The Weekly Ramble – July 24, 2026
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Hello and Happy Friday! Are you ready to ramble?
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It’s always a little weird to be posting on Friday but telling you about the last week, including whatever happened on the weekend. For my Sunday to Saturday brain, it’s weird, anyway.
But, since I can’t promise to do blog work on the weekend, this will have to suffice. And you get the bonus of some A-ha’s from last weekend.
Kelly mentioned awhile back in the comments about keeping a weekly tally of “wins” and I started doing that whenever it was she mentioned it. This past week, though, I added a column for learns. You know, we win or we learn?
I think it’s great to highlight the wins, but also have a space for the things I’m puzzling over. So here are my wins and learns of the past week and weekend. Some you read in the last ramble; some happened since then.
At least two of my learns were successful:
ONE. Bryan thawed and repaired the freezer as well as did some research as to why it had an iceberg on the floor of it. Hopefully we are up and running and I can start filling it with easy summer freezer meals.
Next week I’m going to Costco Business to buy a huge pork butt for pulled pork and carnitas. If the weather cooperates, might also stash some pies away for fall.
TWO. I did get back to exercising this week; my thighs can attest to that. I didn’t even do a lot or very heavy weights, but I am feeling it. Well, I did go up from 5 pounds to 10, so I guess that could do it.
Anyway, happy to be back at it, even if I don’t see the fruit.
What I’m Learning
Speaking of which, I’m working on that concept of bearing fruit. Earlier this week I was reading the sermon on the mount where Jesus talks about good trees and bad trees and more specifically false prophets:
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. — Matthew 7:15-20
I know this passage is about false prophets, but good fruit is used throughout scripture when talking about the “fruits of the Spirit”, John’s command to bear fruit in keeping with repentance, and abiding in the Vine in order to bear good fruit.
So, good fruit is what we’re supposed to produce. Yeah?
But, one of the things that can be a hangup for me is the idea that fruit is visible, a return on one’s investment, something that we can see and touch and feel.
Clearly, this is not something I’m experiencing in my physical training (training being something that I consider stewardship) and so it’s had me questioning how fruitful it is. If I can’t see good results, am I bearing good fruit?
So that question has led me to think about resulting, as Annie Dukes describes it, “creating too tight a relationship between the quality of the outcome and the quality of the decision.”
Am I too focused on the outcomes?
Yes, the fruit of a tree is physical and tangible and the analogy leads us to focus on the outcome, the harvest, the fruit. But maybe when we talk about the fruit of our behavior, the fruit is actually the behavior.
Jesus wants our hearts, after all. Does He care as much about the outcomes as our process and faithfulness?
Anyway, that’s what I’m chewing on this week. Here’s what else I’ve been doing, eating, listening/watching, and/or reading this past week:
What I’ve Been Doing
I’ve been working on the newest versions of the Print & Go Planner. I sent out a survey to get some feedback on the pages in general. (If you’re a user and haven’t taken the recent survey, you can find it here.)
It was suggested that the time budget page doesn’t work for some people, so I created an alternate option. So far, those who took the official survey aren’t sold on the new one, but the majority on instagram preferred it.
I’m in a quandary, so I may just make both. Watch for an email about that soon.
What I’ve Been Eating
Isn’t that photo wild? I own a blue tray and the lighting was just so that the tray looks like a fake background. It’s not. It’s legit. But also weird.
I’ve been trying to get back on the Nutrition Wagon, but it’s been rough. I plotted out a sample day of meals that would tick all the boxes of 150 grams protein and 25 grams fiber as well as include foods I actually enjoy — plus sweetener in my coffee.
It ended up being about 1800 calories which I think is too much to lose weight. So, I’m struggling to figure out what to do. I get my blood tests done next week along with mammogram, so maybe I won’t fuss about it until August?
My tongue continues to burn, despite what I believe is an increase in estrogen, but I don’t know. Switching from gel to a patch has been a little rough.
What I’ve Been Listening/Watching
The girls and I binged all six episodes of Ride or Die. We really enjoyed it. Lots of things for the three of us to discuss in terms of friendships with women.
A good female friend is like gold, but they are hard to find. Those relationships risk deep wounds. This series explores it well.
I’ve also got my podcast queue full of good stuff to listen to. Good thing I’ve got lots of cleaning to do this weekend, so I can listen to:
What I’ve Been Reading
On my Summer Reading Bingo there’s a space for a CS Lewis book. I might be the only person in the family currently playing bingo but that’s okay. Lewis it is!
I’m about halfway through The Four Loves. It’s very meaty! And very good. I have loads of flags in it since I’m not sure if one of the kids purchased this paper copy or if it’s a family copy.
And I’m about halfway through the gospels in the Chronological Bible, so I should be done with the Bible by this time next month!
What I’ve Been Writing
I’ve not gotten back to my novel, need to do more skill study, but I’ve written on the blogs this week:
I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read and leave a comment on the posts. Thanks so much!
How was your week?
What’s up in your world? Leave a comment or a prayer request. We’re all in this together!
I wish I had started keeping that tally when I mentioned it! By the time evening comes I’m so wiped that I just want to get the basics done and go to bed. I even moved the notebook I set aside for writing these in up to my room, but it hasn’t helped.
I missed a few Rambles, so I missed why you weren’t exercising. I’m on the mend from a long time issue with my (I think) proximal hamstring tendons. I only recently learned that it’s not a muscle ache, but now that I know I want to repair what causes it to get inflamed and then hopefully not deal with it anymore. My workouts are limited to upper body strength training and isometrics for the tendon.
