A collection of what we are contemplating, reading, listening to, cultivating and creating -
may your day be filled with what is beautiful and good.

Our mission is to inspire intentional living—recognizing and sharing the beauty and goodness in every day.

Beauty in the Mending

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. When a piece breaks, it is not discarded. Instead, it is transformed into a work of art. What had been a tool now becomes a decoration. It can still be used and is still useful but now it draws attention to detail, beauty, and wonder.

How often does something break in our lives and the first response is to throw it out? Literally and relationally. Maybe from weariness we give up on repairing an object in our home like a toy, decorative piece etc. Or, more significantly, there’s a disagreement in a friendship and it feels easier to walk away than to try to repair the relationship. Sometimes, we feel as if we break. Something happens outside of our control. We walk suffering and it feels like a punctuation to a story line with no hope of redemption, continuation, or progression. Other times, a choice is made or we walk a life event and there is continuation, but not in our hearts. We feel permanently handicapped by the pain. What was can never be again.

While the feelings are real, The Lord invites us into a different story - into our own Kintsugi of the soul. As we are reminded in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” Our lives are splendid works of art. Not because of our perfection, our doing, our performance. Rather because goodness comes from Our Creator who has made and makes us in His image to be beautiful, intricate, prized, beloved. Suffering does not disable us, it refreshes us - moreover, it redeems us.

Reflect on a Saint, a mentor, or a close friend whom you admire. What do you admire about them?

For me, I have been edified by the exemplification of profound virtue. In nearly every case, this inspiring virtue has manifested in their lives because of a season (or seasons) of brokenness. The trials led to the healing. The “breaking” led to the mending. Not just the mending: the radiance of Christ. The Lord is our “gold” filling in all of our cracks; making us new creations, even more beautiful than before. His presence is what brings forth goodness and newfound strength.

What We’re Reading

Well-Read Mom

I was invited to join Well-Read Mom (WRM) when we lived in Houston and it changed my life. In the midst of a challenging season, I found solace in the fellowship and literary journey that WRM compelled each month. Books are healing. Especially fiction.

Good friends of ours have the following paraphrased quote from Nathaniel Hawthorne on their fridge, “easy reading is hard writing.” While not every book selected by Well-Read Mom might be considered “easy” (like the Hunchback of Notre Dame for example), it is a beautiful journey made even greater by the invitation to experience a piece or get to know an author that perhaps would never have made it into your library check out list or Amazon cart before.

Well-Read Mom groups can be found across the country, or you can start one in your neighborhood! The books are selected by the founders, which delightfully takes away any guesswork of deciding the “next” book to read as a group. Since the books are pre-selected, there’s also no tension or compulsion to guard dialogue. This leads to open and honest discussion.

I’ve also loved reading again. I missed it terribly, but I had resigned myself that reading for enjoyment would reemerge in my life in about … twenty years. Joining WRM (with moms who have 7+ young children I might add) changed how I thought about reading in this season of motherhood. I was denying myself something good, when I instead needed to give myself permission to prioritize my own learning and formation. It’s surprising how much time opens up, even with three toddlers and a newborn, when you give yourself permission to do something that is lifegiving.

If you join, happy page turning - I think you’ll love it!

Learn more about Well-Read Mom

Little Pilgrim’s Progress

Our children’s selection this month is Little Pilgrim’s Progress, a beautifully adapted retelling of John Bunyan’s classic allegory.

We have loved discussing the virtues of the characters, and the cautionary nature of others. It’s simple enough to be understood but complex enough to encourage meaningful questions. The writing and illustrations have made it a captivating tale for everyone from our two-year-old to our almost-five-year-old.

What We’re Listening To

Discipline Without Shame

“Discipline Without Shame: Dr. Sears Breaks It Down”, from The Lila Rose Show, is a thoughtful conversation about disciplining children without humiliation or fear.

Both Colin and I took copious notes and have seen remarkable fruit in implementing lessons from Dr. Sears and his late wife, Martha.

