Visiting Family in Kingsport, Tennessee (published 5-27-2026; article #559)

Introduction

Road trip! It happened to fall on the long Memorial Day weekend. On Saturday, 5/23/2026, the “long-suffering” Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I took a day trip in my vintage 2006 Nissan Frontier to Kingsport, Tennessee, and back.

Welcome, dear reader, to the 139th entry in the Family Topic Section. Buckle up, and let's hit the road!

“Uncle” Skyler's High School Graduation Last Friday Evening

The article from 6/11/2025 explains why I call Skyler, my great-nephew, “Uncle Skyler.” A soft-spoken young man, his intellect and congeniality still impress me.

Last Friday evening, Skyler, who turns 18 early next month, graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, Tennessee. The ceremony took place inside the Buck Van Huss Dome. I was tempted to attend in person with his immediate family. The 8 PM start of the two-hour ceremony, however, changed my mind. The one-way drive would have been about 86 miles and taken roughly an hour and 50 minutes. If I had left shortly after the ceremony, I would have returned home close to midnight.

Instead of attending in person, my wife and I watched the ceremony, televised on a livestream. (Both televisions were on the livestream channel.) On YouTube, we watched Dobyns-Bennett High School — Graduation 2026, Dobyns-Bennett Athletics, 5/22/2026. The complete broadcast took two hours, 15 minutes, and 45 seconds (2:15:45). At the 1:50:19 timestamp, Skyler's name was called. The clip shows him accepting his diploma and saluting his family as he walks off-stage! I downloaded the following snapshot of Skyler saluting:

Congratulations, “Uncle” Skyler! Your great-uncle and great-aunt are proud of you! We know you will do well as you continue your education at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) this fall.

Saturday Trip to Kingsport

Bound and determined to look “Uncle” Skyler in the eye (man to man), shake his hand, and congratulate him in person, my wife and I left our house at 10:20 AM the next morning, Saturday, to see Skyler and other family members who live in Kingsport.

Last Sunday's article promised that the forthcoming article (this one) would answer the following questions: “Why was the highway patrol officer right behind us with lights flashing and siren blasting but did not pull us over? Why did we wind up at my first cousin's house when we were trying to get to our niece's house?”

The drive northward, along the two-lane section of Highway 11W before reaching Rutledge, was going smoothly. Well, that was until a highway patrol officer raced up to the rear bumper of my truck with lights flashing and siren blasting! I thought, “What am I doing wrong?” I wasn't speeding or driving erratically. Confused, I turned into the gravel parking lot of a small business and thought the officer would follow me. Instead, the trooper sped past us at a high speed. I still wonder where the fire was! At least I didn't get “cuffed and stuffed.”

For the answer to the second question, blame it on a total communication breakdown between the pilot (me) and the navigator (my wife)! I had a Google Maps printout of the route from our house to our niece's home. From there, we would go to the nearby home of my brother, closest in age to me, and his wife. Afterward, we would visit my first cousin and my next-to-youngest brother, who lives with him. Misunderstandings while riding, however, flowed like water on a rainy day. Confused, we finally found and arrived at my first cousin's house, not our niece's house as intended.

My First Cousin's House

Before starting our trip, I called Shanna, our niece, to let her know that we were on our way. She agreed to call her father and my first cousin to let them know about our plan to visit them after first arriving at Shanna's house.

The article from 8/10/2023 highlighted Waymon's visit to our home, and it honored his parents, my Uncle George and Aunt Blanche. The last time Waymon and I saw each other was on Saturday, 6/15/2024, as mentioned in the 6/20/2024 article.

Around noon, my wife and I stopped at the Subway restaurant in Mount Carmel. After eating, we misunderstood each other and the map, which I had printed out. At the junction, we should have continued left on Highway 11W-West Stone Drive to get to the home of Shanna and her husband. Instead, we turned right onto Netherland Inn Road! Confusion set in as we tried to find what wound up being Cousin Waymon's house.

Once we arrived at Waymon's house, we realized what we had done wrong. The car that Waymon usually drives was gone, but his other car was there. Thinking that neither Waymon nor my next-to-youngest brother was home, we continued to try to find Shanna's house.

