Month: December 2019

Christmas In Okeechobee

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date December 26, 2019

Merry Day After Christmas my friends. I hope that you got to spend some quality time with loved ones, or you got to do something that you love.

For the 2ND Christmas in a row I embarked on a Florida road-trip to and from just a few hours to the north of where I live. This time I drove 355 miles round-trip to West Palm Beach, and then over to Okeechobee. It was a 4-day road-trip. I returned home yesterday (Christmas Day) morning.

Over in West Palm Beach I saw Jim Gaffigan LIVE in concert at the Kravis Center For The Performing Arts. He’s my favorite comedian today. I last saw him in 2010. Ryan Hamilton opened for Jim. He was very funny. He reminded me of Jerry Seinfeld. The next morning I spent a couple of hours at the historic Palm Beach Zoo. I got in for free as a military veteran. It was my first visit since 2010.

A few times each year I visit a town in Florida that I’ve never been to before, I haven’t visited in many years, or I’ve only driven through – in order to determine whether or not I wish to move there in a few years after I retire. I selected Okeechobee several months ago, and I spent a couple of days and nights there leading up to Christmas Day. It’s on the northern side of the big Lake Okeechobee.

While in Okeechobee I visited the main attraction – the big Lake ‘O’. I walked a couple of miles high atop the dike / levee known as the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. If you were to walk completely around the lake then it would take you a few days to do so – because it’s 109 miles around the lake ! I also ate at a couple of family-owned restaurants “where the locals eat”, and I toured the town’s old historic downtown district. It was a fun visit, but I don’t think I’d want to move there after I retire. Its location is a bit secluded from other towns. I’ll visit again though. It’s got small-town charm.

I ended up taking over 110 photos of my excursions on this Florida road-trip. 3 of them are up above, and I’ll probably post about half of the remaining photos over on my Flickr site in the weeks and months to come.

Christian God Ministry Music Radio

My Top 10 Hits – Week 149

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date December 23, 2019

Every Monday I post my all-new Top 10 Christian hit music chart based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday December 22ND 2019:

“Unstoppable God” – Sanctus Real [# 3 last week / 7TH week on chart]
“Holy Water” – We The Kingdom [4 / 4TH]
“Nobody (But Jesus)” – Casting Crowns Ft. Matthew West [2 / 21ST]
“Dead Man Walking” – Jeremy Camp [1 / 23RD]
“Smile” – Sidewalk Prophets [9 / 3RD]
“Believer” – Rhett Walker [5 / 6TH]
“Faith” – Jordan Feliz [6 / 11TH]
“Rescue Story” – Zach Williams [8 / 11TH]
“The God Who Stays” – Matthew West [7 / 5TH]
“Almost Home” – MercyMe [- / 1ST]

# 1 One Year Ago This Week:
“Well Done” – The Afters

# 1 Two Years Ago This Week:
“Control (Somehow You Want Me)” – Tenth Avenue North

Veteran Christian band Sanctus Real score their 2ND # 1 smash in a row with “Unstoppable God”. It’s my 42ND # 1 smash during this current era of my chart – now in its 149TH week. It’s their follow-up to “Confidence” – which was my 32ND # 1 smash this past March and April. Sanctus Real are one of only a few acts during this current era that also appeared during the 3½-year Salvation Era of my chart. They had a Top 5 hit during the Summer of 2008 titled “Turn On The Lights”.

Sidewalk Prophets from Nashville move from 9 to 5 this week as they “Smile” along the way. It’s their follow-up to “Come To The Table” – a # 4 hit almost 2 years ago.

MercyMe are back with their 4TH hit on my chart – “Almost Home”. I know I’ll be singing it loud and proud with 7,000+ brothers and sisters in a couple of months at their Southwest Florida concert.

Well we have one more Top 10 chart to go for 2019 (next Monday), and then the very next day – New Year’s Eve – I’ll reveal my Top 19 Of 2019.

