Rhett: 0:00

Today, on Armchair Authentic, we want to take a moment to honor and thank our veterans, to everyone who has served and sacrificed for this country. We are deeply grateful.

Justin: 0:10

Your courage and dedication have protected the freedoms we often take for granted. It's because of your service that we get to live and thrive in this incredible country, you and your families have given so much much, and we don't take that lightly.

Rhett: 0:26

We remember your commitment, the long days and nights and the risks you took to safeguard our future.

Justin: 0:33

So, on behalf of both of us and the whole Armchair Authentic community, thank you for your service, your resilience and the example you set for all of us, and to each of you.

Rhett: 0:46

May God bless you, and may God bless America. What is going on? Armchair Authentic, friends and family, it is so great to have you back for another episode of the podcast with Rhett and Justin. Today. We're having a lot of fun. We're remembering our veterans and those who have sacrificed everything to give us the freedoms that we have in our beautiful country called the United States of America.

Rhett: 1:26

Now, before we go any further into that conversation, I do want to take a moment and say thank you to every single one of you who are new to the podcast man. Your follows and your comments mean so much to us. In fact, if you haven't already done so, can you do this for us? Could you rate and review the podcast on your favorite podcast streaming platform? It means so much to us, but it really truly is a great way we can serve those who aren't on this journey yet. In fact, if you haven't followed us on social media, could you go ahead and do that for us? Follow us at Instagram or Facebook at Armchair Authentic, or you can find us on X at Armchair Auth Pod. That's Armchair Auth A-U-T-H-P-O-D.

Rhett: 2:11

There's one last thing that I would encourage every single one of you to do, and that is if you're enjoying this podcast. Would you do Justin and I a favor, would you take out your phone right now, copy the link and send this episode to a friend man. That would mean so much to us. Thank you, all right guys. Now on to the conversation between Justin and I. You guys ready? Here we go.

Justin: 2:38

Well, I think it would be only right to start this episode to address really the elephant in the room.

Rhett: 2:44

We're not talking Roll Tide. We're not talking Alabama. This is not a football thing.

Justin: 2:48

But the whole elephant in the room here is at the time of our recording. We don't know the results of the election. We do not as you guys are listening right now. Obviously we all know what happened, or we think we do.

Rhett: 3:03

You're right it might not even be decided by now. Who knows what's going to happen.

Justin: 3:08

Historically for the most part, unless you go back to 2000 with the whole hanging chads when it was Al Gore against.

Rhett: 3:14

George Bush.

Justin: 3:16

George W Bush. Yeah, the recount that took forever. But more than likely we'll know the outcome by the time that you're listening. But more than likely we'll know the outcome by the time that you're listening. We don't know the condition of your minds right now, your hearts, no matter who you voted for. So we get to kind of come across this podcast episode with a little bit of innocence.

Justin: 3:37

But I do want to start it out, rhett, because I think we'll really be celebrating our veterans today and just people, just that mindset of sacrifice, and it really goes in both ways. Because, just to start it out before we move forward, because we understand this is heated in our country, for those who aren't in America listening to this, we just went through our presidential election season and it's a very polarizing deal. It's not like a hey, we're okay with this side and this side's okay, but we love this. It's sometimes it turns into just a bitter hate for one and a crazy love for the other, and so we don't want to just jump right into it without at least addressing something and once again we get to do it with the innocence of having no clue what the outcome is. But I hope that if we were talking live, this is the same thing I would say and that you would say, no matter what. And it's because all of our listening audience you know, I would think, that there's a lot of you who do follow Christ and you have the worldview that we have. We are Christ followers. But we also know there's a good part of our audience who you're not a follower of Christ and we're going to talk from our worldview. We love our country, as we even started in this podcast. We are so thankful to be part of the United States of America. We think it's the greatest country in the world. We love our freedoms. We're so grateful for it. But even above country to us, our worldview is we have one king and it's Jesus Christ, and so we go by these two commandments.

Justin: 5:09

That, whether I like the outcome of something or not, what we were instructed to do by the one we're following is love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and all your strength. And we could get into that if we wanted to. We're not going to, but we could take a whole endless episodes on what that really means if you break down heart, soul, mind and strength, but it's basically saying everything that's in you we love God. That means our soul, our mind, that would make us wake up one day. You're having a bad day, it's no excuse to not love God, with all those things Like we are constantly not nailing it, but we're constantly pursuing Christ in his way and that's what he instructed us. And then the second thing, which is key, especially what we're talking about today, is love your neighbor as yourself, and the reason that's important is what we've just experienced. There is a lot of polarization. I can only imagine as a future, a predictor, as a prophesier over here.

