Ted Turner's Legacy in the Context of the Gospel of Mark 8:34-9:1 (published 5-21-2026; article #557)

6/7/2021 photograph by Brett Jordan on Unsplash. Free to use under the Unsplash License. “Prioritise” is the British spelling of “prioritize.”

Introduction

What, dear reader, is your most valuable possession? The conclusion answers the question for us all. Welcome to the 40th entry in the Topic Section, which I have dubbed Logic — Theology — Deep Stuff.

Wednesday, May 6, celebrated the 26th wedding anniversary of my youngest brother and his wife. The day also observed the 35th birthday of the daughter of our dear friends Jay and Dorothy. I called my brother to wish his wife and him a happy anniversary. (I was honored to conduct their wedding ceremony.) Additionally, I texted birthday wishes to Jay and Dorothy's daughter.

Further, on May 6, I heard a news segment about Ted Turner's passing that day. A few days later, I found his online obituary at Bevis Funeral Home & Crematory: Obituary: Robert Edward “Ted” Turner, III. The funeral home is in Tallahassee, Florida. Born on 11/19/1938, Ted Turner was 87 when he died.

Ted Turner's Legacy

What is the legacy of Ted Turner? Online, I discovered Turner Enterprises, Inc., which “...manages the business interests, land holdings, and investments of the late Ted Turner, including the oversight of two million acres in the U.S. and more than 45,000 bison.”

From the same source, I read Turner Enterprises, Inc.: Ted Turner Legacy. The extensive column includes eight sections starting with his early life. It continues with the start of the Turner Broadcasting System and CNN. The third and fourth sections focus on Turner's acquisition of the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Hawks and on his sailing accomplishments. The next two sections emphasize Turner's philanthropic and conservationist efforts. The final two sections are about Turner's later years and his enduring legacy.

Ted Turner certainly left a global mark. His focus on benevolence and environmental preservation was commendable. What, however, is Ted Turner's spiritual legacy?

I gleaned additional information from Beliefnet: Celebrity Faith Database: Ted Turner: Agnostic and from “Ted Turner Religion: From Fiery Atheist to Reflective Agnostic,” US News 24, by itsvikbro@gmail.com, 5/7/2026. From those sources, I learned that Ted Turner was raised by strict parents under Episcopalian and Presbyterian Church influences. In his youth, Turner claimed to be a Christian, attended church, and even wanted to become a missionary.

In 1958, however, Ted Turner, at 19 or 20, abandoned his faith after his younger sister died from lupus at the age of 17. Her death shattered Turner's faith. Three years later, in 1963, Ted Turner’s father committed suicide when Ted was 24 years old. Through the years, however, Turner softened his antagonism against Christianity. Turning from atheist to agnostic, he admitted the existence of a higher power. He prayed “to whoever is listening.”

In the Context of the Gospel of Mark 8:34-9:1

The parallel passages to the Gospel of Mark, 8:34-9:1, are Matthew, 16:24-28, and Luke, 9:22-27. The pericope is after Peter's affirmation that Jesus is the Messiah and before Jesus' transfiguration. In the passage, Jesus emphasized the cost of Christian discipleship, which requires self-denial, taking up your cross, and following him (verses 34-35).

Jesus stated in verses 36-37, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”

Three remote contexts come to mind. First, in Luke 12:13-21, Jesus spoke the parable of the rich farmer, whose abundant harvest yielded plans to expand his farm and enjoy life. God, however, told him that he would die that night. Who would inherit his earthly wealth? The lesson is that life does not consist of abundant possessions. Instead, it stores up godly wealth.

Further, Mark 10:17-31 records the young rich man's conversation with Jesus. (Parallels are in Matthew 19:16-30 and Luke 18:18-30.) With kneeling sincerity, he asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life. The young man was faithfully following the Mosaic Ten Commandments. In love, Jesus told the young rich man to store up heavenly treasure by selling his possessions, giving the proceeds to the poor, and following him. In sadness, the man left, valuing his temporary earthly wealth more than heavenly treasure. He could not see beyond the temporal.

Finally, Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31. The rich man lived in daily luxury, wanting nothing. Lazarus, in contrast, was a diseased and hungry beggar who lay at the rich man's gate. Both men died. Angels carried Lazarus to Abraham's side, where he was comforted. The rich man, in contrast, was in the agonizing and fiery torment of Hades, where he could not even cool his parched tongue with a dip of water. What was the difference? During his life on earth, Lazarus had followed Moses and the Prophets. The rich man had not. Earthly wealth means precious little in the afterlife. In life, the rich man failed to see beyond the temporal.

Conclusion

Your most valuable possession, dear reader, is your soul. Worth far more than temporal treasure, it is everlasting. You see, death separates the soul from the temporal body. The soul transitions spiritually to everlasting life or death. At physical death, our souls exist everlastingly in heavenly bliss or in Hadean torment.

Until I researched for this article, I did not know that Ted Turner, at an early age, claimed to be a Christian and wanted to become a missionary. The tragic and untimely death of his younger sister, however, turned him against Christianity. In life, he could not see beyond the temporal.

