Guest Blogger- Lee Clements- 20 Years of Jayopsis.com

This coming Sunday, Nov. 10- we will be celebrating 20 years of posts. I'm going to share some of the things that have been coming in.  Still time to send me comments - jayopsis@gmail.com

Lee Clements is such a special person. Lives now in Arizona and is a retired, special agent of the NCIS. He has a great podcast: NCIS- Reports from the Field 

I first met Jay Mathews about 42 years ago when we both arrived as “invited walk-ons” for the University of Alabama football team. It was 1982, a different era for Crimson Tide football. I can’t say how today’s walk-ons are treated, but I suspect they have it a lot better than we did back then. My reason for walking on was clear: Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. I imagine Jay felt the same, but we really had no idea what we were in for.

After introductions, Jay and I quickly became friends. We both hailed from rival high schools in Birmingham—Jay from Banks High School and I from Erwin High School. This rivalry brought a sense of pride and respect for each other, especially when we saw familiar faces like Darrick Slaughter, one of Jay’s high school teammates and now a scholarship player on our team. Darrick and I had known each other since elementary school in Center Point, Alabama, which made our small world feel a bit closer.

As walk-ons, Jay and I soon realized we were not treated like the scholarship players. Jay has a great story that captures this. When we were in line to receive our equipment, Jay initially received brand-new gear, while the rest of us were given old, reconditioned items—sometimes even gear dating back to the 1970s. Excited, Jay reached the end of the line and proudly told Coach Willie Meadows his name. But Coach Meadows checked his list and looked up, confused. “Jay Mathews… you’re not on this list. Are you one of the scholarship players?” Jay replied, “No, sir. I’m a walk-on.” Coach Meadows’ face turned bright red as he ordered Jay to hand over the new equipment and go to the end of the line. He then received the same outdated gear as the rest of us, equipment that felt like a hall of fame tribute, with names like “Namath” written on thigh pads and a helmet from 1975. After that first day, we knew exactly where we stood. But at 18, we were ready to take on the challenge.

This memory resurfaced for me while reading Jay’s blog, Jayopsis, which I’ve followed since 2010. One of my favorite stories he shared is about “the Shark,” one of our legendary walk-on teammates. Our squad was a hodgepodge of players unlikely to play varsity games, yet we had our own victories and camaraderie. We finished the season 2-2, with wins against Marion Military Institute and the army team at Fort Benning, Georgia, and losses to Marion and Livingston University (now the University of West Alabama). LU even dressed varsity players to face us, including an All-Gulf South Conference running back who gave us a run for our money. Jay became something of a legend that day after landing a forearm strike that left him with a proud scar—a story he recounts in his blog, which I highly recommend.

Beyond the laughs, Jay’s blog has given me deep reflections on life and faith. I was not the strongest Christian back then, but Jay’s influence helped me rediscover my relationship with God. During our sophomore year, we became roommates at Crimson Tower Apartments, where my wall sported beer posters while Jay’s had posters of Jesus. Though he never pushed his beliefs, I watched his daily example and found myself reading an old Bible. Noticing this, Jay later gifted me a Bible, which I still have and have carried with me around the world during my career as a Special Agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).

I believe God places people in our lives to teach us valuable lessons, and looking back, I see that the ones who shaped me most deeply—my father, Jay, and coaches like Gary White, Coach Bryant, and Ray Perkins—were all Godly men. I didn’t always walk closely with God, especially during my years with NCIS, but He never left me. In 2006, while deployed to Baghdad for counterinsurgency operations against Al Qaeda, God reached out to me again through a Catholic priest who ventured out of the Green Zone daily to serve destitute Christians, often risking his life. Though we never spoke, his bravery touched my heart as if God Himself were speaking to me. I’ll never forget a photo of him in Stars and Stripes, showing local Muslims helping him return the cross atop his restored church in the Karada section of Baghdad—a church that Al Qaeda had destroyed years earlier.

I want to thank Jay for his continued friendship and spiritual encouragement, both in person and through his blog. Jay, you may not always get the recognition you deserve, but your dedication and wisdom mean the world to many of us. Keep up the good work with Lisa, your daughters, and their families, and please keep those wonderful photos of your grandchildren coming. God bless.

Hope in Living Water

 

This past week in SS and our series on Hope, I used the analogy from C.S. Lewis and it really resonated with the class, so I decided to re-edit a post from 2016.

"For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water." (Jeremiah 2:13 ESV)

Anyone who has trained for any sport or physical discipline knows how essential water is. If you're not staying hydrated, no amount of hard work will bring results. Has your weight loss plateaued? Are you struggling with sleep? In many cases, the answer is simple: drink more water.

In Jeremiah 2, God speaks of a tragic choice made by His people. They turned away from Him—the fountain of living water (sin #1)—and instead dug their own cisterns (wells or containers). But these cisterns are broken and leak water; they’re dry and useless (sin #2).

