You will notice I haven't been writing articles as frequently, as a recent move and a busy schedule hasn't allowed me the time to actually sit down and put some good thought into an article, but recently some circumstances have changed and I wanted to just share a few things that I have had on my mind recently, and hope you all will appreciate, be encouraged, or whatever other way these ramblings of mine may affect you. There is no rhyme or reason to this expression of thought you are about to witness, so excuse me if I tend to do a little rabbit-chasing.
2012 has gotten off to a hectic, but not bad, start for us so far, and my head swims with so much that I need to organize myself a little. At the beginning of the year, for instance, an unfortunate plumbing situation necessitated our getting new tile floors in the house, but a good thing resulted - I was able to get my new home office set up! When we moved into the new place here in Lakeland back in September last year, I was originally consigned a room off the living room of the house that was small, cramped, and frankly didn't feel right. So, after talking about it, Barb and I decided to switch our bedroom and my office, and it has turned out to be a much better arrangement. As it comes together, a generous tax refund is allowing me the purchase of a desk and some printing equipment to really get things organized, and in April that will all start to come together too. Barb now has her own office as well since we have moved into the new house, and she is also getting organized and together so she can launch a business venture she wants to do, which is a great idea for her and which also I will be lending her some support as well. Overall, it has been a bit tumultous getting settled back in Lakeland again after moving from here originally in 1998 to St. Pete, but it has also been good to be back - the atmosphere over here is better, and our quality of life has improved somewhat from what it was in Pinellas County. And, although Lakeland is growing, it is still a small town compared to the urban jungle of Pinellas and Tampa - that area was just insane. As a result, Lakeland is also somewhat less stressful for us, and that is helping us on a major level too - it is nice, for instance, to see people who are not ashamed to say they are conservative or that they like Larry the Cable Guy's comedy (he is hilarious, I must admit!) without getting a bunch of left-wing hippie wannabes trying to lynch them for their views. And, it is nice to find solid churches again - the one we go to is really good, and there are several other great congregations (Lake Gibson Church of the Nazarene, pastored by Rev. Charles Kirby, is a great example - it is one of the few churches you can go to where good gospel music concerts can be found; their pianist, Marlin Nichols, is also one of the best I have ever heard personally) that are not sucked in by Rick Warrenism and liberal politics. However, I will save the ecclesiastical issues for Sacramental Present Truths in the near future, because it is more appropriate to discuss those there. And, the cost of living here is very nice - it has been cheaper for us to live here in six months than it was for the entire 13 years we lived in Pinellas County, and I actually think we can begin to see our assets being preserved rather than drained for once! God has been good with bringing us back here, that is for sure.
It is not that Lakeland is perfect - slow traffic lights and the influx of flocks of geezers from the North tend to cause some issues, but nothing we can't handle (one thing to their credit is that the geezers may overall actually make Lakeland a more pleasant place to live!). But, overall the quality of life in Lakeland has improved greatly from what it was even when we were here before - the new Lakeside Village Mall in south Lakeland, as well as some good restaurants and small businesses, have made our return here even better. Some of the restaurants, such as Catfish Country on 98 South in Highland City, are mainstays that have been here for years and tend to stay great. However, there are others - Fred's Southern Kitchen comes to mind - that are relatively new discoveries but have quickly become our favorite places (mind you, getting into Fred's may be a challenge - the food is so good that often the wait is long, so be prepared!). Again, you will be seeing more about some of those restaurants in David's Kitchen later on, so stay tuned for that.
One of the greatest opportunities for us being back here though is the possibility of my actually getting back to my graduate studies, which I plan to do later this year. The process has been started, as my old alma mater, Southeastern University, has the graduate programs I need and they are making the process very workable for me. My plans are to get my MA in Theology, and thus embark upon some Church History projects I want to do, including the newest endeavor I have formalized called Highways and Hedges. I have talked a little bit about Highways and Hedges in my Sacramental Present Truths page, but essentially it is a project that seeks to bring to documentation those little fellowships and denominations which I feel have fascinating and unique histories that need to be told. They will ultimately be the thesis in my MA program and could lead to a book later on. But, Church History is not my only pursuit I wish to invest more energy into, because I have been thinking a lot about some ways to really become more self-sufficient over the years, and these have led me to think about some other more domestic projects I would like to take a crack at later on as time and resources allow.