I understand how unexpected tragedy could turn a Christian away from God. My maternal grandparents, both born in 1901, lost their second child. Robert Allen Wood (5/14/1939–1/18/1941) left this world at only a year, eight months, and four days old. My mother was eight years old at the time. I know they grieved the loss of my Uncle Bobby, whom I look forward to meeting in heaven. My grandparents and my mother, however, never turned against God or gave up their Christian faith. In fact, they were the greatest examples of Christians, whom I have ever known, and I have known many great Christian examples.

More personally, I almost died, over ten years ago, on Tuesday, 3/29/2016, when an uninsured driver failed to yield to my right of way. God's providence allowed me to live and recover to the extent that I have. Yes, I was angry with God at times during the painful and early stages of my recovery. With repentance and a deeper study of the problem of evil, however, I buttressed my resolve to ask God to continue to use me in his service as he sees fit. I still live for Christ, who died for me (Galatians 2:20).

Later in life, Ted Turner's views softened, and he at least acknowledged the likely existence of an ultimate being. I wish a Christian had been able to bring Ted Turner back to the saving truth in Christ. It would have saved him from everlasting death (cf. James 5:19-20).

Ted Turner did not “gain the whole world.” Did he forfeit his soul? God will judge at the last judgment (Rev. 20:11-21:8). With his wealth and stature, what could have Ted Turner accomplished for Christ as a Christian missionary and evangelist? The world will never know.

Dear reader, if you walk with Christ, may God's grace sustain you on your journey heavenward! Dear reader, if you are not walking the heavenward journey with Christ, please reach out to me if you wish by emailing me using the Contact Form on the right side of this website. I am merely a former hungry beggar who found the Bread of Life. I greatly desire to share that Bread with you!

House Mountain Hike #210, Sunday, 5-3-2026: Happy Birthday, Jay! (published 5-19-2026; article #556)

Introduction

Greetings, fellow hiking enthusiasts, and welcome to the 88th entry in the Hiking Topic Section! Today, I am finally getting around to writing about my 210th hike on House Mountain on Sunday afternoon, 5/3/2026.

It was a relatively quick hike, since I wanted to call Jay, a good friend, on his birthday. A highlight was how I surprised a group of young people near the west bluff. Let me tell you about it!

Hiking Up the West Trail

The afternoon weather was sunny, mild, and in the 60s Fahrenheit. The mileage on my vintage 2006 Nissan Frontier was 200,241.4 when I parked. Unlike my last hike on Tuesday, 4/21/2026 (the 4/27/2026 article), the parking lots were open. The upper lot, however, was not as full as it usually is on a weekend.

At 2:28 PM, I started hiking the connector trail. At the junction, I turned left (west) to hike up the west trail. I didn't meet anyone while hiking up. The solitude of the woods was mine alone, accompanied only by squirrels and small birds. Well, God was with me.

By 2:45 PM, I had already navigated the low areas and trekked up the four lower switchbacks. I ascended the steep six upper switchbacks in seven minutes. I felt like I was making better time. Only nine minutes passed, during which I hiked westward along the steep and rocky trail below the ridge from the highest switchback to the west bluff. Touching a rock outcropping at the bluff, it was 3:01 PM. Shaving off a couple of minutes, I hiked up to the west bluff in 33 minutes this time! Yes, I still challenge myself.

West Bluff

Thirsty and sweaty from the hike up, I relaxed alone at the west bluff for a few minutes and enjoyed the view. At 3:07 PM, I took the following photograph:

The view looks east, with the west bluff behind me. The ridge trail, as I call it, or Crest Trail, as on the sign, continues to the left, or north. Hanging on the sign are Mike's ball cap, my canteen, and the short-sleeve shirt, which I had mistakenly worn.

Why did I wear a tee-shirt and a short-sleeve shirt? Standing there in my sweaty tee-shirt, I wondered. Hiking up, I had taken off the other shirt and carried it. Likewise, I carried it while hiking back down and out.

Hiking Down the West Trail

Having cooled off, I started hiking back down the same west trail at 3:18 PM. Not too far below the west bluff, I paused near a large rock outcropping to relieve myself of the canteen water sipped while hiking up the trail.

As I prepared to continue eastward along the trail below the ridge, a group of about four young hikers, probably in their late teens or early 20s, were hiking up. Silently, I waited for them to pass by. A young lady in the lead was mooing, mocking a cow mooing in the valley far below us. No one in the group had noticed me standing above them.

Surprised, the young lady said, “I'm sorry. I didn't see you standing there!” I replied, “It's okay. You were too busy mooing at the cow!” We enjoyed a brief laugh together. I even mooed like a cow!

At 3:27 PM, I took the following photograph, still on the trail below the ridge, heading east and down:

Can you see the trail? It goes down steeply to the left of the large tree in the center of the image. Unseen in the photograph is what I call the “defiant tree.” Dead now, the trunk still extends from a gap in the large rock outcropping below the previously mentioned large tree.

I continued—not in a hurry, enjoying the views, and conversing briefly with other hikers on their way up—down the six upper switchbacks, down the four lower switchbacks, and through the low area. At 4:16 PM, I touched the marker near the covered picnic area to end my hike. An hour and 48 minutes in the woods was better than not having been there!