Are you thirsty? Deep down, we all are. We all have deep desires—for love, security, purpose, and peace. And there’s only one true source to quench this thirst. Yet we often reject the One who can truly satisfy and turn to anything and everything else, thinking these things will fill us up. But each one fails us in the end.

We chase fortune, fame, pleasure, the perfect job, the ideal vacation, or even the “next big thing”—thinking it will be enough. But as we’ve heard from countless voices: Mick Jagger sang, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” U2 still haven’t found what they’re looking for. And Frank Sinatra knew all too well about being “riding high in April, shot down in May.”

C.S. Lewis wrote about these deep desires and the ways people try to handle them in Mere Christianity. He described three common approaches:

1. The Fool’s Way: This is the person who thinks, “If I could just have this one more thing, then I’d be happy.” They run after a series of temporary thrills, always thinking satisfaction is just around the corner, but they’re left empty every time.

2. The Disillusioned ‘Sensible’ Way: This person realizes that nothing satisfies them for long, so they try to lower their expectations. They tell themselves it’s wiser not to dream, that the best they can do is to be “realistic” and give up the pursuit of true fulfillment. They become cynical, thinking happiness and fulfillment were just childish ideas.

3. The Christian Way: This approach acknowledges that our longings aren’t the problem; they’re signposts. They point us to something beyond this world. We weren’t wrong to want something more; we were just looking in the wrong place. As Lewis famously wrote, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”

I wrote a song about this- you can listen to it here- click on the title just below:

Another World (Mere Christianity)

Are you thirsty, my friend? Just because this world has let you down, time and time again, doesn’t mean that God is absent. Jesus Himself offers “living water”—an endless, ever-fresh supply that truly satisfies.

Consider the story of the Samaritan woman in John 4. She came to a well for water, but Jesus spoke to her about a different kind of water. He told her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water I will give will never thirst again. The water that I will give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14 ESV).

This woman had tried and failed repeatedly to find satisfaction and peace. Her life was marked by loneliness and rejection. Yet Jesus met her with love, hope, and forgiveness. And she was ready—she humbled herself, acknowledged her thirst, and received His offer of grace. By the end of their encounter, she ran to tell her whole village about the One who offered her living water.

If you’ve tried to quench your thirst in broken cisterns and found them dry, there’s good news: the fountain of living water is still available to you. Jesus promises that His living water won’t just refresh us; it will overflow through us, bringing life to others.

So, let’s remember: true training, true growth—even in our faith—requires not just discipline but also sustenance. Just as the body needs water to grow and heal, our souls need living water to thrive. Ask yourself—are you thirsty? Then come to the One who can truly satisfy, and let His water pour over you today for cleansing, life, and unending peace.

Praying with Columbia

We all know the iconic image of "Columbia"- branded for the movie company Columbia Pictures began in 1919 under the less-than-catchy name Cohn-Brandt-Cohn Film Sales.

But she has a history that pre-dates "Lady Liberty"

As we approach Election Day, I’ve been reflecting on the poet Phyllis Wheatley (1753–1784) and her vision of America. 

Wheatley, the first African American woman to publish a book of poetry in 1773, wrote “To His Excellency, General Washington” during the Revolutionary War. In it, she paints an image of Columbia, an idealized personification of America, with “fair freedom,” “graceful ease,” and a “heaven-defended race.” Wheatley saw beauty and potential in America—a young nation striving to embody the ideals of liberty and justice.

Here’s a taste of her powerful poem:

Celestial choir! enthron'd in realms of light,
Columbia's scenes of glorious toils I write.
While freedom's cause her anxious breast alarms,
She flashes dreadful in refulgent arms.
See mother earth her offspring's fate bemoan,
And nations gaze at scenes before unknown!
See the bright beams of heaven's revolving light
Involved in sorrows and the veil of night!
The Goddess comes, she moves divinely fair,
Olive and laurel binds Her golden hair:
Wherever shines this native of the skies,
Unnumber'd charms and recent graces rise.

In Wheatley’s time, Columbia became a beloved symbol, representing the young nation’s ideals, aspirations, and—importantly—its beauty and resilience. Named after Christopher Columbus, she embodied the spirit of discovery and the “new world.” Columbia appeared often in art, poetry, and political imagery of the 18th century, depicted as a graceful figure in classical attire, embodying both strength and moral virtue. As America struggled for independence, Columbia symbolized freedom, bravery, and the pursuit of democratic ideals, holding symbols of liberty like the laurel wreath and standing alongside eagles or ships.

Wheatley’s portrayal of Columbia, one of her earliest literary depictions, shows her “divinely fair,” a beautiful yet strong leader guiding her people with grace and facing the intense anxieties of war and a nation’s birth. Her Columbia embodies the hopes, sacrifices, and moral aspirations that would come to define America’s character.