Over the past several years, I will admit I have developed a certain affinity for some "reality-based" television programming on channels like Animal Planet, History, and National Geographic. Watching these has given me some ideas that I would like to put into place. Recently, for instance, there is this show on National Geographic called Doomsday Preppers that I have really gotten interested in watching. For the people not familiar with what this subject matter is, let me give some background. There is a segment of the population - a growing segment, fueled in part by that Obamanation in the White House in recent years wreaking havoc upon our nation (as you may have guessed, I am not an Obamanatic!) - that practice something called "prepping" in which they are implementing practices, stockpiling essential supplies, etc., in anticipation of what they feel is some sort of global catastrophe they feel is immanent. Being these people are a diverse group, they also have different ideas as to what the catastrophe is - some say it is an economic collapse, others a polar shift, others still a nuclear war, various natural disasters, etc. - and feel an urgency to get themselves ready to survive the onset of any of these said scenarios. Some of these people have developed some impressive things - huge underground condos, backyard farming, and defense, for instance - and although some people may think they are on the "radical fringe," or that they are just conspiracy nuts or something, I think these people may be onto something. The Bible does, after all, foretell a time in the future that is coming when a period of seven of the most violent years of human history called the "Tribulation" will be unleashed upon the earth shortly before the Second Advent of Christ. And, there also has been a lot of hysteria generated by the New Agers and others over this Mayan calendar thing regarding December 21, 2012 in the past few years. With rising gas prices, economic issues (Greece is the most dramatic example) and a rising tide of political-correct thought policing in the US, people are concerned and they are starting to think more seriously about their own future. These "Preppers" have taken that to something more practical than just fretting about impending disaster - they are securing their own survival should it hit! The show is actually quite objective too, as it views the preppers in a positive light pretty much and even offers expert evaluations of their plans and what they can do to improve their projects, etc. The fact that situations like this could happen - the Bible is very clear they will actually, something that those of us who believe what it says take seriously - should be something that all of us should address, but of course panic and paranoia are not the answer. Even with something as tangible as a house fire or hurricane, it is always good to have a preparedness plan to execute in order to protect yourself and your family. Therefore, these "preppers" are people we could learn something from if we do so without judging them as "kooks" and "conspiracy nuts." That being said, I have actually begun to think about ways I can also be more independent and self-sustaining, although preparing for a natural disaster is not my only motivation for that. I also watch people like Gordon Ramsay, who despite his volatile temperment and "blue talk" vocabulary is actually a highly capable chef who has good ideas. One thing I have learned from watching Ramsay on TV all these years is that fresh is better - I have slowly begun to ween away from using jarred spices, etc., in favor of fresh herbs, and it indeed does improve the quality of your cooking. Of course, running to the supermarket everytime you need fresh seasonings is not exactly practical, so I figured we are in a position now to where I can grow this produce myself. And, not just herbs - there are speciality produce items, such as red currant tomatoes and microgreens, that you can't find just anywhere, so it only makes sense to grow them myself. That being said, I am also planning on maybe looking into learning to make cheese, homemade sausage, and also since I live here in Florida, take advantage of catching fresh seafood myself; would be nice, for instance, to have a freezer full of my own shrimp I caught myself. And, one resource here that would do the environment a world of good to get rid of because it is wreaking such havoc on the local landscape is wild boar. Many people do not really understand that these wild pigs have some of the richest and best meat of any creature, and being they are feral and a nuisance, what better way to take care of the problem than to eat it! A friend of my mother's she worked with has been keeping us in a good supply of wild boar, and I have been making good use of it. Perhaps later on, I can think about the same possibilities with snakeheads and other invasive species too. Now, if only I can keep the tax-greedy Democrat politicians from interfering with that enterprise.... Any rate, as I start embarking upon those projects, you will see some of the results showing up on David's Kitchen later.
Another idea hit me like a ton of bricks over the past week - church-run grocery stores! Since moving back to Lakeland, we discovered a couple of local businesses that come to find out were extensions of ministries, and they are great ideas! One of them, called Wings of Eagles, has two locations of discount grocery stores it operates here in Lakeland, and although some of the goods qualify as "bent-and-dent," it is still good food and a bargain for people in these tough economic times. Our local meat market, Harvest Beef, is also connected to a ministry enterprise, and just the other day we had two of the best T-bone steaks from there for dinner, and they only cost us $6! This is a great idea, because by getting these great deals you are also supporting the Lord's work, and that is two great things out of just your weekly shopping trip. More churches need things like this, because although the Christian bookshops and thrift stores are good, they don't really fill the needs nor do they generate the funds needed to keep a ministry afloat - however, grocery stores do. Some Christian groups, such as the Hutterites out in the Midwest as well as some inner-city Black churches, have actually been pioneers in doing this for years, and they are worth studying more to tweek, modify to fit one's own community's needs, and streamline to meet the budget of the church or ministry operating it. I am eventually going to be exploring this more in-depth myself soon and will learn more about it to share better insight, as I feel we need something like this in our churches. Practical ministry to meet practical needs, without compromising fundamental teachings - that is how our witness is best expressed. However, I am going theological again, so let's regroup.
Other "real-life" TV programs are lighter fare, and some stuff my old co-workers got me watching. Do any of you, for instance, watch that show on History Channel called Swamp People? That show is truly the best! And seriously, how can anyone not like Troy Landry or those Guist Brothers - they would be neat to get to know. Gotta hand it to those guys though; that is not a line of work for just anyone off the street, that is for sure! Gators are dangerous animals, and these guys make their yearly salaries within one month tackling those things in the Louisiana bayous. One of them, Bruce Mitchell in Hammond, LA, is so enterprising that he not only catches his own gators, but he processes the meat and hides himself and has a good business doing it - I would buy a few pounds of gator meat and a gator-claw backscratcher off the guy just to support his efforts. Bruce Mitchell, Troy Landry, and those other "Swampers" are truly what America is about - self-sufficiency and still maintaining good values doing it. Some of these corporate hacks would do well to learn a thing or two from guys like this - I would love to see a couple of my old office managers trying to wrangle a 1000-pound gator on a trot line in the swamp like that; they would be gator scat before the first day ended! Then there is that guy in Kentucky on Animal Planet, Ernie "The Turtleman" Brown. He comes across as a little weird to the Kim Kardashian/Justin Bieber crowd (gag me with a spoon at the mention of those names, please!), but I want to say a couple of things regarding folks like The Turtleman. First, this guy is not after fame or fortune - many of the people he renders services to pay him with produce, eggs, chickens, homemade goods, etc. Second, Ernie and his buddy Neal are people some of us can relate to - like myself, they are just simple Appalachian folk, and they have good manners and are unpretentious, not trying to impress or kiss butt with anybody. These are values many of the tofu-farting hippie wannabes laugh at and deride, yet they could learn something to maybe enrich their own sad, shallow lives by watching these guys. Third, Ernie is just an interesting guy - he is one of those people you want to have as a friend, and I think we are all a little envious of Neal who can appreciate that fact. However, in a society obsessed with "American Idol" and the Biebers, Kardashians, Lady GagGags, and other trash on TV, shows like this are often the butt of jokes, some of them cruel and nasty. But, they have followings despite the idiots in pop culture, and that says something about the "silent majority" who are sick of the glitz and stupidity of Charlie Sheen's latest exploits or Lady GagGag's outrageous behavior. So, I encourage my readers to watch Ernie the Turtleman, as well as other good programs like the Duggars and their family of 19 and the Swampers in Louisiana making do with harsh surroundings to feed their families. They are what America is truly about. And, enough said on that soapbox.
Well, I think I have shared enough with you for now as my humble "food for thought," and as with everything else you are welcome to take it or leave it. I know these ideas may offend some - a complimentary razzberry blown in the direction of those individuals - but I know it will strike a familiar chord with others. We are, for all intentions, in a cultural war for our very survival, but the voices of decency and humanity are breaking through all the butt-kissing, thanks be to God. But lots of prayers are still needed. And, that being said, I am going to take my leave for now on that point and will see you all again in the near future.
