nature

Confessions of a Thrift-aholic

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

One of my favorite pastimes is going to Goodwill or ThriftSmart. I’m a fan of any kind of thrift stores, but those just so happen to be the closest ones to where I live.

It can be hit or miss. Some days, I won’t find anything remotely interesting. Sometimes, I might pick up one or two items that pique my interests. Today, I came home with an armload of treasures.

I found a book I’d been wanting to read for a while. It’s called Rembrandt Is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art Through the Eyes of Faith by Russ Ramsey. After I brought it home, I discovered it was autographed.

I also picked up a video series on Learning to Love the Psalms by W. Robert Godfrey. I recently took a class at my church on praying through the Psalms, so this will be something beneficial. Plus, it’s put out by Ligonier Ministries, so I’m sure it will be really good.

I found a blu-ray of a movie I’ve been wanting to watch for a while called The Commitments, about a ragtag band in Ireland in the 60s who do 60s soul classics. I remember the language being a bit blue, but I think the music should be fantastic.

I also snagged a Memphis Showboats hat. It’s not the original 80s incarnation, but I do really like the blue and yellow colors, plus I can represent my hometown.

I guess I love thrifting because of what you find in the least likely places. I think God’s grace is a lot like that. It shows up when you least expect it but when you most need it. I read somewhere that God’s nature is always to give above and beyond what we deserve. You might even say that God gives prodigally and lavishly — almost to a wasteful extent because of how little we often appreciate the gifts or give thanks for them.

Above all, I think that thrifting helps me to see value in what the world says is worthless. Those things that show up at a thrift store because someone thought they were trash can end up being someone else’s treasure. So it is for God and God’s people.

False Fall/Second Summer

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

I got my hopes up when it got cooler for a bit a few weeks ago. I actually thought for a second that we might be getting an early fall. Then it got hot again, and I sweated to death. I should know better by now.

Every year toward the end of summer, we get a tease of Autumn, a kind of sneak preview of fall that lasts long enough to tempt the weak and feint of heart that fall might actually be here. But those who are old enough and have lived in Tennessee long enough know what’s up.

Inevitably, the first actual day of fall will be hot. People will wear sweaters and flannel anyway. I will see them in their sweaters and flannel and sweat even more in a vicarious “I’m sweating on your behalf” way.

The worst is seeing all the pumpkin spice everywhere. All good people know that pumpkin spice doesn’t taste right when it’s over 90 degrees. Pumpkins are for sweater weather, not sweaty weather. And definitely not for swear weather when it’s so hot outside you want to yell swear words at the sky, but then there are probably little kids hunting for pumpkins.

Fall is still my favorite. No humidity, no bugs, and all those wonderful Autumn scents that float in the air. Plus all my favorite holidays live there (and yes, I count Christmas in with fall because it’s not really winter in Tennessee until January).

At least we’re in the ‘ber months. Those are my favorites.

1st Snow Day of 2024

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

Well, that didn’t take long. 14 days into the new year and it’s already snowing. I don’t think they’re overreacting yet and calling this the Snowpocalypse of 2024, but I’m sure if given time, they’ll give some kind of name to this particular wintery weather event.

All I know is that my office is closed, so I am forced to stay home and sleep in. That time I joked about having a snow day to catch up on my reading? Well, that’s about to happen tomorrow.

I get that for those North of the Mason-Dixon line, snow isn’t a big deal. You see it all the time. If I saw as much snow as you do throughout the year, I’d probably get as sick of it as you will probably be by March (or possibly earlier).

But in the state of Tennessee, snow is still magical. It still makes me feel like a kid again, all excited for snow and no school the next day. For those of you who work from home, it means nothing — except possibly that you have a change of scenery out your office window.

So happy 1st snow day of 2024! Merry Winter!

Return to Radnor 2

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

For the first time in 2018, I returned to Radnor Lake State Park. There’s something truly magical about getting back to nature, with some wildlife thrown in as a bonus.

I think I saw 15 deer, along with an assortment of squirrels plus a chipmunk and a turkey.

I still think that even though Radnor lies in the heart of Nashville, it’s almost like stepping out of the normal 24/7 world of traffic and noise into something like Narnia or Lothlorien. I almost expect to see satyrs, fauns, elves, and maybe a hobbit or two.

