March 30, 2020 - Motivational Monday - Let's All Be a Light in this Darkness

As it turns out, tomorrow is the last day of the third month of this year. That means that 1/4 of year will be gone after tomorrow. It's amazing to think that all of our worlds have been turned upside down for various reasons. Some of us are probably holding together very well, while others may be feeling very anxious, and others are thankful for the extra time that are able to spend with their families. 

I want you to consider the words that this man once said. This is by a famous basketball coach some of us once knew of back in the 80s and 90s. He fought courageously against cancer and his words still inspire many to this day. Perhaps they might make you pause and reconsider how you live the rest of your year - "To me there are three things everyone should do every day. Number one is laugh. Number two is think -- spend some time in thought. Number three you should have your emotions move you to tears. If you laugh, think and cry, that's a heck of a day." Those words were once expressed by the late great, Jim Valvano. Ponder those words and think about how they can help us in this phase of life that we are all going through.

Over the last few days I have tried to think of ways we can help others. Our city needs it. Our county needs it. Our state needs it. Our country needs it. We all need some light in some way, but we can all give some light as well. It doesn't have to be like Drew Brees, who shelled out five million bucks to take care of his folks down in NOLA, but if we are passionate about helping others, then we MUST and WILL all find a way.

I made a small list (I call it small compared to other lists I have made, wink, wink), and I know that some of you are already doing some amazing things out there.

1.Take time to pray for those affected by this, daily.

2. Love thy neighbor and bake something for them. Just be sure to leave it on their doorstep. I am not really experienced at this one, but I do know where to find some awesome sweets in this town.

3. Write letters to folks. If you a bunch of stationery sitting around, then use it. Tell yourself you are going to send a card to one person a day for the next two weeks. You can entitle them "cards from quarantine". If you need to find addresses, you might be able to use whitepages.com. Sometimes you can locate folks on there. If you need stamps, I might be able to deliver some. I'll trade a baked good for some stamps.

4.  Face Time someone you haven't seen since you were quarantined. If you don't have an Apple product then use Skype, or Facebook Messenger or Zoom.

5. Order donuts, or juice for a clinic, fire department, police department, etc. Heckfire, just drop them off some baked goods if you are uber talented. Maybe even call up a few friends, go in together and order some pizzas for folks working in the line of fire.

6. Check on those you know who are struggling through this. There are folks who can't handle the quarantine as well as others, so call them or text them daily. If you are able to get away from the house for a few minutes deliver them some food with a sweet note.

7. Help those local businesses who are doing everything they can to survive during this hard time, especially the local restaurants. You know you are not going to survive on your own cooking for that long. I have done it for 15 days and I am almost getting tired of it personally. Seriously though, support those local diners that you love so much.

8.Be very kind to everyone. As a guy on the radio said recently, we need to practice maximum grace.

9. Go silent for two hours and interact with those around you face to face. That means wi-fi off, phone face down, Bluetooth off, computer off, and TV off. If you still listen to an old AM/FM radio, then turn it off, too. The idea is to distance ourselves from our gadgets and be in the present with others. Smile, listen, read together, and just share stories.

10. Share your talents with the world. At least through social media that is. If you can sing then host a little Facebook Live session at your piano or with your guitar. If you are a great writer, then share some of your writings. If you are an artist, show everyone what kind of art you are awesome at creating. Photography nerd (that's this guy), then upload one of your favorite shots so folks can see something awesome every day that is yours. You want to do something really awesome: find some pictures and create cool prints with them. Then send them to someone as a surprise. You don't have to be amazing at photography to do that, but it would make their day. Shutterfly can help you with your creations.

11. Donate. Donate. Donate. If you already are donating, then keep up the good work. There are many non-profits that could all benefit from our blessings financially or through other means as well. We may not all have that $5 million like Drew Brees has, but we can at least spare a million, right? Yeah, that was a little bit of sarcasm. Seriously though, most churches have benevolences that can help you find ways to help out and I am sure could even ask Google, Alexa, or Siri how you can be a blessing to those in your community as well.

