Sometimes I will go to W P Jones Park just for a refreshing change of pace.  It does not pretend to be like the other parks.  There are no soccer or baseball fields, club house, or activity center.  It does offer some of the finest tennis courts in the city, usually occupied with people who seem to take the game seriously.  But the trails and fields of the park appear to go mostly unused, which makes for a peaceful walk but also cause for concern.  In these times of lower tax revenue I would hate to see this wonderful place restricted or closed. 


To me, its simplicity is its greatest charm.  For instance, the trails are natural, and therefore unpaved.  Some do not like it, because erosion has made the trails a bit difficult to maneuver.  But that just makes them more friendly for my visits.  I enjoy walking through the shaded forest which actually leads to the back entrance of the public library!  It is nice to stroll along the stream, and even skip a rock or two.  And I like the lush grass of the park lawns.

As Big Dog and I strolled fast into the forest, we encountered a lady who was walking in our direction with a quick pace.  She looked at me with what appeared to be horror in her face, turned, and ran in the other way!  Now I understand that sometimes I have that effect on women.  But usually they are a little more discreet in their direct response!  With friendly dog in tow, we walked ahead.  And I discovered why she was so quick to leave my presence.  She was with four dogs.  Sissy-looking dogs.  All had been unleashed and were roaming along the trail.  This lady was afraid my German Shepherd would eat her scrawny little beasts.  He just ignored them as he happily continued on his merry way.  I did the same with their owner.


Bridge into the park.  Now that's a nice view.

 
Log, decaying, and slowly disappearing.  When I die, take me out into the woods, and leave me like this log.  Seems natural to me.


Contents of a wallet, strewed on the ground.  I checked to see if the owner could be identified.  Important items, like drivers license and credit cards, are missing.  Obviously these business cards and photographs are stolen leftovers, emptied and explored far back in these woods.


Playground.  I know for a fact that Skylar, my granddaughter, likes this place.  Once I tried to get her to join me, shoeless, in the little creek.  She complained the water was just too cold.  Baby!


Empty water bottle, littering the trail.  Before tossing this into the trash, I wondered about the perpetrator?  Someone cares enough about his body to exercise.  And this is a high quality brand.  Thus, someone has gone to commendable effort to facilitate purity for his body.  Too bad he does not have the same respect for nature.  Or, for others.

This is the second of a three-part series on the fatherhood of God.  God has adopted the human model of fatherhood to express Himself and to relate with us.  We explore four points concerning how He serves as our Heavenly Father: Creator, Provider, Protector, and Instructor.  This presentation is about twelve minutes in length.  Listen, learn, and share your comments!  Unfortunately, unlike t-Blog, one can only comment on VOX by signing up for membership.  It's easy.  But it's also easy to return here to t-Blog and share what you think.  And, by the way, I've heard enough about the southern drawl!

Perfect Model Of Fatherhood, Part II
(click this link)

As we continue with our walks in the great parks of Gwinnett County, today we will hike through Best Friends Park in Norcross.  Is not that a great name for a park?  I can picture good friends sitting under the shade, on a wooden bench, playing checkers or otherwise lazily passing the day.  The park is located in a transition area of the County, as what is referred to as "white flight" has passed along the I-85 corridor and beyond.  Now the place is surrounded by low and middle-income housing, and people of many colors and ethnic persuasions.  Some call it a high-crime area.  Check out the fence and razor wire surrounding the maintenance building! 
It certainly doesn't invoke a warm and fuzzy feeling. 

The park has some fine recreational amenities, including tennis center, basketball court, and a great swimming pool.  While walking through, I noticed the social extremities of the area are alive and well in this place.  Strolling aside the tennis center I viewed expensive cars and lots of white folk, and a police officer who watched me warily.  Then, in a few minutes, I passed around the basketball courts.  Boom boxes blasted loudly from modest vehicles, African Americans ran up and down the courts, and not a policeman in sight.