Conclusion

Springtime foliage and poison oak are now obvious along the lower areas of the west trail. Be aware of, but don't touch, the poison oak! I didn't come across any snakes. Once back home, I checked myself for ticks but didn't find any.

Sometime around 5 PM, I called my good friend Jay. A “subtle” guy, he and I met at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tennessee, in the fall of 1998. I was honored to be his best man when his wife and he were married in June 1983. I wished Jay a happy birthday, and we caught up with each other on recent life events. Lord willing, we hope to get “the gang” together early next month.

Remember, dear reader, to “shift logical right” in life. What do I mean? Lord willing, a forthcoming article will explain. Please wait for it.

National Day of Prayer: Final Roof Inspection for the Gordon Homeplace and Our Niece's Walters State Community College Graduation! (published 5-13-2026; article #555)

Introduction

Every day should be a day of prayer (1 Thess. 5:17). Did you know, dear reader, that last Thursday was the National Day of Prayer? My desktop calendar informed me. If interested, you could visit online the National Day of Prayer: 2026 National Prayer. My daily prayers include praying that this nation will humble itself before God and return to the biblical worldview, centered in Christ. Only then will God uplift the nation.

Last Thursday's prayerful adventures began with the final roof inspection and estimate for the Gordon homeplace. It concluded with our niece's uplifting graduation from Walters State Community College!

Final Roof Inspection for the Gordon Homeplace

In January 2000, my wife's parents, her sister, and our niece moved into their new house, which is 3.5 miles away from our current home. (We moved into our new house on 6/7/2003.) The roof, over 26 years old, needs to be replaced. According to my sister-in-law, in September 2024, her father allowed a roofing business, at the time replacing a roof for a neighbor's house, to inspect his roof. The inspection recommended a new roof. My father-in-law received an estimate, but he didn't follow up. Since Paw Gordon passed away recently, arranging a new roof fell upon the family. I had already arranged two inspections on Friday, 5/1, and Saturday, 5/2, and received two estimates.

The 12/23/2024 article focused on the new roof at the homeplace in Hawkins County, Tennessee. Last year, the article from 4/9/2025 was about our new roof. Lusk Roofing & Guttering Co. had done excellent work replacing both roofs.

Last Thursday, Arlie Lusk, owner of Lusk Roofing & Guttering Co., finally had time to provide the third and final roof inspection and estimate for the Gordon homeplace. It was good to see him again. When I arrived at 1 PM, Arlie was already coming down from the roof! (I understood that he would get there around 1:10 PM.) A cordial and conversant gentleman, Arlie and I are the same age. Aside from discussing the roof, Arlie and I caught up on life and talked as if we had known each other for decades. I was back at our house around 2 PM with enough time to change into a suit and tie for our niece's graduation.

Around 2:30 PM, I received an email with the estimate for the new roof. As I suspected, Arlie's estimate was lower than the two previously received estimates for the same quality of work. The Gordon homeplace is on the roofing schedule. The day to replace the roof will soon be determined.

Niece's Walters State Community College Graduation

The 70th commencement for the Walters State Community College Health and Science graduates was last Thursday at 4:30 PM. My wife, the “long-suffering” Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, had left work early to attend with me. The ceremony was at Walters State Community College's Great Smoky Mountains Expo Center in White Pine, Tennessee. The location is about eight miles southwest of the main campus in Morristown.

From the house, we left in my vintage 2006 Nissan Frontier at 3:05 PM. The 47.5-mile drive took around 50 minutes. (We traveled from I-640 East to I-40 East to I-81 North and onto US-25E.) A text from my youngest brother indicated that his family and he were in section P. We found them after navigating through the crowd of attendees. The sister of my brother's wife was also in attendance.

The college president, during his welcome and opening comments, stated that 735 graduates were in the class. The ceremony was scheduled for two hours. Thankfully, the guest speaker was succinct, speaking only nine minutes. The presentation of diplomas took less time than expected. (Some graduates did not attend the ceremony.)

Near the end of the presentation, Ariel, our niece, the oldest daughter of my youngest brother and his wife, walked across the stage to receive her diploma! She graduated Summa Cum Laude, one of 120 graduates to graduate “with the highest praise.”

At 5:23 PM, with magnification at level 10 on my cell phone camera, I photographed our niece as she started walking off the stage. (I tried to capture the moment when she faced us, but I missed it by a fraction of a second.)

In another two minutes, the graduation ceremony concluded. It was a moment of honor and pride for the family to witness our niece walk across the stage.

Previously, on Sunday, April 19, our niece was one of several graduating students honored during Walters State Community College's annual honors banquet, which celebrates academic excellence. The web page “Walters State Honors All-Star Students,” Walters State Community College, News, 5/5/2026, states that Ariel Ferrell of Rogersville won the Natural Science Chemistry Award. Further, the column “WSCC honors three Hawkins County students.” The Rogersville Review, Weekend, Staff Report, 5/9-10/2026, reports, “A handful of Hawkins County students were among the honorees when Walters State Community College celebrated academic excellence at its annual honors banquet April 19.” The Natural Science Chemistry Award went to Ariel Ferrell, Rogersville. The following image and caption are from the news article:

Ariel Ferrell of Rogersville won the Chemistry Award at WSCC’s annual awards banquet on April 19.