Later on, we found out that my brother was at Waymon's house and that Waymon had taken a day trip to Luttrell, near our house, to visit a friend from grade school. (Years ago, Waymon, his parents, and his brothers lived and farmed in Luttrell.) My brother was cleaning up, noticed us parked in the driveway, but wasn't available to open the front door or step outside. The next day, I called Waymon and spoke with my brother and him. We laughed about the travel misadventures from the previous day!

Our Niece's Home

Trying to find the home of Shanna and her husband without help was becoming impossible. Thankfully, Shanna came to the rescue! She found where we parked on West Center Street and led us to her place. We arrived at 2 PM.

As a humorous aside, since we left the Subway restaurant around 12:30 PM, we must have wandered around west Kingsport, with a stop at Waymon's, for around an hour and a half, driving about 13 miles, trying to find Shanna's house!

Shanna's husband was still at work, so we missed seeing him. I did get to look “Uncle” Skyler in the eye (man to man), shake his hand, and congratulate him in person! Skyler, a tall, stoutly built, and handsome young man, will do well in life by God's grace.

We also enjoyed seeing Shanna's mother, Kathy, and our great-niece, Hailey. A high school graduation and early birthday party for Skyler would start at 5 PM. Plans were well underway. After an enjoyable but briefer than hoped visit, my wife and I left and started toward my brother's house.

My Brother's Home

Thankfully my brother Clark and his wife live only about three miles northeast of where Shanna and her family live! I had been to their house twice before, first, while bringing our father back from a medical appointment in Johnson City, and, next, while returning home from a week of work-related training in Johnson City. The house was easy to find.

Once inside, Clark and his wife enjoyed hearing about our confused effort to find Shanna's house when we stumbled upon Waymon's house instead! Clark and his wife were in good spirits and seemed to be in good health. The Veterans Administration (VA) has funded contractors to renovate their house. We admired the improvements. All that remains is to remodel the living room.

My brother, an eight-year Air Force veteran, contracted multiple sclerosis after serving in the Gulf War (August 2, 1990 – February 28, 1991). Thanks to God's grace, he is still able to get around fairly well. The VA-funded renovations to his home are taxpayer dollars being well spent. I am proud of my brother and his service to this country. His wife honors him by helping care for him.

On the Way Home

Unfortunately, I didn't take any photographs while visiting with family. The images, however, are forever etched in my memory. Wanting to return home around 5 PM, we started backtracking our way home on Highway 11W.

My Parents' Gravesite

We stopped briefly at Howes Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery to visit my parents' gravesites. A tent and early attendees meant that a graveside service would start soon for someone recently deceased.

A few drops of rain were falling when I took the following photograph at 3:54 PM:

If we had time, I would have brushed away the grass clippings and cleaned the monument. The artificial flowers were in good condition.

The Homeplace

Continuing west toward Rogersville, we took a brief side trip to the homeplace. We did not stop, due to time, but drove slowly around the driveway, which circles behind the house.

Dad's apple trees were starting to put out apples. Granny Wood's grapevine was coming back nicely. The articles from 3/16/2026 and 3/27/2026 were about recent yard work at the homeplace. I saw the need to kill the roots before the scrub trees come back. The bushes need to be trimmed again before long.

I wish we had time to visit with our neighbors and my friend Bill. Those visits, Lord willing, will be on a future trip.

Conclusion

We continued an uneventful trip back to our house. This time, a highway patrol vehicle did not suddenly appear on my truck's rear bumper with lights flashing and siren bellowing! I did, however, enjoy passing a slowpoke.

My wife and I returned home at 5:17 PM, three minutes shy of a full seven hours away from home. My vintage 2006 Frontier had racked up 195.5 miles, with the odometer reading 200,704.5 miles in the garage. Molly, our “old puppy,” was glad to see us.

My truck wasn't tired. I was not tired. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, however, exhausted, was in bed by around 8:30 PM. I did all the driving, dear. Why were you so tired?

But seriously, folks, I wish the trip to Kingsport didn't take so long. If so, we would enjoy more visits with family up there. Perhaps we will arrange a get-together in Rogersville soon. We will see, as the Lord wills.