I’m thankful for places like Radnor Lake State Park. It’s a little slice of heaven, or what I hope heaven will be like. It’s also a place of serenity, quiet, and tranquility that never fails to put me in a good mood.

I still hate to profane the silence with words. The only appropriate response for this place is reverential awe and gratitude.

My goal is to come back a lot, take pictures, try some different trails, and just soak it all in. So far, so good.

Return to Radnor

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

 

I read recently that exercise is one of the most underutilized antidepressants. It’s also a great way to enjoy this beautiful spring weather we’re having here in Tennessee.

After several months, I finally made it back to Radnor Lake State Park. And yes, it was more than worth the wait.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait to get in. I was surprised at how easily I was able to find a parking spot. I figured that half of Nashville would want to take advantage of the ideal weather and get in a little hiking. Apparently not.

So my friend and I got our hiking in. There’s nothing like a strenuous hike to show you how out of shape you are. For me, it involved lots of heavy breathing and more than a little wheezing. It was not my finest moment.

Still, I was in my favorite place doing one of my favorite activities. I call that a win, even on a Monday.

Not even a brush fire could diminish the beauty of Radnor. Apparently, a brush fire burned about 1/2 to 2/3 of an acre, but I believe that it will come back better and more glorious than ever.

I still think it’s one of the best kinds of therapy to get out into nature and breathe deeply (with only a sleeping cat in your lap topping it). It’s healing for the soul to get away from electronics and technology and all things man-made and get back to what God created.

After a while, I started breathing normally again. If I didn’t know any better, I’d almost say I got a “hiker’s high,” similar to the euphoria and endorphins release that runners experience. Plus, there was a breeze blowing with just a hint of crispness to it.

I think I’ll sleep better tonight than I have in a while. And I will be back to Radnor soon enough.

 

Songs from the Wood: Listening to Nature

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

I’m not a proponent of worshipping nature. That’s akin to worshipping the message rather than the Messenger, or the creation rather than the Creator.

I spent some time today at Radnor Lake State Park with a friend. Even after all this time, it’s like stepping out of the world I know into a strange, slower, more peaceful world where the pace is slower but the beauty is richer.

I do believe that if you listen closely, you can hear nature (or rather God speaking through nature). It might go something like this:

“I have existed long before you and will still remain long after you have gone. In contrast to your hurried and busy lives, my rhythms are slow and easy. My seasons flow into one another at their leisure and the changes are few and small, building over time.

I speak in hushed tones and in quiet ways. Often, you are so accustomed to noise that you miss my words. You are used to constant bombardment and flashy displays and do not see the gentle beauty I offer.

To listen to me, you must learn to quiet your soul and calm your spirit. You must open your clenched fists into a posture of receiving and giving. You must learn to see beauty in the small as well as the great.

I will not compete with your frenetic striving and ceaseless chatter. I will wait until you can learn to be still and know.”

“The celestial realms announce God’s glory;
    the skies testify of His hands’ great work.
Each day pours out more of their sayings;
    each night, more to hear and more to learn.
Inaudible words are their manner of speech,
    and silence, their means to convey.
Yet from here to the ends of the earth, their voices have gone out;
    the whole world can hear what they say” (Psalm 19:1-4, The Voice).

Things Everyone Should Have (or Do)

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / 1 Comment

I’ve decided there are a few necessary things everyone should have in order to make their lives better. No, you won’t cease to exist without any of these, but they do make your existence (particularly on Mondays) more bearable:

  1. Everyone needs a place to escape. My place is Radnor Lake State Park. It’s as close as I’ll probably ever get to Middle Earth this side of Heaven. It’s hard to believe this panacea is probably about 10 miles from where I live.
  2. Everyone needs a geriatric pet who loves to cuddle. I’m partial to my 16-year old feline, but I love older dogs as well. It’s nice to have a furry friend to come home to.
  3. Everyone needs some good music for the road. You may let the radio do the picking for you, but I prefer the path less travelled. I have my vast CD collection and (on occasion) a considerable playlist on my iPhone.
  4. Everyone needs a good novel. Right now, what I’m reading doesn’t technically fall under the category of novel, but it’s worthwhile reading nonetheless. I’m working through Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
  5. Everyone needs a good shower. I prefer mine in the morning to help me wake up, but I’m all for those who like a steaming hot shower just before bed. Either way works for me.
  6. Everyone needs something bigger than themselves to believe in and hold on to. I choose Jesus because He’s the only one strong enough to keep all the pieces of my world in orbit and hold me together.
  7. Everyone needs chocolate. Or vanilla if you’re one of those weird people who don’t like chocolate. The end.