After the ceremony, my brother and his family, my wife and I, and my brother's wife's sister drove separately southwest to the Captain's Galley in Dandridge. (For us, it was roughly a 13.5-mile backtrack along I-81 South to I-40 West.)

The Captain's Galley specializes in fresh seafood. For an appetizer, my brother ordered raw oysters on the half shell, which he apparently loves. His youngest daughter bravely sampled a bite without turning green afterward! The rest of us declined.

After dining, the seven of us stood outside and conversed for a while. The weather was sunny, breezy, and a bit cool. Before leaving, I asked our two nieces to accompany me to my truck. First, I turned on my radio station, WMWF Classic Rock Radio. (It is a collection of songs from my Apple iPod connected to the truck radio.) The Scorpions' song “Wind of Change” happened to be playing. The song's inspiration came from the Music Peace Festival in Moscow, Russia, on August 12 and 13, 1989. The festival preceded the fall of the Berlin Wall later that year on November 9, 1989. The Scorpions released the song, included in their album Crazy World, on November 6, 1990. Just over a year later, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) fell on December 25, 1991, when the Soviet flag flew over the Moscow Kremlin for the last time. Less than three years later, my wife and I moved to Moscow, Russia, on October 1, 1994, to begin our five-year, cross-cultural Christian missionary work. The Scorpion's “Wind of Change,” thus, has a deep meaning for me, as I explained briefly to my nieces. Upcoming birthday gifts for our two nieces will include selected songs from my radio station, WMWF Classic Rock Radio. Young folks need to be educated in truly classic rock music from the 1960s to the early 1990s. That's my opinion. Please feel free to make it your own!

While still near my truck, I gave Ariel her graduation present from my wife and me. I also gave her younger sister a collection of recent editions of The Rogersville Review newspaper, which we had been saving. Sports section articles about Cherokee High School track and field competitions included Lilliana's name and her athletic performances.

My wife and I love our nieces, and we are proud of their scholastic and athletic accomplishments. More importantly, we rejoice that they are two fine Christian young ladies, raised by godly parents. Their futures will be lived in service to the kingdom of God.

Conclusion

Remember, dear reader, that every day should be a day of prayer (1 Thess. 5:17). Did you pray last Thursday during the National Day of Prayer? Did you pray today? Are you praying at this moment?

Dear God, we adore you. You, the eternal and one true God in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are the creator and sustainer of everything temporal. The depth of your scheme of redemption, which offers everlasting life freely through your Son, humbles and amazes us. We confess our sins to you freely, and we ask for your forgiveness as we strive to follow your will. Thank you for the salvation that you offer in Christ. Help us walk worthy of the high calling that we have in him. Please return this nation to the biblical values upon which it was founded. Further, please bless our families in your service, especially our two nieces mentioned in this article. In Christ's name, Amen.

House Mountain Hike #209, Tuesday, 4-21-2026: Shocking Devastation from Recent Fire (published 4-27-2026; article #554)

Introduction

Welcome, dear reader, to a somber article about hiking, the 87th in the Hiking topic section. The article from 4/17/2026 was about the House Mountain fire, which started in predawn darkness three days before, and my preliminary investigation later that week. On Tuesday, 4/21/2026, a week after the fire started, I hiked House Mountain for the 209th time.

This entry includes ten photographs of the fire's shocking devastation along the ridge. Further, it embeds an almost five-minute audiovisual clip, which I recorded near the east bluff.

Last Tuesday, the main parking lot was still barricaded closed, but the connector trail near the park entrance was not blocked. No signage indicated trail closure. Another vehicle was parked in the narrow parking area between the parking lot and Hogskin Road, where I parked my vintage 2006 Frontier. Later, I will mention meeting in the woods the two young men who had arrived in that vehicle.

Up the West Trail

At 1:14 PM, I started heading west on the short connector trail, stepped across the rocks to cross the muddy area, and crossed the wooden bridge. The overnight rain from Saturday, the 18th, to the next morning ensured that the fire was extinguished.

Initially, I thought about hiking up the east trail to access more quickly the fire-damaged areas. Instead, I chose the more challenging west trail. It took 17 minutes to hike through the lowland, up the four lower switchbacks, over the fallen tree, and to start up the six upper switchbacks. Seven minutes later, I reached the final, sixth, upper switchback.

After 12 minutes hiking southwest along the narrow and rugged trail below the ridge, I reached the west bluff at 1:50 PM. The hike up had taken 36 minutes, a minute slower than my “new normal” time.

I did not see signs of fire damage along the west trail. As usual, I enjoyed the challenge, the scenery, and touching the “defiant tree.” (A search on this website for “defiant tree” will bring up several articles.) I didn't photograph any scenes while hiking up. A mostly sunny day, the temperature was in the 60s Fahrenheit. Sweat accumulated in my ball cap and around my tee shirt. I sipped sufficient water from my canteen.

