Hi there, my name is Tony Burgess (my friends call me T-Bird) from Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. I am a believer, bleeding heart, idealist, and blogger. I'm married to Laura the Soup Diva and a dog dad to Frankie, Cody, and Mikey. Daily I work for a blood bank recruiting donors. My blog is where I chronicle and curate the sacred, serious, and silly things in my life. I am a member of The Episcopal Church. Thank you for connecting with me. Grace, peace, and love!
Hey woodchuck chuckers…it’s Groundhog Day! Today in Gobblers Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania the most famous groundhog of them all Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and that means six more weeks of Winter.
Chattanooga Chuck
Now here locally in Chattanooga our own Chattanooga Chuck did not see his shadow so there will be an early Spring. A lot of people around here are cool with that.
So who do I go with? I am a local guy through and through but I want to say I am OK with more winter. Yeah I would like a quality snow before spring gets here.
It’s OK to have doubts about ones faith considering all the stuff going on in the world. Some folks struggles can bring them closer to God or push them further away. Everyone works out their deal with eternity in their own time and space. Perhaps you have to just take some time to find out where you are headed and where you want to go. Sometimes the doubt can bring you closer to your higher power eventually.
Classic rock band Boston performing their megahit “Don’t Look Back”. They are one of those bands who inspire me. I saw them at Chattanooga’s Riverbend Festival a couple years ago and they were awesome and I became a fan!
Time travel is a flight of fantasy for many. Going back in time to see the past is a wish many could have, including me. The style, decor and fashions of those eras are awesome. However the only direction people can go is forward. No one can go back, you can only move forward. What I am seeing lately is a strong movement to bring back the things of the past that oppressed people and to make discrimination a thing again.
Some folks really want the old ways back and they are selfish enough to impact people who have gained rights and privileges that many have had access to for years. I can only think back to when people of color were forced to drink from separate water fountains or to sit in a separate part of a baseball stadium. LGBTQ folks had to stay deep in the closet due to fear of being separated from a disapproving family and friends. What scares me is the hate and fear of the past is revisiting the 21st century. I am ready to see people have freedom of choice regarding their own bodies and souls. As I have said before as a white, Christian male I have no dominion over anyone especially a woman.
People are people. We should get along. Respecting the life choices of our friends and neighbors should be something we do by default. That is one aspect of time travel when we respected everyone and got to know people where they are.
I am a proud progressive in many things and its important that I do things to give everyone the opportunity to be who they want to be. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness should be a universal thing available to everyone. I think the founding fathers of the USA were on to something and that is one old school thing I can go for.
There are a lot of things in this life we need to resist. Sometimes we can’t help ourselves though. To resist that second piece of cake or slice of pie takes will power. When you resist temptation it shows you have some strength and willpower. However in current events you have to resist people who seek to divide and to build walls. You have to resist people and systems that resolve to do harm and to promote ideas and ideologies that are not a part of ones values. I resist power that seeks to deny everyone the right to live their lives and to love who they choose. Resist destruction, resist being afraid, resist allowing yourself to things that can harm you and others.
The Tony Burgess Blog 