1. The above piece of art is Van Gogh’s “The Good Samaritan – After Delacroix.” It is stunning for the eye and the heart. I have no taste for politics and I do not like any politicians. But, if it is true our current President did not categorically repudiate the white-supremicists carrying Nazi flags that marched in Charlottesville last weekend, any defense of this by those who follow Jesus is not merely a political issue but a gospel issue at it’s deepest level. This is not controversial in the least. The teachings of Jesus and his Apostles are clear on how we treat other people – we love them even if it feels like a cross to bear. We love them regardless of their race. We love even if they want to kill us. There is no getting around this. There may be a thousand issues swirling around all the issues of race and protest and politics, but for the one who places all their hope in the mercy and grace of the gospel of Christ, there is no other way to live besides love for our neighbor regardless of what they look like, what they believe, and whether or not they mean us harm. Again, this is not politics, this is theology.
2. The Glass Castle may be the craziest memoir I have ever read. It is certainly some of the best writing I have enjoyed.
3. Speaking of broken records, my truck overheated again and the plan is to not let the day end without buying a new vehicle. (raises fist in defiance)
4. Someone asked me the other day if I missed anything about my last job. I miss nothing about working for the bank. I worked with some good people but we were so frantically overworked that you could never really get to know them anyway.
5. I keep trying to listen to albums other than Isbell’s The Nashville Sound, but none of them are near as good. Not a one.
6. Relax, we still have more than two months of baseball left.
7. I am barely into my third day of taking a rest day – a day when I do no work for my job(s). As much as I look forward to this day, it is hard work to not work. But because there is always something that can be done when teaching, it is tempting to open the computer and begin working or do some related reading. Plus, I *really* enjoy getting ready for classes. But I get the feeling this rest day is good for me on a level I cannot pin down just yet.
8. When I got my first paycheck from the school, my first thought was “Which record do I want to buy?”
9. Me: Everything I know about teaching I learned from School of Rock.
8th Grade Boys: What is School of Rock?
10. I think it’s in The Message version of Proverbs 31 that it says, “She rises early and drives a school bus so her family can enjoy good insurance.”
Echoes and Stars 
#9 – Say what?
#10 – When I told my husband about your wife driving a bus, he said it was probably for the insurance. He drove a school bus years ago, not for insurance, but because he was pastoring a small south Georgia church and we were trying to make ends meet. He tried to convince me to drive one, but I have little confidence in my driving skills.
I headed a small library some years ago and needed to hire a secretary. Here’s why I ended up hiring the person I hired: She drove a school bus in New York City. I figured if she could do that, she could handle anything!
#2 – will put this on the list to read…when I finish my year of rereading my favs.
#7 – rest is probably one of the greatest gifts God gives us, Sabbath rest in OT and for us, a daily Sabbath rest in Christ’s finished work. But…it’s more universal — even medically/physically speaking…yoga will teach you, unless you can completely relax and be ‘restorative’ down on the cellular level, complete healing cannot take place.
Enjoy your rest!!! Good for you actually embracing it🙂
#10 – God bless her– those kids would do me in, she must be as amazing as you state
Same goes for you teaching…need people who love teaching, learning, and students.