“Steadfast” by Josh Garrels

“Steadfast” by Josh Garrels has been a gentle reminder to take a deep breath, process and turn back to The Lord in prayer. It’s a beautiful nudge to hope and focus on The One who is constant, no matter the storm or trial.

Saints Alive

Saints Alive continues to bring the stories of the saints to life through incredibly well produced narration.

If the Saints Alive team notices a record increase in listens to Saint George and the Dragon and Saint Patrick, it is fueled almost entirely by our two-year-old, who insists on listening to them every day—often multiple times a day.

What We’re Cultivating

Friendship Between Siblings

After almost two years of reflection and several helpful conversations with moms who have walked this season and decision before, we decided to move all of the children (except our newborn) into the same room.

The results have been mixed. Everyone is slightly more sleep deprived however, they are acting and treating each other with greater kindness (most of the time - they are all still toddlers and no one has emotional regulation yet so there’s that) and able to resolve disputes more quickly. They also love each other’s company, which is a joy to witness. We’re still finding our rhythms with the switch, and some nights the children sleep separately, but now they ask to share a room and there is genuine joy when they get to be in the same space.

I’m grateful for the moms who encouraged us to take the leap - and I’m excited to see the children’s friendship grow as they experience this new phase of sibling bonding.

Levity in the Evenings

We have been trying to bring more levity to the end of the day through good music, especially while completing chores like the dishes, laundry, and other cleaning tasks.

Charley Crockett, Olivia Dean, Corb Lund, and The Hillbilly Thomists have all found their way into the evening rotation. Sometimes the children join us, and sometimes it’s just Colin and I swaying along.

Scripture Memorization

Our oldest loves sharks, so we created a shark-covered backpack for him that incorporates the words “Romans 8:31” into the design.

The hope is that the verse will become a reference he can quickly reflect on.

Fun Home Find - Products & Practices that are Positively impacting our Home

Mighty Mint Roach Repellent

Even with regular pest control visits, the cockroaches and ants have been pesky (and unwanted) houseguests. This natural deterrent has been incredible! Highly recommend if you're looking for a non-chemical solution to ridding your home of creepy crawlers

View on Amazon

From the Kitchen

Dijon Roast Chicken

This simple and delicious meal has become a monthly - and sometimes even a weekly - staple. It packs protein, great flavor, and timely cooking + clean up into one delicious dish. Enjoy with a side of potatoes and salad the first night and then re-invent leftovers into quesadillas, sandwiches, or fried rice

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, approximately 3-4 pounds
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 4-6 tablespoons softened butter (room-temp) or olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning or
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or fresh if able!)
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more as needed
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
2. Pat the chicken thoroughly dry and place it in a roasting pan (I love using our cast iron).
3. Coat chicken in butter (or olive oil). Lift up the skin and rub butter on the meat, allowing the skin to help trap the butter - this will ensure a moist bird at the end.
4. Rub the Dijon mustard over the entire chicken, including beneath the skin over the breast where possible.
5. Top with oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
6. Roast for 20 minutes at 425°F. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue roasting for approximately 50–70 minutes, or until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F.
7. Allow the chicken to rest for 10–15 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!

View the Recipe

Building Beautiful & Good

This month, we introduced our limited-edition Pumpkin Spice Date Cup—a seasonal flavor made with maple-infused organic dates, our signature nut butter, pumpkin and fall spices, cacao nibs, and pepitas.

We are also excited to announce our wholesale partnership with Trianon Coffee. We are continuing conversations with several other Austin-area coffee shops, studios, and community spaces - stay tuned for more news about our wholesale partnerships!

Explore the Pumpkin Spice Date Cup

The Dates Are Coming to Life

A new little project is debuting on the Beautiful & Good Instagram: a claymation series starring our dates!

Each short episode will bring one of the twelve “fruits of the spirit” to life through simple stories and a cast of surprisingly expressive dates.

Follow along at @beautifulandgood.co to meet the dates and watch their adventures.