Thirsty!?

It’s been a long week so I decided to make a fun post. If you know me I love soft drinks. I have had a love for the fizz and burn of a good soda. A few years ago I began the journey of a diabetic. I could blame genetics, but if I’m honest it was a combo of poor eating habits and large consumption of sodas.

My wife over time introduced me to diet drinks and then the “zero” brands came to be. So what I want to do today is give my all time Top 10 Sodas Some will be non diet as I want to represent a life time of Soda. Enjoy and feel free to play along.

10. Cherry Coke Zero

9. Reg Pepsi

8. Sprite

7. Mello Yellow

6. A&W Root Beer Zero

5. Diet Mt Dew

4. Cheerwine

3. Fanta Zero (Orange)

2. Cherry Dr. Pepper Zero (Will most likely dethrone #1)

1. Wild Cherry Pepsi (Reg/Zero)

I’ll be honest as you read I recently came across the Cherry Dr Pepper Zero and it’s amazing. I didn’t feel right bumping the WCPZero just yet as it is a long standing champion!

This was fun, while i wont necessarily do many lists, this was one I wanted to make.

A Little Fencing

This week provided much welcomed nice weather. So my Son and I decided to build some fencing at the new homestead. It already has a really good border fence, but it needed some small “sub section” areas for the bucks.

Here is some visual delights of our labor. We keep it pretty simple actually. We use t-posts, cattle panels, and zip ties. It is pretty sturdy and portable. It’s a method we have used for many years and it has served us well. Enjoy!

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These Past Weeks

I’m a little disappointed in myself that I haven’t been able to write more on here. This past week has proven to show that if I don’t watch it, the week will fly by and I have nothing to show for it.

Last week was a week I had hoped to no a lot of nothing as it was the week after Easter. Easter for me is a busy season that starts on Ash Wednesday. Normally it’s filled with a lot of services and Easter egg hunts. However, with COVID things looked a little different.

Since my Churches are only meeting in person on Sunday (with an Online Option) I wanted to create something for my folks to keep them, and me occupied. I created the 47 Days with Jesus Study. I was a small video and scripture study that went from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. 47 video’s, 47 Studies, 47 Days. It went well as I kept the videos around 5 to 10 minutes. This it something I’m pretty proud of and look to do more in the future.

The Wednesday before Easter I thought it would be a grand idea to get my second COVID vaccine. Needless to say that was a huge error on my part. I was one of the lucky ones to get the chills and body aches. It thankfully passed before Sunday.

On a homestead note, we have been working hard to get the interior repainted and at the end of this week my downstairs bathroom will be installed. The goal this Thursday and Friday is for my son and I to build small fences in our field to separate our boy an girl goats.

I have been able to watch a few virtual autograph sessions for some wrestlers I enjoyed in my days. My most recent acquired autographs include Greg Valentine, Brutus Beefcake, and Stacy “The Kat” Carter. One of the simple pleasures in my life is collecting 8 X10’s to have autographed by my favorite pro wrestlers. I have had the please to meet many and attend a few conventions. My top 5 (as awesome folks) include Rowdy Roddy Piper, Tugboat, Sting, and Shane Douglas.

I really hope to be able to see matches live again especially with my buddy Brandon. Two of my most fun wrestling experiences happened with him. We went to a Legends Fanfest and then to a TNA PPV, both in Charlotte NC.

Speaking of Brandon, I found it very humorous that I sent him a text of a picture of Cherry Dr Pepper Zero only to find out that he had blogged about Dr Pepper Zero earlier. Just to confirm, it’s the best drink around

Well I feel better putting words on the screen.. Off to go outside as it is finally not raining, snowing, or any other apocalyptic at the moment.

This Week

As I write today it is raining again. I can honestly say I am over the rain.

I managed to complete my goal of reading the whole Bible in 90 days. I actually completed it a tad early. The new goal is to keep working on the house. In the coming days/weeks I’ll be having a bathroom installed downstairs as well as some flooring done. My wife and older kids are painting. It’s an exciting time as we prepare to completely shift our lifestyle to a permanent residence.

My oldest and only son and I took down one of the fenced areas last week and with the help of a friend moved the panels to the new pasture. We have always kept is simple with out set ups. We use hog panels, T-posts, and zip ties to build our fencing. It makes it easy to move and adjust. At our new farm we have fencing already there so we will use our current set up to section it off (pictures to come).

Also I soon be posting how we process the milk from our Goats. The goal is to make cheese, butter, and ice cream.. good times.

Professionally I’m trying to keep things fresh. I created a Bible study that spanned over Lent and it has done really well. I am currently writing one for the summer. It’s been fun to write the content and then film the small videos. Folks seem to like this format so I’ll keep doing them. One of my daily goals is to not be bored, Covid is not been a big help in this.

Well I will wrap this up as I am currently in a zoom class for seminary and I should probably pay attention.

Finally

It seems like forever since I was last on, but I can assure you I was for good reasons. As I casually mentioned in my last post I bought a farm. I haven’t broadcast it to the world yet, but it’s something I am extremely happy about.

