I’ve been a bit out of sorts the past few days. I’m not sure why, but suspect it’s not due to any ONE thing. 
This is part of it: Politics bleh. I know that I should quit paying attention to the news because every time it seems as if we’ve hit bottom, it turns out we can go lower still. I fear the normalization of disrespectful and uncouth behavior. We had an incident at our Vacation Bible School, where one child called another “stupid” and things escalated from there. In talking to our youth director about it I wondered how we are to teach our young ones to respect one another when our national leader models disrespect. We must resist by modeling the command of Jesus to love one another.
And this: On a slightly related note, I continue struggling to understand how the majority of white Christians supported this person for president. And how can they continue to support someone who models the complete opposite of the teachings of Jesus. Many of my pastor friends, and many members of my church do oppose this ugliness. But I wonder if we are a minority among Christians, and if so, the church has completely lost its way. I struggle with this every day…and wish I didn’t have to.
And this: I’m tired this week…sleepy tired, heavy legs tired, wanting to eat tired.
Thankfully it’s Friday…a day off. I won’t be resting much as I’m going to start moving stuff from the garage to the POD (see Sometimes You’ve Gotta…). But still I’ll take a nice nap later, a nice bubble bath, and go with my daughter to get my first (and probably only) tattoo.
Today I’m personally thankful for: the gift of gratitude and the spiritual benefits of being grateful, even and especially when out of sorts; for the ability to exercise away frustrations- more spiritual benefits here; and for all those who are working very hard to save our country because it is worth saving.

My tattoo will sort of look like this, but with a silhouette running figure and better font for the words: gratitude, breathe, live, run.