It’s good to be back.

Gatlinburg is one of those places where I can feel like I’ve gone back in time to my childhood.

Sure, it’s not exactly the same, but enough of it is like it was back in 1982 to evoke all kinds of happy memories from vacations past.

I plan to revisit all my favorite places in the next three days, starting in the morning at the Pancake Pantry.

My 10-year old  inner child will be in heaven.

Oh, and the Christmas decorations are up. Even better.

It’s only been a few weeks since I completed my quest to watch all the surviving episodes of Classic Doctor Who that cover the years from 1963 to 1989.

I’ve decided to begin a new quest and started on Series one of the revived Doctor Who that started back again in 2005 (also known in some circles as NuWho).

The current doctor is Christopher Eccleston and his lone companion is the lovely Billie Piper. So far, it has a very different feel than the classic series, but I’m still really liking it.

The special effects have improved– in some cases dramatically. The pacing is much faster and the action is more intense. So far I’m only two episodes in, but I give it two thumbs up.

Today’s my Friday.

“How?” you ask.

My vacation officially starts tomorrow.

So that means no alarm set for 5 am. No cold pre-dawn commute.

I can stay wrapped in that blankety hug that I like to call my bed for a little while longer.

I can already tell it’s going to be glorious.

For my purposes, this vacation starts right now.

Good night.

One of the hardest parts of having a second cat is always having to do away with the idea that Peanut will be Lucy 2.0 and act the way she did.

Peanut has her own distinct and wonderful personality, full of unique quirks and lovable ways.

Still, every now and then, she’ll surprise me and pull a bit of a Lucy. Yesterday, I laid my hoodie on the bed instead of hanging it in the closet because I was feeling particularly lazy. I come back to find little Peanut lounging on said hoodie, exactly the way Lucy used to curl up on my clothes.

 I like to think that Peanut likes to lay on my clothing because they smell like me. Or maybe the cotton really is downey soft. Maybe she approves of my fashion choices (or possibly is trying to keep me from leaving the house looking like something out of a bad 90’s movie).

It still warms my heart to see her snuggling on my hoodie, at peace with me and the world. Plus, she’s just so darn cute.

It’s little moments like these, unexpected and unplanned, that I’m coming to treasure more and more as I get older. Those little God-winks are what make those average days a little better.

Today, I’m grateful for veterans, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice of their lives so that I and many others could live free.

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. I know very little about this one, except that I believe it was to be the war to end all wars (which obviously was not the case).

Today is also the eve of Veterans Day in which we celebrate the bravery of all those who have served in the military, especially those who went willingly into harm’s way. Some came home with scars both visible and invisible. Some did not come home at all.

I don’t want to ever take the freedom paid for by blood for granted. So I say a heartfelt thanks to all those who have sacrificed for democracy and freedom. Your labors were not in vain.

Evangelism is a scary word. People are often afraid to share their faith because they feel inadequate and unsure of what they believe, or that possibly the other person might start asking questions they don’t have answers for. There’s always the fear of losing the relationship or making it awkward.

But think about it. We all do a fair amount of evangelizing every day.

Have you ever heard a great song by one of your favorite artists and wanted to tell someone else? That conversation probably started off with, “Hey, you need to hear this song.”

Maybe you’re binge-watching a great Netflix show and want everyone you work with to know about it. For me, I’ve evangelized about some movies I’ve seen recently.

Possibly it’s a restaurant you love where you had that meal that nearly turned you pentecostal. You think everyone else needs to eat there.

We all evangelize about what we’re passionate about. It’s hard to keep silent about something that you truly love. Sometimes to the point of being obnoxious and annoying (but not that I would know anything about that).

Maybe the problem with evangelism isn’t technique but a heart issue. When Jesus truly captivates our hearts and changes our lives, we want everyone to know.

I’m the first to confess that when it comes to sharing my faith, I don’t. I might need a little revival in my own heart. I know I’m not the only one.

My prayer is that our love for Jesus will grow to the point that it oozes out of us and we can’t help but share it. May we live in such a way that people will ask about the hope we have and how they can have it, too.

I like discovering new things, especially when it comes to music, books, movies, and television.

Lately, I stumbled across a rather interesting and entertaining British whodunit series called Jonathan Creek.

The main character, Jonathan Creek, is a sort of behind the scenes guru working for a stage magician. He also puts his intellect to use in solving crimes, usually murders, with a trusty sidekick.

The first such sidekick was Maddy Magellan, played by Caroline Quentin, who for some reason unknown to me, left after the third series. She was replaced by Julia Sawalha (whom some of you might recognize from Absolutely Fabulous).

It’s not Broadchurch-caliber, but it’s addicting and mostly light-hearted fun. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something new and different from standard American network fare.

I’m still convinced that British accents make everything better.

I saw on my Facebook memories where on this day last year Billy Graham turned 99. That logically means that today would have been his 100th birthday.

Unfortunately for us, his tombstone reads that he lived to 99 and didn’t quite make it to the century mark.

Actually, when you think about it, it is. Billy Graham turned 100 years old today in heaven. Only this time, it’s not in a frail body with failing health, but in a renewed, restored, glorified body that will never fade or grow old.

I realize that in heaven there is no time. There is no more aging. I’m pretty sure that they don’t have calendars or clocks. Still, in my own imagination, I like to think that maybe birthdays are still a big deal. No real theological reasons for that. I just really want it to be that way.

I can also imagine right now that Billy Graham is where he always longed to be one day, sitting at the feet of Jesus in adoration and worship.

I can’t imagine a better birthday present for Billy Graham.

In case you’re depressed about election night, or just already tired from the week, here’s a little cow humor.