This concludes another weekend of blog posts. I’ll do it again next weekend – with 5 new entries on Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Monday, and the bonus on Tuesday. I don’t blog on Saturdays. That’s my day of rest.

Your likes, follows, and comments are always appreciated. Thank You for being part of my online ministry to share God’s Good News and win souls for Christ through His music. I’m also on Twitter @ChrisMDay, and I’m the man behind the tweets for my church @LivingWatersHFL.

Merry Christmas my friends ! May the God of hope fill you completely with joy and peace as you trust in Him.

Tags KLOVE

Bible Christian God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date December 22, 2019

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I recently picked-up this meme somewhere on social media. I actually plan to preach a sermon sometime in early-2020 that’s completely comprised of memes collected online. That’s one that didn’t make the cut – mostly because I collected it after I had written the message. If all goes well with “Ways & Memes” then maybe there will be a sequel.

So for most of us we’ve endured events in our past that deeply hurt us – and still hurt us today many years later. It seems that we remember the bad times more clearly and vividly than the good times – even though we try hardest to forget the bad times.

My 52½ years on this earth is peppered with hurting moments. It’s because of these past moments – individually and collectively alike – that the future is scary. I’ve lived and worked in the same city for the past 32 years; yet, I probably won’t be living and working here in just 5 years. I’ll be retired and living in a new small town, or so I think I will 5 years beforehand. How will everything work out for me ?

“For I know the plans I have for you” – says the LORD. “They are plans for good, and not for disaster – to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

Just leave it all to God. He is in control – at all times – for all times. Look to Christ for guidance and direction. He will lead you in the right direction. He will never fail you. He is the Hope. He is the Way.

As we inch closer to a new year – a new decade – a new creation – remember that our God loves all things anew. We must talk to Him with each new day. We must listen to Him each and every day.

“In those days when you pray – I will listen. If you look for Me wholeheartedly – you will find Me. I will be found by you” – says the LORD. (Jeremiah 29:12-14a NLT)

1990s Music Radio

My Top 5 Hits RETRO – 1999

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date December 20, 2019

Every Friday I post the Top 5 of one of my classic hit music charts based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay from either 10, 15, 20, or 30 years ago this weekend (rotating each week).

It’s the 3RD Friday of the month, so I go back 20 years ago. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday December 19TH 1999:

“Falls Apart” – Sugar Ray
“My Love Is Your Love” – Whitney Houston
“Shake Your Bon-Bon” – Ricky Martin
“Then The Morning Comes” – Smash Mouth
“Steal My Sunshine” – Len

It’s my 2ND-to-last hit music chart of the 1990s and the 20TH Century. A couple of songs on there – “My Love Is Your Love” (Jonathan Peters’ Radio Mix) and “Steal My Sunshine” – are still favorites of mine exactly 20 years later. The others – well they kind of failed the test of time.

The 1990s were by far my favorite overall decade of hit music – particularly the HI-NRG Eurodance era during the middle part of the decade. (Think 2 Unlimited, AB Logic, Amber, Culture Beat, Fun Factory, La Bouche, Le Click, Real McCoy, Snap!)

Ironically my chart was on a 3-year hiatus during the peak of this era, and it inspired me to resurrect my chart at the end of October 1995. (It would go on for a 14-year run.)

Once we entered the late-1990s HI-NRG Eurodance began fading, and Top 40 radio began to go boy band pop crazy. (Think Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync, and 98°.)

So a month from now on the 3RD Friday of the month 20 years ago will be January 2000. We’ll kickoff the 21ST Century then with a Top 5 chart that looks very similar to the one above. But speaking of HI-NRG Eurodance there’s a stray track on that chart that hinted that perhaps HI-NRG Eurodance would make a comeback in the new millennium.

It’s halftime my friends. I’ll be back on Sunday and Monday with 2 more blog posts for this weekend. Enjoy your Saturday. Thanks for going RETRO with me !

Tags 1999