Thoughts From A Lawnmower

In this Episode, I continue my discussion about the mis-applied title of "Christian Nationalism" in a conversation with my dear friend Patrick Ridenour. Of particular focus is the comments made by Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger, and my personal reaction to those comments.

Hi and welcome to yet another exciting episode! In this episode, with my special guest Pastor Jeff Spangler, the misleading term "Christian Nationalism," and how that term is both an inaccurate descriptive as well as paints a false picture of patriotic believers. Dr. Spangler's backgrounds in the military, as a chaplain, as a scholar, and as a pastor are qualify him to make qualified commentary on this subject. I hope you will enjoy this lively and interesting discussion between he and I.

Hello everyone! In this Episode: My take on the SCOTUS ruling on Dobbs, what the ruling ACTUALLY means, ignorance of both history and law, misplaced blame, and of course, the facts don't give a flying flip about your feelings.

Welcome to Episode 40! In today's episode, I discuss the event of the "Missionaries to Ukraine" giving praise on an airplane in front of a "captive audience" of passengers. I am of two minds on this; I discuss the reactions of those who were NOT on the plane and whether they're right in criticizing or praising the missionaries for their spontaneous act of worship. Context is everything, and I explore the context of the story.

Here's a TFALM quickie! Guilt by association? My comments relating to the report that Alec Baldwin has deleted his Twitter account after it is reported that his name is in the Late (financier/sexual predator) Jefferey Epstein's "Little Black Book." But, just because his name appears in that book, does that mean he is guilty of complicity in Epstein's crimes? Despite Baldwin's character flaws and recent incident, does that automatically mean that he was a participant in the crimes of Epstein? And does that mean that any of the others on that list are also complicit? Or do we, as the public, want certain parties to be guilty simply because we don't like them? We know that bad company corrupts good character, but does that mean that we always know when some of our associations are doing evil things?

Welcome to the first episode of the New Year! In this episode, I bring you a 30 plus year old story to make an illustration of how today's authoritarians, woke celebrities, and the parrots who follow them (and echo their talking points) will deflect the truth that's right in front of them in order to accomplish their agendas.

Do you remember where you were? I do. On the eve of the 20th Anniversary of the terror attacks on the United States Homeland, I reflect on where I was. Never forget.

Welcome to Episode 31! I am going to keep it a little shorter this time! Changing themes to less somber subjects to talk some guitar! I am tackling some common questions asked  by beginner and intermediate guitar players.

Welcome to another episode of TFALM. It's MONOLOGUE TIME! In this episode, I try to tackle the nonsensical idea of an "Exvangelical."

Welcome to another monologue episode of TFALM! This episode's discussion is about the public reaction to recent news involving the band Megadeth, and how we probably should learn to mind our own business.

Episode 29 - I am not sure which is worse: being "judgmental" or playing the "Pharisee Card." In this episode (Part one of a series), I want to examine this phenomena of Christians using this "card" to attack or to silence other believers.

Hi! After a short absence, I want to welcome all of you for another ride on the Lawn Mower! In this episode, I talk about how the Church gets the blame for everything...even when it has nothing to do with us. I called this "The Pharisee Card (Part 2...sort of) because I am only going to be orbiting that subject with this particular rant...lol! Anyway, opinions will be given, and I am sure that there will be plenty to disagree with...but Hey! That's what's so fun about doing a podcast!

Hey, Y'all! I decided to do a "drive by" pass on the lawnmower this time! In today's monologue, I am discussing the issue of oppression by redefining the language of the culture, and how it is being weaponized against people of Faith, conscience, and moral virtue. Just some off-the-cuff random thoughts.

Welcome to Episode 25! Sorry for the hiatus, but it's the beginning of Spring, and I wanted to start off fresh! Today's episode will be a monologue commentary on an issue that I feel I should question in the Christian Community: Should we shame other Christians that make value judgments? Should we avoid certain associations? And should we be responsible for the kinds of company we keep?

