Bekah's Best Finds (#2)
August 2024
Hello friends! Happy Sunday and the first day of September! While it’s nowhere near fall weather here in Southern California, it allows me to get several crops in for another growing season! I have several pumpkin plants that have sprouted, and I’m praying that I can have some ornamental pumpkins for the fall!
Thank you for your patience during this time! The college where I work had our move-in day last week, and it took several weeks in August to prepare for the new semester. Once I got home, I had neither the energy to read nor write, so things fell to the side. I believe I should have a more regular schedule, but I may have just jinxed myself.
In any case, here are my finds from the past month!
Entertainment
Every Sunday night, I hang out with a few of my friends and we play card games or a game of Mario Party. Lately, we’ve been watching more movies, specifically Japanese films. One friend has watched quite a few, and we combined our love of Japanese culture to talk her husband into watching the films as a group. The most recent movie we love has been Suzume, or Suzume no Tojimari (meaning Suzume and the Open Door).
I love Makoto Shinkai films for their aesthetic, but they can sometimes communicate some values that I wouldn’t recommend for kids to watch without discussion with and supervision by a parent. For example, in Weathering with You, the main character believes he can run away to Tokyo to receive good fortune, and he is then met by the girl of his dreams. Because some rather crazy hijinks, he ends up running away from the police and even threatening a cop. But he loves this girl, so everything he does is justified, I suppose! Not exactly a great thing to communicate in my opinion.
While Suzume does feature the main character leaving home and not informing her aunt/legal guardian, the main character comes to understand that what she does is wrong and apologizes for her behavior. Combined with gorgeous views and many references to Shinto beliefs, this movie opens up viewers to understanding the Japanese history and culture. The soundtrack is also gorgeous, as usual for a Shinkai film!
Books and Reading
I’ve been working to get back into a consistent reading schedule. I noticed that I had pockets in August where I didn’t sit down to read anything, and the stack of books I’m reading but have yet to complete grows by the day. However, there is one book that stands out as a riveting read!
I’m currently researching the Taisho era of Japan in the hopes of writing a historical novel in this era. As I was looking up resources, I found this love book and snatched it up. It’s already been insightful as I read about Minton’s voyage aboard the ship headed to Japan. Even if you’re not researching, it’s a fascinating read to understand the culture of traveling in the 1920s, especially in Japan!
Hobbies
This month, when I haven't been working, I’ve either been preparing the garden or reading books. Soil must be mixed, raised beds prepped, and seeds planted. I’m currently growing a tower garden of yarrow, chamomile, and lemon balm, as well as two grow bags of marigolds and a few small containers of zinnias!
It’s all a waiting process that I’m definitely going to write about in the future. For now, I’m excited to say that everything has started sprouting, and seeing those lovely little green sprigs popping up out of the dirt makes it all worth it. It’s been a joy to sit out and watch everything as I make sure it’s watered and good to go.
I tell many of my friends that they need plants of their own. They don’t have to buy the super high-maintenance type, and you don’t have to get super expensive pots. If you have a bowl you don’t mind getting dirty, you can fill it with water and set your plant container in it to wick up as much water as it needs. When you get new leaves or flowering buds, it fills you with satisfaction, knowing that you’re taking good care of what you have! It really is an unrivaled feeling.
Bible Verses
As I approach the end of the year, I am evaluating several work opportunities that are becoming available to me. As a twenty-something unmarried lady, the future can become scary and overwhelming if I look at it too long. I have to remind myself of James 1:5.
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
I have a Heavenly Father who wants to meet my needs, and one of those needs is His wisdom for everyday life.
I recently listened to a sermon in combination with this verse. Upon hearing it, it brought peace to my heart and encouraged me to keep going in the faith, trusting that God has a perfect will for me, even if I don’t understand it. I hope you enjoy it, too!
Something a Little Random
My brother recently started his first semester of college and he’s asked me several times to study with him. We use this app called Focus Traveler, and it’s a lovely timer that can be used as a Pomodoro Timer, too. This always helps me when I’m working on my classwork.
The idea is that you turn on the focus timer and stay in the app to keep you from getting distracted. You have a little hiker who is working to accomplish his own goals as long as you stay in the app instead of going to others.
It’s a lovely little concept with an adorable art style and a bunch of different characters to choose from. It’s fun to see how time seems to just slip by when using the focus app. My brother started to work on a project and was able to lock in and format the paper. When he went to check the time, he said, “Oh wow, fifteen minutes already passed?” I definitely would recommend this to anyone; even if you aren’t taking classes, it can help reduce your screentime since you can’t exit the app without halting the hiker’s progress.
Thanks for taking the time to read this post of my favorites from August of 2024! This is officially my favorite time of the year. While it may be a little intense with classes of all kinds starting, the world around us is reminding us that all things must eventually come to an end. Fall is an anticipation of the ability winter has to make all things calm and new again.
I wish you the best, my friends! Please let me know if you try any of these things and let me know what your thoughts are too!
"I’m currently researching the Taisho era of Japan in the hopes of writing a historical novel in this era."
Love this!!!