A walking track meanders around the periphery.  I made four trips in order to get in my three-mile-walk.  And only a slice of the walk passes through the small forest.  However, the whole place emits a sense of character.  For instance, there seems always to be someone of interesting appearance wanting to chat and pet my dog.  This time, it was a friendly young lady with various piercing through her face, who just a moment previously was engaged with her boyfriend in a marathon french kiss.  That's amore! 

Here's some photos and brief comments:



Passing along a little stretch of woods.  Nice, cool, shady.

Knotty Tree.  This fellow has lost several limbs through they years.  Likely, there's a story to tell about storms, winds, termites, and maintenance men with buzzing saws.



Trail passes from cool shade to searing sun.  As soon as I step into the light, I can feel the rush of heat.



Since the park is so small, I walked past the tennis courts and along an adjacent trail not really part of the official area.  It led to a broken fence, with apartments on the other side.  Why would they build this fence to keep the apartment residents out?  Good for them to refuse to be fenced in.



Big Dog, big rock!  This boulder was conveniently located at a great rest spot, and it beckoned for me to have a seat.  Unfortunately, it also beckoned Big Dog to deposit a liquid specimen.  Notice how the graffiti has been painstakingly removed?  Likely, this stone has lots of stories to tell, too.

 

 

“Hey, David, F*@# Off!”

They regularly call the church office trying to get us to change our phone plan.  That’s fair.  And should they offer something attractive we likely would be a buyer.  However what they are offering is about $75 per month more than what we currently pay with ATT.  Interesting, with previous calls, the salespersons have insisted that we are paying much more for our monthly service.  When I read from our monthly statement, they are surprised, and then continue with the script as if I said nothing.  So, to facilitate productivity at the office and to reduce frustration, we have asked that they take us off their calling lists.  They still call.  Thus, the background for this morning’s conversation with Claudia.

“This is Claudia from ATT.”
“Hi, Claudia.  This is David.”
“Is this the person who makes decisions for your business?”
“Yes”
“Your current contract with ATT is about to expire, and your rates could go up dramatically.  Currently you are paying XXX amount, and we can provide you with enhanced services for XXX, which is less than you currently pay.  Is it alright if I engage this new contract?”
“Why do you continue to call?  We have asked you, multiple times, to take us off your calling list.  Why are you calling me?”

And, so, the above response; with dramatic emphasis, followed by a click.

I’m humored by this.  And that’s probably not an appropriate response.  She was calling a church, and talking with the pastor.  It is not a nice thing to say to someone, especially when you are trying to make a sale and the recipient is a Baptist minister.  Even if I were a person prone to use such language with frivolity and without venom, I think for the sake of income I would find a more appropriate way to talk while on the job and engaging a customer.  I have not heard those words, particularly directed to me, in quite some time.  It all seemed so incredulous.  And I guess because of a twisted psyche yet to be fully baptized, I find such startling and strange moments to be funny.

These people contract with ATT, work straight commission, and there is likely no way to trace down who Claudia may be.  Likely she is someone desperate for income working a job she does not like, and unprepared for my direct query.  There is an edge to my voice.  And I can be blunt.  So, I guess we will give Claudia a pass.  Perhaps this could be her regular response to ministers who do not welcome her calls?  She could keep a running total…”Today I told 14 preachers to F*@# Off!”  Her supervisor could respond, “Great!  And at $5 per insult, your commission will be…”  I wonder if she has a unique profanity for different ministers of different religious denominations?  

The Perfect Model Of Fatherhood, Part I

Click on the link above to hear the first of a 3-Part-Series on the subject of the fatherhood of God.  With this introduction, I talk a bit about growing up without a consistent and positive role model as a father.  We consider the message of Galatians 4:4-7 which describes God as a loving and intimate father who adopts us as his sons and daughters.  This message is about 13 minutes in length.  It may inspire you.  It may cure your insomnia.