I think I’m also rebelling against the idea that the work I’m doing doesn’t seem to be producing visible fruit. And with the way this is tied in with false prophets, I’m reminded of the suggestion to limit our experts. I don’t recall who said it, but it’s suggested that we find one person in each area that we follow, and not get sucked into what this person says vs that one. I like the notion, but I also think we need to shake things up from time to time and make sure our experts are still giving us good info. I’ve unsubscribed from and stopped following several accounts of people who had interesting theories, but it’s starting to feel like a bunch of rhetoric from people who are taking advantage of a popular hyperfocus.
In that vein, I’m also questioning my own routines and habits for fruit, for evidence that I do actually trust that Jesus is taking care of me. It’s unsettling.
I feel like I write my own ramble in the comments because so much of what you share is part of what I’m going through in my own life. Between you and another of my experts I’m thinking of getting into writing just for my own space to process and be creative. I tried blogging way back when and loved it, until I decided to do what other bloggers were doing with theme days I felt like I had to follow. That killed the process for me. So my August goals include a return to reading more (not sure how or why that fell away) and exploring writing.
The pan of fruit makes me want a fruit salad!
Did I say I wasn’t exercising? I didn’t proof well, probably. I’ve been walking and lifting and doing cardio and gaining weight. Not happy about it and switched gears on Friday. I think in order to get “all the nutrients” they say you should have, I was just eating more food than my body needed. I’ve gained 20 since Jan.
I hope you’ll start writing! Yay!
You just used the phrase ‘return to’ so I made an assumption. I’ve been examining my health goals and am wondering how well some of them are working. I know I can’t go back to the days before I knew about all the junk in our food supply, but I was happier and thinner then! Thanks for the encouragement to start writing!
This week we put in some sweat equity into our house by painting the kids bathroom and living room, putting up shelves in our living room (finally….we’ve lived here 7 years). In the middle of all that, a tree fell in our front yard, but I’m convinced that was a God thing. Thankful it fell away from the house, but this summer I’ve been feeling nudged to start a garden, but we don’t have a lot of full sun spots on our property. Well…we do now…in the best spot. So, I guess I’m starting a fall garden haha. Also, I’m feeling some discontentment? disconnection? about how I’m showing up to and for my kids now that they’re teenagers so I’ve decided to work through the fresh start series of yours again, sometimes it’s helpful to just put all of that on paper.
Showing up for our kids is so important and so challenging at the same time. I didn’t have good role models in this, so I’m figuring it out as I go.
OK Jessica, quick question….I looked back at previous Weekly Rambles before I decided to comment….is your tongue literally burning?? As in, this is a new symptom? I couldn’t find where you might have referenced this, so I thought I’d ask for clarification. I wasn’t sure if this was a menopause or HRT related new symptom or if you are referring to something else from a previous Ramble. If it is literal, I may have a possible solution that could help:)
Hey Vicki. It started April of 2025. google calls it “burning tongue syndrome” but I’ve been to 8 doctors and no one has a solution. I’ve gotten rid of toothpaste, changed toothpaste, taken more Bcomplex, upped my estrogen/gone off the estrogen, tried all kinds of other supplements, and so far nothing is constant. My new GP has ordered some blood tests but she didn’t have anything concrete to go on. I would love to hear your suggestions!
I pray this will help you too….I had “burning mouth syndrome” on and off for several years in late perimenopause and on a trip to see my oral surgeon I thought I’d mention it as I, too, could not find a single doctor to help. He got out a textbook and told me he’d only ever seen a handful of patients with this disorder and that they were all women. Long story short, B2 (Riboflavin) was suggested for “Systemic Factors” involving low estrogen. I still have the picture of the page from his book. I bought Forest Leaf Vitamin B2 Riboflavin 400mg Vegetable Capsules on Amazon. I have used them daily since 2022 and have NEVER had a problem since. I literally found relief in two or three daily of starting this supplement. I was so desperate for help that I was sucking on ice cubes or cold wash cloths constantly and it was really starting to affect my mental well-being….it was driving me bonkers! The only problem I have encountered since 2022 was when I switched to a B-complex that included B2 and thought that it wouldn’t make a difference as long as it included the B2; it made a big difference, so I only take B2. If you need other B vitamins for specific reasons, you might think about buying them individually and forgo the B-complex one. Hope this helps:) Please let me know if it does. Have a great week!
Ooh! This is interesting. I did take Bcomplex but didn’t see a change. Did the surgeon recommend 400 mg? I just bought a bottle but didn’t check the dosage, they are 100mg instead. My daughter takes this for migraine management, so interesting to see it working for BTS! I have hope! Thank you, Vicki.
Jessica,
Right around the same time as my oral surgery, I decided to start taking B2, CoQ10 and Magnesium Glycinate for my migraines (I have been a sufferer for almost 44 years). I had tried the supplement regimen many years earlier and wanted to give it another shot. So, no, the oral surgeon did not recommend 400mg; he said to talk with my primary care doctor or neurologist. My neurologist knew I was starting up the supplement regimen again, so I just immediately went back to 400mg, as that’s what I had been on years earlier. Maybe you can start with 100mg and titrate up and see if you notice relief at a certain mg. Or talk with your own doctor first. I truly hope it can help you too. Prayers to your daughter….I can certainly relate with her migraine struggle.
I have been strength training for 16 months. It takes a long time to see a difference. Keep it up and you will see a difference. It is so worth it. Also, you may not see a weight loss from strength training (I have not) but I have grown to love it. It’s great to be strong. Hang in there!
Thanks for the encouraging words, Christine. I’ll keep at it!
I absolutely think the fruit is so often the faithfulness of showing up, especially when you don’t feel like it. This applies to so much of motherhood, homemaking and life in general.