Posting daily at 1pm central about all kinds of things. One day it's dating, the next it's TV commercials. I hope you're entertained. Professional photos on SmugMug – https://benwilder.smugmug.com
The other day as I was traveling between campsites it dawned on me that I needed to listen to Aaron Neville again. I had forgotten how much I love his voice. Of course, I started out with “Everybody Plays the Fool.” The Neville Brothers have a few songs I wanted to check out, too, and since that notion crossed my mind, I’ve been obsessed with two songs. The first is “Bird On A Wire”. This one actually should’ve been on my list of songs about ‘being free like birds’…
The next is a song that lists pivotal moments of American history in an emotional ballad. It’s called “With God On Our Side.”
These two songs helped pass the time as I drove down long, hot Texas highways. Such a treat for my ears while watching Texas pass by is a treat for my eyes.
Dish Network has a new ad promoting the “all in one” service including live TV and streaming apps in an easy to navigate system. The thing is, the commercial is so cringe! It’s either because everyone is smiling and laughing, the cheesy music, or the acting. The whole thing is cheesier than that Cheez-It who “woke up feeling cheesy, Coach!” Take a look…
The way the grandmother lovingly looks at her family, or how they’re all smiling as they sit down to watch Discovery+, the script needed a rewrite because there is no family in America like the one in this commercial. Not even one. Then a big, slobbery dog jumps on the couch and everyone’s just OK with it?
“All in One Place” is a catchy play on words… Dish Network gives you everything you need for entertainment in one place with the backdrop of the family all being in the same place (everyone you need/love is there with you), but beyond that, CRINGE. Reminds me of the trailer for a freaky movie in theaters later this month…
Once I went hiking in Dinosaur Valley State Park, I understood why the campsite was nearly full on the weekend of my visit. Campsites had families, older couples, younger couples, Boy Scout troops, all kinds of folks enjoying the beauty within the park… and no doubt to check out the dinosaur tracks in Paluxy River area.
Camping around the southeast started at Big Lagoon State Park in the panhandle of Florida (recap here) and continues into Texas. Did everyone already know Texas is beautiful? Goodness gracious.
While I didn’t see much wildlife outside of a darting deer (too fast to get a picture of), little creatures like lizards and fish, I still really enjoyed the views from the top of the ridge overlooking the Paluxy River. Of course, there are the dinosaur tracks, too, so those are fascinating! Here are a few of my favorite pictures from my time camping at this great park in Texas…
I can’t find a clip of it but recently President Biden was speaking about the new chip deal going on in the government. He said the technology has the capacity to make a million billion decisions per second. I don’t know how many a million billion is but I know it’s a lot!
It got me thinking about my own decision-making abilities. I’ll be honest. A million billion is awesome, but I’d be happy making 3 or 4 solid decisions per day. If I lay down tonight and can think of a few great decisions I made, I’ll go to bed happy. But that begs the question: what time am I going to bed?
SO. MANY. TOUGH. DECISIONS.
A million billion decisions per second!? Gosh. I guess the robots are going to take over as soon as they make that decision… which could be any second now.
It was one of those moments where I was in the right place at the right time. There I was sitting in my camper in a random state park in Texas, remembering I have an iPod full of songs not found anywhere else in the world. These unique, one-of-a-kind songs come from my obsession with recording live music when I was at concerts in college and beyond. I used my 8mm video camera (before cell phones had cameras!) and just hit record, holding it by my side… because I LOVE live music. There’s just something about a song performed live that sometimes, maybe most of the time, doesn’t come through in the studio version of the same song.
One performance I recorded was by Jars of Clay from over 20 years ago. At this concert on the campus of Florida State, they did a mashup of their 90s song “Worlds Apart” with one from what was their most recent album at the time, Redemption Songs, called “Hiding Place.” Somehow I got the song from an 8mm video tape into my iPod. Of course, there are a lot of other live performances I transferred, though I can’t really remember how. It’s such old technology now!
In the camper, I plugged the iPod into the camper sound system and just felt such a blessing come over me as the medley played. It’s a great blend of asking God to take my world– everything I think I know– apart while taking Jesus as my hiding place against….well, against everything. “Take my world apart” is such an applicable part of the lyrics. Now, almost more than ever, I want God to disassemble my selfish desires. Then rebuild. Renew. Recreate. Make a new mind for me. A more willing heart. “Christ, my hiding place.” It’s a lot like that song from Chris Rice (also from the 90s) called “Untitled Hymn (Come To Jesus)”… come to Jesus and live. When things are crazy, life seems upside down, I can find rescue, shelter, safety, comfort, protection, provision, security, refuge… by bringing all my fears and burdens to Jesus.
Such a simple thought. Radical, but not complicated. I heard this Jars of Clay performance at the perfect time while I’m camping in Texas. Contemplating the future, while knowing my past isn’t perfect but it’s forgiven. Temptations are everywhere. Sin is common. But with Christ, I (and we) have a place to hide. All I need to do is, the best I know how, hide in Christ and pray He takes what I think I know, apart.
On a lighter note, ‘praise and worship’ music from the 90s was a little cheesy. At least I thought it was when I was a cool, hip teen during that decade. But what about the music coming from bands like Jars of Clay (and DCTalk, of course)? I don’t know if there was a better decade for Christian rock/mainstream music than the 90s. They made Christian music cool, and made cool Christian music.
That’s why on this random day in a Texas state park, I’m grateful for old technology and music that reminds me of the refuge Christ is for all of us.
Out of the Wilderness 