Justin: 6:12

Right, I say that so lightly, but I can imagine there's half who are really, really excited right now and there's half who are really, really frustrated and it might even feel like the end of the world, are really really frustrated and it might even feel like the end of the world. But we know our call is not to have certain people in office and that makes our life complete. We're called to serve others and love our neighbor as ourself and that means, no matter what, no matter what the outcome is, no matter what I get out of it, I have to live my life in a mindset of others. There might be people, if we buy into the rhetoric of society that we should be hating right now and there couldn't be anything further from the truth when we talk about the teachings of Jesus and the way of Christ would say that person who just maybe they're candidate one and you are just so frustrated, maybe you're candidate one and you can feel the other person and how frustrated they are and you kind of want to just revel in it and just rub their face in the dirt, our worldview and our disciplines as followers of Christ. And if you're not, we invite you to join us on this crazy adventure of being a Christ follower.

Justin: 7:24

My goal is not to revel or to gloat or to live in bitterness or toxicity if you're person one. My goal is to look at you as the most invaluable creation. You cannot put a value on your life. You were created by the creator of the universe and if we live in complete disagreement it doesn't matter. My heart and my goal the same heart, soul, mind and strength that I love the Lord with I have to now turn that energy and put that same heart, soul, mind and strength to love my neighbor as myself. And so as we begin and continue, even with this podcast episode, we're coming from that mindset. So that's how we have joy, regardless of our outcome in life. That's how we have love for others and still have a mission to see other people experience the fullness of what we believe. Our Everything stems from the fact of people are invaluable and we treat others with the same love and the same care we would want to take care of ourself and our favorite things in life.

Rhett: 8:32

You know, I really appreciate you taking a moment to open up the podcast that way, because we don't know what's happening. But it's good to get back to the basics. Oftentimes have people ask me why do I love God? And the reason I love God is because of the way he loved me and as I'm experiencing his love in his sacrifice, in his investment through Christ, my life has been transformed. My mind has been transformed, it's been renewed by his word, which is alive, it's living, it's active, it's sharper than a double edged sword. It penetrates to dividing soul and spirit. In other words, it aligns my humanity towards heaven. And when my mind and my heart and my spirit is aligned with heaven through Christ Jesus, my heart is experiencing God's love. And because I'm experiencing God's love, it then gives me the ability to love others Like I've never been able to love people truly until I've experienced love myself. And so when I'm hearing you say, yes, the basics are, we're called to love God and to love people, and I'm thinking for somebody who is not walking in faith or the relationship with God and experiencing that type of love.

Rhett: 9:47

That can seem really impossible, and it really is, in a very divisive, polarized culture. And so the beauty as a Christ follower is we're experiencing a love that ultimately came from a sacrifice. You know we mentioned Veterans Day. You know veterans have served, they've sacrificed everything, they've invested, and I know our veterans are still with us. But there are even those we celebrate on Memorial Day who have given their lives for us to experience freedom. Well, this is why I love God, because he gave his life, his one and only son, jesus, so that we could experience freedom, and that freedom is from the polarization and the divisiveness that happens in the world. And so we're able to disagree and maybe not like an outcome, whatever has happened, but we still have peace because we can love people only because the way God has loved us. And so we might—I think I don't know. Listen, this is definitely not a political podcast at all, by any means, but I think it's important to understand that you can. You can disagree with the decision and still love somebody. Yeah.

Rhett: 10:52

You can disagree with an outcome and still love somebody Right on. And I think we're living in a world and not think I know it's like everybody's saying well, if you don't agree with me, then you don't love me, and that's not the truth. Like I don't always agree with some of the decisions my son makes and he's an amazing kid but it doesn't change my love for him. I mean, I love that kid so much I'd give my life for him, regardless if I disagree with what he thought here or what decision he made. Like it's this unconditional love and so I can love those that I disagree with or I can love those, whether I'm rejoicing or sad, and whoever got elected or didn't get elected, because my hope is not in this world, my hope is not in a politician, my hope is in God and my heaven is truly our home. We're just passing through on this earth and I'm grateful and I'm thankful for the breath I breathe. And I might not agree with whatever the decision was in America or I might've agreed, but it doesn't change the foundation of what God has done in my life and is doing in and through me. And so I think that's the beauty of Christianity in its purest sense is that you're really experiencing a love you can't. You know it was like well, prove it all that. Like I can't prove it, it's just my experience, you know it just is what it is. But like I love that phrase and all the craziness going into this election but on the other end, we're still going to be at peace because we have a peace that transcends all understanding, that guards our hearts and our minds and gives us the ability to do something you and I were never able to do without God and without Christ. It's a miracle, it's an experience, and so our encouragement is to those who are Christ followers, is to remind yourself today, man, your hope is in Christ. And you might be sad, you might be happy, but either way, like, our hope and our peace is in the Lord, not in a system, not in a democracy, not in a politician, not in. They're not the answer, nope, christ is, and the good news is and I'm not trying to be cheesy but Christ is still on the throne, he is still the Lord, he is still King, he is still Savior, he is still in control.