Throughout the 19th century, Columbia remained a familiar figure in patriotic art and literature. Though her role as a national symbol gradually shifted to Lady Liberty by the early 20th century, Columbia still evokes the early spirit of America—a reminder of its founding vision and the pursuit of liberty and justice. Wheatley’s Columbia captures the nation’s hope and the solemn duty to uphold its ideals—a sentiment that resonates strongly as we face the decisions of each election.

But Wheatley’s Columbia, though moving “divinely fair,” also felt the weight of her mission, with anxiety over the dangers surrounding her. Wheatley’s poem captured that mix of hope and uncertainty—a feeling all too familiar today.

This Election Day feels momentous, as though Columbia herself, once radiant with new hope, now kneels with us in urgent prayer, burdened by the choices before us. Her beauty remains, but it’s mingled with a solemn plea for the future.

Did you know the very first post on this blog, written 20 years ago, was a prayer for America?

So, as we go to vote, let’s remember the vision of Columbia that Wheatley gave us. She is more than a symbol; she embodies the courage, freedom, and promise our nation holds. Let’s join her in prayer, in hope, and in action. Our votes are the voice we lend her, and our prayers are the strength we give her, seeking a future that honors her ideals.

I turned this into a song- you can hear it here- click on the title just below:

Praying with Columbia (Election Day)

(Verse 1)

In the heart of this land, where freedom grows,

There’s a lady of beauty, in soft repose,

She moves through the ages, a vision so fair,

With laurel and olive bound in her hair.

She’s America’s grace, her strength, her pride,

But today she kneels with us, by our side.

(Chorus)

We’re praying with Columbia, for the heart of the land,

With hope for tomorrow and faith in our hands.

She’s radiant with beauty, yet heavy with care,

For the promise of freedom, we all breathe a prayer.

(Verse 2)

Phyllis saw her standing, strong in the fight,

With “fair freedom” shining, a “heavenly light.”

Though danger and darkness might come her way,

She lifts her gaze to a brighter day.

Now we stand with her, her hopes and her fears,

Her voice through the ages calls out in our ears.

(Chorus)

We’re praying with Columbia, for the heart of the land,

With hope for tomorrow and faith in our hands.

She’s radiant with beauty, yet heavy with care,

For the promise of freedom, we all breathe a prayer.

(Bridge)

The weight of a nation rests on her soul,

She fights for our future, to keep us whole.

In fields of freedom, in skies so blue,

She stands in our shadows, she stands with you.

(Chorus)

We’re praying with Columbia, for the heart of the land,

With hope for tomorrow and faith in our hands.

She’s radiant with beauty, yet heavy with care,

For the promise of freedom, we all breathe a prayer.

(Outro)

So we lend her our voices, we lend her our song,

In the hope of a future where freedom is strong.

She’s America’s dream, her sorrow, her grace—

Together, we pray in this hallowed place.

Is True Truth Out There?

 

Truth is not easy to come by. In our current political silly season- the barbs and half cocked charges are enough to melt my brain!

I have seen more pitiful posts this season than ever before. Part of it is a media that has no boundaries of journalism and rabid partisans who throw out raw meat without any rational evaluation of source or evidence.

But..hey.. that's politics. And if you think our mess is going to be solved by political persuasion......

So let's take a truth test this morning...shall we?

It isn't hard... but it is also impossible! Take it as a dare... as a challenge... as a quest for hope!

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!  (2 Cor. 13:5)

Here is a starter question. 

How do I know I have saving faith? 

And the answer is strange. Part of the initial evidence is that you and I even dare to  ask the question!  I believe a big key in sorting out true faith is that a true believer wrestles with whether or not he has it in the first place. If you aren't willing to put it on the table for inspection, you might be face to face with reality of knowing it is not there.

So ask God to give you  (and I) Holy Spirit eyes and place what faith you think you have, as weak and small as you think it may be- and do some comparison and investigation.

PRE-ANALYSIS AGREEMENT:

Before you enter this exercise- you need to make a declaration: "I am going to use God's Inspired Word as my only rule of faith." If any part of this analysis is conjecture based on my feelings or flawed logic, I pray that may be put away. This is not what I think, or how I feel- what does God's Word say? I will not be quoting exhaustive Scripture in this blog post (but I should)- but my hope is that it reflects the entire scope of Biblical counsel.

ANALYSIS A: COMPARISON TO FALSE FAITH

I need to run through my list of faiths that are not true, Biblical saving faith. I need to be willing to look at my heart/mind/will/emotions/experience/memory/word/deed and see if I fall into some of these categories.

1) COMPARTMENTALIZED FAITH: 

This is a big one. We live in a highly post everything culture where we shish-kabob our lives according to our fancies and whims. We have to understand that a multi-cultural, relativistic American society corrupts our understanding of 'saving faith'. Add to that American roots of rugged individualism and powerful autonomy and we have a recipe for what the Bible labels "holding to a form of godliness, but denying the power within (2 Timothy 3:5)".