12. Keep making me excited about logging into social media. There are so many beautiful pictures, funny jokes and memes and even things that stir up my emotions a little bit. Let's do our best to not make any of this political. We need to use social media to encourage, to be a light (credit to brother T.J.), to share our gifts and talents, and most importantly love one another.

I know there are many people out there already doing some amazing things, and it is awesome to see the hearts of so many people pouring out in different ways. The good Lord doesn't expect anything but our best at all times, and this is really a time when he wants us all to unite and be grateful for what we have.

I leave you with this (thanks again to Brother T.J. for reminding me of this last Friday). Let your light shine. Let shine so you can pull others out of the darkness. We as a whole can pull out of this darkness together. It won't be easy, but we can rise up and this too shall pass.  -

March 27, 2020 - Flashback Friday - Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

When I lived abroad in South Korea, I was blessed with a chance to fly south to Australia to visit my aunt and cousins. While planning this trip I decided to spend a few days in the country of Malaysia. I had two goals on this "pit stop". I wanted to snorkel and I wanted to see the amazing towers in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.

Kota Kinabalu is on the island of Borneo and is the capital city of Sabah state of Malaysia. I had never heard of this area before my trip. I did a good bit of research and realized that this place has a good bit of everything. If I ever found myself traveling on that side of the world again, I would love to hike to the top of Mt. Kinabalu.

An amazing sunset

I believe I even bought my first pair of Krocs at a mall in this area on my first afternoon in this city. I remember walking around and finding a food stall. That part that really stuck out to me though was sitting down and eating with chopsticks while folks nearby used their hands to throw their meal down. That included rice, veggies and some chicken, I think. Now you are imagining something weird!

Check out the guy on the right 

I thoroughly enjoyed my few days in this area. I got to see the awesome mountains in the background while riding to the local rain forest. At the rain forest we got to participate in the "canopy walk", which is a walk that takes you about eight stories above the floor of the rain forest. The walk is about 150 yards as well. The snorkeling was awesome, and you didn't even have to swim too far away from the shore to see some awesome coral. I did have to help two Korean ladies who could not swim though. They would literally hold onto my back while I swam all the +100 yards or so in order that they may experience the awesome snorkeling at the reef.

A few interesting facts for you about Kota Kinabalu:

• This coastal city is partly surrounded by rain forest. 
• It has the highest mountain in Malaysia at over 13,000, Mt. Kinabalu
• It has some amazing coral reefs. 
• It has a village on stilts
• It has some great markets for shopping
• There is a great wildlife park
• There is a tea garden
• You can kayak in the sea



Mt. Kinabalu

• Yummy fish

March 24, 2020 - Waterfall Wednesday - Frozen Head State Park

This guy got pulled out of his natural habitat!

Every year on the last weekend of June, or the weekend before the 4th of July, I am blessed with the opportunity to coach in a regional track meet in Knoxville, TN. As long as the kiddos place within the top 6 of their races, then they move onto the Junior Olympics which is held in one of five different locations yearly.

This year my friend Teddy and I stayed in Oak Ridge, TN, which was within twenty minutes of the track meet and also within an hour or less to Frozen Head State Park. Frozen Head State Park is named for a 3,324 foot peak located within the Cumberland Mountains. As it suggests, the top of the peak is generally iced over or covered in snow during the Winter months.

Emory Gap Falls

This state park like some is a little bit remote and you even have to drive past a state penitentiary on the way there. Kind of like a certain route one might take to get to Fort Pillow Historic State Park in West, TN. There is a good bit of hiking one can do at Frozen Head. Due to the track meet finishing in the early afternoon, Teddy and I only had a few hours to spend. We manage a full two hours and some change though, and it was a very pleasant experience. We drove by and probably about 20 folks camping out in the designated areas. We did stumble upon a local along one of the hiking trails who was actually camping in his own little area.