Rhett: 13:11

And I love Proverbs three, five through six trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding, don't lean on the political system, don't lean on whatever you think was right or what was wrong, but in all your ways, in every day that you wake up, submit your way, submit your life, submit your mind, submit your body, submit your spirit to the Lord, and he'll direct your path for the day. In other words, he will take care of you. He'll make sure you're fed, clothed, housed, right, like you're going to be OK. Things might be chaotic, things might be rejoiceful, but either way you're going to be okay. As you put, seek him first in his righteousness and all his ways, and he'll take care of you. And so that's the peace we have, that's the love that we have. And so why do I love God?

Justin: 13:53

I love God because he loved me when I was unlovable and because I'm experiencing that you and I are able to love in a disagreed type of world and he, as you set it up so beautifully, so eloquently, he sacrificed himself for us and, on that smaller scale, that is what we're honoring today, even as a person would lay his life down or her life for another, yeah.

Justin: 14:18

That's when we honor Veterans Day. We want to. We want you to hear that, hey, people remember what you do. I mean for me.

Justin: 14:26

I had the luxury of being just such a young boy where Pawpaw you know he was I mean awesome to me, I mean veteran. You'd see him in his uniform, decked out at certain times, very disciplined. You could just tell how he was Like you didn't mess with Pawpaw, you know I thought he's the toughest guy in the world. He was like you, you. You didn't mess with Pawpaw, you know I thought he's the toughest guy in the world. But every veterans day in the city we live in Birmingham, alabama, we would have the veterans day parade and so, even as you're listening now, there are events going on in your cities across America and it always takes me back because it was fun to go down in those environments where it was a bunch of all these veterans and their family and we would get like a float of the parade where we're able to get on the float and I remember, almost as a kid, just maybe being so full of myself I kind of thought it was like all about us.

Justin: 15:14

I was like, wow, look at, they're celebrating. They're celebrating our family.

Rhett: 15:18

Here we go, and we'd take the float down the street and I never knew that growing up. I didn't know you did that.

Justin: 15:23

I mean.

Scott Lawrence: 15:23

I know we were young kids and I remember your papa, your papa, was very heroic, very.

Rhett: 15:29

You know masculine like you know, broad chest just man's man, you know, very intimidating as a kid, always very kind but just very intimidating. I remember walking into some of the den and the you know where the TV was and some, uh, some of the you know the I think the American flag and different.

Justin: 15:47

Oh, everywhere you know patriotic, the latest technology. But he also had the flag, was shown everywhere.

Rhett: 15:53

It was beautiful.

Justin: 15:54

Yeah, and it was almost like as me and you began hanging out more. You know we have our separate life, but as our life kind of became more together, as you guys adopted me into your family.

Justin: 16:06

I mean, there is no doubt Rhett Barton was the I mean it's not even unofficial year as family, as it gets to all of our family, even when they see it's like, hey, Rhett, just like they would anybody. But I think that I was enjoying our time. So I probably kind of skid away a little bit from being in the parades and missing that because we're doing more of our young boy things. But it's funny how those early years that impacted me, thinking back to those, I mean even as you said, Memorial Day, all these holidays we love, like any type, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day For us it's the fireworks, it's burgers, hot dogs on the grill. Those are some of the greatest memories to this day.

Justin: 16:47

Me and my four boys, my wife, we have my, my dad, my brother over and we have we. We make it an event.

Rhett: 16:53

It's enjoying the, it's remembering the sacrifice and the investment that people have made to give us the freedoms to be able to enjoy our family and to create these type of memories and and and that's what I'm so thankful for. I know you and I were talking about the food that we make and everything You're doing my grilling burgers and everything, and I know this is totally. This is like a rabbit trail. You know, I'm just kind of bouncing here, but but uh, cheddar dogs.

