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Driving Food Travel

Whataburger

I’m not much of a fast food consumer. In fact here at home I generally avoid all of the big fast food restaurants. (I don’t consider Starbucks or Panera as fast food; although, a case could be made that they are.)

They say “When in Texas – eat at Whataburger“. I don’t know who “they” are, but I understand it. There are hundreds (870+) Whataburger locations across the deep U.S. south – most of them (700+) in Texas. They were founded in Corpus Christi in 1950, and their corporate headquarters is in San Antonio.

There are actually 37 locations along the I-10 corridor of the Florida Panhandle eastward from Pensacola to Jacksonville and its beaches. My family used to live in Jacksonville and its suburbs. That’s when I discovered the Whataburger experience.

There’s nothing really special about the experience. They specialize in burgers and fries. They also serve chicken and fish sandwiches, sodas, shakes, and pies. It’s your typical fast food fare. The prices are comparable to all other fast food restaurants. I think the service is a little different in that you order and pay at the counter, and if you’re eating-in then they give you a numbered placard which you take to your seat. They then bring your order to you – no matter how small or large it is. They also bring you an entire tray of condiments, and then you select which ones you want.

I always try to remember to order the apple pie. They make it the way McDonald’s used to make it a long time ago – fried and piping-hot !

I didn’t get a chance to enjoy the Whataburger experience on my last few visits to North Texas, so I made it a point to do so on my recent visit. I ate once while there, and then I enjoyed an encore shortly after the start of my long drive home just after leaving Texas on the south side of Shreveport Louisiana. Both experiences were positive, and I was no longer hungry following my burger and fries meal.

You know I forgot to order the fried apple pie on my 2ND visit. I won’t make that mistake again next time.

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

Categories
Blogging Christian God Ministry Music Radio

My Top 10 Hits – Week 251

Every Monday I post my all-new Top 10 Christian hit music chart based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay from the previous week. It’s the continuation of a weekly hobby that goes back 40+ years. Here’s this week’s chart:

COUNTUP MINISTRIES FOR THE WEEK ENDING SUNDAY DECEMBER 05TH 2021 WEEK 251
TW LW WKS SONG TITLE ARTIST / SITE
1 1 6 On Our Way
[4TH week @ # 1]		 MercyMe Ft. Sam Wesley
2 3 6 In The House Crowder
3 5 4 Weary Traveler Jordan St. Cyr
4 2 9 Come What May We Are Messengers
5 6 4 Rejoice Andrew Ripp
6 4 8 My God Is Still The Same Sanctus Real
7 – 1 Heaven Help Me Zach Williams
8 – 1 God Turn It Around Jon Reddick
9 – 1 Heart Of The Father Ryan Ellis
10 – 1 For The Good Riley Clemmons

# 1 This Week In:
2020 – “Every Step Of The Way” – Cade Thompson
2019 – “Dead Man Walking” – Jeremy Camp
2018 – “Even Then” – Micah Tyler
2017 – “Control (Somehow You Want Me)” – Tenth Avenue North

BACK TO THE HITS – It’s been a long holiday break, but now it’s back to business. It’s back to the hits. My last chart was presented 4 weeks ago, but it kept on going offline. It’s been a music-intensive 4 weeks too – including 2,822 miles on the road listening to the radio – so my chart was very active. 6 of my current hits weren’t even on my last published chart.

WEARY TRAVELER – It was the instant theme song of my 18-day road-trip between South Florida and North Texas. I heard it more than any other song on the radio. Its lyrics made it a very relevant song while on the road away from home. I even preached about it yesterday as I led Communion. It entered my chart at # 10 on the weekend I departed for North Texas. Now it’s at # 3 as a strong follow-up to Jordan St. Cyr’s debut smash “Fires”. This one could very well reach # 1 soon. It could be my Christmas # 1.