When you are at a park in the mountains in East TN on a Summer afternoon, you can be assured of one thing. It is definitely not as hot as it might be over in that southwest corner of the state. Much of this state park is covered in trees and you are assured plenty of shade as a result.

DeBord Falls

You have two waterfalls that you can locate along one of the shorter hiking trails in the park. Though they may be small, they are still worth taking advantage of if you need to cool off on a warm Spring or Summer day. The first is known as Emory Gap Falls a 25 foot plunge waterfall amidst the headwaters of Flat Fork on the southeast slope of Bird Mountain.  Emory Gap Falls is one of those spots where you could stand in the water and just enjoy the coolness of the flow on your feet.  You could post up with a book and pen and paper and enjoy the peace it brings you. This little spot is also really ideal for introducing kiddos to waterfalls as well.  I personally wish I had a real camera and not just my phone camera with me at the time of our visit.

The other is DeBord Falls a 12 foot plunge waterfall along Panther Branch, just above the creek's confluence with Flat Fork. DeBord Falls is really cool if you are seeking a little more of a rock hopping adventure. It would be really fun to throw a soccer ball toward the top and see how the water flow pushes the ball down. I would advise caution if you have some younger kiddos with you around this area. You could probably get some really good family shots in front of this area, too.

I will do further research to find out why they have the names they do have. For now I will let you listen to the beautiful sound of waterfalls, Frozen Head State Park style. I know one thing. It doesn't matter how tall, how fierce, or how deep a waterfall may be, it is still soothing to listen to that sound. I hope to go back to Frozen Head State Park one day, not only to get you guys some much better pictures, but to also go on a much longer hike as well. Take care and hopefully there will be some more reading tomorrow.


 Have a listen, and imagine you are there cooling off. 

March 17, 2020 - Tasty Tuesday - Crosstown Concourse

I was debating on how to feature this awesome piece of Memphis in a post, so here we go. As we all know, many business will be struggling over the next few days, weeks, and even months. We have no clue how long this will last, but it will sting in many, many ways.

 As we have seen, many restaurants have resorted to take out services only. It is awesome to see some of these dining establishments fully open, but bear in mind that many of them are having to cut hours. This means that many employees are not able to earn their full daily, weekly, or even monthly wage. 

Take Crosstown Concourse as an example. This is home to various restaurants from one of my personal favorites Farm Burger Memphis(though not local, but still an employer), to Global Cafe, to Saucy Chicken, to the wonderful and tasty Area 51 Ice Cream. Crosstown Concourse is such a beautiful piece of architecture with so much to offer one's taste buds. You can spice it up, pizza it up, sweeten it up, and caffeinate it up a little bit. 

Know that you can enjoy something different each and every time you walk in the doors of this beautiful piece of architecture. This building once housed the old Sears, Roebuck and Company Catalog and Distribution Center. Some of this is still visible through the Concourse. It is even on the National Register of Historic Places. Do make sure your phone has a little more than 20% if you do plan to visit Crosstown and grab something super tasty to eat. There might be a few more photo op locations than eateries but you can definitely get your fill of both each time you come to visit.

Remember there are hard working local businesses all over your cities, towns, and counties doing what they can to whether the storm of Corona, or COVID-19 as some may refer to it. Pack up the kids, grab some pizza, and get some ice cream. Or call Farmburger, and make sure you get some of those sweet potato fries. I bet the weather may even be warm enough for you to eat outside of the Concourse as well. Once you finish your meal you can go back and hit up Lucy J's Bakery, or grab some ice cream at Area 51. For those who require it, I hear the coffee is excellent at French Truck Coffee. While you are it, do something awesome and check out the Crosstown Concourse website and download their Scavenger Hunt list. Click here.

March 15, 2020 - Weekend Words - TP Time Reflection

It's amazing how in less than 48 hours one can come up with almost a week's worth of writings just due to the events they have experienced in their life.

