Have you ever been in a funk over a change in your life that caught you unaware ... Something that actually shifted your trajectory? That has been me for so many months that I don't even want to tell you how many. But! I'm shaking myself loose. It's been quite a journey for me because on one (very profound) hand I know that God caused the shift. But, on the other, I had my mind so set on the way I was going that — if I'm completely honest — it has been more than a notion to accept the way God has determined best for me. Even admitting it out loud sounds foolish and ungrateful, but it's real. So often, we want what we want so much that we're not able to see or move toward what we need. I'm trying be in both the vein of what I need and what God wants for me. So, this morning, when I woke up, I made a very precise decision to adjust my mindset and really my mood. Today, I chose joy. I'm learning to just handle each day as it comes, and most importantly to have the mind of God who promised me "better!"

I nearly took today off to re-calibrate. Yesterday left me a bit disenchanted. But, I've been reading about bouncing back quickly and when you actually should take a step back. Also, I realized just recently that it's normal to be at an impasse where you are having to make major adjustments in your habits, thoughts and relationships; and that it will happen several times throughout your life if you're growing. All that said, what I really needed was a good workout last night and some time to think about context, perspective and discipline. These things are very much the difference, many times, between what we'd determine a good day and a bad one.

So, I got up this morning and came into the office. My associate editor took these photos of me today that capture every bit of my personality. I love them, even the blurry ones, because they show how animated I am [wrinkles in this soft fabric and all] ... even when just talking about mocking birds ... which I was giving a full dissertation on at the time.