Welcome to yet another episode of TFALM! In this episode, I have a lengthy discussion with my brother Jim about his passion, Law Enforcement. We talk about how he decided that LE was his thing, his experiences as an LEO, and some of the political and social issues surrounding Law Enforcement.

Welcome to a New Year (2021, in case you live under a rock and aren't aware of that) and a new episode! Today's Episode will be a monologue, reflecting on the passing of 3 men of influence on my life. Plus, I am trying a more compact format. Enjoy.

Welcome to Episode 22 of Thoughts From A Lawnmower! For this episode, I get the very special honor of chatting with my long time friend, musician, and Christian Radio station manager Dan Debruler. We have a great time discussing music, how we live out our faith within the greater culture, and reconciling music as entertainment versus strictly for worship. Dan and I chat about how we connected, what influenced him as a musician, how he hears the cry of others in their music, how helping others in the midst of his own sufferings has led to his own healing. Dan's a man of immense talent and insight, as well as being a humble spirit. Full of humor and practical wisdom, Dan has a gentle way about him that is sure to draw anyone listening to him, and I had a blast chatting with him! Enjoy!

Welcome to Episode 21 of TFALM! I am pleased to announce that my Special Guest is my good friend Luke Easter! A musician, vocalist, songwriter, formerly of the Christian band Tourniquet now turned solo artist. His album, the Pop Disaster, is a great showcase for his musical and vocal versatility. Luke is also an insightful (and delightful) conversationalist. In this episode, Luke and I discuss artistic liberty within the realm of being Christians in music; we also discuss the ideas of Christians being involved in politics. This episode is shorter than my usual fare, but Luke and I pack a lot into a shorter amount of time. This is Luke's first ride on the Lawnmower, with the hopes of more in the future!

Welcome to TFALM Episode 20: In this very late night monologue, I will be paying tribute to the Maestro himself, one Edward Van Halen. I will be talking about his impact on me as a fan and as a musician. Then I will be discussing about EVH in light of myself as a Christian.

Welcome to PART II of my discussion with my brother, Jim.

Welcome to Episode 16! (PART I) This episode, I take a bit of a detour from my usual serious fare. Since I am a musician, I wanted to have a less serious, more lighthearted discussion about my favorite music, 80's Metal! And I couldn't think of a better candidate for said discussion than the man who shared my experience with that style, my brother Jim. I made a list of my Top 20 Metal Albums, and we rated them according to a few arbitrary categories, just for fun! I am sure I missed some of your favorites, but this podcast is 3 hours long! We were just having fun discussing one of our favorite subjects, and I am sure there's MUCH to disagree with us on! But enjoy the conversation as we banter back and forth!

Welcome to TFALM Episode 19! This episode is going to be slightly out of my normal presentation. I am presenting to you a monologue  episode of VERY late night/early morning ramblings, giving some Random Thoughts on a couple of subjects that I feel passionate about at the moment. I address the stupid things that some Christians do in the Name of Christ that make us look bad in the eyes of the world; I talk about Jerry Falwell's "Picturegate" scandal and how I think it's a non-issue; and I get a little worked up over the fact that it takes a non-believer to call out a societal sin that we Christians won't get angry about. It was late and I was sleepy...but I had to get these thoughts out. I am more serious on this episode, and I am sure some of you will not agree with some of what I have to say...but I hope that my late night ramblings will make you think.

Welcome to TFALM Episode 18: The Q&A Episode, featuring guest MC, Mark Bussell Jr., and old friend that has been our band IT guy, Website Designer and Manager, Photographer, Roadie, my Guitar Tech, and fan. He now does work in a retail music establishment, and has also become my instrument repair guy. With his assistance, I field the questions that I requested of my listening audience in Episode 17. There were so many responses that we only were able to make it through barely a quarter of the questions! There WILL be a Part II Q&A Episode in the works soon, so if we didn't get to your question, hopefully I will get to it then. Anyway, please enjoy the discussion that Mark and I have as he reads the Q and I give the A!

