’t serve me anymore.
A few weeks ago, Five Things lost a faithful reader, a friend of mine from college, Elayna Johnson passed away. I will never not think of her “Catan: Game of our Generation” bumper sticker. Elayna is also a key figure in the most embarrassing moment of my life: the short of it is that I knocked her sister’s tossed bouquet out of her hands at Kailey’s wedding. Oh she will be missed!
There was a mass shooting in my city this week. I saw a tweet that captured how I feel, “I don’t want to be ‘Kansas City Strong,’ I want ‘Kansas City got mad and changed the laws.’” So that’s that. I’m ok, and so are the people close to me. But it feels like every day I encounter another person who knew the woman that was killed.
Hard-swerving back to the tone this newsletter typically takes: this issue is a little spring-cleaning-leaning. Enjoy!
Number One: A second laundry basket
I really like the Lazy Genius podcast when the topic is applicable to me. And her recent episode with the Office Ladies was big time applicable. Angela and I are just two Baylor girls who have a pile of clothes that are not yet dirty, but not clean; “in process” if you will. For me, this pile usually lives on a chair in my room except for every other day when I spend five minutes hanging up clothes. Anyway, Kendra suggested a second laundry basket.
When I say having a second basket has just been the biggest life upgrade: it’s huge. It eliminates visual clutter while not creating work for me in the moment. Instead, I find myself, when doing a mid-day outfit change thinking, I might as well just put this away instead of in the basket four out of five times. It’s fabulous.
Number Two: Deconstructed Falafel Salad
I am forced to once again recommend you buy Comfortable Kitchen by Defined Dish. It’s just the cookbook I reach for time and time again. Her Deconstructed Falafel Salad is so fabulous and the recipe doesn’t exist online, so just buy the book. Do not skip the dill and mint! I will be making again, maybe this week.
Number Three: Verses
As a practice of feasting this lent, I am memorizing Mary Magnificat in Luke, and a gal in my Life Group suggested the “Verses” app, so I downloaded and paid the $5 to memorize out of the ESV. You can take the girl out of the PCA, but once you are a member of the Frozen Chosen, things are just slow to change. Anyway, I love it so much! I have already memorized more than I thought possible in a week. In the Apple App Store, it’s the one with the circles.
It’s visual nice to look at, and it lives in the same section where social media used to be (my fast). It’s fun! And I have spent all week thinking about how the mighty will be brought low which is nice when you’re mad at people in power for not doing more about gun control and/or de-escalating culture-wide anger!
Number Four: You are legally allowed to throw away chapstick you don’t like
Just from me to you, if you hate the SunBum chapstick because it makes your whole mouth taste bad, you can just throw it away and replace it with Aquafor, nothing is stopping you.
Number Five: O Cedar Mop
This is maybe the fourth time I’ve recommended this thing. It is so so satisfying to use. And like all chores, it takes less time and effort than I think it will.