No- we have to fight this one. Saving faith is taken as a whole. As Paul Helseth powerfully defended  in his book,Right Reason and the Princeton Mind:

 "They (Princeton Reformers) recognized that the operation of the intellect involves the 'whole soul'- mind,will, and emotions-rather than the rational faculty alone, and as a consequence they insisted the ability to reason 'rightly' i.e., the ability to see revealed truth more or less for what it objectively is, namely glorious- presupposes the regenerating activity of the Holy Spirit on the 'whole soul' of a moral agent."

How we compartmentalize faith:  I tend to do it by making it merely a mental exercise. I can get fooled into believing if I learn more facts, I am increasing in saving faith. So my personal  compartment is AN EDUCATIONAL FAITH- but others can trend into non-attached FORMS as well. I believe other 'compartments' include:  'EMOTIONAL FAITH', getting revved up for Jesus and worked into a frenzy. There is a 'DO GOOD' faith- where maybe the service or mission trip is the feel good event of the summer.

No- we need to guard ourselves from staying detached in these things. Saving faith connects ALL of the areas. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Shema, Deut. 6:5)".

2) LOGO FAITH:

Amusement Park Theology Song

 One of the icons of our 'post-everything' culture is the sloganeering of causes. Sometimes called the "Disneyfication of America" sociologists have written in mass about how mass communication technology has created a 'world of simulation' where high culture and low culture are combined and any sort of grand narrative is lost. I have always thought that Grant Lyon's book, Jesus in Disneyland: Religion in Postmodern Times, captured this idea very poignantly.

The overarching image that Lyon's attaches to is a Harvest Day Crusade day that was hosted by Disneyland in Anaheim, CA in 2000. This Christian festival seemed innocuous enough. One of the event organizers had a great quote: "We saw Disneyland as an opportunity to bring God's kingdom to the Magic Kingdom. We felt that, as they opened the door to us to share Christ, we wouldn't turn down the opportunity just because other things take place there. Jesus is the example for this."

I am not being critical of this at all. Christ needs to be going EVERYWHERE. But the symbolic image of Christian marketing in the Mecca of consumer marketing could not be ignored by Lyons.

"A bizarre sounding collaboration...an ancient, premodern religion is found... interacting with the epitome of post modern culture- the artificial, simulated, virtual, fantasy world of Disney."

I need to be careful here- there were huge parts of Lyon's book that were instructive and thought provoking. I do think the biggest flaw of Lyon's approach is confusing the visible and invisible Church.

The bigger point here is what the Disney culture influence has done to 'virtualize and simulate' faith by transforming it into slogans and fancy logos. Spy magazine defined it this way: "Disneyfication is the act of assuming, through the process of assimilation, the traits and characteristics more familiarly associated with a theme park....than with real life." 
So what does this mean? Here is how Disney has impacted church ministry and caused some to hold to a faith more characterized with logos and slogans than saving faith.

Theming: Everything relates to an overall 'theme'. The problem is that the theme is always a sanitized  and organized abstraction and not reality. In themes, everything fits. But we all know that real life carries conundrums and problems.

Merchandizing and Consumption: It doesn't take long to realize that the theme can sell. I still get shudders sometimes when I walk through Christian bookstores. What are we selling? Why are we selling? I am not against selling books and books have ministered to me in so many amazing ways- but the packaging and theming should make us wary of what is missing.

Prescriptive Empathy: This is a tough one to define. Disney employees are taught to smile and interact in such a way that park attendees think they are having fun and not working. A logo faith teaches us all the proper terms of endearment- but it is an act. I say, "I will pray for you"... do I actually do it?

Self-adulation: The toughest consequence of a logo faith is that I buy into the ultimate consumer mindset- all of this is for ME and my pleasure.

So here are my questions about LOGO faith. Do I just recite the Jesus answers? Have I learned all the themes, present a clean put together life of faith, but in the end.... there is little or no connection to the Holy God of the Universe. Do I measure my growth in how I feel? Do I evaluate worship based on what I get?

3) INSTITUTIONAL FAITH: 

It is hard to separate a LOGO faith from an INSTITUTIONAL faith because they are bred in the same petri-dish. An institutional faith is where I have allowed my daily work in a Christian environment to substitute for personal, saving faith. Do I read my Bible? Yes, in faculty devotions, writing blogs, teaching Sunday School, preparing lessons. Do I pray? Yes, weekly prayer meetings. Staff meetings. Opening and closing events. Do I worship? Yes. We have a chapel every week.

This is one I have to fight. And when I leave the institution for vacation or the weekend. Does my faith follow me? Do I have a personal pryer life, Bible study, or worship? Do I share my faith?