Tubing The Chattahoochee

Today is Father's Day.  We had a special focus for worship at church this morning.  Of course we recognized all of the fathers who were present, giving each a buttoneer and Hershey's Bar- just a treat, and most folk like candy!  We recognized the oldest father present, the father with the most children, and the father with the youngest child.  The oldest was 93 years young, and still going strong.  The youngest child, 3-months-old, let me know quite clearly that the sermon was too long for his approval.  A most meaningful time of the service occurred when I asked members of the congregation to share with us things they had learned from their fathers.  Many quite touching tributes were shared with spontaneity and passion.  It was a deeply personal experience for all.  For the sermon, I preached about how God chooses to relate to us as Father.  We considered from the scriptures, applied to daily life, how He is the perfect father. 

I spent the afternoon with my two daughters- as many are aware, my son in serving with the Marines in Hawaii.  He called later tonight, and we had a nice conversation.  But I'm not too thrilled with his little comment about my photo on his Facebook Page.  Anyhow, this afternoon my daughters and I took a leisurely trip down the Chattahoochee.  The tubes were large and comfy, the water cold and slow.  The laughs were easy!  I've mostly transitioned from raising children to connecting with adults.  But, they are still my little girls! 

So, it was a great Father's Day.  I'm home sunburned, tired, and happy.

The closest park to my house would be Pinckneyville , a large soccer and softball mega-park totaling over 90 acres.  It is divided by S. Old Peachtree Road, with fields for soccer to the north and softball to the south.  Important to me are the paved walking trails around the peripheries of both sides.  When I include the additional walk to the adjoining Community Center, and the trails around the two lakes, it is a three-mile-trek located less than a mile from my home.  Big Dog and I can jump in the car and be on-the-go in about five minutes.  The trails are mostly separated from the activity centers by acres of trees and green grass.  Because of proximity and the fact that it is a great place, I use this park more than any for my daily walks.


The parks of Gwinnett County are acclaimed as among the best in the nation.  They are a worthy investment for a penny sales tax.  I've actually found a tax I like!


The thick, dark forest beckons.  Actually, it is not very isolated, as you can hear the cars and other sounds of busy lives in the background.  Sometimes I listen to my mp3 as we stroll.


Poison oak.  Not good stuff


Pink flowers in the trees.  


Blackberries.  I like to find a handful of ripe ones to munch along the way.  I know a fellow who comes here to pick buckets full.  His wife makes blackberry pie.  It's good!


Bunny rabbit.  He freezes, doesn't even twitch a whisker for the longest of time.  I guess he thinks he is invisible?


Fishing.  Actually, it is against park rules to fish around here, except for a few designated days.  I believe these are "illegals" doing something illegal.


Long, wooden walkway along the shore of the other lake.


My buddy.  Always there, always faithful, always ready to eat some nasty stuff.

My favorite place for a walk has to be McDaniel Farm Park .  It is a great place to connect with nature, close to a busy mall and a fast developing part of the metro area.  Walking amidst the old-growth timber, glistening streams, and even being able to spot a deer, it is wonderfully easy to forget the fast paced life just outside the carefully tended woods and trails.  I understand this land was owned by the same family for over a century and was still a working farm less than ten years ago.  It could have easily surrendered to the fate of most of the rest of the area, developed into subdivisions and rows of mini-mansions.  Thankfully someone had the foresight to preserve these several hundred acres for the benefit of folk like me.

It is not a multi-use park.  There are no ball fields or playgrounds; just ribbons of paved trails winding through nature.  I choose to make the widest loop possible, which measures out to almost three miles.  There are hills galore, great for cardio development.  Bridges cross streams, and there is a wonderful wood-chip nature trail, which adds about a half-mile to the trek.

Come along with me.  I’ll share some pictures and commentary.


Big Dog is in the car, ready to go.  He jumps the fence and squeezes through the door as soon as it is opened, then fills the vehicle with lots of slobber and doggie-breath, quite impatient as we travel about two miles to the park.  He absolutely loves these walks.


Soon after passing through a glade of hardwoods, a wooden bridge awaits.  The old farm has been restored, including the barn in the background of this photo.  A self-guided tour is available.  But I come here to walk.


The bark on this tree looks almost like armor plates, or scales.  Big Dog suggested we call it the Dinosaur Tree.