Rhett: 17:17

Listen, guys, if you've never still grilling hot dogs, you're still in elementary school. You better be careful. Like hot dogs ain't got nothing on a cheddar dog. We're talking sausage infused with jalapeno and cheddar cheese. Johnsonville, you are not a sponsor, but you will. I will call your office this week and we'll get you on the podcast, because they should be if you'll send me an order of the johnsonville, you know cheddar dogs.

Rhett: 17:41

You ought to try it like if you're a hot dog person or you're not, like you ought to. Just when you're going through Publix, you're going through Kroger, you're going through Albertsons, you're going through whatever your grocery store is. You know Fred Meyer in the Northwest, go grab you some Johnsonville Cheddar Dogs. Johnsonville will change your life.

Justin: 17:58

Rhett is already creating another polarization here. Did you hear how he set it up?

Rhett: 18:04

Hey, armchair, authentic family. It's Rhett here. You know, justin and I talk a lot about community passion and doing what you love, and that's why we're excited to share one of our absolute favorites Yellowhammer Coffee.

Justin: 18:17

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Rhett: 18:36

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Justin: 18:55

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Rhett: 19:03

So, whether you're ordering online from afar or driving through in Mobile, yellowhammer Coffee's got you covered. Now here's what I want to encourage you to do Go to yellowhammercoffeecom that's yellowhammercoffeecom and get ready to fly high and hammer down with Yellowhammer Coffee.

Justin: 19:23

Yeah, grab your cup and become part of the hashtag YellHamFam. And remember, tell them Rhett and Justin from Armchair Authentic sent you.

Rhett: 19:33

Rhett is already creating another polarization here. Did you hear how he set it up?

Justin: 19:39

Oh man, Either hot dog or cheddar dog you have to have one way I voted for hot dog Rhett. Votes for cheddar dog.

Rhett: 19:45

But it changed your dog. Here's an example I made one for you the other day, you made me one and I ate it.

Justin: 19:50

I thought you know the policies are alright on this hot dog. They're okay, I don't completely think it's all that compared to this, but I could go with that a little bit.

Rhett: 20:01

Well, I love jalapenos. I love cheese cheese I love sausage and it's all wrapped up in one and it's so good and you know what it is it's sausage. It's not a mixed meat of just whatever leftovers put together. Yeah no, I mean that's I mean, do we even want to talk about what's in a hot dog? I don't even think the people that make hot dogs know what's in a hot dog no, we don't want to know what's in the sausage factory.

Justin: 20:21

We like the we like the sausage factory to ship it out, but we don't want to see it get made. I don't want to know. Do not ruin that.

Rhett: 20:28

Somebody told me the other day, talking about meatloaf, we're talking about food for a minute. Here we go Down another rabbit hole.

Justin: 20:32

I love meatloaf. Meatloaf is amazing. One of my favorites. But then they started telling me how it was made.

Rhett: 20:38

Don't tell me, rhett. Do not tell if you know how meatloaf is made.

Scott Lawrence: 20:41

It's just, yeah, it's just mixed meat You're going to go there.

Justin: 20:45

Well, I'll leave you alone. I mean, anyway, it's delicious. Summer will surprise me with a meatloaf certain nights. I love it's childlike. It reminds me of being a kid. There's something about the ketchup you put on the top.

Scott Lawrence: 20:57

Yeah well, dry meatloaf I'm not a fan I like that's kind of like no, I want to give me the ketchup.

Rhett: 21:04

I mean, I want it soused, I like yeah I'm not getting like a burger. Yeah, I'll do a burger on a skillet, but not even make a burger and I'll just do like a sirloin so I'll take that burger meat and I'll put ketchup on it, that's that is just one of my favorite things to do hamburger meat in a skillet. You won't put salt or pepper on it at all. Oh, oh, yeah no.

Justin: 21:22

I'll do that, but I won't put it on a bun. Okay, I'll take it off. Maybe make a couple of them, okay, catch up on the top and then make like some green beans or some corn. Yeah, and I've got me a meal. And it takes me back to my mamaw. Okay, I would always go into a room and there was a TV, so I grew up eating at the table. I would have my tray because I had to watch my lineup of Mr Belvedere. Oh my gosh.

Rhett: 21:47

You bring back so many memories. The.