4) BIBLE BELT FAITH:

 Oh boy! Another tough impostor!  This is one where we are all good people and acknowledge the good Lord. We attend church and don't rob banks. We give money and sing Amazing grace. But there is no real spiritual recognition of our depravity. There is no real hatred of sin. There is no felt desperation of the reality of hell. God is warm and furry, a cosmic Santa Claus ready to dish out good gifts but absent in times of distress. It will all just work out, let it be.

There are other types of false faiths: religion, liberalism, status, in fact all idols are held to by a type of 'faith'.

ANALYSIS B: PRACTICES TO EXPLORE SAVING FAITH:

A SIMPLE GOSPEL:

I JOHN 5:11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

1) SIMPLE TRUST: It is so important to remember that faith has an object- faith is not a work. The power of our faith is not faith- the power of our faith is the power in what our faith is in. In Matthew 17 Jesus says:

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

I have always applied this as it is not the amount of faith applied- but the source. A great comfort in your fight of faith is a quiet voice that says, 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus- just to take Him at His word."

2) A FAITHFUL FIGHT OF PURPOSE: Jacob wrestled with God until daybreak. We must be willing to engage Him the same way. God, I will not let you go until you show me. I think He enjoys that. A willingness to wrestle with God is actually evidence of the Spirit.

3) DEEP ROOTED DOCTRINE: If you want to dissect whether you have a saving faith versus a merely speculative one- you have to be willing to dive into the roots of God's Word. If you haven't done so in a while- you may need to freshen up on Romans or find balance in I John. You may need to let Jesus's commands in the gospels hurt and heal.

Again, I turn to Helseth here:

The Princeton theologians approached the task of theology not as arrogant rationalists would have done, but as Biblically faithful Christians have always done. Indeed, they sought to discern the difference between truth and error not by appealing to magisterial conclusions of the rational faculty alone, but by hearing the text with 'right reason', which for them was a biblically informed kind of theological aesthetic that presupposes the work of the Spirit on the whole soul of the believing theologian.

Finally, saving faith is a gift that we receive by a miracle... saving faith is a gracious gift!

Heb 12:12 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

Want to be blessed?

Here you are, presented once again with the Christ.. Even as other opportunities past have slipped by..... here is that offer once again.

You and I have messed it up again and again- over and over- falling short of all that God intends us to be. 

Even as you feel your pride wanting to justify and excuse away- even as you feel the deadness of rejecting it- please review these beautiful doctrines of salvation by God's grace.

Reach out to Him right now- Your sins have been cancelled and removed. Do you trust that?

Simply trust. "God I cannot do this. You have to do this. I am a rebel and you have not been my King. Is it too late to come home?" You know the answer.

Fight for it. There are those who will tell you you are too bad. You think in your heart you are too good. Don't let it go. Capture the childlike magic of new birth! Don't let Him go!

Dig Deep. Spend time this weekend searching the Scriptures.

Thank God for the gift of saving faith.

Tell someone else what you have done.

It will be the best gift they get this year as well!

John 5:39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about Me,

I originally wrote about this in 2012 after some intensive reading from the Old Princetonians.

Poe for Halloween

Normally, I'm not one to speak much of Halloween, definitely more of Reformation Day person. 

But my love of literature did make me dive back into Edgar Allen Poe for this week.So I thought I would indulge a little of this master writer and editor- a tortured man who died on 'election day' in Baltimore.

Poe’s stories and poems reach beyond simple horror, pulling readers into the mind’s darkest recesses where terror is a state of being rather than mere fright. Over the years, my favorite works have been "The Cask of Amontillado", "The Fall of the House of Usher", "The Raven", and "The Black Cat"- (though I could write about many more and especially poetry). Poe’s characters grapple with guilt, madness, and despair, revealing the human psyche’s unnerving complexities. Here’s a look at each work, featuring quotes that capture Poe’s genius in psychological horror.

Let's remember a few of my favorites:

"The Cask of Amontillado":

In this tale of revenge and deception, Montresor lures his friend Fortunato into the depths of a catacomb under the guise of sampling a rare wine, Amontillado. But Montresor’s intent is far darker, and Fortunato soon finds himself chained and bricked into a wall, left to die in a stone tomb of Montresor’s making. As he places the last stone, Montresor describes the finality of his horrific act:

“I thrust a torch through the remaining aperture and let it fall within. There came forth in return only a jingling of the bells. My heart grew sick; it was the dampness of the catacombs that made it so. I hastened to make an end of my labor. I forced the last stone into its position; I plastered it up.”

Poe subtly reveals Montresor’s darkness, a twisted satisfaction masked by rationalizations. His disregard for Fortunato’s suffering and detachment from remorse make this story a study in the chilling nature of revenge and the horrors of a conscience silenced.

