February 2018 Favorites

I thought it would be fun if I took a moment each month to let you know what things are currently striking my fancy, so here goes the February installment! 

[This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through my link, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Notes from Jessie!] 

CURRENT FAVORITES:

BOOKS:

I've been reading more of (and absolutely loving, and occasionally discussing) Essentialism by Greg McKeown. If you haven't read it yet (I know I'm late to the game), I highly recommend it!

I also read The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, which was eye-opening to life in the 1800s, especially since it was written from both the white and black perspectives. I read L.M. Montgomery's Jane of Lantern Hill, too, which was very sweet. I also read Ann Voskamp's The Broken Way, which was one of those books that wrecks your heart in the best kind of way as you ponder, digest, and begin to apply the wisdom within it. And the next book in Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next Series, First Among Sequels, was an interesting installment, too!

QUOTE:

"You've got to be brave enough to be faithful, even when you don't want to be." --Annie F. Downs, 100 Days to Brave. I know I quoted this book last month, but you guys, it's just so good! But because it's from the same person and book as last month, I'll give you a bonus quote, too.

"The ability to choose cannot be taken away or even given away-- it can only be forgotten." -- Greg McKeown, Essentialism. Another great read, full of tidbits of wisdom!

MOVIES: 

I've still been watching Reign this month (there are SO many episodes!), and I finally finished! So now I'm watching the second season of One Day at a Time, which is really good! It's funny and it covers a lot of sensitive issues really well.

I'm almost always behind on shows, and am considering continuing Stranger Things. I had stopped after a couple episodes because 1) I just wasn't too into it and 2) it was too scary/creepy to watch before bed, which was when I was looking for something.

SONG: 

I can't get enough of Needtobreathe's song Walking on Water. Not only do I love them, but the lyrics to this one just really speak to my current stage of life, and it's been a bit of a lifeline for me.

FOOD: 

I made some delicious shrimp tacos to go with plantain chips and guac with my best friend, and it was all sooo good! I had made some cookie dough bites before she came over, and we snacked on those, too, which she promptly made after that to have more! They're so delicious!

MEMORIES FROM FEBRUARY:

This month, I spent a lot of time with friends and family, which was a lot of fun! It was certainly very cold for most of February, and the temptation to be a hermit was definitely present, but it was far more rewarding to spend time with my people.

I also went to Corpus Christi, TX with my family and a group from my parents' church to partner with a local organization and assist with home rebuilding and restoring efforts after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. I'll write more about the trip later, but even the preparation was good-- we learned so much about missions, poverty alleviation, humility, flexibility, and having the attitude of a lifelong learner-- plus I got to hear my family members share parts of their stories I hadn't heard before!

LOOKING FORWARD TO IN MARCH:

I'm looking forward to my sister's golden birthday in March! We're working on party plans (which I love anyway), and I'm getting so excited!

I'm also going to be starting to work on my business full-time, which is exciting! I'm putting together a course to help women live joyfully, simply, and intentionally by clearing out the clutter, figuring out their finances, managing their time, and living lives guided by their unique purpose and priorities. You can learn more here.

What were some of your favorite things this month? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!