Shift Logical Right (published 5-24-2026; article #558)

Photograph by M. Fearghail on Saturday, 5/16/2026, at 7:12 AM. I cleaned up Molly's “whiz pad” the previous morning.

Introduction

Molly is our 11-year-young “puppy.” With her choice of two dog beds, she sleeps comfortably in our basement at night. On a folded tarp, we keep nine pee pads squared together along a basement corner wall. The above image, taken the next morning, shows the pattern.

Early on Friday morning, 5/15/2026, I was in Molly's overnight “condominium” (our basement) replacing a “whiz pad.” During the night, she took a leak on the pad closest to the corner. It was the one, replaced, the farthest back and to the right in the above image.

Immediately, I thought, “I need to shift logical right!” That meant moving two pads in the back row to the right and closer to the corner. The new pad in that row would become the farthest from the corner.

Welcome, dear reader, to the 41st article in the Topic Section Logic — Theology — Deep Stuff. What does it mean to “shift logical right”? Did you know that it refers to computer programming? To me, shifting logical right has a deeper meaning in logic and theology. Let me preach on!

Shift Logical Right: Computer Programming

After high school graduation in 1978, I attended Walters State Community College (WSCC) in Morristown, Tennessee, and, later, East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in Johnson City. Majoring in computer science, I took courses in several programming languages. Have you ever heard of Assembly, FORTRAN, RPG, COBOL, Basic, Pascal, PL/I, or SQL? I learned and programmed in those languages during my studies.

In between graduation from WSCC and attending ETSU, I worked for almost two years as a computer programmer-operator for the Dodge-Reliance Electric Company in my hometown. The programming language was COBOL II. As an aside, I was the last office employee to be laid off due to the 1982 recession.

In computer programming, the “shift logical right,” or “logical right shift,” function moves each bit to the right by one. The least significant bit is removed, and the empty most significant bit becomes a zero. For “computer geeks” out there, I found a good explanation at “Shift Micro-Operations,” GeeksforGeeks, updated 4/3/2026. It includes an illustration of a logical right shift.

Shift Logical Right: Logic and Theology

To me, “shift logical right” has a more profound meaning in logic and theology. This section is me preaching on!

To shift right logically in logic means to be rational. It involves valid reasoning with verified evidence to arrive at a sound position or conclusion. It does not “fly off half cocked” into irrationality or absurdity. For example, politics (or “poly-ticks,” as I call it) is frequently irrational and not logical. Further, reactions and decisions based solely on emotion are not logical.

To shift logically right in theology means to be a theist and a Christian. Logically, I am able to affirm and prove that Christianity is the one-true religion of the one-true God. Christianity is inclusive in that anyone can become a Christian. It is also exclusive in that it is the one true religion of the one true God. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, NIV). The definite articles—“the,” which indicate exclusivity—are in the original Koine Greek manuscripts. Jesus, God the Son, is the one way, the one truth, and the one life. He is the one and only, exclusive, way to come to God, the Father.

My unfinished Topic Section on Christian Evidences, which includes six entries so far, is setting out the case. Further, the heading on the lower right side of this website's main page is Apologetics - Christian Evidences. Therein, six websites are listed that contain a wealth of reasoning to prove the exclusive case for Christianity and the one true God.

Conclusion

As stated previously, the inspiration for this brief article came to me early on Friday morning, 5/15/2026, while I was involved in the mundane task of replacing Molly's pee pad. Thanks, Molly, for selecting the “whiz pad” that you did.

The article from 5/19/2026, about my 210th hike on House Mountain, ends with the following paragraph:

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

If you had been awaiting that article, this is it! What will be the focus of the next article? Yesterday, my wife and I visited family members in Kingsport, Tennessee. We were gone almost seven hours. Why was the highway patrol officer right behind us with lights flashing and siren blasting but did not pull us over? Why did we wind up at my first cousin's house when we were trying to get to our niece's house? The forthcoming article, Lord willing, will answer those questions.

Remember, dear reader, to “shift logical right” in life. If so, you will be on the right track logically and theologically.

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.