PREVIOUS PEAKS – “Come What May” from We Are Messengers peaked at # 2 for 3 weeks in a row. “My God Is Still The Same” peaked at # 3 for a single week a couple of weeks ago. It’s Sanctus Real’s first non-# 1 smash following “Confidence” and “Unstoppable God”. “Promised Land” from TobyMac was at # 1 on my last published chart, but now it’s completely off the chart.

YEAR 37 – I published my very first hit music chart (via notebook paper, pen, and pencil) over in Gloucestershire England on November 30TH 1985. This is technically the start of the 37TH year of my chart – two hiatuses notwithstanding (1992-1995; 2010-2017). I actually contemplated creating my own personal hit music chart for about 8 years prior to doing so during the late-1970s and early-1980s when I followed Casey Kasem every Sunday and explored the Billboard Hot 100 at my local public library. It’s amazing to look back at my hobby over the past 40+ years and see how it’s evolved through the decades. It’s still fun to do, and now it’s God-centered.

This blog is # 34 worldwide on the Top 80 Christian Music Blogs and Websites in 2021 chart. Thank You for including us Feedspot !

This concludes another weekend of blog posts. I’ll do it again this upcoming weekend – with 5 new entries on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Monday. 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 and Flickr.

Be blessed my friends !  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

Categories
Bible Blogging Christian Church Driving God Ministry Scripture Travel

Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday December 05TH 2021, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.

I’ve returned home from yet another road-trip vacation, and this was a long one – one of the longest of my life. It started on Thursday November 11TH, and it ended on Sunday November 28TH – a total of 18 days. I’m blogging my road-trip adventures and experiences over the course of 7 Thursdays through December and into January. Part 1 of my 7-part series was posted this past #TravelThursday.

I missed 3 Sundays in a row with my church family here at home. I did not attend a church service during my road-trip even though it was in my plans to do so. I missed the pre-service fellowship. I missed singing about our God up on stage. I missed learning more about our God from our Pastor. I missed the post-service fellowship Lunch at a local restaurant. I missed it all – 3 times over. I’m excited about returning later this morning !

This past Wednesday December 01ST in the afternoon a bunch of us gathered at our church building to put up all of our Christmas decorations within our sanctuary. It all looks very festive now. We did a great job, but the important part of it all was the fellowship that got it done. God’s fellowship. God’s love among His children.

It’s the first Sunday of a brand new month, so we’ll observe and celebrate Communion this morning.

I may incorporate this Scripture into my Communion this morning:

Then Jesus said – “Come to Me – all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you – because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT)

If you wish to learn more about the God I know then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. Tomorrow it’s #Top10Monday, as I present my personal Top 10 hits this week that honor our God Almighty on the radio.

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

Categories
2000s Blogging Christian God Music Radio

My Top 5 Hits RETRO – 2006

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 15, 25, 30, or 35 years ago this weekend (rotating each week).

It’s the 1ST Friday of the month, so I go back 15 years ago. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday December 03RD 2006:

  1. “The Show” – Hawk Nelson
  2. “Rebirthing” – Skillet
  3. “When Everything Falls” – Haste The Day
  4. “Writing On The Walls” – Underoath
  5. “Gravity” – The Fold

Love Hawk Nelson. They were one of very few artists to score hits during both the “Salvation Era” (2006-2010) as well as the current “K-LOVE Era” of my weekly hit music chart. They scored a # 1 smash with their debut hit on my chart – “The Show”. It ascended to # 1 on this weekend 15 years ago for its first of 5 weeks at the top. It was their first of 8 hits on my chart (to include their 2 hits during the current era).

Their first 3 hits all spent at least a month at # 1 for a combined total of 21 weeks !

They also scored several radio hits during the 7-year hiatus of my chart (2010-2017) that became favorites starting in 2017 as recurrents on the radio – “Words” (with Bart Millard of MercyMe), “Drops In The Ocean”, and “Diamonds”.

Good music from a good band with an uncertain future. Jason Dunn was the original lead singer from 2000 to 2012. He left, and Jonathan Steingard took over for him until 2020 when he left. Daniel Biro remains as the only original member.

Next Friday on RETRO I’ll go back 25 years ago to December 1996.

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) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries