Wandering Through the Wilderness Called Life… Finding God Along the Way…

And celebrate… for a food classic has been brought back to television on the Fine Living Network…

“Come on, let’s go watch Battle Squid Guts!.. Oh no, he is making ice cream!”

… a good fart joke! Enjoy!

… I’d recommend skipping Alabama State altogether!

From AOL Fanhouse Blogs:

“Indeed, the NCAA announced allegations of unholy amounts of misconduct at the University, to the tune of–this is actually true–668 violations. 24 different rules were broken, which has to be some kind of record. Among the infractions listed are hundreds of instances of ineligible student-athletes using training facilities and several grades changed without the professor’s permission. Apparently you can’t do that. Who knew?”

I mean, really? 668 violations at a 1-AA school? One with no national championships that averages .500? HOLY MOLEY! I mean, wow!

No, let’s just think… if they are this bad about bad sports, how great can that education be?

Wow!

Roll Tide Roll!

Looks so much like my first car… I miss it to this day! Dunno why, just struck me all of a sudden!

I know I have…

“Yes sir, that’s one subject you just can’t talk enough about… sin.”

Well.. I do! One night she (Lil Bit 1.0) was extra fussy when she was much smaller and I was digging for songs to sing. Oddly enough, 2 songs came to mind that have stuck to this day…

Oak Ridge Boys - I Guess it Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes

Bob Seger - We’ve Got Tonight

So, I also do this one… but it isn’t one I would call odd…

So, what do you sing to your kids when they can’t sleep?

In just over two weeks, it will mark one year since my Papaw, Billy Drue Vinson, lost his battle with cancer (Just so I can clarify, Papaw was my Mom’s dad). The past year has been a little sadder and a bit emptier without him. I especially hate that I let myself be too busy to spend more time with him in his last days than I did. However, I have come to the realization that I cannot grieve anymore. Although I miss him more everyday, he is far better off in his forever home than he ever was here. And on top of it, I’m left with a huge stall of memories that I will cherish forever. That is one reason that I am beginning this series… so I can share just a few of those memories with you and hopefully find some small way to honor Papaw along with way.

When I decided to write this series, I struggled with where to start. There were so many great memories that finding a good bookend was tough. However, in the end, I chose to begin with ‘riding’. I know that this may sound like a strange topic, but I think that I spent just as much time in one of his trucks riding along with him than anywhere else. For years, most every time Papaw would go roaming somewhere, I would be invited along. We perused a number of locations like flea markets, the family cemetery in Bankhead National Forest, and trips to pick up supplies for the barn. Sometimes I think we rode just to ride. Either way, I have many memories that are burned into mind in his black Chevy Silverado and in his old Chevy Spirit of ‘76.

In Papaw’s truck, at least at the time, I suffered when he listened to that old country music. Whether it be Tom T. Hall, Marty Robbins or Roy Acuff, we listened whether I liked it or not. What I didn’t know at the time was how much I would come to respect and even enjoy old country music. Honestly, I still cry to this day every time I head ‘Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine’. Without Papaw’s influence, I’m sure I would never have even heard it.

Rides with Papaw also helped to sow the seeds for a love of history. One thing Papaw was adept at was telling a story. It seemed that everywhere we went, he knew something about somewhere along the way. And he was never one to skimp on facts. I think that I heard more stories about places he lived, people he knew and stories of his life while on those rides. Part of me hopes that I can one day tell a story like he did. I can still half way tell a number of his stories myself, but that will be for another post.

Riding with Papaw also brought some occasional humor to the day. I remember that there was one day when he took me to school in that old blue and white Chevy Spirit of ‘76. We were probably going a little too fast through the parking lot and after hitting a big speed bump, heard a large *CRASH*. Well, it turns out that he had knocked the spare tire rack nearly off the truck. When he got under the truck to fix it, I ran for the back door of the school. Being a typical teenage, I was a bit embarrassed and wanted out of there as quick as I could. Later on, I began to feel terrible about what I did. Little did I know exactly how funny he thought it was. Unfortunately for me, I heard his version of that story quite often in the years afterward.

Lastly, rides with Papaw were simple quality time. Most kids I knew growing up were not blessed with all of their Grandparents still alive as I was. On top of it, even fewer were able to spend the time with their Grandparents like I did. I was truly blessed by time spent with all my Grandparents, two of which are still here today. Needless to say, I will never regret spending that time.

I recently was able to drive his truck for a day to help move my Nanny, my Dad’s mom. Although I didn’t mention it to anyone, I really enjoyed having that time to drive his truck and be alone. It was almost like he was there with me, just riding. It was a day where I spent a lot of time reminiscing. Although that day was stressful and could have warranted its own blog post, being able to carry around some piece of him that day made it better.

Whoever would have thought a vehicle could be sacred ground to a kid?

I can’t watch this video too often, makes me well up too easily.

… is going to the funny papers! You can find more like this one HERE!

Wonder if we could put this one in the church bulletin?

Here is your early morning version of Monday Music Madness! How about a little Clapton for breakfast? Just another one of my favs from WQLT. Enjoy!