Maybe I mean me

Leading women fills my soul and leadership heart. Small moments of joy – listening to them, praying with them, just being there for them – brings me joy.

For the photo above, it’s a re-creation of the same photo we’ve done 3 years straight. We are nothing if not consistent.

But my overall takeaway from the event was this – many women are tired of taking care of others who probably wouldn’t do the same for them (or they can’t trust someone else would do the same for them). They’re tired of stifling their voices, giving and giving and giving their time, effort, energy, and they’re tired of forgoing the things which make them happy for fear of reprisal at home, the office, in any setting really. They are silently imploding with unsaid words, feelings, situations. They’re done.

_________________

I ask you –

Is there anything making you feel as if you are done?

(The post Maybe I mean me first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Outtakes, episode 2

The latest iteration of my newest endeavor –

I think I’m getting better at this! Mini only told me once to stop being weird. Progress!

This time, we had 5 girls and it had been raining (with the works) for several hours. Mini isn’t a fan of storms and it appeared most of the other girls weren’t either. So we made a fort with a blanket thrown over a table and let the girls sit under it while I gave the lesson from a rather uncomfortable spot on the floor. Despite a few loud interruptions, we were right on time!

Maybe I’m starting to figure this stuff out. Until next time.

————————–

I ask you –

When was the last time you built a blanket fort?

(The post Outtakes, episode 2 first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Yes, I have: A Collection

Have you ever…snuck into your own building to hide from the chattiest of people? Yes, I have.

Have you ever…pre-ordered a book then we’re confused when said book arrived unexpectedly? Happy surprise.

Have you ever…wished you hadn’t gone to work because nothing could prepare you for the day which would commence? 3 weeks and counting.

Have you ever…written 3 safety reports in less than 5 months? Only one was mine.

Undoubtedly there are more to mention, but we might be here all day.

_____________________

I ask you –

Share a “have you ever”!

(The post Yes, I have: A Collection first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

People doing people things

Like testing your boundaries.

Like questioning consequences.

Like making you look like the villian.

Like reminding you there are times of lean and times of plenty.

Air Force Families Forever/Run to Remember 5k

But through it all, there are people who have lost more than their share of joy. Yet, amazingly, they continue smiling, standing, and supporting. Thank you, Ron and Kaye, for reminding me why I do this. It’s been exceptionally hard the past few weeks. But I’ll keep fighting the good fight.

Judgment toward others is the same scale which will eventually weigh you. How heavy is the gossip, the anger, the self-righteous? People being people.

____________________

I ask you –

What people things have occurred to you?

(The post People doing people things first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Seems Odd

Musk is upset with AI, says it’s wrong for it to be so inconsiderate of safety requirements. From the guy who created self-driving vehicles. That’s rich. Odd.

For two consecutive weekends, I’ve taken a 2-hr nap. The weight of tiredness has been exceptionally heavy. This isn’t normal for me. Odd.

It’s that time of year again. Where the weather cools off and you no longer sweat from thinking about going outside. Because people really do sweat before going outside in the summer in Texas. Odd.

Credit: via IG

Drums!

And, finally, the update you have all been waiting for. My drum lessons! I told you, right? Maybe not. I signed up for drum lessons. And I’m well on my way to being the greatest drummer of all time. Jokes. But lesson one went well…now all I hear is oneandtwoandthreeandfour. Then, oneehhanduhtwoehhanduhthreeehhanduhfour…you get the idea. It was fun! I thought I would have to learn to read music. Wrongly odd.

____________________

I ask you –

Tell me something odd in your life!

(The post Seems Odd first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Futbol

The return of running. And football. Mostly football.

First time in 3 years I’ve been able to watch preseason games AND regular games, notably the first game of the season! I’m an accidental Cowboys fan, and a purposeful Texans fan. I also watch the Bears (muse homage), the Buccs (wild card), and the Browns (underdog meets graveyard). I don’t know why I enjoy football now. Truthfully, my knowledge is little and my voice loud.

