Week 40: 30 Lessons I Learned This Past Year + What I'm Reading, Watching, and Listening To

My grandpa passed away this week. He was my last living grandparent — and he leaves such a powerful legacy behind him. In fact, I wrote about how his strong work ethic influenced me in my new book that comes out this month. And then just last week, ... ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  View Online Here's what's new: Week 40: 30 Lessons I Learned This Past Year + What I’m Reading, Watching, and Listening To Week 40: 30 Lessons I Learned This Past Year + What I’m Reading, Watching, and Listening To My grandpa passed away this week. He was my last living grandparent — and he leaves such a powerful legacy behind him. In fact, I wrote about how his strong work ethic influenced me in my new book that comes out this month. And then just last week, when I flew to CO Springs to record the Focus on the Family radio show, I got to share a little about him on the show, too, having no idea he was so close to heaven!  Many of you probably don’t know that my grandma (his wife) passed away very, very suddenly when I was 11. This was a massive loss for us all — but especially for him. He spent hours at our house in the following years as he grieved and rebuilt his life. My parents built a hangar and half-mile runway on our property and he kept his ultralight planes he had built there. We loved getting to watch him fly them — and he was often out there working on a project in his hangar. He had the best stories to share and we got to hear SO many of them over the years. From his time in the army, to raising kids, to memories with his wife, to funny everyday things that happened, he had so many stories to share.  I’m so grateful for all the time we got to spend with him growing up and also in the past almost two and half decades I’ve been married.  I have so many pictures with him but I chose these two to share — the first pic is from my last visit with him. When I traveled back to Kansas in February, my sister and I got to spend time with him. He had just moved into a nursing home and was really sad and missing his freedom of living in his own home. When I told him goodbye, I remember feeling in my heart it was likely the last time I’d see him on earth, and I’m grateful for the closure I was able to have then. This second picture is from when I was a brand-new mom and just had Kathrynne. I’m so thankful our kids all got to spend time with their great grandpa and get to know him! What a gift!  I have been picturing him in heaven and thinking how beautiful it is to know he is free from all the physical ailments and no longer sad or lonely. But his death leaves a big hole. Please especially pray for my mom and uncle as they grieve the loss of their dad. ❤️ I took Micah with me to the service in Kansas and I’m so glad I did. I brought him because he’s been showing signs that he needed some extra TLC from his mama. (I ended up being out of town for a few days every week this month and it was wearing on him.)  Jesse and I felt like time away one-on-one with me might be exactly what his heart needed… and it was! I could see such a calmness come over him within the first hour of the trip. We have a no screens when flying or on a road trip policy (because we’ve found it makes attitudes SO much better!) and I love seeing what creative things they come up with to do instead!  (Micah’s favorite part was the outdoor space at the Denver airport! Highly recommend if you are flying with kids!) I took some pictures when we were at the graveside service but they feel sacred and not something to be shared publicly. It was a beautiful service and really meaningful, and I’m so glad Micah and I got to go. He asked a few questions and I explained a few things simply, but he really seemed to absorb things well but also very matter-of-factly. He also loved getting to see his cousins and my grandpa’s dog! I can think of no better way to honor my grandpa’s legacy than to fully embrace life. He often would remind us to be grateful if you can still love your body. So, after the service, Micah and I spent a long time jumping on the trampoline together (something I rarely ever do). We laughed so hard!  I also attempted to do a somersault while Micah videoed. Guys, I think it’s been YEARS since I did a somersault and it literally felt so weird and almost scary. But Micah’s face after I did it cracked me up so much!  Also, go try to do a somersault if you’ve not done one for a while!  By the way, want to know some of my best tips, tricks, and hacks for saving money on travel? Check out this post: How to Travel for Cheap — 25+ Budget Travel Tips!  I turned 45 this week and to mark the occasion I’m reflecting on some of the big, little, silly, and serious lessons I learned this past year. I know there are others, but these were some of the ones that immediately came to mind.  Enjoy some of my fave pics from this past year, too! So, here are 30 lessons I learned this past year:  1. Jesus is so incredibly faithful. I experienced His goodness and love in new and fresh ways this past year and it humbles me. 2. Marriage can get richer with each passing year. I know this is not the story for many couples and I don’t take it for granted. 3. Watching your adult kids spread their wings and fly is incredibly exhilarating. 4. Watching your adult kids face tremendous loss is excruciating — especially when you can’t just take them home and tuck them into bed and make them feel better. 5. Progesterone really is the bomb dot com. 6. Apparently, I have become a runner. 7. You can run three miles on a tiny back patio concrete slab (sometimes, you do what you gotta do!) 8. Apparently, my body also does not like refined sugar and white flour. Never expected I would give those up this past year and be thriving! 