Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Stories from the Porch in December

December 29, 2018 by Kristin 1 Comment

Oh, December, I have such mixed feelings about you. I adore Christmas season, even when we approach all the festivities simply like we did this year. But I’m not so sure I’m ready for 2018 to end. Obviously, I don’t have any choice in this matter of time. I’ll take the mildness that let me go on walks outside, the sweetness and joy that come with Christmas, and wonder for just a little bit longer if I’m ready for 2019.

Highlights

Obviously, Christmas was a highlight. I love the way Christmas lingers while we catch up with friends are who aren’t always near, reminisce and plan with family members, and enjoy some slow days of working puzzles, reading books, and building new Lego sets.

I also really loved reflecting on 2018 and anticipating 2019 with my friend Kayse Pratt from Anchored Women. She hosted #reflectandrefresh2018 on Instagram and the prompts were just what my heart needed. (Here’s one of my posts. I’d love for you to scroll the others and share your reflections. Plus I didn’t realize how much this challenge would help me sort the thoughts in my head and come to a word for the year I wasn’t expecting. More on that on Wednesday.)

Favorite things

“One Line a Day: A Five-Year Memory Book” — I’ve filled this out almost every day this year and am excited to begin year two in the five-year journal. I gifted it to three people this year.

23andMe DNA tests – I wrote a post about our experience testing my kids and then ordered kits for Greg and me. We’re going to send off our saliva samples soon!

Murray State Basketball – We love college basketball around here, and are happy to be in the midst of a fun season cheering on our Racers. In December, we took a road trip with friends to see MSU play at Middle Tennessee State and got to watch an exciting game against Auburn on TV the Saturday before Christmas.

Christmas cards – I know social media threatens this tradition, but I sure do love sending and receiving Christmas cards, family photos, and year-in-review letters. I’ve got the ones we’ve received hanging in our kitchen bay window and I may just keep them there for a while.

From the bookshelf

“Come, Let Us Adore Him: A Daily Advent Devotional” by Paul David Tripp – I really enjoyed reading this advent devotional and have no doubt I’ll bring it out again in the years to come too.

“Letters to the Church” by Francis Chan – I’m reading this one slowly, but it’s excellent. Our small group is actually getting ready to work through the video series and study guide.

“God Over Good: Saving Your Faith by Losing Your Expectations of God” by Luke Norsworthy – I’m excited to be into this one. I’ve been waiting for the mental space to start reading this.

Here’s a list of all the books I read in 2018. I got several new fiction titles on my Kindle, so I’m reading to immerse myself in those.

On the screen

“Smallfoot” — We saw this in the theater for not-quite-first-run movies while visiting my family before Christmas and I really loved it. It reminded me of “Trolls” in some ways, but I loved the message so much.

“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” — I think I liked the second season better than the first. (This is included with Amazon Prime!)

*****

As one year ends and another begins, it seems appropriate to share some lyrics from Rend Collective I’m loving:

“Your grace will never be forgot
Your mercy, all my life
Will be my source forever song
My story and my light

From mountain top to valley low
Through laughter and through tears
Surely the goodness of my God
Will follow all the years

For all that You have done for us
For every battle won
We’ll raise a song to bless Your heart
For all that you have done

… In unity we’ll stand as one
As family we’ll go
Shoulder to shoulder
Hand in hand
Into the great unknown …”

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Filed Under: Porch Stories Tagged With: books, Christmas, life, music, quotes, TV

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  1. Being faithful in 2019 says:
    January 2, 2019 at 4:01 am

    […] I also shared some highlights, favorite things, books, and TV shows from December, if you want to check out that last post of 2018. […]

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About Me

Telling stories is my therapy and I love sharing them with friends on my porch.

The main characters in my stories are my entrepreneur husband, our ninth-grade girl who never forgets, our have-no-fear sixth-grade boy, and our joy-filled kindergarten girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

Learn more about my story here.

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Old friends and live music are two of my favorite Old friends and live music are two of my favorite things, so having them together is the best. My friend Aaron and I went to multiple Dave Matthews Band shows together during our college years, so now two decades later it’s fun to do it again as grown ups with our spouses for a band that speaks truth into our lives. 

@needtobreathe put on the loudest acoustic tour I’ve ever seen, but it sure was good! And its encore of completely unplugged songs was especially sweet. 

#NTBlive #needtobreathe #bettertogether #choosingJOY #favoritethings #livingfaithfully #weekending
Happiness is … … a slow morning that gave me Happiness is …

… a slow morning that gave me a chance to finish reading a good book right after I fixed my favorite cinnamon toast. 