Howdy Folks! This is a Short Episode...Actually, it's not REALLY an Episode; more like an announcement and a request! I am soliciting questions from my audience (and friends on Social Media) for an upcoming TFALM episode about MY favorite subject: GUITAR! Listen for details! Help me develop this episode! Thanks in advance!

After a short hiatus, I have returned with a monologue! No guests today! It's just me in the raw! In this episode, I will be discussing late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, and his disingenuous apology, his hypocrisy, and whether or not he should be fired. I also delve into the Bubba Wallace non-controversy, the perpetuation of myths, Manufactured Emotion, and Public Enabling. I also throw props toward some other fellow podcasters for you to listen to. As usual, I am longwinded, but I keep it real! Enjoy!

Welcome to Episode 14, where we rev up things with my friend, Pastor Mark Medley! In this episode, we stay a little more focused on themes of Faith, how the Church in America should respond to government overreach, the struggle to understand God's will amid suffering and His allowing pain, selective outrage in the Church; as well as what gets Pastor Mark's goat, yet his desire to love people despite those things. We talk a little politics, and our responsibility as followers of Christ to reconcile our dual citizenship with our earthly nation and the Heavenly Kingdom. Production Note: we had some technical difficulties with our online video that we had to use the phone for audio. So there are drops in the volume, and some places where the dialogue gets somewhat obscured. Forgive the audio issues.

Welcome to Episode 13 of TFALM! Today my conversation is with another pastor friend of mine, Anglican Pastor Bob Hackendorf, or as I like to call him, Pastor Bob. Politics, Social Issues, dealing with the fact that our children are now adults, the Christian response to current and future authority issues, and other topics that are bound to cause a little stir in both our camps! Like all of my guests who are pastors, Pastor Bob is brilliant and well-spoken. I learn something every time I get to chat with him. We had a very lively conversation that I personally enjoyed, and I hope that you will too!

Welcome to Episode 12 of TFALM! Today, I enjoy a great conversation with my old buddy, Jim Bishop. Jim is a retired Army soldier, former bass player for the band KOR, and has done some managing of bands. We just kind of chill and talk about music, being a Christian while playing music, talking about when we first met, coming to grips with other people's opinions regarding our personal choices, and other issues dealing with life and faith. We had a major sound issue prior to recording this episode, and sine I like to keep things real, we just go with the flow. So, we had to restart our conversation! We had some laughs, had some serious moments, and even a necessary interruption. But the conversation just flowed, and we had a lot of fun. Tune in to hear what Jim has to say about all these issues and more! He's a wealth of information and experience. Enjoy!

Welcome to yet another exciting episode as I welcome my old friend, John Helton (a.k.a. "The Blind Fury")! John is the former drummer of a band called "Wisdom's Call," who now wears many hats (which is a good thing, since he has no hair...), including "author," "podcaster ('Marital Monkeys' podcast)," "touring speaker," as well as "Husband," "Father," "Life Coach,".....and, well, many more! Join me as we discuss his book, "Stop Your Whining," and the tragic (turned blessed) circumstances that led to him writing it. John is passionate about his work, his wife, and his faith. Amidst the cracking of insults between us are some serious issues and subjects that we churn around. This conversation is about as raw as it gets, with no editing...I even have to leave to go help a neighbor in need while John waxes eloquent! We had a great time chatting. I am sure you will learn a lot about this man, and why he tells us to "Stop Your Whining!"

Again, hosted by Dan Debruler, this is the discussion between myself, Dan, Steve Pettit, Jim Bishop, and Roger Mort, Part 2. We talk a lot about music, and a bunch of other random stuff, but it's just so much fun!

In this episode, a reunion, of sorts, with my friend Dan DeBruler, as he invites myself and 3 others from our respective music pasts to have a conversation. We are joined by Steve Pettit, Jim Bishop, and Roger Mort. The conversation went almost 4 hours long, so this episode will be part 1; Episode 10 of TFALM will be Part 2. We joke, we laugh, we tease each other, we tell some war stories, and we have a few serious moments (but moments only!). A good time was had by all. Dan was the official host and facilitator as we conference on Zoom. Dan will be sharing parts of this same conference call on his podcast, but I am posting the entire conversation! Get your popcorn, and relax wherever you may be quarantined at, and enjoy some fun between old friends!