Last night as I was sitting at dinner with some awesome friends, I reflected for a few minutes on my time in South Korea. I was reflecting specifically on how toilet paper was utilized so much in South Korea. Many Asian countries use chopsticks for every meal as many folks may know. What you may not know is that chopsticks are used in place of items such as forks, and knives. Ever need to slice up some birthday cake or pizza? Hook me up with some chopsticks and I'll take care of you. Toilet paper is also used in the place of other items like this as well.

In the Korean family's house where I spent many days and nights, there would always be a roll of tp at the table where we ate. If I dropped some rice, kimchi, or other food on the floor, I just grab a sheet or two and pick up the scraps. Got a runny nose because that kimchi is opening you up a little too much? Grab some tp and turn away, so you don't disrupt the other folks at the table. Got some red pepper stuff on your face, or maybe a piece of rice in your facial hair? Spill some of Korean Grandma's home cooking on the table? You get the point here.

My classroom experiences were exactly the same. Considering I get nosebleeds in Winter, I definitely needed a few sheets nearby during that time of year. Each and every classroom was "pre-loaded" with toilet paper. Kid gotta blow their nose? Cover those nostrils with a little tp and watch them do their thing (for the young ones). Hopefully you can sanitize in the room or after the class. Need napkins to help the little ones while they are eating lunch in the classroom? Grab that roll. Boom!! Need to clean that dry erase board? Grab that tp and get that board cleaned. Unless you are privileged and actually have a rag or towel in the room. Seriously though, those folks do go through some tp and it is not in ways you would usually imagine.

I did buy my own paper towels from time to time at the grocery stores. They are squeezed in usually between toilet paper and more toilet paper. I might be kidding about that part. Honestly speaking it may cost two or three bucks just for two rolls, so folks just don't bother with spending money.
I have heard that in the past things like tissue and toilet paper were considered luxury items.

When families have housewarming parties in Korea, can you guess what might be a sought after item on the list? Boom! You guessed right. I hope you did at least. There is something symbolic in how you can unroll some tp for such a long smooth period of time 😕.Laundry detergent, house plants and cleaning items are said to be other desired gifts too.

So, tonight while you are basking over your massive collection of Charmin, Quilted Northern, Best Choice or whatever brand you have 4 cases of occupying that space near your giant flat screen TV, just be thankful that tp is only used for one thing. Then again if you run out of paper towels, you may just have to take a roll down from "TP Pyramid", or "TP House", or whatever piece of "tp architecture" you are planning to build. 

March 11, 2020 - Waterfall Wednesday - Petit Jean State Park - Cedar Falls

                                                     Cedar Falls (90 feet in height)

On Monday I decided to take a day off work and take a nice relaxing hike. I wanted to see this awesome state park in Arkansas, and check out their big waterfall. Turns out I had run a half marathon the day before in Germantown, and I probably could have used a day off to just rest without the hike.

Petit Jean State Park is about three hours west of Memphis. It is exactly 200 miles from Midtown Memphis and a little west of Conway, AR, or an hour west of Little Rock. Petit Jean is home to the historic rock cave which houses Indian paintings that go way back. You can also walk along the "turtle rocks", visit several other cave areas, and see one of the biggest waterfalls in the state of Arkansas.

Cedar Falls is not an easy waterfall to get to the base of while hiking in the pouring rain. It is a beautiful sight to see once you get there. Stopping at the overlook will get you a pretty good view of Cedar Falls, but why not go big and go down to the base of the falls. Physically speaking, it is a tough hike for some, even on a sunny, dry day. If you follow all of the directions as stated on the signs

READ THE SIGNS!

where the trail head begins, then you will be just fine.

READ THE SIGNS!

This trail is one mile in and one mile out. There are switchbacks that you SHOULD NOT shortcut during the first half mile. Once you complete this part of the journey life (or the hike at least) gets much, much easier. You do get to cross over a little bridge that has a two person capacity. I was with two dogs, and the three of us went together. We all made it across just fine. When you cross the bridge you will arrive at the waterfall within about 8-10 minutes. It is still a little bit of work, but if you are taking your time, you have no problems. 

