The Best of Lists

 Oh my goodness do I love a good "Countdown" show. Did anyone else listen to Rick Dees and the Weekly Top 40? Every Saturday of 1999, as I dusted the glass tops of the round clothing racks at Trotters Used Clothing Store I would wonder if Celine Dion's "I'm Your Angel" would still be number one this week.

So, I have a habit of keeping track of some of my own lists. 

Books were my big thing this year. Between audio and paper books I read or listened to 57 books in 2024. Only 12 were paper, and the other 45 were audio. It was much more even when I was still taking classes. Now the majority of my paper books are non-fiction resources for ministry or motherhood so I can underline them or loan them out.

Here are the top ten that I would recommend out of that long list:

10. James by Percival Everett.

Mostly for ELA nerds, and it's much better if you're familiar with Huckelberry Finn and the whole Odyssey motif. I liked what Percival Everett did with it. 

9. Enough by Cassidy Hutchinson

This is the firsthand account of the assistant to the Chief of Staff under the last Trump administration. I won't say a lot but it's a very eye-opening read. Cassidy had a lot to lose by coming forward, despite accusations to the contrary. 

8. ADHD is Awesome by Penn Holderness

As a mom, sister, pastor, substitute teacher, and someone who always felt she had to work a little harder and longer for success than "everybody" else, and often "goes somewhere else" in my mind, I found this to be a helpful book. Penn's known for his lighthearted humor, so it was an easy read. It included science but wasn't like reading a textbook or medical journal. 

7. Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle. 

Really inspired me to see past the rough edges more. And to believe in potential of each person made in the image of God.

6. One by One by Freida MacFaden. 

I REALLY didn't know what was happening until the end, in true Freida MacFaden style. Her books are pretty scary, but not too spicy. I have been pretty drawn in by all of her books. But I really didn't know who the narrator was until the end so it was a major page turner for me.

5. I Didn't Survive by Naghmeh Abedini Panahi.

I won't say much because I've written about this book in depth before, but it is one that has stuck with me. It has a lot to do with believing women even when it would be much easier and a "prettier story" not to. It has to do with putting our faith in Jesus not charismatic people who enjoy the spotlight a little too much. And about understanding what the persecuted church really goes through.

4. The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth.

I have come to love a good psychological thriller with a "who-done-it" or great twists. This was probably my favorite this year.

3. God has a Name by John Mark Comer

This was theology-nerd gold. But written in a way that I feel like anyone could follow. Even the way he plays with font style, size, and spacing makes it empathetic to those of us who's eyes glaze over reading tiny line after tiny line of grandstanding. It's relatable and conversational. Parts of it completely blew my mind and other parts were so in synch with what I've been learning lately about God, the Bible, and the history of the Church.

2. The River We Remember by William Krueger Kent

This is my second favorite by this author. His book have it all. History. A suspenseful plot. Melodic, beautiful writing that I found soothing to listen to in audio. And typically a beautiful moral lesson or spiritual truth embedded if you're willing to dig for it.

1. Ordinary Grace by William Krueger Kent

EVEN better than The River. I somehow scored this book free on Audible and it was DNF for me the first time I started listening to it a year ago. I think my expectations were low because it was a freebie. But when I ran out of stuff to read and tried it again it absolutely tore my heart out. So here it is, my favorite book of the year.

I wish I had the length of list ready for you for movies and music, but truth is, I feel like I haven't gotten into as many of the new movies or songs this year! 

Here's about all I have to say:

The only "new" movies that I truly remember LOVING this year were The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Mufasa, and Inside Out 2. 

Music I have enjoyed this year would probably be Still Waters by Leanna Crawford, The Prodigal by Josiah Queen, even though I think it's from last year. I wish I could get "Bar Song" by Shaboozy out of my head because it is way too catchy. Is there like a KidBop version of this somewhere? I recently realized I love Beautiful Things by Benson Boone and my boys think that's really lame of me. I also am loving me some new Coldplay again all of a sudden. Like We Pray and All My Love. The boys think Coldplay is old and lame as well.

In TV shows, Mo and I are still loving Abbott elementary. And Dan and I really enjoyed "Shrinking." It's definitely one for grown-ups. Maybe comparable to Ted Lasso. It's got a real "dramady vibe" in that it deals with serious topics (primarily grief) yet it's all balanced with a dose of humor. The cast is really the biggest draw...Jason Segel (who I refer to as the "man or Muppet?" guy), Christa Miller (from Scrubs and other stuff),  HARRISON FORD, Brett Goldstein (from Ted Lasso), Neil Flynn (also Scrubs), Heidi Gardner (SNL) and a bunch of other people I don't recognize. 

I'm starting some lists for 2025. I have this great planner with specific spots for seven different categories of goals, and how I plan to accomplish them. Then on the next place it asks for five top goals and a list of specific steps to accomplish those goals. 

Here are a few of mine that I'm willing to share:

1. My number one health goal is to walk 600-700 miles. This is actually not an enormous goal. Really just about 2 miles a day, but I have been more sedentary this year than I think I've ever been, so I need a realistically achievable goal. I don't wear a fitness tracker but will make sure that my phone is one me when I go for intentional walks and hikes. I will find ways to make it rewarding such as pairing it with a chance to catch up on conversations with friends.

2. Get this kid of mine graduated and celebrated. Daniel turns 18. Sometimes the multitude of executive functioning tasks required to finish classes well, and plan and prepare for what's next require a mom. And I need to devote some time to all that goes into the celebration like senior pics, announcements, parties, etc. I'm giving myself permission to make this one of my top five priorities.

3. I want to do better for my extended family members going through hard times. The ripple effects of losing my dad and Dan's mom within a few months of each other has left a lot of people we love struggling. Sometimes even in practical ways...no grandma nearby to watch the littles, no spouse to take to doctor's appointments or relay the events of the day to. This is the year I want to do better. I'm learning that "when I get a chance" never works out and some things need to just go on the schedule. 

There are a few others I'm still processing regarding keeping better track of spending, eating more veggies, and coming up with a sustainable plan for providing better pastoral care. 

On a smaller scale I'd like to read through Catching Whimsey by Bob Goff and finish the Bible Recap study that I got behind on this year. I would like to try Kayaking and go to San Diego again with the family and Tubac for the first time. Clean out my closet and garage and finally organize the sock drawer. 

Who knows what my lists are going to look like a year from now, but I'd love to hear all about your favorites, and your goals for 2025!