The Walking Dead

Taylor Swift-a-thons and The Walking Dead

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

I’ve been listening to Taylor Swift in the Jeep on my daily commute from work each day. My plan has been to start with her very first album and go through all the way to her latest release. So far, so good. My favorite at this point is Speak Now. It’s a little bit country AND a little bit rock ‘n’ roll.

I know I’m not her primary demographic, but I’m a sucker for a song that paints a picture in my mind, and she does that well. She’s a legit good songwriter.

As for The Walking Dead, I’m finally caught up. Again.

I thought I was only one episode behind, but as it turns out, another slipped in under the radar while I was napping (apparently). So I did a two-fer and now I’m current.

I can’t say how I’d respond in the midst of the undead apocalypse. I’m pretty sure I’d find a comfy hiding spot and try to wait it out. If you’re not a fan, I suggest you skip the next paragraph or so.

I do think that at some point before the season’s over, Negan and Company will be going down. They’d gotten arrogant, careless, and sloppy from being in power too long, and now it’s costing them big time. I just hope that Rick’s crew doesn’t turn into another version of the Saviors and lose their humanity in the process.

Anyway, work today was good, but it had its stresses. Still, having stress at work is still better than having stress about having no work. Been there, done that. Having a job is a blessing, even if it’s not the one you want and even if it’s not something you particularly like. Besides, I have to keep my cat in the comfortably lifestyle she’s grown accustomed to.

 

Wisdom from The Walking Dead

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

“Anything is possible as long as your heart is still beating” (Father Gabriel Stokes, The Walking Dead).

I love me some Walking Dead. I confess this season hasn’t been my favorite, but I tune in weekly to see what crazy post-apocalyptic antics will ensue with these characters I’ve come to know so well.

I never thought I’d get such a deep spiritual moment like the one I got when Father Gabriel said the above quote. In Baptist terms, “That’ll preach, bro.”

How true that is.

As long as you’re alive and as long as you have a heartbeat, you have a purpose and you still matter.

No matter what you’ve been through or are going through, no matter how messed up you feel, the reality is that God still has you around for a reason.

You may feel like giving up on God, the world, and yourself, but don’t think for one second that God will ever give up on you. While you still have breath in your body, God still has a purpose for you that’s uniquely yours and no one else’s.

On a side note, I love how Father Gabriel’s character has grown and matured since he was introduced on the show a few seasons back. He started out as a coward who essentially hid behind his clerical collar but has since evolved into someone who is able to not only contribute to the community but also make a difference. Plus, he had the best line of the episode, hands down.

Note to the reader: I realize that I’m a bit behind. I finally got around to watching the episode I recorded on Sunday and it was worth the wait. I’m actually beginning to have hopes that the season will end on a much higher note than it began.

 

Rush, The Walking Dead, and Unseasonably Warm Fridays

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

Thankfully, my musical tastes have improved vastly since my high school days. Also thankfully, there were exceptions to the rule even then. A few decent bands snuck in my playlist (which back then was called CDs on a Sony Walkman). One of those was Rush.

I got to relive my glory days in the car today during all my commuting. I had Rush to keep me company. I forgot how complex their music was and how proficient each of the three members were on their instruments. I find myself appreciating their music in new and different (and perhaps deeper) ways.

I made it home and finally got around to watching the season premiere of season 7 of The Walking Dead, where I found out who was the unfortunate victim of Negan and his favorite weapon, Lucille (which happens to be a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire).

This show is definitely not for the faint of heart or the queasy of stomach. This particular episode was like a punch in the gut (as I’m sure it was for the actors as well). For those who still haven’t seen it, I won’t spoil it for you by naming the victim. I will say that I preferred the olden days when it was the zombies killing people.

It was another good night for driving home with the windows down. That never gets old. What does get old is the almost summer-like heat that seems to never want to go away. I already miss the fall temperatures we had over the past weekend.

Still, there’s hope for November. There’s all those festive seasonal drinks and (a few) changing colors in the leaves. Plus, the gift of waking up to celebrate the new day never ever gets old. At least I hope it never does.

PS My cat Lucy approves this message and asks for your votes for President this November. Or she would if she weren’t already asleep.

 

 

No News Is Good News

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / 1 Comment

I didn’t do much of anything all day today. Sometimes that is a good thing.

I avoided all the craziness around people who are freaking out over an alleged gas shortage due to a busted pipeline and creating an actual gas shortage. I stayed home all day.