Eastward Across the Ridge

After four minutes of solitude at the west bluff, where I also took a leak, I started trekking northeastward to the east bluff. After a few minutes along the ridge trail, I was between the location where the fire tower once stood and the “picnic rock.” I photographed the following at 2:13 PM:

The image looks northward. The trail to where the fire tower once stood is to my left (west). The ridge trail continues down and to the right (north). The “picnic rock” is not visible to the right (east) of the image. The bulldozed trail in the center was new. To the left of it, I saw and smelled fire damage. The ground was charred, and the smell of burnt wood lingered in the air. I assume that firefighters bulldozed a firebreak to prevent the fire from jumping across the trail and setting afire the east slope.

Four minutes farther northward and down the ridge trail, I took the following photograph:

The private property owners use four-wheelers and four-wheel-drive trucks to access the cell phone tower, which is farther northeastward on the ridge trail. At the location in the above image, bulldozer tracks were evident. Dirt had been moved, and trees had been knocked down to prevent the fire from jumping across the ridge. The charred ground was more noticeable in person than in the above image.

After another four minutes farther northeastward, I took the following photograph at 2:21 PM:

I had reached the connection to the east trail, going down. The view looks northeastward. The bench and trail sign are noticeable to the left. I was glad to see on the right the information board still standing. The trail behind it was bulldozed and new. You may be able to see the charred ground on both sides of the trail. The fire had jumped from the northeast to the southeast slope of the mountain.

Not long after taking the above photograph, two young men, who were hiking out from the east bluff, arrived at the location. The red car, near where I had parked my truck, was theirs. We enjoyed a brief conversation. One young man said that he had used his gallon canteen, filled with water, to extinguish a small fire, which was still burning. I thanked him.

Nine minutes farther eastward, I photographed the following image at 2:30 PM:

The charred ground, burnt and fallen trees, and scorch marks on still-standing trees are more noticeable in the image. The offshoot trail to the left leads to the lower-middle bluff. I took that trail.

Once at the lower-middle bluff, I took the following two photographs at 2:45 PM:

The above image from behind the bluff faces west. An American flag is visible. I know the name and phone number of the man who owns the property below and up to the bluff. The seared ground and trunks of still-standing trees were obvious. A strong smell of charcoal was still present.

A few seconds later, I took a few steps southeastward for the next photograph.

Again, the fire damage and bulldozer tracks were visible. The eastward (left) trail leads up to the upper-middle bluff. I took it.

After arriving at the upper-middle bluff, I photographed the next image at 2:51 PM.

I was standing on the largest rock outcropping and looking southwestward. The far-away west bluff can be seen distantly. Below the outcroppings, signs of fire damage were obvious.

Four minutes later, now heading toward the east bluff, I took the next photograph.

The charred ground was obvious. The fire had crossed the ridge and burned down the southeast side of the mountain. The tree, centered in the image with the fallen tree leaning into it, still had green leaves growing from the higher branches. It looked like it would live.

At 2:57 PM, two minutes later, I photographed the next image. The east bluff wasn't very far away.

I had to step carefully over the burned tree, which had fallen across the trail. It fell into the rock outcropping. The scorched earth and smell of charcoal were evident.

After observing the fire damage at the east bluff for a few minutes, I took the tenth and final photograph, which follows, at 3:11 PM.

I was standing on a flat rock outcropping with the east bluff a few feet behind me and looking southwest. I was amazed that the trail sign had not burned. Absolute devastation is the only way to describe what I saw and smelled. Thankfully, wildlife, birds and squirrels, had returned to the area. I believe that the fire, which started in the predawn darkness on Tuesday, April 14, originated farther down on the northeast face of the mountain, far below and to the right of where I was standing.

Audiovisual Record Near the East Bluff

Three minutes after the final photograph above, I was a few yards farther southwest, still on the ridge, and hiking out. The devastation was so shocking that I had to record an episode for my YouTube channel, Appalachian Irishman – Podcasts.

Please check out House Mountain Hike 209, 4-21-2026: Shocking Devastation from Recent Fire (pub. 4-27-2026; ep. 43). As I wrote in the description, “Trees and undergrowth will rejuvenate. In a few years, even observant hikers may not notice signs of the fire. Words cannot fully describe my righteous anger toward whomever started the fire. Everyone, especially hikers, must respect the woods and not start a forest fire, accidentally or intentionally.”

The episode actually includes two segments. The first, almost four minutes long, was from near the east bluff. After it, I continued southwestward on the ridge to head out. At 3:27 PM, I had to pause and add a brief segment, just over a minute, to capture the startling destruction that I saw.

Carefully, I made my way across the ridge to the connection to the east trail. Along the way, I crossed paths with a lady who was hiking in the direction from which I had come. We talked briefly about the fire.

Down and Out the East Trail

I started down the east trail at 3:52 PM. Being a “lame mountain goat,” I am still overly cautious as I descend the six upper switchbacks, especially the first one.

The lady, whom I had met earlier on the ridge, caught up with me along the long and winding trail at the base of the mountain! “Hello, again,” I said. I let her pass me, but I easily kept up with her pace. We conversed off and on until we reached the parking lot. An avid hiker, I hope to meet her again on the trail.

I concluded my hike at 4:52 PM, when I touched the marker near the covered picnic table, which is near the parking lot and the fancy outhouse. Three hours and 38 minutes in the woods, despite the fire damage, was better than not having been there.

