Out of the Wilderness

When the sun is out, every low-flying plane casts a shadow

I tend to notice things that other people might think odd. It’s a quirk of mine that I don’t particularly dislike, even if I feel weird about it sometimes. Like one time when a small plane was flying overhead and it was low enough to cast a clear and defined shadow. I thought, “Oh, I could write a blog called ‘When the sun is out, every low-flying plane casts a shadow.'” But what does that even mean? So the title was all I had. Maybe someone more perceptive or insightful could extract some deep meaning from it.

I started thinking about shadows and recalled the Bible verse in Psalms about valleys. It’s a popular part of chapter 23.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;”

Shadows. They’re a peculiar thing. They only show up with the sun is out. So I’d like to be encouraged from this verse. Obviously the “…for you are with me” is the MOST encouraging thing, but also I think there is something to take hold of in the fact that when you or I are walking in a shadow, it means the sun is shining. It’s just that something is blocking its light. Now, I love the sun. When it’s a cloudy, dark day, I tend to be less productive, less energetic, less motivated. But when it’s a nice, sunny day, I feel like the world is my oyster. I like going outside even just to feel the sun warm my skin. Things just seem better, more cheery, when it’s bright out.

So maybe if we think of God as the light in our life, His presence alone can cheer our spirit, make us fearless. Like the DCTalk song, “I wanna be in the light,” things are better when there is nothing blocking the light in our life. But God knows us better than that. Sometimes we are sad, discouraged, etc. But even when something as serious as death (or failure, disappointment, loss, Cardi B music, etc) is causing a discouraging shadow and we feel like we’re in one of life’s valleys, the sun–the light– is bright and it’s not out of reach. God is not out of reach!

Matthew 4:16 says, “…the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

I don’t really know how to wrap this up but I think the next time I see the shadow of an airplane I’ll be reminded that there’s only a shadow because there’s light. Shadows come and go, some faster than others! But the sun, the light, God, is always shining and helping us walk THROUGH the valleys and into His light again. What is blocking the light in your life? How can that thing, which is causing the shadow over you, go away? (I’m asking myself this, too)

Thanks for stopping by!

-Out of the Wilderness

With a heavy heart…

You know how a lot of times when someone you know or love passes away, usually there are two more within a short amount of time because it comes in 3s? Well, my heart has been heavy for a few weeks because of a group of three that are no longer on earth. If what the Bible says is true, and I believe it is, these three are all in Heaven so there is rejoicing because of that, but down here on earth it’s a lot less exciting.

Within a few days there was the famed football coach of Florida State, Bobby Bowden. Now I know I come across as this amazing, Hall of Fame adult rec league slow pitch softball player, but I never played college sports so I never knew Bobby Bowden in that way or any personal way. But as long as I was alive, into my 20s, he was the coach of the team I loved my entire life. And when I attended Florida State, he spoke at numerous events I attended. So there is grief, even for me, for his passing. I write more about his passing here.

My sister-in-law’s father. Just a few months ago if you would have told me this guy would no longer be with us, I would’ve dismissed it as some kind of weird joke. But today, half of my family is in Virginia at his funeral. Even though I didn’t see him very often, I have grief because my sister in law is without a father. Her mom, now a widow. My nieces and nephews lost a grandfather. My heart is heavy for them but I pray to God for His comfort, especially today as they mourn, cry, and remember.

Talk show host Phil Valentine. Here in Nashville, for as long as I’ve lived here, I’ve listened to Phil Valentine on the radio. Besides having a booming voice that any radio show host would love to have, he was funny, smart, wise, kind, and clever. I never met him but did have the chance to sit in on a live broadcast a few years back where he and other hosts at the station did an hour-long roundtable show. It’s easy to feel like friends of these hosts because they are very intentional about that… including the listener as part of their radio family. Phil was no different. I’ll miss his declaration that something is “bovine scatology,” his impression of a soft millienial, “Snowflake,” Friday’s dancing in the booth with him and Johnny B. Often times he would be about to say something that might get him “in trouble” with upper management so he’d start by saying, “Johnny, get a ‘best of’ ready!” He wouldn’t proceed with anything very controversial, it was just a set up for a common sense thought that might offend a liberal. But the “get a ‘best of'” line always made me laugh. Sadly, the station had a “best of Phil Valentine” earlier this week after his death on the weekend.