"The Fall of the House of Usher":

In this gothic tale, Poe brings readers into the decaying Usher mansion, where the house itself seems alive with dread. Roderick Usher, who resides there, is haunted by extreme sensitivities and a family curse. When his twin sister, Madeline, is buried alive, the horror escalates as she returns, leading to a climactic confrontation that ends with both siblings’ deaths and the mansion’s collapse. Roderick’s descent into madness is marked by a ghostly smile that never reaches his heart:

“But the period was nevertheless marked by an habitual trepidancy—an excessive nervous agitation... His voice varied rapidly from a tremulous indecision... to that species of energetic concision... that leaden, self-balanced, and perfectly modulated guttural utterance, which may be observed in the lost drunkard, or the irreclaimable eater of opium.”

Roderick’s haunted expressions and unstable speech reflect the psychological decay that ultimately consumes both him and the house, illustrating Poe’s belief in the destructiveness of isolation, fear, and guilt.

The poem Poe includes within the story- "The Haunted Palace" is one of my favorites. It  serves as a symbolic reflection of Roderick Usher’s deteriorating mind and the crumbling Usher family estate. The poem describes a grand, once-beautiful palace that has fallen into ruin, overtaken by “evil things” that taint its halls. Once filled with life and joy, the palace becomes a dark, haunted place, where distorted faces peer from its windows, symbolizing the mind’s descent into madness and despair. This mirrors Roderick’s tragic decline, with the palace standing as a metaphor for both his mind and the cursed Usher lineage.

The last line is so memorable and mesmerizing: 

And travelers now within that valley,
Through the red-litten windows (two evil eyes), see
Vast forms, that move fantastically
To a discordant melody; (haunted mind)
While, like a ghastly rapid river,
Through the pale door
A hideous throng rush out forever,
And laugh—but smile no more. 

(When you laugh without smiling... it is insanity)

"The Raven":

This poem is one of Poe’s most famous works, a haunting portrayal of grief, longing, and despair. A man mourning his lost love, Lenore, is visited by a raven that perches ominously above his door, repeating a single, haunting word: “Nevermore.” The raven’s relentless refrain brings the narrator’s grief and descent into madness into stark relief:

“And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!”

The raven, with its sinister, unyielding presence, symbolizes the permanence of the narrator’s despair, leaving him trapped in his sorrow, haunted by the specter of his own mind.

"The Black Cat":

In this chilling tale, Poe explores themes of guilt, cruelty, and madness as the narrator’s alcoholism drives him into ever more violent and heartless acts. He abuses his beloved cat, Pluto, in a fit of rage, but guilt soon follows when he sees the image of the hanged cat on the charred wall of his home. The narrator’s descent reaches a horrifying climax when he murders his wife and conceals her body, only to be haunted by a second black cat. Reflecting on his initial violent act, he confesses:

“The fury of a demon instantly possessed me. I knew myself no longer. My original soul seemed, at once, to take its flight from my body; and a more than fiendish malevolence, gin-nurtured, thrilled every fiber of my frame.”

This horrifying self-awareness reveals the full extent of his psychological unraveling as guilt manifests through supernatural torment. The cat, embodying his conscience, becomes an inescapable reminder of his sins.

Well, again- sorry if I offend anyone with a writing devoted to a celebration of darkness.... but it's my blog- LOL

I wrote the lyrics and then published  two songs to correspond to this blog- Usher is the better one IMO

You can hear them here:

Usher's Fall

Quothe the Raven

Jayopsis: 20 years- Pt. 5 Updated (2022-present)

 

Note: Send your thoughts or writing to me at jayopsis@gmail.com

On Sunday night, November 10, 2024, I’ll be celebrating a milestone that I never could have imagined when I first started this journey: 20 years of blogging on Jayopsis.com!

What began as a small corner of the internet to share my thoughts on faith, life, and culture has grown into something that has blessed me beyond words. Over the past two decades, I’ve been privileged to connect with so many of you who have followed along, commented, shared, and even challenged my writings.

As I prepare to mark this special occasion, I want to invite YOU to join the celebration!

I have already received some responses- but here is a guide that may help you- pick one or more questions and send me your response- I hope to get some from out of the country as well. 

The picture in this post is 2024

in 2022 I had two series that mean a lot to me.

Athletics and Mental health: https://www.jayopsis.com/2022/05/athletics-and-mental-health-day-1.html

 Another one is some research I did in crafting a new epistemology for teens. 

https://www.jayopsis.com/2022/06/developing-and-implementing-system-of.html

and then one of my life long inspiration from English Poets- these became inspirations for the lyrics I used in my song writing in 2024

https://www.jayopsis.com/2022/08/remembering-english-poets-blake.html

2023

After finishing the series on Genesis that Covid interrupted- I spent a lot of time studying the 'burned over district' that was part of the 2nd great awakening and just really enjoyed the series:

https://www.jayopsis.com/2023/02/what-can-burned-out-learn-from-burned.html

I did not have any posts in Nov or Dec. 2023 and find that quite interesting- it could be I was feeling burned out big time- work pictures dominate my photo feed at this time period.