Speaking of loud voices. I’m getting really tired of hearing “…it’s stupid to have people work on holidays. I bet the boss doesn’t work on holidays”. (Read that in a childlike, nasally, whining voice.) If the complainer would ever say it to my face, I’d say this: Listen here, jackwagon. I worked every weekend and holiday until about 5 years ago. I had bills to pay and a livelihood to afford. If someone doesn’t want to work a holiday, then they can complete a leave request, like every other able-bodied adult here because I don’t employ children. Somehow I bet you’d be angry if everyone was off because there would be no one around to refill your precious body soap dispenser and toilet paper. Trust me, you’d find something else to complain about, no doubt. So if you think I don’t work holidays, let me assure you, I do. I work every day. I’m the first call at 0445 and the last call at 2145. I’m on call 24/7. That’s what it means to be a supervisor to 21 adults. I balance the budget, I justify it, and I implement it. And if you think you can do better, then be. my. guest. Otherwise, shut up, do your little workout, and go home. I’ll be home, too, but I won’t be “off work”. Enjoy your holiday, you ungrateful fruitcake.

Back to football. The cowboys are really gonna have to get it together this year. The fact they didn’t win their season opener with a healed QB, the ejection of the big dude who spit, the early injury of that other big dude who was really mad, and a weather delay…we might be in trouble again. But, whatever.

I’m just here to make fun of the fans.

_____________________

I ask you –

Which team do you cheer for?

(The post Futbol first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Lifetime Immunity to Accountability

Managing one’s expectations is a sincere request. However, in order to accomplish this, it requires removing all emotion. Emotion clouds rational thinking. Further, I believe this may be nearly impossible for many because they don’t know what their expectations are! It’s difficult to manage something you don’t understand, or don’t know what the phrase means, much less requires to attain.

Example (paraphrased from actual conversation, all names removed to protect the innocent)

A man spent several years in and out of the hospital with his dying spouse. Suffice to say it was not a daily journey, but probably more inpatient as the illness progressed. He became bitter to the church he attended as no pastoral leadership ever called, came by, etc. This turned him off to big churches, and now he attends a presumably much smaller church. He made mention of great tithing to the previous church yet also conceded this should not mean anything (his mention implies the opposite).

I heard the following expectations: I am hurt, I want to be chased/noticed, I want my giving acknowledged, I am upset for not being contacted during this rough period in my life.

Let’s break this down further.

Anger towards a team of 5 (??) when I find it unlikely other churchgoers were not inquiring. I bet they were but because a select few did not, then anger expanded to everyone. Reality: pastoral leadership teams are human and cannot be reasonably expected to contact every single person in the church. If that’s the expectation, then you’ll most likely be disappointed. However, the body of the church, the very people who attend, step in and step up to help others. Being noticed is not necessarily from a leadership perspective. You can find peace in being noticed by peers.

Let’s shift the expectation.

Did you ask for help and were rejected? Did you share your struggles with others? Did you name your needs? Perhaps you’re hurt by what you didn’t get rather than noticing what was given. If this is your expectation, then some soul searching may be a great idea.

Tithing: it was clearly stated how the man gave generously. Somehow I bet he put his name all over that envelope, aligning with the desire to be noticed. Granted, there are other reasons to include the name – tax write off, proof of spending, etc. But to bring it up in the course of this conversation implies a pronounced expectation that a tithing church member should receive extra benefits. Does this mean the ones who do not give are lower on the list of salvation? Surely not. Admittedly, the man stated it should not matter yet it obviously did to him. An angry man doth not a cheerful tither make.

Expectation shift.

Give because you want to. Give because you can. Giving out of coercion, guilt, or the intentional or unintentional desire to gain something later is manipulative. If money is the problem, give time, give encouragement, give a helping hand. If you think dollar bills get you closer to God, you probably have a very wrong opinion of Him.

No one is immune to doing the right thing. There’s no blanket pass, or unlimited cards which will condone indecent behavior. Just be a good human, and study the word “expectations”. Then apply it.