Conclusion

Yes, my 209th hike on House Mountain was memorable for the wrong reasons. I pray for the soul of the person who started the fire, either accidentally or on purpose. As far as I know, the culprit has not been found. Certainly, however, God will hold the person accountable for his or her actions.

As mentioned in the conclusion to the article from 4/17/2026, I have offered to volunteer with the Knox County Department of Parks and Recreation to help in the recovery efforts for House Mountain. No one has called me yet. I may contact them again.

Open Letter to President Trump: Your Profane Easter Message and My Encouragement to Saving Faith (published 4-20-2026; updated 4-21-2026; article #553)

2/10/2025 Image of Philippians 1:27-2:4 by Brett Jordan on Unsplash. Free to use under the Unsplash License.

 

Addendum: Today, 4/21/2026, I submitted my open letter to President Trump, included in this article, to https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/. Lord willing, if I receive a noteworthy response, I plan to update this article again.

Introduction

Oh, please! Not another entry, the 74th, on Poly-Ticks (Greek “poly,” meaning “many,” plus “ticks,” blood suckers)! Yes, dear reader, and with an apology, I must get this one off my chest. It has been stewing since Resurrection (Easter) Sunday, 4/5/2026.

As an introductory aside, a brief explanation of the word “poly-ticks” is in order. Our elected representatives were once known as statesmen or stateswomen. Sadly, a majority of them seem to have devolved into many parasites. They infest government at all levels, local, state, and national. These once-noble public servants are now serving themselves with the blood of the citizens, whom they were elected to serve. Fattened by their insatiable appetites, their hosts, we, the people, cannot seem to dislodge them. Their “polytickal” droppings are found everywhere. This is my opinion. You are free to make it yours. A minority of true statesmen and stateswomen are in office.

Professor Harold Black’s Webpage is one of three websites listed under my Folks to Whom I Subscribe section, located down on the right side of this website. A scholar and a gentleman, Dr. Black is a professor emeritus at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Early each morning, he publishes daily articles, except on Sundays, with rare variation. I read every article.

I was unaware of President Donald Trump's crass vitriol on Resurrection Sunday until I read Dr. Black's article three days afterward: “Trump throws a hissy. GOP endorses socialism.” Professor Harold Black’s Webpage, by Dr. Harold Black, 4/8/2026. After the surprise from reading his article, I discovered other online sources, three of which are as follows: “Trump rants against Iran in profanity-laced Easter message,” Baptist News Global, by Mark Wingfield, 4/5/2026; “Trump’s Easter Post Condemned as ‘Utter Disdain for Religion,’” Newsweek, by Jesus Mesa, 4/6/2026; and “Donald Trump’s Easter clash of hell and holiness,” Religion News Service, by Bob Smietana and Fiona Murphy, 4/6/2026.

Warning! The references cited above include vulgarity. The following is my open letter to President Donald Trump. I hope it finds its way to him.

Open Letter to President Trump

Dear President Trump:

Mr. President, I bid you greetings in the name of Christ. Your presidency is better than it would have been under the other option on election day. Your commendable actions include securing the borders, upholding the biological reality that only two genders exist, male and female, and protecting the right to life of unborn children.

Your verbal and written demeanor, however, often make me grit my teeth. A recent example was your profanity-laced message on Resurrection (Easter) Sunday to Iran on your Truth Social platform. I was shocked to learn of it three days later.

At least you did not proclaim Resurrection (Easter) Sunday to be Transgender Day of Visibility, as your predecessor did two years ago. (Please reference my article from 4/12/2024.) An appropriate message would have honored the vicarious death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah.

Dear Mr. President, during your first term in office, you called yourself “a non-denominational Christian.” (Source: “President Trump’s Q&A with Religion News Service,” Trump White House: Archives, 10/26/2020.) I, too, am a Christian only, non-denominational.

Knowing that it is God who will judge us, and with respect to your office, the tone of your verbal and written words concerns me. In humility, as a sinner saved by grace, may I encourage you to repentance and truly saving faith?

A Christian strives by faith to be Christ-like in thought, word, and deed. As a Christian, I fail to do so daily. In daily repentance, however, I strive for the high and heavenward calling in Christ Jesus (cf. Philippians 3:13-14).

Brother Trump, may I encourage you to humble yourself, as I try to do daily, before the Lord, and he will lift you up (cf. James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6)? As an aside, my saintly mother used to say, “Self-braggers are half scoundrels.” Further, may I suggest that you, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6, NIV)?

As a Christian, I want everyone, believers and non-believers, to see Jesus living in me. As the inspired apostle Paul wrote so eloquently, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, NIV).

Please, Mr. President and brother in Christ, live, speak, and write so that everyone will see Jesus living in you. Humility is not weakness. Bold humility is accomplished through Christ.

With respect and in Christian love,

Marion William Ferrell (pseudonym M. Fearghail, the Appalachian Irishman)

Conclusion

Finally, this article on “poly-ticks” is off my chest. My prayer for President Trump is that he will humble himself before God so that God may lift him up. Further, I pray for wisdom in his words and deeds. Finally and prayerfully, I hope that he centers himself by following the Constitution of the United States and the biblical values upon which it is based.

Thank you, dear reader, for tolerating another article on “poly-ticks.” I dislike writing them. I had to write this one.