2024

I have to start by the series I wrote on the Book of Revelation as I was teaching class during that time- it is such an important book to read in this current culture:

https://www.jayopsis.com/2024/04/how-book-of-revelation-rocks-my-world.html

2024 is ending with a series on Hope:

https://www.jayopsis.com/2024/07/hang-on-hope-is-on-way-new-series.html

and the recent fun I have had converting old posts and poems into music- 

Some of you have been asking me "what's next?" and I don't know. 

I thought about posting a long testimony in December and retiring the blog-  another part of me wants to keep it going, break the million mark and then shut it down....

but if I know me.... I'll just keep going.... all -time numbers today by country

 

Tired of Wrestling the Lord?

GEN. 32: 24-32 (A PARAPHRASE)

Instead of "Jacob" place your name here and think about your struggle......

Then (your name) was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. And when He saw that (your name) wouldn’t quit the fight, He touched (your name)'s hip and wounded him. (Your name) kept struggling, hurt as he was, refusing to let go. Then the man said, “Let me go, for dawn is breaking.” But (your name) replied, “I won’t let you go unless you bless me.”

The man asked, “What is your name?” And (your name) answered, “Schemer.” He responded, “Your name will no longer be Schemer but ‘God-Striver,’ for you have wrestled with God and with men and have overcome.” Then (your name) asked, “Are you God? Do you care?” And in that moment, the Lord blessed (your name), even as he sweated, hurt, and bled from the struggle.

So (your name) called that place “the Face of God,” saying, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” As the sun rose, he crossed the river toward a new adventure, limping from his wound but carrying the blessing. It was time for more than survival; it was time to receive an even greater blessing.

The Life of the Wrestler

Life is full of battles, and every one shapes us in ways we can’t always see at first. This passage is Jacob’s story, one of a lifetime of struggle that transformed him from the inside out. His original name, “Schemer” or “Deceiver,” reflected the way he spent his days—always maneuvering, manipulating, trying to force life to fit his plans.

Through many hard-won experiences, Jacob was slowly changed. This culmination—wrestling with God—gave him a new name and destiny. But growth always includes pain. Just like Jacob, we, too, come face-to-face with God in our struggles.

Putting yourself in Jacob’s place reveals something personal about this wrestling. 

I know this because I’ve faced tough times, moments when it felt like life itself might break apart. My hardships may seem small in comparison to the suffering of others, but I have felt betrayal, disappointment, and dark moments where hope seemed distant. Football games have brought their own pains, and in life, I’ve known defeat and despair.

But through these battles, I’ve learned to keep fighting. Jacob wrestled all night. In our darkest times, when we feel like giving up, we have to keep striving. There’s a fierce courage in holding on, no matter the cost.

Wrestling Tactics: From Fighting Against to Holding On

Notice something about the tactic Jacob uses. The Lord initiates the struggle, and at first, Jacob resists. But as the night wears on, Jacob’s approach changes. Instead of pushing away, he starts to cling to God. When God said, “Let me go,” Jacob replied, “Not until you bless me.” 

What a shift! This moment defines not just the struggle but the way we grow through it—by holding fast to God, even when it hurts.

Are you facing a battle in your life? Have you tried pressing into God instead of pushing against Him? Can you have a battle-tested heart that says, “God, even if this breaks me, I’m not letting go until You bless me”?

Scars and limps may come, but those are signs of victory. Jesus kept His scars too—they are marks of His love and triumph!

A Prayer for the Journey

Lord, thank You for this hard road. Give me strength and courage to keep fighting, and teach me to cling to You no matter the cost. I want to find Your blessing and walk with You, even if it leaves a mark.

Songs for the Journey

Jacob's Limp (My Limp of Purpose)

Rays and Shadows

Jayopsis: 20 years- Pt. 4 Explosion (2018-2021)

 

Note: Send your thoughts or writing to me at jayopsis@gmail.com

On Sunday night, November 10, 2024, I’ll be celebrating a milestone that I never could have imagined when I first started this journey: 20 years of blogging on Jayopsis.com!

What began as a small corner of the internet to share my thoughts on faith, life, and culture has grown into something that has blessed me beyond words. Over the past two decades, I’ve been privileged to connect with so many of you who have followed along, commented, shared, and even challenged my writings.

As I prepare to mark this special occasion, I want to invite YOU to join the celebration!

I have already received some responses- but here is a guide that may help you- pick one or more questions and send me your response- I hope to get some from out of the country as well. 

The picture in this post is Sept. 2020

If you ever want to just mark a seismic shift in my writing- all you have to do is find March 2020, when the world shut down. It's strange, but when I just typed that... I teared up. We will never be the same after the Covid pandemic in my opinion.