I finished up The Walking Dead season 6 with a little bit of time to spare before the kickoff of season 7 on October 16. I also wrapped up The Wonder Years, which left me feeling supremely warm and nostalgic (even if the ending felt a little tacked-on and less than satisfying).

I cooked pizza in the oven with the cardboard still on. I suppose that makes me my mother’s son after all. You just can’t get away from genetics. I suppose that means that I’m not adopted after all.

I got lots of quality therapy time with my geriatric teenaged cat who has morphed into the world’s best lap cat and all-around cat-napper.

I still like to go out and have spontaneous adventures. I will still be periodically embarking on my tour of all things downtown Franklin. I do plan on getting out and about when fall descends and the weather gets crisp.

But today I stayed home. I slept late and did practically nothing all day. It was great.

 

The Walking Greg

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

For my exciting Saturday evening, I binge-watched season 5 of The Walking Dead. Not all of it, just most of it.

It is interesting to me how the core group of the show has been scattered many times over the course of the series, yet they always find a way to reconnect.

That’s a great picture of the Church. We meet corporately on Sunday to remember and celebrate what God has done during the week and then each go our separate ways on Monday through Saturday, to reconnect the next Sunday.

I’ve learned that that by itself isn’t enough. You need more than once a week togetherness to pull through. You need brothers and sisters in Christ who will encourage and support, as well as hold you accountable at least once or twice during the week (other than Sunday).

There it is. Not exactly earth-shattering or new. The secret is community.

Yet how many times are we tempted and drawn to the whole “you have to fight your battles alone and trust no one but yourself” thing? It seems that the first instinct when any struggle arises is to retreat into isolation.

That’s where most temptations are fought . . . and lost.

Most of us aren’t strong enough to face demons alone. We do really need each other.

So that’s my not exactly original message to you. It’s been said before (and probably better), but it does bear repeating that community is vital to survival in a world increasingly hostile to those who proclaim and actually follow Jesus.

It’s probably only going to get worse from here on out, so take heart and reach out to connect with fellow believers.

That’s all I have on this Saturday night at 10:29 pm.

Good night.

 

Autumn in July? Yes, Please

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

image

I forgot my lunch today. I walked right out the front door and the word “lunch” never even crossed my mind. That happens when you’re in full-on Walking Dead mode, pre-coffee.

I ended up walking across the street to the hospital cafeteria. Don’t worry. They have a grill which actually has decent food. I myself had a turkey burger, being ever the culinarily adventurous type. And yes, it was slap yo momma good.

I love fall. I especially love these sneak previews in the month that’s notorious for making me sweat like a pig that’s about to become bacon. July and I normally don’t get along very well. The same goes for August.

But today was a pleasant surprise. I like to think of it as a bit of weather serendipity. When you’re eyes are opened by grace, you’re able to see these things as small blessings, gifts from God.

Kairos was spectacular as always. The question of the night was this: why do you believe in Jesus? Is it for a comfy life? Or for good luck a la Genie in a bottle? Is it for a free ticket to heaven and a get out of hell card?

While each of these have varying degrees of merit, none of them alone are enough to compel anyone to want to follow this Jesus for a lifetime. Or for them to follow after your lead.

The best reason to follow Jesus? Because He’s worth it. Because He’s more than just a good man or a good teacher or a good example. He’s God in human skin, or as tonight’s speaker put it, God in a bod.

I ended up at Chick-fil-A, enjoying the night air and my own thoughts. And a grilled chicken sandwich, too. It was as close to perfection as this side of heaven allows.

Lessons from The Walking Dead

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

dead

I watch a show called The Walking Dead. It’s not for the squeamish. Yes, there are zombies (referred to as ‘walkers). Yes, there is plenty o’ blood and guts a-flying’ everywhere. Yes, you get attached to characters only to see them killed off.

But I think there are a few life lessons from this show that I’d like to pass on:

1) If these zombies ever took to lifting weights, would they then be “power walkers?”

2) Family matters, even if that family isn’t flesh and blood. It’s better to be with imperfect people who care about you and have your back than to be alone.

3) No matter what face you may present to the public, the truth of who you really are will always come out. It’s no good to fight evil and become worse than the evil you’re fighting.

4) No matter how far you’ve sunk or what you’ve done, there’s always the hope of becoming something better. There’s nothing so bad in people that can’t be redeemed. I happen to believe that God does the redeeming and I am the one being redeemed.

5) If you ever do run into a zombie, make sure you kill the brain. And be sure not to wear anything you don’t mind getting ruined by blood and guts.

I think that covers it for now. I just finished up season 3, which puts me roughly one season behind (so no spoiler alerts, please).