After about a quarter mile of open field, the trail leads into a dense and dark area of hardwoods.  I’ve spotted deer hiding in the midst of these trees.  Within the thick patch of forest, the air seems to me to have an earthy smell and a refreshing coolness.  I find it natural to quietly pray while passing through.  This stretch of the trail I call The Chapel.

   


In a couple of weeks the flowers will be even more glorious in display.


Honey bee, quite busy.  She was not appreciative of my interference, and shooed me away.  I’ve never been stung by one of these things.  Let’s continue that streak.


A lone tree, with a big wad of gum.  There is a story to be told…  
“Honey, will I kiss you?  Just let me get rid of this gum!”
“Ouch.  That ant bit me.  I’ll take care of that little son-of-a-gun.”
“There’s still some flavor!  I’ll leave it here for next time I walk this way.”

I hope you have enjoyed our little walk.  We’ll get together again next week.

The shirt would not come off.  At first I thought it was somehow glued upon my body.  But, with careful inspection, it proved to be even worse- as if the vile t-shirt somehow was melted into my body.  As if flesh and material had become one.  Help me.  Someone...anyone, PLEASE....

Link To My Nightmare

An almost daily routine is to set aside an hour for a walk.  The occasion might be early in the morning, and most often in the evening as the sun is setting.  It is an important time of heart pumping and soul cleansing.  Communion with God comes easy for me as I am surrounded with nature and fresh air.  So the walk tends to be brisk and the prayer casual.  An hour: that’s warm-up and cool-down times, and fifty minutes for a brisk stroll.

It is the amount of time it takes for me to walk three miles, at a fast pace that gets my heart to pumping and mind to working.  I understand, for a walk to have its best health benefit, the heart rate needs to be elevated and kept up for at least thirty minutes.  Also I understand, for maximum benefit, a mile should be traveled in at least fifteen minutes.  I’m still working to obtain that benchmark.

For several years my happy travel companion was my faithful little dog, Bailey.  As my regular readers are aware, we lost Bailey about two years ago.  He was so much a part of the experience that I quit my daily walks for several months.  Now that I’m back to regular walks along our familiar paths, I still sometimes find myself scanning the woods and distant hills dreaming that just maybe my little dog will come running.  That would be nice!  My walking pal now is Big Dog, a German Shepherd mix who showed up half-starved in my back yard and just refused to leave.  I made a futile effort to find his owner and determined he was most like abandoned.  He has one eye and a huge heart.  He loves to jump into my little Chevy and happily ride to the park, all along whimpering in delight and slobbering on the windows.  I utilize a heavy-duty leash.  It holds firm, although occasionally he will give chase to a rabbit or squirrel and try his best to pull my shoulder out of socket when the leash comes to its limit.  All in all, he’s a shedding, slobbering, happy-go-lucky, wonderful walking pal.

This area in which I live has an amazing assortment of walking trails.  I doubt there to be many places better suited for daily walks.  Except, perhaps, Hawaii?  Most of the dozens of walking/biking trails are maintained by the County or local cities, the result of wise management of tax revenues.  Interestingly, many of the parks have resident law enforcement officers, who live on the park premises and therefore help to keep the public safe.    

My intention for the next several months is to take you along for a weekly walk.  I will try to include some photos, links, and hopefully some unique perspective.  So put on some comfy clothes and walking shoes- no boots needed, and let’s have some fun, enjoy this beautiful world, and try to stay in shape.  These installments will be on Thursdays.

For warm-up, here is a photo from a recent walk.  As Big Dog and I strolled along a wooded trail, a couple of young men met me and with great caution one said, “Be careful.  There’s a big snake up ahead.  He’s right in the middle of the walk!”  I thought, Great- I would like to see a snake.  Snakes are good.  They eat rodents.  They help maintain an important equilibrium of nature.  And they simply need for us to enjoy them from a distance, and leave them alone.  I like to have snakes in my garden- like I said, they keep the critters away.

So, here’s the snake.  It looks very much like a stick.  Because….it is a stick.  City slickers!