… some shade to invite me to pick some more weeds around the house. But why doesn’t my Apple Watch count this as exercise? It felt like exercise to me! 

… an appointment with my oldest girl for us both to get our nails done this morning. 

… my youngest girl’s last soccer game of the season, even though the heat made her a little grumpy. 

… pool time, another good book to read, my mom visiting for the second weekend in a row, a little more weeding, and a night at home with no specific plans. 

Happiness is everyday, normal life with my people, especially when it comes with a slower pace after a hectic week. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #soccermom #KHTreads #momlife #weekending #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #poolpeople #PorchStories
I regretted having to go to sleep last night befor I regretted having to go to sleep last night before I finished this book, so I picked it up at breakfast and didn’t do anything else until I finished it. 

I loved the Alaskan cruise setting, the quick love and understanding between Greta and Ben, and the realistic ways grief changes people. Well done, @jenniferesmith! 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #kindlebooks #booklover #kindlepaperwhite #reallife #weekending #recommendedreads #poolpeople #amreading
Happy Friday! 🎉 We’ve got four more days of s Happy Friday! 🎉 We’ve got four more days of school next week and then it’s #88daysofsummer! Obviously, we’re ready. ☀️ 

Here’s to a refreshing weekend with much anticipation of what’s to come! #weekending #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #thirdchild #momlife #summerisbest #poolpeople #PorchStories #maydays
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’ve already bou ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve already bought three copies of “Glad You’re Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences” by @walkerhayes and @craigallencooper to gift to specific friends. I’ve referenced this story in conversations this week and will likely recommended it for years to come. 

This story is about two seemingly different guys befriending each other because their kids were on the same baseball team and their wives became friends. They kept showing for each other, encouraged each other, and changed each other for the better. In fact, their friendship was the catalyst for Walker deciding to follow Christ. 

Give me Applebee’s on a date night, a real-life story of how we are eternally better together, and an audiobook that makes me want to drive and I’m a happy girl. I’m fancy like that. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #bettertogether #livingfaithfully #hospitalitymatters #audiobooks #booklover #favoritethings
I’m majorly behind on laundry, dishes, emails, a I’m majorly behind on laundry, dishes, emails, and to-do lists. Birthdays, a field trip, end-of-school things, squeezing in some friend dates, and just general life with three kids have occupied much of my time. But my friend @whitneyrscott at @blushsalon did tend to their shaggy hairs. So check! 

#momlife #reallife #girlmom #boymom #maydays #siblinglove #livingfaithfully
What I’m wearing … I don’t wear in jewelry, What I’m wearing …

I don’t wear in jewelry, but I love having bracelets that mean things to me. 

Today my friend Monica and I talked to our oldest daughters’ high school health class about adoption. My other friend @megandelaneythomas invited us because she recently taught about the reproductive system and wanted the class to hear about adoption as an option. We talked about adoption as a process, redemption to broken circumstances, and picture of God grafting us into his family. We shared resources and advice on counseling for abortion, befriending people who have made different relationships choices, and parenting regardless of how God builds a family. 

I left that high school health class thankful for @ncca.lions and the opportunities my kids have had to learn about real things in the context of the gospel. I’m also grateful for this adoption bond Monica and I share with our kids who are the same ages. I’ve always said, adoption is relational to its core, far beyond just bringing a baby home. That circle widened a little today, and I’m glad to welcome others into pieces of our story. 

Also, how fun are these bracelets @katie_cunningham85 gave me last week for my birthday? Today seemed like the perfect time to wear them along with my Romans 8:28 reminder — “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Things working together for the good in Christ doesn’t mean easy or convenient. But it does mean all the details and relationships matter. I’m forever grateful for how God built my faith and my family through adoption. Wearing these sweet reminders is good for my soul. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #adoptionislove #adoption #PeaceInTheProcess #authorlife #bettertogether #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #momlife #firstborn #girlmom #boymom #reallife @scott_monica_bidwell
Another new book from a popular author that was ex Another new book from a popular author that was excellent! @harlancoben is a great suspense writer, and this is among his best in my opinion. It picked up with an old character and references another character from another book. But this story is well done even without those details. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #kindlebooks #kindlepaperwhite
I’ve read many @lisascottoline books, and this o I’ve read many @lisascottoline books, and this one is definitely at the top of my list. I didn’t know much about it going in, but I especially loved the WITSEC portion of the storyline and the suspense that unfolded about what happened to the Bennetts. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #kindlepaperwhite #booklover
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