In Episode 08, I have the privilege to chat with my good friend Dr. Wiley Hughes, Senior Pastor of Destiny Now Ministries of Hope Mills, NC.  In this episode, we discuss some shared experiences growing up in our respective families, talk a little about music, how God engineers circumstances to place us where we need to be, how we became friends, and some personal background. We also bob and weave into subjects like worship, the importance of making connections over creating conflict, and the marriage of integrity with fact. Plus, we just enjoy having a couple of laughs with each other. I had a great time talking with this man; I am sure you will enjoy listening to him!

Welcome to Episode 07 of TFALM! Today is a monologue...no guests. I decided to tackle a couple of issues that are on my mind and heart. This is a little more serious than some of my other episodes. I address the non-controversy involving the Christian Rock band, Stryper, in what I have dubbed "Cigargate;" I delve into the Leftist Cannibalism of their own, MSNBC's Chris Matthews; and I read an article by Dr. Carol Swain, former political science and law professor at Vanderbilt University, to debunk the myth of "White Privilege."

Welcome to Episode 06 of TFALM! In this episode, I welcome my friend, Pastor Jeff Spangler, Pastor of the Fayetteville Church of the Nazarene! He and I discuss an article that he wrote defending the Chaplaincy (he's a retired Army Lt. Col); we talk about music, both in the church and as entertainment; we reflect upon our past histories as musicians; we discuss some of the mistakes people, both inside and outside the Faith, make with regard to engaging the culture at large. Great discussion with a great guy! Enjoy!

Episode 05 TFALM: In this episode, I welcome Nate Penuel and Adam Strickland of the musical duo "Garcons Canons." Don't worry if you cannot pronounce it, because I couldn't either! But don't fret! Nate will tell us how it's pronounced and what the name means! We chat about our shared passion for music, even if we have divergent tastes; and that leads to an interesting discussion and insight into these young musicians' creative process. I certainly had a great time listening to these young men's vision! It's a lengthy discussion, but very interesting! Enjoy!

Welcome to Episode 04 where I bring to you my conversation with Singer/Songwriter Chris Delawder! Today's topics will deal with Chris's early years and inspirations, the pull of music on his life, trying to balance a healthy spiritual perspective while playing music in non-church locations, and trying to examine the current music scene.

Today's Episode features Mike Bost as my Special Guest Host! We had a great conversation (as we always do) about several different things, and rabbit trails abound as we touch on various subjects such as: Music, Political Correctness, Issues of the Church's responses toward culture, and some assorted useless information (because, well, it's fun). We also delve into marital communication and how easily our own perceptions can twist what we hear. A great conversation with a genuinely great person, my friend, Mike Bost!

Welcome to my second official episode of Thoughts From A Lawnmower, as I have a conversation with my Special Guest, Ray Lawson II! In this episode, Ray and I will be discussing his passion for Scale Model Building, reflecting on how we met, some Star Trek and Star Wars, and Ray's attention to detail in his work. Just two old friends chewing the fat together. We touch on the loss of our fathers, getting older, the connection between our respective artistic endeavors, and just enjoying each other's company.

Hi, this is Will, and I am going to be giving you my opinions on music, faith, culture, politics, and other assorted silliness! It's all about conversations with people that have impacted my life, or have impacted their communities, and introducing them to the world! Sometimes it will be just me, sometimes it will be a long conversation with a friend or colleague. But this all about what I think and like!  In my debut I tlak about the passing of Rush drummer/lyricist Neil Peart, Lobby day in Richmond Virginia and the Pro 2A march, some quotes, my pet peeve of the episode, and stuff about myself. It is rough and raw and real. There's mistakes and I left them in! It's all about getting to know someone!