I am super tired today. I think the last time I looked at the clock last night, it was 4:15. Since my alarm went off at 6:30 today, you can imagine my consternation.

And after an impromptu two hour dance session the previous day, my body was aching in areas where I forgot I had muscles.

An early morning staff Zoom session dedicated to talking through coping mechanisms, the trauma of the past year, and how we’re coping made me teary eyed. This is not a bad thing – I’m super grateful our school gave us these resources, they really help. It was just I was now exhausted, sore, and weepy. A lovely combo.

All of this reminded me of my hedgehog.

An odd thought to jump to, I know, but I’ll explain the connection.

My hedgehog Thimbletack has the best grump face I’ve ever seen on an animal (see above). I took him out the other night (hedgehogs are nocturnal) and he decided that that night was not his night. He wouldn’t unspike, wouldn’t chill out on my bed like he normally does, he just wasn’t having it.

My roomie told him, “Thimbletack, you don’t know how good you have it. Your life could be so much worse.”

And as I held that spiky little ball of an animal, I suddenly received a vivid image of how I must look to God sometimes. I’ve got food, shelter, am overall well cared for and yet, my attitude can quite resemble that tiny grump pictured above.

I hiss and spit when things don’t go my way….well, I mean, not literally, but internally, yes (and maybe sometimes literally, depends on if I’m hangry or not). I also go shove my face in a corner when life is getting hard and pretend that I don’t exist. And sometimes I bite the hand that feeds me.

Okay, maybe I’m taking this little analogy too far, but as I was sitting there, trying to soothe the hog and reassure him that life was not as terrible as he seemed to think, I had such a clear picture of how God has calmed my soul and heart when I haven’t been even close to a good human.

How patient He is when I blow things out of proportion.

How He pursues me when I want to run.

How He provides grace to get through each day.

How He refreshes and encourages me with His Word.

How deep the Father’s Love.

And how funny and kind He is to send a little ouchmouse my way to cheer me up, to show me that life isn’t that bad, and to give me joy every day. (“Ouchmouse” is taken from some comic that I cannot track down, but I didn’t come up with it).

Who knows if this delight makes any sense to anyone but me? But my sleep-deprived self enjoyed it.

Until next time and may your day go better than Thimbletack’s.