Welcome to my first review. For a long time I have wanted to share reviews of things that I enjoy. If you are like me, you have trouble finding media, books, music and products that are in line with the way you want to live. This world is really good at churning out junk that trips people up and one of the best ways that I know to avoid that is to fill your life with things that are good. I don’t know if I will keep doing these, but I figured that I would try a few to see if people enjoy them. Let me know your thoughts.

8 Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

– Philippians 4:8b

I listen to a bunch of podcasts, mostly Sermons, but also a few about news and political topics. I can’t remember what turned me on to Unashamed with Phil Robertson, but it has quickly become one of my favorite things to listen to.

The podcast features three members of the Robertson Family of Duck Dynasty fame. Each episode is a discussion centering around Phil Robertson, former college football star, current Pastor, technical luddite, founder of Duck Commander, and the patriarch of the family. The shows are hosted by Al Robertson who is the oldest son of Phil, also an ordained Pastor and the least hairy of the bunch. Jase Robertson is the third member of the show, the second oldest, an avid golfer, financial trader, event speaker and is, also a Pastor. I am probably doing a poor job of picking out the key roles and activities that each man participates in because they each have so many interests and speak about them often. Besides the three consistant participants, other members of the family will stop by from time to time as well.

I say the episodes are centered around Phil, but Jase drives the conversation quite a bit and Al sort of reigns them in and keeps them on track. Each episode has at least one discussion about some recent occurrence in one or all of their lives and then a fairly in depth discussion about some part of the Bible – right now they are working their way through the book of John. I’m trying to pick a favorite anecdote to use to explain the flavor of the show, but there are just so many. One that I really enjoyed was when Willie (the third son and CEO of Duck Commander) came on to celebrate Jase’s 50th birthday. Jase’s gift, the stories about their childhood hijinks and imitations of their father’s idiosyncrasies were hilarious.

Obviously, the Bible discussion is great and their individual perspectives are wonderful with the deep insight of men who have followed the Lord for a long time, but down-to-earth and straight-forward enough to be understandable by someone new to the faith. The “Bible-Talk” is tempered with really engaging and funny stories which typically center around one of the guys’ recent experiences hunting, fishing, speaking, preaching or being bitten by something like a snake, unknown bug or earwig. It’s basically Duck Dynasty with a Bible Study in place of the evening meal segment.

I have two issues with the podcast, though. First, there are not enough of them! Each episode is only about forty-five minutes and it’s so enjoyable that the time listening just goes by so fast. Luckily, they have just started releasing a third episode each week so I can get my fix more often. Second, I have found that I have begun to talk a little like Jase and that is “disturbing” (if you know the family’s speaking cadence, you will have said that word properly in your head).

Altogether, in a world that is filled with absolute junk and that has way too few positive media options, this one is “awesome” (see comment about speaking like Jase). I don’t hunt, or fish or live off the land like these guys do, but there is a connection between us that is way more important – They have admitted failings, experienced trouble in their lives and have skeletons in their closets, but live humble lives in service to the Lord and are great examples for someone like me who is trying to do the same. “Awesome”