Tuesday, 4-14-2026, Fire on House Mountain: 100% Contained, but Still Closed for Hiking (published 4-17-2026; article #552)

Introduction

On Tuesday morning, three days ago, my wife called at 7:18 AM to break the news, which she heard on a local radio station while driving to work. At the time, I was in my home office and passively listening to a local news station on the living room television. The station had not yet aired a segment about the fire. A few minutes after my wife's call, however, WVLT-TV, Knoxville, aired a brief segment, which is not available online, about the fire on House Mountain State Natural Area.

This 37th entry in the Appalachia - Northeast Tennessee Topic Section serves as a public service announcement to hikers outside the Knox County, Tennessee, area. It is about the fire, which was contained the next day. The hiking trails, however, are closed for the time being.

The Fire

Last Tuesday afternoon, I found online “Fire burning on House Mountain,” WVLT-TV (Knoxville), 4/13/2026. (The date is incorrect.) The actual 4/14/2026 audiovisual episode (updated at 1:02 PM) is almost five and a half minutes in duration and describes the fire and the efforts to extinguish it.

From Knox News: Data Central: Fire and Smoke: Knox — House Mountain, I learned that someone discovered and reported the fire at 2:58 AM last Tuesday. What started the fire? The cause is still under investigation. The recent dry, warm, and windy weather could certainly kindle any spark into a fire. The park is open from sunrise to sunset, but it closes after dark. Before sunset on Monday, did a careless hiker drop a lit cigarette, which later ignited the fire? In the early hours after midnight, did a pyromaniac ascend the steep slopes of the mountain to intentionally start the fire?

As an aside, I recall hiking on House Mountain several years ago, not long after a fire on the northwest face of the mountain was extinguished. I saw scorched ground, fallen trees, and burn marks on standing trees. My hiking record does not include notes about a previous fire on the mountain. Online, however, I found the following article from June 2020, which mentions a fire: “Rural Metro: Fire on House Mountain contained.” WBIR-TV (Knoxville), by Staff, 6/21/2020.

My Investigative Visits to House Mountain

So far, I have made two investigative visits to House Mountain. The first visit includes three photographs.

Wednesday, April 15th

On Wednesday morning, a day after the fire started, local news media reported that the House Mountain fire was being contained. Several acres had burned or were still burning.

Early that afternoon, driving north on Washington Pike, I saw smoke rising from the northern side of House Mountain near the northeast bluff. Additional smoke was ascending from the middle bluff and upper-middle bluff on the northwest side of the mountain.

I parked outside the upper parking lot, which was barricaded closed. Only official vehicles were in the parking lot. The scent of smoke was noticeable. I walked down two-tenths of a mile to the lower parking lot. Empty of vehicles, it too was barricaded.

After walking back up to the upper parking lot, I photographed it at 2:04 PM:

The view looks west. My silver 2006 Frontier is parked outside the lot. The U-Haul van may have contained supplies and equipment for the firefighters. I did not see anyone in the area.

I decided to drive east down Hogskin Road and turn left (north) onto Idumea Road. After a few miles, I parked across the creek near a barn and walked back across the bridge, which spans the creek, to where Idumea Road and Childs Road intersect. At 2:30 PM, I photographed the following view of the northeast bluff and northeast side of House Mountain:

The view looks south. I was standing under shade trees and in front of a gate, which opens to the field in the foreground. The wind blowing from the south smelled of smoke.

Back in my truck, I continued north to where Idumea Road comes out onto Washington Pike. Turning left, I continued west a few miles on Washington Pike.

Turning left onto Stephens Quarry Lane (a dead end), I stopped to take the final photograph below at 2:42 PM:

The view looks east. The smoke is noticeable coming from near the upper and lower middle bluffs on the ridge.

Thursday, April 16th

Yesterday, Thursday, I returned to the upper parking lot at House Mountain, parking again in the same location as the day before. The barricades were still in place.

Before leaving home, I left the Knox County Department of Parks and Recreation (865-215-6600) a voicemail. Further, I tried to reach someone at the local Tennessee Division of Natural Areas – East TN Office (865-594-5601), but the line never did ring.

I had not been out of my truck long when a man, perhaps in his 50s, and his dog arrived. He parked outside the parking lot, near my truck. An avid hiker, he is trying to reach his goal of hiking every state park in Tennessee. His dog and he were from Watertown, Tennessee, 40 miles east of Nashville and 10 miles southeast of Lebanon. The drive from Watertown to House Mountain took around two and a half hours.

The man had not known about the fire and temporary closure of the park. A congenial gentleman, he and I talked about nearby trails and our hiking experiences for a few minutes. His truck bed camper was decorated with scripture references from the Bible. I was glad to meet a brother in Christ who also enjoys hiking!

Undaunted, the man and his dog ventured onward in search of another nearby state park, which they had not yet hiked.

Conclusion

My wife and I live under 10 miles away from House Mountain, which is a main reason why I hike there often. If we lived farther away, such as the man I met yesterday, I would be disappointed to drive a great distance to learn that the park was closed.

