I spent a week with my family (immediate and extended) in North Texas during the last 7 days of September. (I actually flew back home to South Florida on October 01ST.)
During the #Texoma portion of my visit we continued tradition by going on a fun road trip about an hour or two away from the Wichita Falls area. In previous years we’ve gone north, east, southeast, and south. This year we went a new direction – northeast – about 70 miles to the historic town of Duncan Oklahoma. We visited a fun museum – the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center & Garis Gallery Of The American West. We also checked-out a large nursery (garden store) as well as some antique stores along the way.
Up until a couple of years ago I was made aware of the destination(s) of our road trips days and even weeks in advance. That allowed me to do research to find out more about it. But then last year my first cousin once removed (leader of our road trips) decided that it would be more fun if I knew nothing about the destination until we got there. She wanted it to be a surprise to me. We’ve occasionally made a wrong turn and gotten lost along the way to some of our destinations, so it seemed like a surprise to her as well. But getting lost along the way is part of the fun of a family road trip.
We didn’t get lost on this road trip to and from Duncan. My cousin knew exactly where she was going.
Another educational and entertaining road-trip is in the books, and I’ve got the photos to remind me of the good times that we shared together. I’m looking forward to the next destination in September of 2021.
All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries
Every 2ND, 3RD, and 4TH Friday of the month I post the Top 5 of one of my classic hit music charts based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay from either 15, 20, or 30 years ago this weekend (rotating each week).
It’s the 1ST Friday of the month, so it’s a special. Back in 1985 I was an 18-year-old USAF Airman Basic living in a dorm at Chanute AFB near Rantoul Illinois. In September I was in my 2ND month of technical school – learning how to do my future job. We were approaching the halfway point of our 12-week class. For the first 6 weeks class started early in the morning, and it continued until the middle of the afternoon. For the remaining 6 weeks we went to a “swing shift” schedule – starting in the middle of the afternoon, and continuing until late at night. That got us accustomed to the various schedules that we could face while working our job at our first permanent duty station.
I’m still having fun over on Facebook at the Chanute AFB Veterans page – enjoying the classic photos and reminiscing about my short time there on that base surrounded by cornfields. I wish I had photos to share, but sadly I didn’t own a camera or take pictures back then. I had a lot of fun though with my classmates and dormmates !
These were the hottest hits in the land exactly 35 years ago this weekend – for the week ending Sunday September 08TH 1985:
Good solid pop / light-rock music set back then. That’s what played on my static-filled AM radio in my 1980 Chevy Citation (my first car). #MusicRadioWLSChicago
Next week on RETRO it’s back to my regularly-scheduled program. I’ll go back 15 years to the 2ND week of September of 2005.
It’s halftime my friends. I’ll be back on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday with 3 more blog posts for this weekend. Enjoy your Saturday. Thanks for going RETRO with me !
All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries
A couple of days ago I walked in to my local neighborhood Honda dealership with the intention of discussing my various options in the next 4 months regarding the end of the 3-year lease of my 2018 Honda Civic. (It was a prescheduled informal appointment with my assigned sales consultant.)
In the couple of weeks after scheduling the appointment and leading-up to the actual day there was that thought in the back of my mind that there was a slight possibility that I would turn-in my lease and start a new lease or even buy a new car on that day. (After all most of you know what usually happens when you walk in to the sales department of any given automobile dealership.)
I ended-up driving an above-average 34 miles on that day (halfway to Miami and back) leading-up to my arrival at the dealership, and I thought to myself that these could be my final miles ever driven in this car.
And it was. Less than 3½ hours after arriving at the dealership I drove away in a brand new 2020 Honda Civic. I told my sales consultant that I didn’t walk in here to buy a new car. I just wanted facts and figures to do a few months worth of research and contemplation. But I liked everything I heard and saw, and I got a good deal. There was no need to procrastinate for a few more months.
Some of the most fun moments on this fantastic journey are the ones that are unplanned, unrehearsed, and unscripted. I mean that’s how this journey began for me 14 years ago this upcoming work week.
“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. 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 29:11-14a)
As a mostly organized and prepared person I essentially live on a schedule that I maintain for the next 15 days at any given time. It’s a list of things that I need to do, I want to do, and I should do. It even reminds me to blog my 4 posts per weekend. Incidentally – “BUY NEW CAR” – was not on my list of things to do a couple of days ago. Also not on my schedule 14 years ago this upcoming work week – “GET SAVED BY GOD”.
God did that on his own. While my salvation started during this upcoming week of August of 2006 I really didn’t figure much of it out until several weeks and even a few months later. It took me that long to understand what salvation was. See up until 14 years ago I knew of God, but I didn’t know about Him. I didn’t know who He was. He knew me, but I didn’t know Him. Salvation changed all of that.
Seek the Lord while you can find Him. Call on Him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that He may have mercy on them. Yes – turn to our God, for He will forgive generously. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts” – says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.”(Isaiah 55:6-9)
Our God invites you to salvation if you’re not already on the journey that He created uniquely for you. It’s an open invitation for as long as you’re still alive and breathing here on the earth. Are you ready today ? How about tomorrow ? Next week ? Next month ? Next year ? Or will you be like me, and not plan for it to happen but just let it happen. Will you respond to God when He rescues you out of the pit of despair – out of the mud and the mire – and saves you forever ? Or will you turn away from Him, and return to doing what the world tells you to do ?
You will have infinite opportunities to believe, follow, trust, and love the LORD in your lifetime. Don’t let the final opportunity that He grants you be the one that you reject. I’ve heard it said that hell is not full of people that God rejected, for God rejects nobody. Hell is full of people that rejected God.
You have no idea what awaits you when you accept God and you allow Him to lead you forth away from the darkness and towards His light.
All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries
Every 2ND, 3RD, and 4TH Friday of the month I post the Top 5 of one of my classic hit music charts based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay from either 15, 20, or 30 years ago this weekend (rotating each week).
It’s the 2ND Friday of the month, so I go back 15 years ago. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday August 14TH 2005:
The forgettable year of 2005 continues. I don’t remember a single one of these songs. I don’t remember what they sound like at all. I’d have to go to YouTube and watch the music videos of these songs to remind me of how I liked them 15 years ago this week. I don’t really feel like doing that. Why bring back memories of a “down” year ?
Over at a movie theatre near Walt Disney World I saw “Red Eye” and “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo” with my brother. I guess we both liked “Red Eye”. We rated it a perfect 4 stars back then. We spent 5 days in the Orlando area (with a brief visit to Tampa) right after Hurricane Katrina had made landfall in northern Miami-Dade County and moved erratically through the region. We attended two WWE events (one house show and one televised nationally). That was a fun trip !
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 !
All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries
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