It’s the fifth of December today, and I sat down on my front porch in an old rust-colored sweater to do some afternoon reading. I think this is warm even by Tennessee standards, but when you grow up in Wisconsin, you don’t expect to be doing any outdoor relaxing once the calendar switches to October, let alone December.

Sometimes we receive better things than we deserve. Thank goodness.

I’ve been doing some thinking lately. It’s hard work, thinking. I get distracted easily and take a lot of breaks. I sure love having a laptop and a tv and a beer in the fridge and some ice cream in the freezer and a cell phone in my pocket and anything else at hand that can gloss over the unsettledness within my spirit.

And this is our life, America.

And I suppose this is what we’ve asked for and what we deserve.

But sometimes we receive better things than we deserve.

Like a warm December 5th and a good book and eyes to see and ears to hear. Thank goodness.