Weekend Daybook: July edition

A month of collecting what I've been up to lately: places, people, books, podcasts, music, links & more for your weekend downtime.

(1) photo from this month

I love this photo my sister took during our annual Hill Family Vacation at LeTourneau Camp on Canandaigua Lake in NY. Sweet moments.

I love this photo my sister took during our annual Hill Family Vacation at LeTourneau Camp on Canandaigua Lake in NY. Sweet moments.

(2) things I published this month

  1. What I Read January - June, part 1 [from the book pile 2019] (Life’s been a bit upside down lately, and I’m especially grateful for the companionship of good books. Hope you enjoy the micro reviews + publisher blurbs!)

  2. “Why Am I Here?”: A Missional Approach to Identity and Vocation (I’m grateful to contribute to the excellent conversation at The Telos Collective and was pleasantly surprised to see it published this week. We live in a culture of workism where people both define themselves by their work and struggle to find its meaning and purpose.)

(3) summer-related blessings and encouragements

  1. Summer Benediction by Malcolm Guite via The Cultivating Project (Short, but oh so sweet.)

  2. Summer Stress and Summer Rest: A Spiritual Director’s Thoughts on Holidays via Kutsu Companions (In a season of intense caregiving, Brian and I are trying to best discern what it means to rest. Anyone else in the same boat?)

  3. Seminary Grads: God’s Name for You Matters More Than Your Masters by W. David O. Taylor via CT , excerpted from Master of God, Beloved of God: My Commencement Speech at Fuller Theological Seminary via Diary of An Arts Pastor (A good word for all of us from our beloved friend, David. “And so, beloved, remember your true name and, as you exercise your Jedi powers of naming the world faithfully and responsibly, carefully and graciously, remind the people of God of their true name, too: the beloved.”)

(4) links about the person I’d vote for if I had to vote today

  1. Mark Charles for President 2020: “Building a nation where ‘We the People’ truly means: All the People” (You can see his campaign announcement here.)

  2. An Independent, Native voice: Mark Charles launches 2020 presidential campaign by Dario Thundercloud via Last Real Indians

  3. Navajo man wants the nation to hear its official apology via CNN

  4. Mark Charles on Reconciliation, Lament, and a Campaign for All the People via Pantsuit Politics

(5) podcast episodes I’ve enjoyed this month

  1. Touching Eternity: A Conversation with Scott Cairns and Malcolm Guite on The Image Podcast (A bit literary geeky, but cozy as a cup of tea.)

  2. Tony Hale on the Creative Life and Process on Fuller Studio's Conversing with Mark Labberton (Is it possible to be a fan of an actor without actually being a fan of any of his shows? That’s me + Tony Hale.)

  3. Episode 32 - The (Beautiful) Reality of Befriending Someone with Down Syndrome on The Lucky Few (A good word for all of us, and especially for families.)

  4. #18 Hell and Heaven on Ask NT Wright Anything (I’m really enjoying the format of this podcast!)

  5. Season 2 | Episode 1: Raising Peacemakers on Preemptive Love’s Love Anyway (A new way to think about what it means to care about our children’s safety.)

(6) posts from the archives

  1. 2017 - In past years, July seems to have been a fruitful writing month for me, at least at Think Christian. These are 3 of my favorite articles I ever wrote for them. Catastrophe’s Refreshingly Ancient Take on Marriage  , Lindy West, Barbara Brown Taylor, and Embracing Our God-Given Bodies , and in July 2015, Instead of Facebook, a book of Faces

  2. 2015 - Monday morning thoughts: dancing bear act, crash helmets and a Doxology (A, hopefully undramatized, stream of conscious meditation about Sunday worship which I try often to recall.)

  3. 2014 - The 14th Annual Epic Family Tradition (It’s 2019 and we’re still managing to keep it going!)

  4. 2012 - Dying the Many Little Deaths of Ordinary Service (Still accurate: “I am a weakling when it comes to everyday service. There's a whole set of psychological reasons -- some rather legitimate -- I could give as rationale. At the end of the day, though, I don't like to do mundane, grubby work. Plain and simple. The purpose for this disclaimer is to say I've only just begun to learn what I'm about to share here, four practices of everyday service.”)

  5. 2010 - "Sometimes we have to change jobs in order to maintain our vocation." -- Eugene Peterson (That year Brian had to lay himself off, and we’ve never been the same since.)

  6. 2009 - Meditation [disciplines of the inner life] (Another epiphany I still find relatable: “God wants to form a Grand Canyon in me and all I want to be is a rain gutter.”)

HFV.+Bethany+Beach.jpg

13 years ago

Hill Family Vacation 2006, Bethany Beach, DE

July.HFV13.jpg

this year

Hill Family Vacation 2019, Canandaigua Lake, NY

(a bunch of) photos from this year’s Hill Family Vacation

Natalie and my niece Karis spent hours making this video highlight reel of our 19th annual family vacation. It’s kind of epic. (Avenger Endgame fans keep your ears open for the credit score.)

May your weekend include some rest and some fun with friends and family. Peace...

p.s. This post may contain affiliate links because I'm trying to be a good steward, and when you buy something through one of these links you don't pay more money, but in some magical twist of capitalism we get a little pocket change. Thanks!

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