9. I like puzzles. Also a statement I never expected to be saying. But I have to put a little twist on it so I kind of do competitive puzzling (meaning I challenge myself to see how many pieces I can do in a set time OR if I can beat Jesse in getting more pieces put in!) 10. Mouth taping is way easier than I thought — and it makes a big difference in my sleep! 11. Voice memos are the best thing ever. Shout out to my friends (you know who you are!) who get regular podcast episode length voice memos from me. 12. Olipop and Zevia are the perfect no-refined-sugar pick-me-up. 13. I am capable of not setting goals. I don’t know that I’d say that I love it, but not setting an goals for 2026 has been such a good exercise for my heart. 14. Red Raspberry Leaf tea can make a big difference in regulating cycles.  15. Guatemala is absolutely gorgeous and the people are so warm and hospitable. 16. Taking one-on-one trips with your daughters is the BEST. 17. Gardening is actually really fulfilling! 18. I thought oil pulling was so weird and then I tried it and became a fan – especially after it made such a difference in my gingivitis. 19. I love recording audiobooks. (I didn’t really enjoy it until book #6 — which is probably my last book.) 20. Letting myself do things to take care of myself and nourish my soul without guilt feels luxurious but has been so healing.  21. Local honey is SOO much better than storebought. 22. Birthing your own hair stylist is a pretty cool accomplishment. 23. I can survive a 3-week parasite and live to laugh about it. (The ER visit was so awful and hilarious we still cry tears laughing about it — if you missed the totally TMI podcast Jesse and I did on this, here’s the link!) 24. I can also survive our hardest business year to date (financially and team-wise) and come out of it so much stronger and emotionally healthier than I could have ever dreamed. 25. A slammed shut door after months of prayer is something to be grateful for. God answered, even though it wasn’t in the way I hoped (and that slammed door ended up being God’s protection! It just took a few months to recognize that.) 26. Homemade whole wheat bread slathered with butter and local honey is an amazing thing to eat at any time of the day.  27. Carbs are my friend. Lots and lots of them! 28. I can work a lot fewer hours and the business can actually end up netting more profit (because I’m not stretched so thin so I’m much more strategic + I cut back a bunch of expenses in a big business audit and it freed up so much extra each month so that I don’t need to work as much!!). 29. A bionic curling iron and a good hair mask might not change my life but it can change how I feel about my hair. 30. Saying yes to walking with a single woman who started fostering – even though I didn’t know how it was going to all work out – ended up being one of the best yeses of this year. I got a new dear friend and our whole family has fallen in love with a sweet baby girl we get to watch three days a week. The biggest lesson of all that I was reminded again and again of this past year is that, as my necklace and hat from @shopjenessawait says, “He still does miracles!” I’ve witnessed the supernatural power and might of the Lord over and over and over this year. When things felt impossible. When things didn’t make sense. When I didn’t have answers. When I wanted to doubt. When I did doubt.  I’m grateful that God’s power is not dependent upon whether I fully rest and believe in it… because some days I’ve really struggled. This year has been packed with challenges. But it’s also been packed with opportunities to exercise courage and trust wholeheartedly in the Lord. And, newsflash: He has always kept His Word. He has always been faithful. And I’ve gotten to watch Him move so many figurative mountains… why do I ever doubt Him? That’s my hope for this new year of my life. That I would lean more fully and wholly on God and trust in Him instead of sometimes doubting and trying to take matters into my own hands. ❤️ Don’t Miss This Bonus: 5 Days to a Financially Healthier You If you’ve been thinking about pre-ordering The 7 Habits of Financially Healthy Women, this bonus is one you won’t want to miss! I’m so excited to share this one with you! When you pre-order from any retailer, you are eligible to claim an incredible collection of exclusive pre-order bonuses — including this week’s bonus: 5 Days to a Financially Healthier You. This is a practical 5-day video course that also includes a module to read and printable worksheets to help you put what you’re learning into action.  In just a few minutes a day, you’ll work through simple, actionable steps designed to help you build healthier money habits and make meaningful progress with your finances. And… your pre-order gives you access to all the bonuses released so far and every new bonus still to come before the book launches! We have some really fun giveaways coming too! Pre-order your copy + claim your bonuses here! Amazon Prime Big Deal Days: Coming This Week!!  Amazon Prime Big Deal Days are happening this week — October 6th and 7th! Want to know how to get the best deals? In this post, we share our top tips for saving money and scoring great deals on Amazon Prime Big Deal Days! If you aren’t a Prime member but considering becoming one, this post explores the question: “Is Amazon Prime worth it?”and has a link for a FREE 30-day trial, just in time for Prime Days!  September’s “Read with Crystal” Recap + Announcing October’s Book! Wow! September’s “Read with Crystal” book club pick, Lisa See’s  Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, made me feel frustrated, appalled, and grateful. Did you read it?!  