'That's my new favourite thing!'

Anyone who knows me will know that I say phrases like 'that's the best thing ever!' or 'they're my new favourite person!' WAY too much, and I also over exaggerate pretty much everything...so much that I don't think this phrase actually carries any weight any more coming from me. Pretty counter productive, but there we go.

Having said this, the reason why I continue to say it is because there are so many things I see around me that excite me…an incredible film or book or TV series, a person who inspires me, a really clever or hilarious YouTube video; I find something new every week. So to break up the serious, reflective posts I have been writing lately (sorry about that, it's just what I seem to be writing at the moment!), I thought I would share a few of my latest crazes with you, because the only thing you want to do when you find something amazing is tell everyone about it, and make them love it too!

1) Enya. The music of Enya has always held a kind of magic and mystery for me. Enya herself is Irish, and sings all the songs herself, layering her own voice to make it sound like a choir, in Irish, Latin, and even some of J R R Tolkein's languages; and she lives in a castle called Manderley, like in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca.  Many people associate it with Lord of the Rings, and for me this element of fantasy is coupled with nostalgic childhood memories, and a sense of wonderment; my Dad used to play it on long car journeys to see our family, so I associate it with open countryside, adventure and getting back to my roots. Recently I've started listening to The Very Best of Enya, which is perfect for making me feel uplifted when I'm working at uni! Some of the songs are upbeat, some are melancholic…but all are wonderful.

2) Jack Whitehall. Although I have watched so many programmes with him in now I'm starting to recognise jokes, he's a great story-teller and a fellow exaggerator, and has that unique ability to be able to truly laugh at himself and see the funny side of things. Everything he says comes out of daily life and is so relatable (think Michael McIntyre-esque) and his sarcasm and over the top description of events is completely my sense of humour. I watched the entire hour and a half of 'Jack Whitehall Live' in one sitting at uni…then I looked up, realised what the time was and quickly got on with my work. I was only meant to be on a 20 minute break.

3) Dove's Summer Glow. I have used this tinted moisturiser for a few summers now, and every time I use it people ask me where I've been on holiday; they always look very surprised when I tell them I've been to the Lake District or somewhere! If you use it every day it builds the colour up naturally, without being streaky or too orange, and then when you get to the colour you want you start using it every other day, and it stays pretty much constant right through the summer. Definitely worth a try.

4) How I Met Your Mother. Apart from being really funny, I just love the idea that the entire show is the main character telling his children about his life in flashback. I love the sense of destiny and hope in it, and the moment when we FINALLY saw the Mother for the first time in 8 seasons, after all these really subtle clues and side stories was truly momentous. And this final season is just amazing, finally getting to see Ted meet his future wife. It's so unusual to tell the story from the future backwards, but I love the way it shows how tiny little moments and decisions can change your life, and the feeling of all Ted's relationships eventually preparing and leading him towards one person. Go back and watch a selection of old episodes to develop a real love for the characters, and make sure you watch all the episodes with the clues in before watching Season 9! (yellow umbrella, that's all I'm saying.)

5) my John Lewis card. My friend Rosie discovered this gem; basically sign up online or in store for a membership card, and then a couple of weeks later your card will arrive…along with a book of vouchers for a drink and a slice of cake each month. And it's all FREE. Our initial reaction was 'what?? That can't possibly be right?!' but it really is! Rosie, Milla and I went for our March tea and cake the week before the end of term (on a side note, I can't believe my second term is over already!) and all 3 of us got a large luxury hot chocolate - the voucher says it only applies to regular drinks, but the lady who served us said it just got too complicated and so now it applies to large drinks as well! - AND a huge slice of cake (Milla even managed to find some gluten-free cake!) which would have costed about £6.50 each, but we got it all for free. Enough said.

6) About Time. I've been wanting to watch this film all term, and on my first night back at home I finally got to. It's now one of my ultimate all time favourite films that I have ever seen in my life and in the whole universe EVER. It made me laugh out loud, break down in tears (and I don't just mean a little giggle or silent tear, I mean full on hysterics and total sobbing; the kind that's only acceptable in front of your family or best friends), all the while gently feeding me a philosophical life message, without forcing it down my throat. I love Tim, I love the relationship between him and Mary, I love that the element of time travel is more of a side story than the main focus; but most of all I love this film's honesty. Cheesy though it sounds, it inspired me to live every day as though I had come back to this one especially, as if every day could be life-changing. I hesitate to use such strong terms, but I really cannot recommend this film highly enough; it's just so lovely. I can't do it justice here without spoiling it…once you've seen it, come and talk to me about it (if you have the time!) and I will tell you all my favourite quotes.

Mopping the floors

I watched Bruce Almighty with my friends today; there are many amazing moments in that film which speak to me about God, but one that really stood out for me today was when Bruce is feeling completely overrun by the pressures of everything going wrong around him, and he goes to see God. Morgan Freeman (I think God will be something like Morgan Freeman in Bruce Almighty…understanding, loving, patient yet hilariously funny) reminds him of a promise he made to him at the beginning of the film; to help him mop the floors. And - unlike earlier - Bruce actually does it this time.

I really let stress get to me sometimes…if everything is crazy and busy, I go into superwoman mode (well what I think is superwoman mode anyway…to be honest I think it just makes me look a bit ridiculous) and try and get it all done myself. I'm like a horse with blinkers on, all I can see is the end of my to-do list, and I'm often short and snappy with people as a result. And, worst of all, I sacrifice time with God for time getting things done. But in reality, this is when I need quiet time with God most. In these moments, spending time mopping the floors (metaphorically obviously…I don't think I have ever actually mopped a floor in my life. Sorry Mum) just me and God, is the most productive thing I can do in that moment. Slowing down allows me to relax, be more productive in my busy-ness, treat people with love even though I'm stressed, and see things with God's perspective and priorities and not my own.

So next time you see me rushing around like a headless chicken, remind me to go and just spend time mopping the floors with God. That's what I really need; time with the one I love and who knows me better than I know myself to destress and re-centre. I might yell at you, and I'm so sorry for that (shamefully, my friends and family have to put up with my yelling a lot) but I will thank you later. As God says to Bruce, 'that's the amazing thing; no matter how dirty things get, you can always clean them right up'.