Once you are able to see the waterfall, you do have a few different options. You can hang out and some rocks, enjoy a meal and take tons of selfies with your friends. You can do a little rock hopping around the creek area near Cedar Falls. You can also get a close up of the waterfall, too. Just watch your footing if you choose this option. You will be in a cave-like area so you are shaded from heat or any precipitation. No matter how you spend your time in the presence of this waterfall, you are certain to make many memories. So brush those Corona Virus fears aside and hit the road for the Arkansas countryside. Don't stop until you arrive at Petit Jean State Park. See Cedar Falls, and all of the other wonderful memory making spots in the park.

She did not enjoy the bridge!

March 4, 2020 - Waterfall Wednesday - Cummins Falls State Park

Due to some recent events that occurred in Middle TN, I decided it would be right to throw some love that direction. Especially considering the areas that were impacted.

View from overlook

Located northwest of Cookeville, TN, in Jackson County is one of the state's youngest parks. The land where Cummins Falls State Park is located was purchased by the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation in 2011. This park is home to the eighth largest waterfall in TN at 75 feet, Cummins Falls. Cummins Falls is located on the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River.

Persuading the young guy to swim.

Over the last few years this park has garnered national attention as one of the top swimming holes in all of America . The one time my friends and I went we  arrived early, because the people come in masses around lunch time. Since it isn't far from KY, Nashville, or Knoxville, folks do make the journey to Cummins Falls State Park to take it in and enjoy the beautiful waterfall. It really is a fun experience to check off the list. 

Close up

There is about a 1.3 mile hike involved that takes all the way to the swimming hole. It can be strenuous going either direction. I have seen many folks struggle going up or down this trail. During this time of year the trail that leads to the falls is actually closed off due to all of the rainwater Tennessee has received. There have been some tragic events occur at Cummins Falls due to the strong flow of water coming from the river and into the waterfall. I believe there may even be a safety video for folks to watch before entering the park.   

If you do not have a lot of time on your hands there is another alternative to the waterfall trail. You can hike to the overlook which still gets you a great view without having to expend much energy.  This hike is much shower, shadier and lets you see exactly how awesome Cummins Falls really is.  

Next time you are in the Cookeville area take that extra 15-20 minute drive and check out Cummins Falls State Park. You will get some awesome pictures and of course make some awesome memories as well.

March 1, 2020 - Sunday Spotlight - The Little Insurrectionist

In the Summer of 1944, starting on August 1st in Warsaw, Poland, there was an event known as the Warsaw Uprising. This event was led by a Polish underground resistance. This goal of the uprising was to drive the Germans out, while at the same time being backed by the Soviets and Stalin as reinforcements. Stalin and the Soviets ignored pleas for help and the goals of the resistance were not fully accomplished. Winston Churchill did his best to produce over 200 low level supply drops that were performed by various armies under British High Command. This was known as the Warsaw Airlift. There is a museum in Warsaw dedicated to this month uprising where many, many lives were lost.  

In Old Warsaw you can actually see this statue that is dedicated to some of the younger soldiers who fought in this resistance. The statue itself is said to be dedicated in honor of a young 13 year old boy who was killed on August 8 of 1944 during the early fighting of the resistance. As you might be able to see in this picture the helmet is somewhat oversize and the young man has a submachine gun. Both items are said to be stylized after the German equipment which resistance fighters captured and used against the occupying forces.

There is not a definitive number of how many children were involved in the Warsaw Uprising, but they did sacrifice their young lives. Nonetheless, they still played a huge role in a piece of WWII history.

The Warsaw Uprising is a very interesting part of Poland's history. I would highly recommend doing some research, as I should do myself. I went on a tour once in Warsaw and learned a little bit, and the statue above always fascinated me as well.

On the back of the statue is a plaque with the following inscription  translated from Polish -("Varsovian children, we'll head into battle - for every stone of yours, we shall give our blood").