A heavy heart, but still a glimmer of joy as all of these men lived their life for God. They weren’t shy about their faith and I believe they have now stepped into the eternal part of their reward. There IS some comfort in that, for us left on earth.

If you need to vent, share your feelings about loss or hope, or just want to reply, please do so below! As much as I like to write, I can read too, so share as you need.

Thanks for stopping by!

-Out of the Wilderness

Going to the chapel and they’re, gonna get married…

...going to the chapel of love. A remarkable thing happened the other day when I was out to lunch with a friend. Well, actually, my being social is kind of remarkable on its own, but then ANOTHER remarkable thing happened. During lunch I found out an ex-girlfriend is now married. Her name came up in conversation and it was then that I became “in the know.” My friend actually thought I already knew, but nope. Now I finally know the answer to this question:

How will I feel when I find out she’s engaged or married?

And the answer is… you think I’m streaming Adele now, don’t you? I’ll be spending the rest of the week eating pints of ice cream and watching “While You Were Sleeping.” Welllllllll……

I thought I might feel devastated. I thought I might be sad. I thought my heart would be heavy. I thought a lot of things. But as weird as it sounds, the very first feeling I had after the news broke was… relief. RELIEF! Like all is right in the world*. I know the relationship she and I shared had it’s ups and downs, but the right man for her is with her now. He’s making her feel his love. They’re rolling in the deep. He said hello, she said let’s set fire to the rain.

*All is hardly right in the world, this was definitely a generalization and maybe even a metaphor. Ah well, water under the bridge.

But politics and international unrest aside, there’s a burden off my shoulders. I don’t know if I can even verbalize what the burden was, maybe a heavy “what if” or “what could’ve been.” I feel joy, too. I wish her the best and hope she sends my love to her new lover.

This somehow transformed into how many Adele songs can I reference but if 2020 was the year where nothing happened due to lockdowns, etc, “transformation” can be how 2021 is defined. So much happening worldwide, countrywide, and in my own life.

Rumour has it more changes are on the way so I hope we’re all buckled in!

-Out of the Wilderness

Applebee’s Fancy New Commercial – The Music and More!

There I was again watching an episode of Bachelor in Paradise when a catchy song backed a commercial for Applebee’s. Check it out:

It’s a very TikTok-inspired visual going on with the ad but the song sets up the good vibes very well. What song is it, you may ask? Here it is… “Fancy Like” by Walker Hayes.

Other brands mentioned are Wendy’s, Tesla, Natural Light, Skoal, Victoria’s Secret, Maybelline, and of course, Oreo.

Speaking of the double stuff delights, Applebee’s apparently brought back the Oreo Shake solely because of this song. I wouldn’t know because I’m not fancy* but how’s that for some influence?

*I once took a woman on a first date to Which Wich. She is now married to a guy who probably didn’t take her to a fast food restaurant on their first date.

My own dorky love life aside, this song DID go viral on TikTok, as displayed in the Applebee’s commercial. I have literally never done this dance even once, but it appears there is a specific dance for this Walker Hayes track. Here’s a compilation that will entertain you for 10 whole minutes.

For Walker Hayes’ take on the song going viral, check out his interview here. Hayes is a co-writer along with a few other country folks, and after it’s viral tour around the country, went to #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Do you like the song and, be honest, how many times have you done the dance?

-Out of the Wilderness

Radnor Lake Photography August 2021

I went to Radnor Lake the other day with a friend and my goal was to take at least 10 keeper photos. I figured I needed to take a lot more to get 10 keepers, so there were hopes of deer and eagles and snakes and turtled and… well, the elusive white deer I’ve never seen before!

Spoiler, I didn’t see the white deer and that’s OK. We did see turtles, though, and LOTS of spider webs. We ended up talking more about cryptocurrencies than photography but I managed to get a few photos I liked. Take a look at a handful of images from my recent visit to Radnor Lake and thanks for stopping by!

*Note: the last few are not from Radnor, but I stopped on the way home at a little park near a church*