Stephanie Rische

Blogger and Writer: Capturing Stories of God's Grace

Friday Favorites: April

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For anyone looking for a customized book recommendation . . .
These book recommendations are based on your personality type. Does yours fit? (Full disclosure: I read The Marriage Plot, the choice for INFJ, and I wasn’t crazy about it.) Myers-Briggs Books

For anyone who appreciates a good dose of marketing irony . . .
Somehow these products didn’t translate perfectly into other languages. Pee Cola, anyone? 8 Disastrous Product Names

For literary geeks who are looking for a summer road trip . . .
You could visit King’s Crossing this year. Or maybe Prince Edward Island, for all you Anne of Green Gables fans. Or perhaps you’d prefer a quiet getaway to Walden Pond. 12 Literary Pilgrimages

For anyone who’s had a long winter and is itching for a beautiful view . . .
These places are bound to make you want to hop on a plane to Bolivia or Maldives or Namibia: Surreal Places That Actually Exist on Earth

For anyone who’s wondered if Easter morning would ever come . . .
Jennifer Dukes Lee offers this lovely reflection on Holy Week: “I lived years of Good Fridays, holding out for Sunday, swimming in doubt.” Sunday’s Coming

For anyone who wants to believe in miracles . . .
Eric Carle, author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, was reunited with the childhood friend who inspired one of his books—some 80 years later. An Easter Miracle

Friday Favorites: March

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For anyone who has ever felt guilty about their overdue library books . . .
You may have kept Divergent a few days past the due date, but this post should assuage your fears. These books were returned several decades late: Ridiculously Overdue Library Books That Were Finally Returned

For anyone who has wanted justice for a literary hero . . .
What if literary villains were tried in an actual court? Here’s what their sentences would be in real life: Leading Villains in Children’s Literature Enter Legal System

For anyone who needs a laugh today . . .
A German retirement community recreated scenes from famous movies to hilarious results. I hope to have this much spunk someday: Retirement Community Movie Calendar

For anyone who is feeling weary . . .
Shauna Niequist says, “I used to be spontaneous and silly, warm and whimsical. I used to dance in the kitchen and eat cake for breakfast with my kids.” More Love, Less Hustle

For all you book lovers out there . . .
If it’s a good book, I’ll read it just about anywhere. But I wouldn’t complain about having a nook like one of these: 10 Terrific Reading Nooks

Friday Favorites for January

friday_favorites_headerEvery month I try to compile a list of my favorite discoveries. Here are January’s best finds.

  • For readers from any state in the US…
    I loved this—a map with the most famous book from each state. It kind of makes me want to move out of Illinois though. The Jungle? Really? Famous Books Set in Every State
  • For word lovers…Are you feeling gusted, gruntled, or sheveled? I didn’t think so. Here’s a list of words with a negative but no opposite: 12 Lonely Negative Words
  • For nostalgics with a funny bone…I promise these photos of people recreating family photos from their childhood as adults will make you laugh. And maybe even try it yourself: Recreating Ridiculous Family Pictures
  • For anyone who needs encouragement to do the right thing…
    Great parental advice: “You can’t come in without going out, kids. Always go to the funeral.” Always Go to the Funeral
  • For anyone who has ever felt pressure for their marriage to look one particular way…
    Refreshing insights about what spiritual leadership looks like in real life: Spiritual Leadership: A Movement in Three Parts

Friday Favorites: November

friday_favorites_headerEvery month I curate a list of favorite discoveries from around the web. Here are January’s best finds.

  • For anyone who needs a laugh…
    In this hilarious collection of tweets, a word has been added to each title to completely change the meaning. Cases in point: I Kissed Carbon Dating Goodbye, The Taco Shack, Blue Like Jazz Hands. I promise you’ll laugh. Add a Word, Ruin a Christian Book. Plus, here’s a link to some mocked-up covers with new titles: Add a Word Covers
  • For all romantics—practical and otherwise…
    Ann Voskamp says, “True love isn’t found. It’s carved.” Why There Really Are No Blurred Lines
  • For people who love an actual book…
    This artist has created one-of-a-kind bindings for classic books. They’re not so much books as works of art, or in his words, “literary artifacts.” Bindings for Classic Books
  • For lovers of nature and/or photography…
    These are the contest winners for National Geographic’s traveler photo contest. Breathtaking. Outdoor Scenes Contest
  • For anyone who thinks the English language is hard…
    Why say it in a sentence when you can squeeze it all into a 63-letter word? Here’s a list of really long German words and their definitions: Eight Ridiculously Long German Words

 

Friday Favorites: September edition

Here are a few recent favorites I’d like to share with you today. Enjoy!