Get Away

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived” (Henry David Thoreau, Walden).

Sometimes I think Thoreau had the right idea. Lately, I feel overwhelmed by the amount of information coming at me from every direction at literally every waking moment. I deliberately stay away from watching any kind of news programs, yet I still feel like I’m drowning in a flood of images and stories, mostly tragic and sad.

Every now and then, it’s good to get away from all things electronic and technological. Every once in a while, it’s good to lose yourself in the beauty of nature and drink in deeply the silence of the woods.

I love Radnor Lake State Park because it is as close to Eden as I can get these days. It’s as close as I can get to how we used to be before we became social media junkies, craving the next Instagram or Facebook fix. I saw a woman walking through Radnor with nature in full bloom all around her who would not look up from her phone. That’s a sad commentary on what we value and where our priorities lie.

Nature has a way of resetting the default on our brains to where they’re not always running like a computer with 50 tabs open at the same time. I still believe that nature is a place where we can better hear the voice of God, away from the distracting noise and clatter that constantly demands our attention.

I think I could live in a place like Walden Pond for a year or more. I could use a break from all the media madness. Maybe I’ll settle for reading the book.

 

Radnor Lake and the Sovereignty of God

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

I ended up back at Radnor Lake State Park. This time I walked with a friend and we both chose one of the more difficult trails. Halfway though, I was seriously huffing and puffing like the fat hobbit from The Lord of the Rings. It wasn’t pretty.

When I was able to catch my breath and take in my surroundings, I was reminded again how very small I am in the grand scheme of things. I am a vapor and a mist in the perspective of eternity.

How dare I make myself or my feelings the standard by which I judge all other things? How dare I question God when He acts contrary to how I in my very finite wisdom think He should act?

A theology based on my feelings will be a very unsteady one. If anything I read in the Bible or hear from someone disturbs my equanimity, I dismiss it out of hand. I will end up with a very vague and toothless doctrinal system that has all the form of godliness but none of the transformational power. I end up with a gospel that is not the Gospel at all.

When I read my Bible and something offends my sensibilities, perhaps the error lies within me. Maybe I’m the one who needs to change. It could be that I need to step back and look through a much larger lens at the grand story authored by God that is unfolding in and around me.

Nature has a way of reorienting me when I get my priorities out of whack. Being out among the trees has a way of reminding me that I’m not the one calling the shots and running the show. I didn’t make any of it and I don’t sustain any of it. God did (and still does) it all.

Nature is so much more patient than I am. I am most thankful that God remains unceasingly patient with me through all my selfishness and fear and doubt.

 

Back to Radnor

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

Sometimes, you just need to get back to nature. There’s an almost irresistible urge to get away from everything mechanized and electronic and just commune with God’s creation.

For me, that was the urge and Radnor Lake State Park was once again the place to go to  satisfy that craving. It had been far too long since the last time I actually hiked there.

Almost immediately, I felt my blood pressure lowering and my anxiety levels bottoming out. Not that I was overly stressed, but any normal working day carries with it some amount of stress and worry.

I read somewhere that if you have trouble sleeping, the best way to reset your internal clock is to spend a week away from everything electronic and digital. For most of us, that’s not exactly the most practical solution.

I do think that even an hour or two can be beneficial to resetting your mental calm. You can actually hear yourself think. Life slows down for that brief period of time. Everything that seemed so pressing and urgent fades into the background for a little while.

I love it. I don’t know why I don’t go there more often.

The extra added benefit is that I got at least half of my 10,000 steps there. I walked until I was weary. But it was a good kind of weary that usually leads to a good night’s sleep.

Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn’t be better to live that way all the time. You hear all the time that the best nutrition is to eat foods as close to the way God made them as possible. I wonder if we could learn to live as close to nature as possible if we wouldn’t be healthier– and not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.

Anyway, I recommend Radnor Lake if you’re ever in the area. It’s good for your soul.