Five things friday

Can you believe it? We made it to the second-to-last Friday of the year!! And it's the last one before Christmas, so there may or may not be another ftf in 2025 (we'll see how it goes). Anyway... this week is a bit "R" rated (hopefully you'll catch on). Here ya go...

1. REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH AND GOD

I try to read Richard Beck's substack every day - though I admit it's difficult to keep up, because he literally posts one every day (and it's not everyday stuff like I post). It is so good though. And this post on Soteriology and Mental Health hits so many nails on the head for much of what ails many people today. Here's a blurb (and don't be intimidated by the big words... he explains them):

Here’s the basic thesis. Much of our imagination about how God works in our lives has been shaped by soteriology, our beliefs about salvation. That is, when we talk about God’s actions in the world we mostly talk about how God saves us. This creates a habit of mind, an imagination about the shape and nature of God’s actions in our lives. But this imagination, while appropriate for talking about salvation, isn’t always the best for thinking about mental health and well-being. Basically, we import a soteriological imagination into therapeutic contexts where it is ill-suited.

2. RUNNING

The next round of marathon training starts Monday (12/22/25). This is according to my 18-week training plan in preparation for the next Fort Wayne Marathon on April 26, 2026.  

I've been doing between 2-5 miles a day for the last couple weeks, four days a week. Once again I will use a Hal Higdon plan - either Novice 1 or Novice 2. I'm thinking of the latter this year, though it calls for 8 miles next Friday. Gulp.

3. REFLECTION 

I'm not entirely sure where I even stumbled upon this journaling app: Reflection journaling app, but it looks kinda cool to me. I have yet to use it, but I may give it a try. Here are a few blurbs from their website:

• "Journal daily, unpack your thoughts, and improve your mental well-being with an AI coach."
•  "Your private journaling app with real-time guidance and insights to help you flourish."  
• "...more than just a digital diary — it’s a tool for clarity, self-awareness, and personal growth."

4. READING

I finished, 'Something To Do With Paying Attention' by David Foster Wallace, this morning. This was a stand-alone piece from his novel 'The Pale King,' both of which were written before he died, but published after. Amazon says, "It is the story of a young man, a self-described “wastoid,” adrift in the suburban Midwest of the 1970s, whose life is changed forever by an encounter with advanced tax law." So, other than the tax law part, made it interesting to me. It reminded me of 'On The Road' by Jack Kerouac, in that it had no chapters and was basically a very long train-of-thought from beginning to end. I liked it, but, as with most things, I don't know that I would recommend it, because you may not like it. Still, it made for a worthwhile read to occupy my mind for a week.

I don't know if I will start anything else before the end of the year or not. I still have a few on the waiting-to-be-read pile, and am assuming I will get some more for Christmas next week. However, I will also be kinda busy until the end of the year, so... we will see.

5. READ THIS QUOTE (and reflect)

"Grace is not a race to the finish line. It is the patient, renovating work of God over a lifetime, often through people who will not collude with our illusions but also will not abandon us in our shame." - Chuck DeGroat, When Patterns Tell the Truth

Alrighty, I have almost all our Christmas presents wrapped - just need to buy two more small things - and now it's time to finish cleaning the house, plus a 5-mile run. I wish I'd have run yesterday when it was 50F, instead of the 18 with feels like of 0 that it is today. Oh well.

Happy festivus and whatever else you wanna celebrate!

Peace