It started with a phrase that caught in my throat “Celebrate Every Day“. The title alone felt like a whispered invitation to slow down, to look again, to remember that ordinary moments are not actually ordinary at all.

When I first read Shauna Niequist’s announcement about her newest book on Substack, I felt something inside me nod in recognition. I ordered the devotional right away, drawn in by the idea of a daily rhythm, a slower pace, and the promise of rediscovering the beauty tucked into our regular lives.

It has been a little while since then. The book has been sitting on my nightstand, quietly waiting for me. I meant to begin right away, but life, as it does, swept me along. Now, with summer stretched out before me, it feels like the right time to begin. To turn the pages slowly. To notice again. To celebrate—day by day.

So this summer, from May 26 through August 22, I’m setting out on a quiet rhythm. A journal beside me. Coffee in hand. I’ll be reading through Celebrate Every Day one weekday at a time. Sixty days total. Just me, these short reflections, and one small question to sit with each day. I’m not looking for a productivity plan or a checklist. I’m not even hoping for big breakthroughs. I’m simply choosing to notice. The way the light falls on the table. The way my daughter hums in the other room. The way toast smells when I forgot I was hungry.

In the books introduction, Shauna writes about scaffolding, the wooden and metal supports that hold up a building while it’s being built, repaired, or restored. Her words reminded me that I, too, need scaffolding in this season. I am in the midst of some inner renovation. Some of it planned, some of it long overdue. And if I am honest, much of it is uncomfortable. Reading every morning might not seem like much from the outside, but it has always been one of the truest forms of scaffolding in my life. It helps me sort through the nighttime noise, grounds me before the day picks up speed, and offers me a lens of grace before I take on whatever comes next. This book, I hope, will be part of the new scaffolding I build this summer, alongside morning journaling, slower meals, and plenty of porch time.

There’s something about reading Shauna’s words, especially the ones she wrote years ago, that gives me permission. Permission to love my real life. To tell the truth about it. To stop waiting for things to be shinier or more impressive before I decide it is worth celebrating. I’ve grown up alongside her writing. Cold Tangerines made me feel seen when I was still learning how to name what I wanted from my life. And now, almost twenty years later, I am still learning to come back to what matters most. The sparkle of the everyday. The holiness of the regular. The grace in the kitchen sink, the laundry pile, the late-night walk.

This is my summer rhythm. Sixty days of reading. Sixty days of writing. Sixty days of practicing what Shauna so beautifully reminds us:

To love our plain old regular lives.
To look back with kindness.
To pay attention to the holy ordinary.
To celebrate every day.

And just to get us started, here’s something simple and refreshing to steep your summer in slowness and light:

Summer Sun Tea

(Adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

What You Will Need:

• 8 cups cold water
• 5–6 tea bags (black tea works beautifully, but herbal or flavored teas are lovely too)

Optional: lemon slices, fresh mint, honey or simple syrup for serving

What You Will Need To Do:

1. Fill a large clear glass container or mason jar with the water.
2. Add the tea bags, making sure the strings hang over the side for easy removal.
3. Cover loosely and place the container in direct sunlight for 2 to 4 hours.
   Taste test after a few hours—steep longer for stronger tea.
4. Once brewed, remove the tea bags and refrigerate until cold.
5. Serve over ice with lemon slices or fresh mint. Sweeten to taste if desired.

Here’s to a summer of light, reflection, and something cold to sip on the porch. See you on Tuesday for Day One.

Gracefully yours,

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