That's why this article serves as a public service announcement for hikers outside the Knox County, Tennessee, area. Before you plan a trip to hike House Mountain, please call the Knox County Department of Parks and Recreation (865-215-6600) to find out if the park is open again.

Last evening, this area received a much-needed rain. Over this coming weekend, I plan to take the short drive back to House Mountain to see if it is back open for hikers. If so, Lord willing, I hope to publish an article about my 209th hike on my mountain. Please stay tuned, dear reader!

I almost forgot to mention that today the Knox County Department of Parks and Recreation returned my voicemail from yesterday. I offered my assistance as needed. Hopefully, someone will call and ask for my help.

Recently Interesting Serendipities: Wheelbarrows and Truck Milestone (published 4-16-2026; article #551)

Introduction

Call them coincidences, serendipities, or simply interesting connections in time; this Appalachian Irishman experienced two of these moments recently. The dynamic tapestry of life has occasions that make you pause and reflect.

Welcome, dear reader, to the 117th entry in the Life (such as it is) Topic Section. This article recounts two recent instances of interesting serendipity. After each, I had to pause and ponder for a moment.

Wheelbarrows

Late last summer, on Sunday afternoon, 9/28/2025, I loaded our red wheelbarrow into my truck bed and hauled it over to my father-in-law's house. (At the time, he was still living and doing fairly well. The article from 2/13/2026 commemorates his transition.) Our adult niece, the daughter of my wife's sister, wanted to borrow it to spread wood chips in her yard. She and I managed to slide and fit the wheelbarrow into the hatchback of her sport utility vehicle (SUV).

It must take over six months to spread wood chips. Last Saturday, 4/11/2026, was set aside for doing yard work at my recently deceased father-in-law's house. (My wife is the oldest of three siblings. Her sister, next to her in age, and a first cousin of theirs still reside there.)

Beforehand, I bought brush-killing spray and a new blue wheelbarrow at Lowe's. (Our old wheelbarrow became a gift to our niece.) With no wheelbarrow at my wife's homeplace, I needed one. I wanted to pile bush and tree clippings into it and dump them in a brush pile near the creek behind the house. After several hours of sweaty work, during which my “long-suffering” wife helped, a few brush and tree trimmings remained to haul off.

The next afternoon, Sunday, I decided to “get the ox out of the ditch” (cf. Luke 14:1-6). Thus, I spent a few minutes moving the remaining cuttings to the brush pile.

Later that afternoon, I wondered when I bought that first wheelbarrow. Our financial software provided the answer. Just over 22 years ago, I bought the original red wheelbarrow at the same Lowe's location. The cost including tax was $32.51. The purchase date was Monday, 3/29/2004. Back then, our newly constructed home was less than a year old. (We moved in on Saturday, 6/7/2003.) I had needed a wheelbarrow for yard work.

Immediately, my mind fast forwarded twelve years from 3/29/2004 to Tuesday, 3/29/2016, which was just over ten years ago. Twelve years to the day from when I bought the first wheelbarrow, I almost died when the uninsured 18-year-old female failed to yield to my right of way. The Topic Section My Bionic Life — since 3/29/2016, which includes 19 articles so far, focuses on that day, which lives in infamy in my mind, and my recovery.

Thank you, Lord, for not granting me foreknowledge on 3/29/2004 that I would almost die twelve years later on 3/29/2016! In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus stated, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matt. 6:34, KJV).

Truck Mileage Milestone

Photograph by M. Fearghail, Monday, 4/13/2026, at 9:54 AM

My 20-year-young, vintage 2006 Nissan Frontier was nearing the 200,000-mile milestone. I wondered where, on which road, I would see the odometer roll to that mileage.

Last Monday, 4/13/2026, was the anniversary of Papaw Marion Ferrell's birthday in 1880. That day, I had an appointment for a routine six-month dental cleaning at 10 AM at the Lakeview Dental Studio. The location is just behind and above the Fountain City Park.

Greenwood Cemetery on Tazewell Pike is where my mother-in-law's and father-in-law's physical remains await the second coming of Christ. Their souls, however, continue to be blessed everlastingly with unspeakable joy in paradise.

Instead of taking a shorter route from Tazewell Pike, I drove past the cemetery. Keeping a close eye on the road and the odometer, the mileage clicked to 200,000 exactly at the main entrance to the cemetery. A tenth of a mile later, farther southwest, at 9:54 AM, the red traffic light at the intersection of Tazewell Pike, Jacksboro Pike, and Sanders Road allowed me to take the above photograph.

The serendipity was stunning! On Papaw Ferrell's birthday in 1880, my truck reached 200,000 miles at the main entrance to the cemetery where the gravesites for my mother-in-law and father-in-law are located.

Conclusion

Have you ever experienced similar serendipities in life, dear reader? These were two recent examples in my life. I remember several others. I wonder if God's providential hand causes some of these reflective coincidences. It may. Of course, sometimes life simply makes you pause, connect the dots, and think for a moment.

As a separate point in conclusion, two days ago, Tuesday, 4/14/2026, a fire erupted on House Mountain State Natural Area just after midnight. Yesterday, I drove to the nearby park, which was closed to hikers. I took three photographs of smoke from the still smoldering fire, which had been 100% contained. Lord willing, a forthcoming article will focus on the fire.