Five on Friday - Spring Things, a Maui Tribute, Palms, and a Prayer

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

It’s Good Friday, which can only mean one thing… Sunday is coming.  <3 

We get to enjoy a four-day weekend for the Easter holiday, so I plan to attend Stations of the Cross today, and then hopefully get all of my flowers and herbs planted inside and out this weekend.  Sunday will be all about Jesus and family, and then I’m not sure how we’ll spend Monday.  Regardless, we are all grateful for some bonus days off and I’m excited to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus this weekend!  But first, some favorites…

O N E – Floral Top

This top is so beautiful, y’all!  The picture doesn’t do it justice.  The colors are vibrant and whimsical, and the design reminds me of a watercolor painting.  The top is light, flowy, and it hits right below the waistband for the perfect fit.  I’ve already worn it once, and I received so many compliments on it.  This top is going to be on repeat for me all summer long.  It’s fully stocked and on sale for 25% off right now, too!

 

T W O – Sandals

I haven’t been doing much shopping at Target lately, but I had to stop in the other day for a few things that we needed that only they offer, and I browsed a little bit while I was in there since I had time to kill before an appointment.  Let me just say that Target is on FIRE with the sandals this summer.  They have been my go-to for all shoes (except athletic shoes) for years, and they always have a great selection, but this year, the selection of sandals is massive.  As I type this (Wednesday), all shoes are 25% off, so hopefully they're still on sale today!

I love these ruffled rattan sandals… I’m loving the rattan trend this summer.

These sparkly beaded thong sandals are gorgeous.

And these double buckle sandals are cute and comfy.  Also, I can't believe stuff like this is back in style... pretty sure I had a pair similar to these in the 90's.  ;o)

  

T H R E E – Maui Tribute

I’ve mentioned my bulletin board in my office here on the blog before, but for those of you who may be reading for the first time, I use this space to display favorite things, keepsakes, special mementos, inspirational things, etc.  I recently rearranged some things on it so I could create a little Maui section in memory of our sweet girl, and I just love it so much. 

I printed my favorite picture of her that was taken just three months before she died, and I have her clay paw print displayed next to it, along with a rainbow sticker (to represent the rainbow bridge), the personalized ornament that my friend, Emily, sent to me in memory of her, and the sweetest sketch of her that one of my friends did on the cover of the card she sent to me after Maui passed away.  It’s my favorite little section on the whole board and it makes me happy to have her watching over me every day while I work.

F O U R – My Collection of Palms

Every Palm Sunday, our church hands out palms to everyone that we get to take home.  Every year as long as I can remember I’ve always folded mine into a cross (when I was tiny I’m sure someone else did it for me… probably my mom), and I have always saved them.  They used to be in a random plastic cup out of view on my bookshelf in my office, but I recently moved them to this pink and white striped ceramic planter, and I gave them a prominent spot on my bookshelf right next to all of my devotionals.  I couldn’t love this little corner more!

F I V E – A Prayer

This year has been tough.  Between personal things, like losing our sweet Maui, and the horrible things going on in our country (and the rest of the world) it has been a heartbreaking start to 2025. 

Some days, the weight of the world sits heavy on my shoulders, and then, some days I find myself feeling joyful, but that joy sometimes gets overshadowed by guilt… it’s hard to be joyful when so many other people are suffering.

I came across this prayer, and I think it perfectly sums up how I’ve been feeling.  It sums up life.  We all carry grief, and we all carry joy, and they can – and do – coexist every single day.  I think it’s important to lean into our grief sometimes because that’s what gives us empathy for others, and it’s also ultimately what helps us heal.  That said, I also think that it’s important not to get lost in it… we must allow ourselves to lean into the joy, too… true joy without guilt. 

This prayer is such a beautiful reminder that we can grieve, and we can be joyful, and that both can exist simultaneously.  I hope it brings comfort to those of you who need it.

Friday Funnies Inspiration 

On the Blog This Week

 Our 2025 Nashville Trip – Days 1 & 2

Our Week – The One with Girls Night, Poker Night, and One Last Birthday Celebration for Me

A Year of Gratitude – March 2025 Snapshot

Happy Friday, y’all!

*Linking up with A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites.