First blog of 2017

Check out this blog "The condensed version of "ME"" http://ontheporchwitholhillbilly.blogspot.com/

Looking ahead to 2017

As I sit thinking about all of the wonderful blessings and challenges I have faced in 2016 and I praise GOD for his guiding hand in all things. I have many challenges ahead in 2017 and look forward to a new year with so many opportunities.  I love yall, MERRY CHRISTMAS and many, many happy returns in 2017.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life....

This time if year we all get into this infectious gift giving mode lead on by a cultural media that has totally given up on the true meaning of the holiday.

Then the question arises, what is the reason for the season? Is Jolly Old Saint Nicholas? Is it elves on our shelves? Perhaps it's just giving? I submit to you that we need a return to priority! I submit that first and foremost the reason for the season is a life or death situation!

JESUS is the real reason for the season! We celebrate his birth, his coming into this world to be a sacrifice for all of us before we were even born! So I submit to you in true celebration of the season first make sure you know JESUS as your savior that is the greatest gift given to us and the real reason for the season!! I love y'all and want to make sure everyone knows they have the greatest gift waiting on them in knowing they will spend eternity with him through a surrendering and submission to JESUS! I ask this of everyone reading this make today CHRISTMAS and repent of your sinful life and start today right now living for the greatest gift we can ever have, JESUS.

Simple, and good "Leather britches" we need more recipes like this

I was raised in Appalachia. I have been getting back to the basics of my raising for at least a year. I have had a real back to basics return to all things Appalachian! I have never felt more myself in all my life.

One thing i have planned to do as a part of my gardening activities is "leather britches". This is an old timey way to preserve green beans to use any time of the year. It is fairly easy to do and I can tell you that you will never eat another green bean recipe again. All you do is take cooking string or twine and a large sewing needle and string the whole green beans together and then hang them in a cool dry place to dry out. When your ready take the beans ham hock and onions and cook them together for an awesome Appalachian dish!

Today was a great day

Just a quick Praise to GOD for a great day! We got some much needed rest and down time, then topped it off with a wonderful dinner of pecan smoked burgers and all the trimmings! Be grateful for all things! We are do blessed!

Our technology has surpassed our humanity

I find myself recently just in awe of old timey pictures, I have always been enthralled with black and whites but the photos I have been blessed to come across from friends and family members, and of course good Ol Pinterest have ignited a new passion for simplicity in my life.

I was blessed to have some great literature teachers in school who introduced me to life changing books like Walden, and I was blessed to be born and raised in Appalachia. My love for GOD, family and country has been instilled in me since I could walk. I have gotten back to my roots in the past few years and am so proud to feel that I am a simple GOD fearing American hillbilly who loves his cultural diversity and wants desperately to use it to spread love and a simple GODLY lifestyle to the world.

Now you may be saying why do you feel our technology is surpassing our humanity? Quite simply: how many of the generations we are raising and educating know where we came from not only as a country but as CHRISTIANS? If I were to assemble 20 youngins from the age of 10 to 18 how many of them could correctly answer historical questions about their families? How many could correctly answer historical questions about our country? How many, more importantly, could correctly answer questions about our religious history? But, how many of them could correctly answer historical questions about Facebook, or iPhones, or PlayStation games?

We as the passing generation do not need to stand by and just pass our children and grandchildren on to a new technology that will ultimately dehumanize if not used for the right reason!

All this being said I don't want anyone to think that I hate technology. I use all of the resources available to me to work, play, study and learn everyday. I do however believe like all things we shouldn't use it in a way that it becomes our focus, our GOD. We need to always use the resources we have been given to glorify God and not replace him.

Tell me again what your plans are!!

As I laid in bed mulling over all the days happening's GOD laid something on my heart....... I had been replaying scenes in my head like a movie editor and as I was doing this I kept thinking "well that didn't go as I planned", over and over several times it went through my head, then just as I was settling for all the days events, GOD said it wasn't as you planned it was as I planned!!

I was humbled and started again going over all the days events but this time when I accepted the fact that I am GOD'S servant and all that happens is his will and not mine I started seeing things for what they were, BLESSINGS!

LORD, I pray that every breath I take I realize it's your will and your plans for my life, I want to show the world with all I do and say that no matter where people are in life it's GOD'S will and plans for their life he is blessing us with everything that happens. So next time you catch yourself telling GOD what the plan is or saying that wasn't in my plans stop for a moment and remember these are GOD'S plans not ours!