June - August
1. Almost all turkeys eaten in the US are the result of artificial insemination.
If you’re thinking, “Wow, I didn’t expect this list to start with turkey sex,” I get it. Me neither. But isn’t this fascinating and also sad? Starting in the 1950s, turkeys were bred for the thickest, juiciest breasts because that is what consumers value most. Now, years and years later, those turkeys are actually physically unable to mate because of the size of their breasts, and so a shocking 100% of commercial turkeys are the result of artificial insemination. (If you want to read more on this, check out Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable Miracle; and if you want to listen to a super short podcast episode about it, check out this one.)
2. I really enjoy training for a half marathon.
Perhaps even more shocking than turkey sex ending up on this list is I’ve found I really enjoy running. There’s something about looking forward to an event and training for it that has brought me a lot of joy. (And I’m sure the endorphins help.) My body feels strong, my skin is glowy, and I’m watching as my times decrease from veryyyy slow to just very slow, with one “y.” Praise God.
3. Sounds travel farther in damp, humid air.
If you’ve ever wondered why birds sing the most in the morning, it’s because of the humidity in the morning air. Their songs travel farther because the moisture carries the sound along. I just love this!
4. There was a record-breaking heatwave in London in 1976.
This heatwave was actually the setting for a novel I really enjoyed this summer: Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell. Who knew?
5. Modern medicine is one of the ways I believe Jesus is “putting all enemies under his feet.”
I don’t feel informed enough to have any strong opinions on eschatology (the theological term for studying the End Times), but I do fall into the camp of truly believing Jesus is putting all enemies under his feet (1 Corinthians 15:25) right now. I get squirmy when Christians talk about how the world is going downhill and getting worse and worse, because I see things around us like modern medicine that helps premature babies grow into healthy infants (!) refrigeration that keeps so many people from dying of foodborne illnesses that were commonplace a couple hundred years ago (!) and nonprofits that are working to better the lives of people all around the world and CAN because of technology. The world is far from perfect, but I think satan shook with fear when each of these things happened and he had less of an opportunity to steal, kill, and destroy. (If you want to read some better words on this topic from someone who has truly put in the work of studying it well, check out this blog post.)
6. Lopez Lomong - US Olympian and the flag bearer for the US in the 2012 Olympics - grew up in a refugee camp after escaping the killing fields of Sudan.
I read Lopez Lomong’s stunning memoir Running for My Life this summer and his life story is just incredible. It’s sad and hard to read, and hopeful and beautiful and inspiring. Lopez Lomong is a believer and beautifully traced the hand of God working through some really difficult circumstances in his life.
7. The right book makes all the difference. (Subheading: I miss the Olympics.)
When I started listening to the book The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown, I knew exactly nothing about the men's rowing team in the 1936 Berlin Olympics...and I didn't really have a great desire to learn. This book came highly recommended by a friend/my personal book whisperer, so I decided to trust her and man-oh-man was it delightful. I can't recommend it highly enough. The story is incredible and the way it's told is just magnificent.
8. I prefer the term “physical distancing” over the term “social distancing.”
I’m not sure why it felt like such a big deal to me to hear the term “physical distancing” instead of “social distancing” when my family and I visited Disney World this summer. It may have something to do with the way “social distancing” feels like it’s subconsciously trying to tell you that being social is bad or wrong somehow. Or it may have to do with the way “physical distancing” is a more correct way of saying what you mean - you don’t need social space between you and other human beings, you need physical space, physical feet of space, and you can be as social as you like from that distance. Regardless, “physical distancing” feels kinder and more accurate to me, and I wish it was the norm everywhere.
9. The times when I am least likely to display the Fruit of the Spirit to the people around me are when I feel busy or hurried.
I haven’t quite finished The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer, but if this is the only takeaway it was a worthwhile read. I am least likely to be patient, kind, joyful, peaceful, and loving when I feel rushed and busy. (Example: when I’m running late for something and Abbie kicks off her shoes for the twelfth time, I’m less likely to respond with patience than if I wasn’t feeling rushed.) It makes sense that I would notice that and reorder my life in such a way that I’m better able to love the people around me by, as John Mark Comer would say, ruthlessly eliminating hurry.
10. Community is such a gift.
Late this summer, I started gathering with a small group of women on Monday afternoons and it has been such a gift to me. We talk about Jesus’s work in our lives, pray for each other, laugh, and we’re often sent home with beautiful flowers (thank you Shyla!) I had been longing for this kind of community since my time at Liberty and I’m just so grateful for this gift from the Lord!
Photo from my dear friend Shyla’s Evening in the Garden Workshop