spiphywarfare

Category: Uncategorized

  • Ft. Richardson Weekday Camping


    Discover the Serenity of Weekday Camping.
    Situated in the rolling hills of North Texas, Fort Richardson State Park offers a pleasant escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life. While weekends often see a flurry of activity, I prefer to camp on the quiet weekdays to really relax.

    The Whisper of the Wind
    As the sun rises over the historic fort, the air is filled with a gentle hush. On weekdays, the park can be a tranquil place where it is easy to enjoy nature. The rustling leaves, the distant call of birds, and the soft breeze create a soothing environment. Whether you’re pitching a tent or parking your camper, the stillness envelops you, inviting introspection and relaxation.

    This is especially true if you are camping in some of the sites on the lower loop. At times, it can be completely still down there while the tops of the trees sway in the wind.

    There. Are. Birds. Everywhere!
    One of the park’s delightful features is its abundant birdlife. Cardinals, with their vibrant red plumage, flit everywhere among the trees, adding splashes of color to the green canvas. I heard their songs everywhere. I also saw and heard a tufted tirmouse, a black-capped chickadee, a blue grosbeak, and an indigo bunting (I only heard the last one). I can’t help but think that Fort Richardson State Park would be a birdwatcher’s paradise, especially during the peaceful weekdays when the birds feel more at ease.

    It’s not just birds either. It’s a rare morning or evening stroll through the park that doesn’t bring an encounter with deer feeding in one of the meadow areas.

    A Glimpse into History
    Beyond its natural beauty, Fort Richardson holds a rich historical legacy. Here are a couple of intriguing facts about the fort:

    Established in 1867: Fort Richardson was established by the U.S. Army to protect settlers and travelers along the Texas frontier. It played a crucial role during the Indian Wars and served as a base for the famous Buffalo Soldiers.


    The Ghostly Guardhouse: Visit the restored guardhouse, where soldiers once stood watch. If you stand there in the quiet, you may feel a presence, a whisper from the past. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the guardhouse’s weathered walls hold stories waiting to be heard.

    Tips for Weekday Campers
    Reservations: While weekends can get crowded, weekdays offer more availability. Make a reservation in advance to secure your spot.
    Pack Light: With fewer fellow campers, you won’t need to worry about noisy neighbors. Pack light, bring a good book, and savor the solitude.
    Sunrise Strolls: Wake up early and take a sunrise stroll along the trails. The crisp morning air and the promise of a new day make it worthwhile.


    Whether you’re seeking solace, birdwatching bliss, or a glimpse into history, Fort Richardson State Park delivers. So, pack your gear, leave the weekday chaos behind, and immerse yourself in the quiet of this hidden gem.

  • Seems Familiar (short post)

    An image of Peter and John preaching in the temple.

    Studying the book of Acts currently. As I read chapter four today, I couldn’t help but notice that the acceptable religious leaders of the day wanted to stop Peter and John from preaching. They had left behind any pretense or concern with whether or not it was truth that was being spread. Their sole reason for their actions was to keep the matter from spreading amongst the people (Acts 4:17).

    You see that a lot today with traditional “BigEva” types online, as well as with evangelical influencers that have a decent sized account. When a truth comes out that threatens their position or status, they avoid the substance and work to discourage a truth from spreading.

  • Brief Video. Are transwomen actual women?

    Thank you for watching.

  • Shortest Blogpost Ever?

    I remember my grandfather telling me, years ago, that some people understand nothing but violence and that is the only way to deal with them.

  • Maybe It’s the Ferguson Blood…

    But I love listening to this and get fired up by it.

  • It. Is. Hot!!!

    Latest D-Life podcast. I talk a little about how hot it has been and how it’s impacted things around me.

    Shorts and boots?

    I’ve never seen an old grizzled, farmer/rancher wearing shorts and boots. I’m not too sure that the lower half of his pants weren’t burned off to be honest. It was hot that day.

  • D Life Episode 2

    The second episode of the D Life podcast. A brief discussion of Twitter, Elon Musk, and the burning filth of social media.

    🤣🤣🤣

  • Help Me be Content

    I went to watch the sun come up at the local lake this morning. It seemed to take forever!

    I sat in the quiet truck. The only sound I could hear was the heater blowing. The warm air succeeded in tricking my mind into thinking it wasn’t actually close to freezing outside.

    The edge of light at the horizon turned into licks of brilliant orange flame as it reflected of the scattered high clouds. Watching this slow crawl of life into another day gave me plenty of time to think.

    As I sat there I thought of things that had been, could have been, and will never be. I allowed myself to get into quite the funk. I know nobody else ever starts looking around at things and thinking how easy it would be if… I was that person, I had a new (job, car, home, etc.). But I did. I saw a heron standing motionless in the water. That’s right, I started to think how much better it would be if I was a bird.

    Egret photo by Egret by Freeimages.com/BrendaDBaker

     

    That bird. Standing there in the water. Not a care in the world. Why couldn’t I be that bird.

    I turned off the truck. I rolled the window down so I could listen to the sounds of nature. What I heard was the brisk wind blowing across the lake as it removed the magic of the heater from the interior of the truck and my “poor me” brain.

    Suddenly that bird didn’t have it so well. It was cold. The wind was blowing. He was wet. The lake level was down. Seemed like sort of a miserable existence.

    Yet, still he stood there. Motionless. Waiting for some small fish to swim by at just the right distance so he could snag a meal. Just like he would on a beautiful day in late spring.

    It dawned on me I’d been pretty much being stupid. As the sun finally poked itself above the horizon I found myself asking God to give me contentment. Asking to be content whether my surroundings are meager and unpleasant, or pleasant and bountiful.

    Lord, let me be content.

    Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit. For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either. But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that. 
    1 Timothy 6:6-8

  • Carried Away With Ourselves

    We’re all formed into unique individuals by our own personal experiences. Those experiences taint, or rather color, the way we perceive the world around us,. In doing so they remove the ability to correctly perceive reality. That’s one of the reasons eye-witness testimony is so terrible. Your brain will fill in missing details with what it expects they should be rather than what they are.

    This translates into relationships and beliefs as well. We think a certain person likes or dislikes us and so we translate their actions and words through that perception filter. We think a certain relationship is good or bad and it goes through the same process.

    Maybe something in the Bible doesn’t make sense or align with a tradition you’ve been taught. When it collides with your perceptions of how things ought to be, it gets filtered.

    This all occurs because there is entirely too much information available to us. Our minds can’t process the information so we tend to, unknowingly, seize the information that is comfortable and easily fits our views while we reject (filter out) those ideas that do not align with our idea of what reality is. Entertaining those particular bits of information would be too difficult. Especially as we get older and more set in our ways. While age does indeed bring wisdom, it should not bring the inability to introspectively consider the fact that maybe you got it wrong. For a long time.

    So many things to choose from. There are so many opportunities that come to us during the day which give us the chance to grow. They give us the chance to experience a new understanding. They might come as something someone says. They might come in something you read online. Maybe you’re driving down the road and see a sign or a bumper sticker that could challenge your views.

    These are chances to grow. Hopefully we are rarely wrong. Sometimes we grow by solidifying our position based on more information. Sometimes we grow by learning new ways to counter the worlds culture. Sometimes, once in a while, we might grow by coming to the realization that in our pride we’ve been rejecting God’s actual truth for so many years based on an errant teaching or tradition.

  • Let 2022 Begin

    Just a brief video update of how my year’s kicking off.