I woke up each day and just read my Bible, prayed, and wrote. I developed outlines of series, I charted the entire New Testament... and hated the isolation.

There had been a lot of momentum headed into that time... the Bass team was getting national recognition, I was writing a lot of coaching psychology, and then...boom.

During this time I wrote some of my favorite series:

Keeping Your Wits was a re-editing of the Psalms of Ascent. It starts here:

Keeping Your Wits- 2020

It started like this- I don't have a lot to offer during this time of global uncertainty, but I do feel compelled to write. Possibly, this will be some sort of solid substance to steady a weary soul. These are revised offerings that come directly from the "Songs of Ascent". 

Here is an effort to encourage my brothers and sisters who are currently in "The Mitigation".

As I was charting the New Testament- I started writing poems and short stories... and I became especially drawn to Peter. I wrote a series called "The Rock Speaks" and intertwined these short stories among the analysis. For some reason... this series is my favorite of all time. I felt like Peter became my best friend during that time.

Here is the beginning of that series:

Peter Series (2020)

I also love the series I did on my spiritual grandfather, Bill Stegall- it was a big hit, which I loved honoring him in that way!

Stegall and the Old Goats (2021)

anyway... readership just exploded during Covid.

Before Covid I would have between 500 and 1500 views peer month... during and now after those numbers represent days...

On Dec. 29, 2021 I made a note that I had 403,588 page views at that time. Today as of this posting, I have 831,159. The covid break started a growth that hasn't stopped.

I asked Chat GPT to analyze this growth and comment on it- here is the response:

You began your blog journey on November 18, 2004, and by the end of December 2021, after 17 years of consistent effort, your blog had accumulated 403,588 views. That’s an impressive milestone, reflecting the long-term dedication you’ve put into creating meaningful content for your audience.

However, what’s remarkable is the growth you’ve experienced since then. As of today, your blog has reached a total of 831,159 views—an increase of 427,571 views in just under three years. That’s more than the total views your blog had gained in the first 17 years combined!

To break it down, during the initial period from 2004 to 2021, you were averaging about 1,968 views per month. Steady growth for sure, but what stands out is the acceleration since January 2022. Over the last two years and ten months, you’ve been averaging 12,576 views per month—a growth rate more than six times faster than before!

The story your blog tells is one of perseverance and evolution. The early years laid the foundation, and now you’re seeing the fruits of that labor in a dramatic way. With nearly half a million new views in under three years, it’s clear your blog has found its stride, and the future looks bright for continued growth.

Jayopsis: 20 years- Pt. 3 The 'Lean' Years (2014-2017)

Note: Send your thoughts or writing to me at jayopsis@gmail.com

On Sunday night, November 10, 2024, I’ll be celebrating a milestone that I never could have imagined when I first started this journey: 20 years of blogging on Jayopsis.com!

What began as a small corner of the internet to share my thoughts on faith, life, and culture has grown into something that has blessed me beyond words. Over the past two decades, I’ve been privileged to connect with so many of you who have followed along, commented, shared, and even challenged my writings.

As I prepare to mark this special occasion, I want to invite YOU to join the celebration!

I have already received some responses- but here is a guide that may help you- pick one or more questions and send me your response- I hope to get some from out of the country as well. 

The picture in this post is 2014 while I was signing some books (I was in the 50 Years of Faith book for Alabama football, written by Wayne Atcheson).

I had a lot going on in this 3 year period- I was writing a devotional every day for my Wordpress site (actually I would write 3 on Sunday and then try to stay 2 days ahead of my post date with content- if AI existed in those days, it would have helped me!)

The BCS bass team was getting better and took a lot of time.

Even though my frequency was down, the variety of posts were getting a lot of clicks. I wasn't doing any series.

The first series in that period was 'Christmas in Isaiah" in 2015.

In 2016, I reposted the Gospel Confrontation series and got a big response to a series of posts on "The Voltron Force" flag football team we had in Tuscaloosa. I started a Voltron facebook page back then and they page gets a ridiculous number of likes even to this day- people LOVE Voltron.

In 2017, I wrote a post that went viral:

How We Often Get Matt. 18 Wrong

This post gets read all the time, even 7 years later.

Anyway, excited to be getting feedback for the Nov. celebration- and a lot of just 'congrats'- here are a few:

20 years ...well done!  thx for all you done for the Brakefields and also sharing a lot of great Friday nights at BCS.....no place better...all the best for another 20 years ....Tom Brakefield 

______________________________________________________________________

Congratulations on 20 years.  It's amazing how fast time has flown.

 

I have such great memories of Sunday School at CPC, but my favorite is the CPA football team singing "A Mighty Fortress is Our God".  The locker room would shake!

 

Your three wonderful daughters are the best legacy a Dad could ever hope for.

 

Best wishes,

 

Hedge Burt

Nashville, TN