For most of my adult life I have ether lived in rentals or a Parsonage (church housing). While there is nothing wrong with ether, after almost fifteen years of marriage and four kids it was time to plant some roots. My wife and I were specific in what we were looking for and God really blessed us, by sending us a old farm house with land, fenced in pasture, and a usable barn.

We will be able to move our animals and expand the empire over time lol. The house is almost one hundred years old and is is awesome shape. They simply don’t build them like they used to. Over the next few months we will do some renovations to the house like adding a bathroom, new carpets and some paint. Once we move in my little family will finally have something we own and is ours.

It’s important that as my son and daughters have a place to come “home’ to in life. I was asked why didn’t we tear the house down and build something new. the answer is simple, the house is stable and has a rich history. Plus the fun is making it our own. I am limited in many things, but fixing this house will not be one of them. We want to pass down to our kids that hard work pays off, especially when you can look back and tell the story.

Our goal is to be in the house by the end of May, but will start to move the animals over sooner than that.

My attitude is one of Thankfulness and Happiness. Over the next few weeks and months I’ll document the updates and such.

Thanks for taking this journey with me!

Busy

I hate I have not had time to post lately, but I have honestly been so busy I didn’t want to hop online. Life overall is good. Here’s a few highlights

• Enjoyed some virtual Wrestling Autograph Signings
• Bought a Farm
• Bought some more Chickens
• School, School, School
• Getting ready for Easter
• Writing a Bible Stud

Yea i know not to entertaining, but I feel better putting something on this site.

more to come.

Simple Joys (My Take)

Just the other night I was talking to my wife about how there is nothing entertainment wise that really excites me anymore. In fact there isn’t much that I am “looking forward” too. Then I hope on and my buddy Brandon posts Simple Joys about the exact same thing.

I spent almost all my non ministry life ether working in video stores, music stores, and movie theaters. I remember being so excited to learn that my favorite actor or band was coming out with something new. I would reserve my copy and then in my own mind have the countdown.

Movies in theaters use to stay for months. I remember when Titanic and Forrest Gump would be in my local theater for months, until a new “blockbuster” would arrive. Today movies come and go within a weeks time. In fact my buddy Brandon and I worked together in a big movie theater chain. Don’t get me wrong I loved working opening weekend for the BIG movies, but over time they all looked like they were cookie cutter movies, same plot/different cast.

I honestly long for the days when music and movies took years to make. You could tell there was attention to detail and it was worth the wait. That in most cases is not the case.

That’s my rant.

Look at All the Birds

When my wife and I got into homesteading one my requirements was that we raised birds. I love chickens, turkeys, quail, you name it and I love them.

Monday we got our Turkeys after a fun trip to West Virginia, and today our we received our first batch (of the season) of baby meat chickens. Our goal is to continue to use the turkey and chickens to fill our freezer, trade for other meat, and simply give away to the shut in’s in my church. So far we seem to do well at keeping them alive, until the harvest 🙂

Below is a picture of our makeshift brooders. The Chickens are on the left and the Turkeys on the right. We have many things going on that I can’t wait to share with the world.. this is just the beginning.

Monday Free Write

This week has already proved to be busy for me and it’s only Monday.

On the Pastor side of life I am preparing to conduct two funerals this week. One is for a friend who died of Covid. I was his Pastor, but most importantly we were friends and I will miss him terribly. Update.: I now have Three funerals..

I will also be recording some Bible Studies that I will put our for my Churches over the next few weeks.

On the farm side of life my wife, kids, and I got up early to drive to West Virginia to pick up baby turkeys. This Wednesday our baby Chickens will arrive. I am excited to raise these birds simply because we will eat them. Some may shutter at that thought, but farm raised birds are the best eating.

As a Dad I am stoked and can’t believe my oldest and only son will be fourteen tomorrow. He is such a cool kid! He plays video games and a wicked guitar. I can’t be more proud.

Well I’m pretty tired, but I wanted to get a few thoughts out there. Cleaning out your thoughts before bed is good..

Until next time…

The Perfect Album

This pandemic hasn’t been all bad. I restarted this blog, film a lot of sermons, and get to work on my farm. Another love that was rekindled was my absolute love of music. I got to thinking the other day if I were to put out a CD of my favorite 12 songs what would that look like?

In the day of “playlists” it’s not to hard to do, but if I was about to record a cassette or burn a CD what would be on it? So as a fun entry I give you Jimmy’s Super Mix Tape Vol 1. Only Rule is you can only use a band/singer once.

Side 1

1. Roam by B-52’s
2. Sweet Up and Down by Dave Matthews Band
3. But Anyway by Blues Traveler
4. Bringing On The Heartbreak by Def Leppard
5. First Kiss by Kid Rock
6. Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran

Side 2

1. Take It Off by The Donna’s
2. Did You Mean It by Third Day
3. Fire Woman by The Cult
4. Long Way Back Home by Barenaked Ladies
5. Three Little Birds by Bob Marley
6. Some Of It by Eric Church

I know that if I made a Vol 2 it will probably look different, but that’s the fun of it all. Maybe sometime I’ll do a 10 Movie Marquee of the Movies that I’d show if I owned my own theater.

If you come across this and feel inclined I’d like to see your Vol 1. I also hope I may have exposed you to a song or four you’ve never heard.