For Book Lovers…

These clever photoshopped covers show how much a simple letter can change the meaning of a title: Book Titles with a Letter Missing.

 ff sept

 

For Lexiphiles…

I’ve always wondered why cleave can mean “to stick to something” or “to be divided.” Apparently there are other crazy words like that in the English language: 14 Words That Are Their Own Opposites.

 ff sept2

 

For Travelers…

Now that summer is over, it’s time to start dreaming up your next travel adventure. Here’s a fantastic list of literary spots to add to your itinerary: 50 Places Every Literary Fan Should Visit

 ff sept 3

 

For Music Fans…

I’ve been listening to this All Sons and Daughters album for months straight, it seems, and it never gets old. The music is beautiful, and the lyrics are real: All Sons and Daughters

ff sept 3

 

For Anyone Wondering What Makes a Relationship Successful

In honor of her 12th anniversary, Shauna Niequist’s offers these insightful reflections about being intentional about keeping a marriage strong: On Marriage, Music, and the Fire Escape

ff sept 5

Friday Favorites: August

On this August Friday, here are are some of my recent favorites:

 

For introverts (and those who are mystified by them)…

I saw myself all over this list—maybe you will too. (Or maybe this will explain a lot about an introvert you love!) 23 Signs You’re Secretly an Introvert

 

ff August

 

For all productive types…
I loved Shauna Niequist’s challenge: Waste five minutes today. It’s All about the Heart Not the Hustle

 

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For everyone who’s feeling nostalgic about back-to-school time…

This is a rare recording of A. A. Milne reading Winnie the Pooh in 1929. Hear the Classic Winnie the Pooh Read by the Author

 

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For personality-type geeks…
These tongue-in-cheek prayers based on personality types cracked me up. Is it any surprise that the prayer for my INFJ type is “Lord help me not be a perfectionist. (Did I spell that correctly?)”? Prayers for Myers Briggs Types

 

ff august4

 

For all the book lovers out there…
This quirky post marries two of my things: books and ice cream. My favorite book-inspired flavor: Clockwork Orange Dreamsicle. Book-Inspired Ice Cream Flavors

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Friday Favorites: June

This Friday I thought I’d share a few of my recent favorite things with you.

For anyone who loves to read…

This site is fantastic—kind of like Pandora for book lovers.

What Should I Read Next

For all angsty writers (wait, is that redundant?)…

If you’ve ever felt the pain and suffering of writing (or not writing), this is for you:

Having Trouble Writing? Try This Famous Author’s Technique

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For anyone who loves a second breakfast…

I kind of want to live in (or at least visit) these Hobbit houses.

Real Life Houses That Look like They Belong in the Shire

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For anyone who knows they’ll never live up to Pinterest…

Next time you’re having a rough day, all you need to do is look at these babies in pumpkins. That’s real life.

Reasons You Should Never Reenact Pinterest Photos

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For anyone who needs a little boost of brave…

“Sometimes it’s good to let them see you sweat even when it feels awkward. Fear seems to grow in the darkness of isolation.”

Why You Need to Tell Someone How Scared You Are

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Friday Favorites

For all the pleasers out there…

If you’ve ever struggled with trying to add to grace, wanting to earn a smile from God and other people, I highly recommend this book by Tullian Tchividjian. It has been a game changer for me: Jesus + Nothing = Everything

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For all the teachers out there…

Teaching has to be one of the hardest, most thankless jobs out there. I had some amazing teachers and I know some amazing teachers, so I want to remind all you hardworking teachers out there that you are making a difference. (And you will make it through these last few weeks, I promise!) Dear Teachers Everywhere

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For kids and everyone who loves a kid…

This was a fun list of children’s books—it made me reminisce about some of my childhood favorites and make a trip to the library to check out a few I missed: 25 Books Every Kid Should Have on Their Bookshelf

 

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For Literary Nerds

In honor of Shakespeare’s birthday a couple of weeks ago, here’s a list of words we can thank him for. The world wouldn’t be the same without him, because I don’t think there’s a true synonym for bedazzled! 20 Words We Owe to William Shakespeare

 

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For Moms and Non-Moms Alike…

Mother’s Day can be one of the trickiest holidays to handle. How do we honor moms while acknowledging women who don’t fit the traditional mold? This post by Sarah Arthur offers a compassionate perspective: Are Women Really Saved through Childbearing?

 

Friday Favorites

For grammar geeks with a sweet tooth:
I couldn’t help but crack up about these cakes gone grammatically wrong: Cake Wrecks

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For introverts (and those who love them):

Donald Miller shares these practical tips for living with and loving introverts: How to Get along with an Introvert

For word nerds:
If you are a word nerd like me, you will deliciate in these obsolete words. Let’s bring them back!
Obsolete Words That Should Make a Comeback

For anyone weary of the “perfect life syndrome”:
Shauna Niequist offers this insightful perspective about our tendency to compare our own real life with everyone else’s peak moments: Instagram’s Envy Effect

For anyone who knows someone who’s ill:
Here’s some practical advice about how to avoid sticking your foot in your mouth when someone you know is sick: How Not to Say the Wrong Thing

Friday Favorites

For grammar geeks…fri1

I do love me some punctuation. Here are some new marks for those situations when a semicolon just isn’t enough: Obscure Punctuation Marks That Should Really Get More Play

For sports fans…

I’ve seen a lot of fine moments in basketball, but this is most heartwarming thing I’ve ever seen happen on the floor of a gymnasium: When Both Teams Win

For book lovers…

This memoir by Melanie Shankle will make you laugh and cry: Sparkly Green Earrings

For tired moms…

This is for all my friends who do heroic mom-things day after day: Burnout Is a Thing

For folk music/bluegrass fans…fri3

I recently rediscovered this album, and I’ve been listening to the song “Still” on constant repeat: Marty Feldhake’s Fences and Fields

For anyone who loves someone with special needs: This article by Amy Julia Becker is a heartwarming reminder that all people are stamped with the image of God—a fitting way to acknowledge Down Syndrome Awareness Day: Missing Out on Beautiful

For anyone who is looking for a miracle…

This is a beautifully written story about how miracles tend to come in unexpected packages:

A Tuesday Kind of Miracle