Check out this post to see my recap — along with some historical information I researched — and to share your thoughts in the comments. Also, do not miss my IG live with the author! It was incredible! This post also has October’s book club pick — one I’ve had on my shelf for a while and that I’ve had recommended to me so many times. Plus, you can read it free!!  Click here for all the book club details! This Week on The Crystal Paine Show: My Trip to Focus on the Family (+ Crazy Travel Stories) This episode of The Crystal Paine Show is honestly a little bit of everything – from chaotic travel stories to some really meaningful reflections from my recent trip to Focus on the Family, but I have to start off by telling you all about my travel adventures because I am apparently incapable of taking a trip without something happening. My flight to Focus on the Family was surprisingly uneventful, but another recent trip involved traffic, completely full airport parking garages, a frantic search for a parking spot, a shuttle bus, and me running through the airport trying to make my flight. Then, of course, there was the rental car that I genuinely thought wasn’t starting, only to discover that I had apparently been driving a hybrid before I realized it was already on! Underneath all those stories, however, there were some things happening in my heart that I really wanted to share. My time at Focus on the Family gave me a chance to reflect on what God was doing, some of the opportunities He was opening up, and the ways He was taking care of me in little moments when I felt overwhelmed. I also got to do something that was outside my usual comfort zone: talk about marriage and money on a marriage podcast. That combination can bring up a LOT of baggage, and I open up about why I was nervous about having that conversation and why, once I got into it, I realized just how passionate I am about helping couples have healthier conversations about money. Jesse and I also talk about my new book, The 7 Habits of Financially Healthy Women, the preorder bonuses we’ve created, and why I wanted those resources to be genuinely practical rather than just another thing to consume and forget. And, finally, I get to share how meaningful it was to have my assistant, Jinni, travel with me for the first time! There was a lot packed into these few days, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring you along for all of it, so grab your coffee, settle in, and come hang out with us. As always, feel free to also reach out with your thoughts! Listen to the episode here. What I’m Reading… This past week, I finished Holy & Hormonal. If you are looking for an in-depth resource on hormones from a Biblical perspective, this would be a fantastic book! You can also read my review of Lady Tan’s Circle of Women here. Currently reading: Every Table an Altar, Making Peace With What I Can’t Control, and The Inspired Homeschool. What I’m Watching… This week, the girls and I watched week 3 of Dancing with the Stars together. (It’s fun to have a show that Kierstyn, Kaitlynn, and I all enjoy together!) I also watched Jesse and I watched The Breadwinner this week. A cheesy but funny comedy on parenting. What I’m Listening to… I just started listening to The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Volume 3. More Links You’ll Love from This Week: Sloppy Joes and Simple Coleslaw ($10 Family Dinner Idea) —  This sloppy joe recipe is so quick and easy — and it uses lentils to stretch the ground beef even further and pack in some filling fiber! Pair it with the easiest coleslaw recipe ever for a delicious, healthy, and frugal dinner! How to Find Scholarships for College: 12 Places to Look for Free Money — There are so many ways to lower the cost of a college education and scholarships are a big piece of the puzzle! This post will help you find them! Looking for the Best App for Weight Loss? Why Nourish Offers More than Tracking — Most weight loss apps help you count calories, track macros, log workouts, or watch the number on the scale. Those tools can be helpful, but knowing what to do doesn’t always make it easier to actually do it, or to figure out what your body needs. That’s what makes Nourish different. This app combines helpful tracking tools with personalized, one-on-one support from a registered dietician to help you understand what your body needs and build habits you can actually sustain… and, it usually costs $0 with insurance! Read this post for all the details.  20+ Ways to Afford Organic Food on a Tight Budget — I often get asked: Is it possible to afford organic foods on a tight budget? And I’m here to tell you: Yes! While “organic” and “budget” might feel like they’re opposites, it is possible to eat well on a budget, and this post will help you do it.  Curious What My Week Actually Looks Like? Get a behind-the-scenes peek at what I’m reading, loving, and learning — plus subscriber-only recommendations you won’t find anywhere else.       Latest finds on Pinterest Historical fiction, redemption stories, unforgettable characters, and books that tug at your heartstrings -- this list has a little bit of everything for fiction lovers. I read dozens of books every year, but these fiction titles rose to the top. If you're searching for your next favorite novel, start here. Need an easy, affordable dinner idea? 🥚✨ This crustless spinach quiche is totally customizable (perfect for using leftovers!) and pairs beautifully with simple whole wheat bread. A wholesome, family-friendly meal for under $10 — and the bread machine does most of the work! This chicken pot pie with a homemade cream cheese crust takes comfort food to the next level! 🥧✨ Creamy filling, flaky crust, and made for under $10-- it’s an easy, cozy family dinner that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. 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