_____________________

I ask you –

What does expectations and the management of them mean to you?

(The post Lifetime Immunity to Accountability first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Outtakes

This is episode one of a new series I’m beginning on RoF. As I’m now a great aunt, I have been accepted into the kingdom where all great aunts reside – basically next to sainthood. My beautiful, great Aunt Mary Catherine is the one woman I look up to, adore, and attempt to mirror my life around, lest her impact be felt any deeper than could be possible. Now that I have stepped into this new kingdom, I am honored to serve as a children’s church leader. Pump the brakes, Kel. Honored, yes. Serving, yes. Qualified to lead…children?! Never.

Monthly, and probably twice monthly, I will serve in this capacity for a group of young people between 5-12 years old. Surely I can be a wonderful role model. As long as buckets of grace are given.

Fortunately for everyone, I will not be alone. Safety purposes, for sure. ….mine. I am provided a helper, someone with more brain cells than I possess, more patience than Job, and an uncanny ability to keep me on track. This is funny if you consider I have always been the helper, never the leader. I was under qualified for that role, too.

It’s less than 90 minutes. What could go wrong. Statement, not question.

To start, things did go wrong. I was scheduled to conduct 3 scientific experiments: use an orange to pop a balloon, stick a pencil through a bag filled with water without leaking, and demonstrate gravity by dropping an apple. A trusty helper held the balloon while I tried every way to get that stupid balloon to pop. Nada. The pencil in the bag of water was successful until the pencil shifted and water poured out everywhere. Partial success. By the time we got to the apple, I knew I was in danger of losing a toe so I skipped that one and verbally shared how gravity works. Close call. I believe the youth were amused at my calamity of errors, but it was a rough lesson today. Nonetheless, I did my best to demonstrate how miracles may seem impossible.

Maybe next time I’ll read the lesson plan prior to start time.

_____________________

I ask you –

What did I do wrong with the orange peel? We tried the juice, the peel, the orange itself. It didn’t work.

(The post Outtakes first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Reading and To-Do List, in progress

Although I’ve already read the series below, I’m sharing them because they are really that good!

The Little Liar by Mitch Albom, a thought-provoking novel set during the Holocaust, chronicling the intertwined lives and stories of four individuals with Truth as the narrator.

The AJ Docker Series of 5 books by Gary Gerlacher. Imagine Harry Bosch meets medical nonfiction. Easy to read, intriguing, and can be read in any order. Thank me later.

Events / Travel in 2026

Run the Jailbreak: South Padre Island, TX

Handel’s Ice Cream in Plano, TX

_________________

I ask you –

Of the list above, have you tried any?

Recommendations?

(The post Reading and To-Do List, in progress first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Pedal Faster – It’s that time of year

For the first time, I made it my mission to experience Hotter’N Hell. First, I went to the consumer show, similar to an expo but cyclists-centered. Obviously. The vendors were very nice and there were a lot of giveaways! Mini had quite the hail when we finally exited.

Then, we went to the Crit races downtown on Friday night. I had to research it some, but a crit race is short for Criterium. Basically, as it was explained to me, cyclists travel in a pack, doing over 25mph down a stretch of road and 4 corners. Nascar on 2 wheels, they said. It was awesome!

Despite having to get up at 0400 on Saturday, I enjoyed the pre-event events! Saturday was my usual – direct, lead, and try to stay hydrated myself. I understand how some get irritated when Hotter’N Hell season comes around: the road closures, the cyclists taking up every lane, the magnitude of 8,000 additional people at restaurants, venues, and just general traffic. However, as someone who has run 10 half marathons, the work that goes into making these events possible, and making the racers/runners/cyclists feel loved, is unfathomable. I truly appreciate the behind-the-scenes, 363 days of the year dedication to making this 44th annual Hotter’N Hell weekend what it is.

_____________________

I ask you –

As I always ask – is there any cycling race you really love?

(The post Pedal Faster – It’s that time of year first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)