Today isn’t really the last day of spring break. After all, the weekend is coming. But according to our school district’s calendar, today is the last official day of break. I rather enjoyed having the Twedlings home full-time. It was a much-needed respite from sports, homework, packing lunches and needing to get dinner on the table in a timely manner. Another plus about spring break is that it has been devoted to sleeping in and watching Jane the Virgin on Netflix late into the night while the husband plays Gravel on Xbox. Honestly, we both end up falling asleep on the ugly rust couch every night around 10:30 p.m. because we’re romantic like that.

Since I’ve been up to my eyeballs in prepping for my secret project (more on that later), the kids have been fending for themselves. Normal Nicole never, well rarely ever, allows her children unregulated screen time THE ENTIRE DAY, but that’s exactly what happened today. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do when you’re not feeling your finest but you are heavily involved in a project. Live it up, kids. Monday will come soon enough. As the song goes, back to life, back to reality.

There are a few essays from  Hope*Writers that I’d like to share this week. Reminder, Hope*Writers is the online writing community I’ve been part of for the last few years. Every week, most weeks, or some weeks (depending on my mood and life in general) I share articles and essays by a few of my writerly friends in a Weekend Roundup.

I’m trying hard to feature new-to-me writers in this week’s Roundup. After all, I could easily pull from Dorina Lazo Gilmore, Karen Gauvreau and a few others every week and call it good. I’m tempted to share their work and never write another sentence of my own, especially now that I’m engaged in this project. That’s how much I love and appreciate their writing.

Anyway, it’s time to level the playing field with a few new voices.

First up is an article by Alia Joy featured earlier this week over at (in)Courage. Check it out here. Alia writes about how it’s possible to love (and continue loving) someone very different than yourself. This was the perfect essay for this coffee-loving, book-obsessive INFJ married to an ISTP sheet metal worker who loves his new Xbox. Except for the introvert thing, we are opposites in every way. Poking around on Alia’s author website, I discovered that Alia is also an INFJ. Swoon. No wonder I related so well to her marriage essay. If you would like to discover more of Alia’s work, head on over to aliajoy.com.

I came across Alia’s stunning essay about marriage a few days ago on Facebook via another Hope*ster, Bethany Barendregt. It’s only natural that I should share a sample of Bethany’s writing next. Bethany lives in Grand Prairie, Alberta, CA and is one of the co-founders of the Women Encouraged website and podcast. I actually have a friend named Julie in Grand Prairie. Julie is the friend who threw a shower with a baby chick theme when I was pregnant with Emily, back when we were actively involved with the Young Marrieds group at our old church, back when Greg and I were actually young and newly married. I pretend that Julie and Bethany know each other because I’m weird like that. I fell in love with Bethany’s stunning essay, Courage To Labor and Love Like Jesus. Anyone who has given birth will appreciate this piece. While you are at it, check out the podcast episode with Ruth Cho Simonds on iTunes. I have to get dinner ready, otherwise I’d provide the link.

The final article is kind of a cheat on my end. You see, I’ve featured Christie Thomas’ work before. Since it’s been a while, I’m hoping that Christie might be a new writer to you. It counts, right? Right. In Yes Mama, You CAN Be The Spiritual Leader in Your Home, Christie explores why women should not shrink away from being the spiritual leader their children desperately need. The only thing I don’t like about Christie’s essay is the fact that I hadn’t read until now. Go read it.

Well, lovelies, that’s all for now. I really have to get dinner started. In reality, all I need to do is measure water and Jasmine Rice, throw them in the rice cooker, and reheat the curry sauce in the cast iron dutch oven. But I really should shower before Greg comes home. Spring break or not, showers are a very good thing.

N.

I mean no disrespect by using this image in a Weekend Roundup devoted to Good Friday. It is like I’m ignoring the horrors of today and all Good Friday Stands for by skipping right to the joy of resurrection Sunday, to Easter. I’m going with the image anyway. It’s been a challenging week around here. For whatever reason, the image beckons me. It’s very hopeful, very spring-y. I am all about spring.

Speaking of which, is it spring break in your neck of the woods? In our district spring break technically starts on Monday. The kids are already out due to parent/teacher/student conferences that happened earlier in the week. You bet I scheduled them early. So long responsibilities, so long school. See ya, I wouldn’t want to be ya!

Back to Good Friday and Holy Week in general. Good Friday deserves words, lots of words. After all, I’m a feeler who feels all the feels and rarely ever shies away from words, at least written words. But I’ve got nothing to share about this sacred day in history. You see, I’m heavily involved in a secret project that is sucking me dry in the best way possible. This little project of hope I’m working on, well, it’s all I think about these days. The cat will be out of the bag in a few weeks, another month at the latest. Hang tight, dear ones. It’s a huge announcement and will be worth the wait. I promise.

Luckily, my friends at Hope*Writers are not shy on words about Good Friday. Hope*Writers, if you don’t know, is an online community of writers that I’ve been part of for the last few years. Ideally, I share a Weekend Roundup every Friday to showcase the very best of Hope*Writers, or at least my favorites. I use the words “every Friday” loosely. The last weekend roundup, I’m embarrassed to say, happened around Valentine’s Day. You can read it here if you’d like.

Moving on.

Some prefer coffee, others tea. Just like some people prefer prose, others poetry. I’m definitely a prose and coffee kind-of-gal.(Unless it’s the passion tea with lemonade that my friend Jen serves.) That said, I’m hardly against poetry. In fact, bring on the poems! This is probably an awkward way to introduce a poem by Leigh Sain that you can find at the end of her marvelous post, What’s So Good About Good Friday?

The next writer I’m going to showcase is Karen over at Lightly Frayed. Karen is all about encouraging mamas and her article, When A Mom’s Easter Story Begins to Fall Apart, doesn’t disappoint. Read how one mom didn’t give up when Easter celebrations weren’t perfect.

Next up is Dorina’s essay, “Resurrection Rising: How To Wait Through The Winter Of Grief.” I wasn’t able to create a direct link for some reason. But click here and scroll down to the essay titled “Resurrection Rising.”  You won’t be sorry. Dorina’s essay is filled to the brim with beauty and hope!

I was captivated by Terri’s message when I discovered her blog post in my inbox this morning (or maybe it was last night). In a stunning post titled, Remembering The Solar Eclipse On Good Friday, Terri connects the events of Good Friday to the recent total solar eclipse. This will be a particularly meaningful read for my PNW friends who were able to trek to Oregon last summer for the solar eclipse.

The following is an older article submitted by Vanessa from At The Picket Fence. When You Don’t Feel Easter-y is absolutely perfect and perhaps explains why I’m drawing a blank this year as far as writing about Good Friday, Easter and the entire Holy Week and, really, anything other than my secret project.

The above essays fit (a little too) nicely together for my taste. I like to vary what I showcase in my Weekend Roundups. I’m well-aware that must people prefer writers to stick to a theme while offering less randomness and more flow. Ah well. I’m throwing in a final resource from Emily and the gals over at Kindred Mom about Becoming a Resilient Mom. The series has absolutely nothing to do with Easter or Holy Week, but I’m going to go with it. Moms need encouragement all the time.  You can find the Resilient Mom series here.

Friends, the kids are due back from A Wrinkle In Time with Nana and Grandpa Dave at any moment. It’s time to wrap this baby up. I hope your Easter weekend is meaningful and your spring break restful and/or adventurous depending on your temperament. He has risen. He has risen indeed.

N.

P.S. Did you catch my latest book recommendation post? You can catch it here.