Justin: 21:48

New Heart Show, oh man Cosby Show. Yeah, a Different World, come on. You had the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Rhett: 21:56

You had certain lineups where those came on on different nights and I would have to sit down and eat my meal just looking up, thinking life is good and you had to sit in front of the TV at that moment because there was no DVR, there was no TiVo, there was no recording things, and watching it later. You had to catch it in the moment. And my friend, if you missed it you missed it.

Justin: 22:16

I mean, what are you going to wait?

Rhett: 22:17

Yeah, how are you going to catch up on that episode?

Scott Lawrence: 22:19

I mean a rerun, three years from now, three years from now.

Rhett: 22:22

The next day. Oh man, did you miss that? Yeah, anyway.

Justin: 22:29

I was watching this meme the other day on social media and it was a scene from. It was, oh my gosh, the school, school of Rock.

Rhett: 22:36

No, no, no, oh Zach and Kelly Saved by the Bell Saved by the.

Justin: 22:40

Bell, yeah, and I'm watching it and it's one of those episodes where they have like a band, oh, you know, it's just kind of cheesy 80s music. It's so lame, but when you're that age it's kind of cool. You know it's like, wow, I'd like to be in that band, and so where did that come? From.

Scott Lawrence: 22:54

Man, I'm a valley man, a valley girl.

Justin: 22:58

And so. But they're doing their thing and I don't know if it's like how people take the meme and put their own background noise, yeah, or if it was really just the sound they were making before they put music and piped it in yeah. But it's them just playing. I think it was more of a spoof and it's got Zach just jamming on that guitar like lead lines, but it's like what it really would have sounded like based on what he was playing.

Scott Lawrence: 23:20

Okay.

Justin: 23:20

And it's got like click, click, click, click I.

Rhett: 23:23

And it's got like click click, click click. I mean, it sounds so awful Horrible.

Justin: 23:28

And then you got like someone singing over here, like trying to sing, and it's just terrible and it just made me laugh because it took me back once again to a kid. I thought that was them really singing, them really playing, and how awesome they must be in that band.

Rhett: 23:43

And these are all the memories that come from Veterans Day for you.

Justin: 23:46

These are. I mean it is amazing. Well, no, remember we rabbit trail.

Rhett: 23:49

I know you rabbit trail me to cheddar dogs. Cheddar dogs, this is the part of your. Let's get out of the rabbit hole then.

Justin: 23:56

Okay, let me bring us back.

Rhett: 23:58

Bring us back to Veterans Day Another great memory of celebrating soldiers.

Justin: 24:06

We took the family a few years ago, probably three years ago, to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington DC. Beautiful, If you've never been and you get a chance, it really is something special. It's a bucket list item. It really should be. It should be Because we got there. We did the long walk to get there. You didn't ride the tram, no, it was kind of cheap. It's like family, we can walk.

Rhett: 24:27

Y'all young, come on. Yeah, you just took the subway, you got off the subway, you walked to the thing and you're like there's a tram that'll take you up the hill, and you're like nah we'll walk.

Justin: 24:33

No, we don't save $20.

Scott Lawrence: 24:34

We did the same thing. We're like walker. Yeah, I know.

Rhett: 24:47

Anything times six is a lot. So I was like, do y'all want to take the tram, or?

Justin: 24:49

do you want to eat tonight? Oh man, yeah for sure. So we ended up walking, beautiful walk, you're seeing all the stuff and we get there. So I'm teaching my boys and I'm a little nervous because I'm channeling my knowledge that I have as a kid, like I had respect, like I knew to come into environments, whether it's a cemetery, whatever it is. I knew how to handle myself because I learned that from my pawpaw. Right, and you do not show any disrespect, you're quiet.

Justin: 25:13

Well, I'm probably not done the best job with my boys because we've not been around those areas, so we can be a rowdy bunch when we walk up in a, in a, in a space. So I had to remind them hey guys, this is sacred ground. So we're, we're walking, we're having a good time, we get to the tomb of the unknown soldier. We find we, we studied where the best place to be which, by the way, for our armchair, authentic listening audience. Let me tell you one of the best spots. Yeah, if you're in the stands and you're looking at the tomb, go to the right, far right corner far right corner.

Rhett: 25:44

You told me that when we had our experience, and I'm glad that you did Cause that is truly the best place that is where the purse, the soldier, walks in.

Justin: 25:50

That's where they exchanged, they have the changing of the guard and it's right there in front of you. That's a great thing in theory. When you have four boys that you're trying to teach the lesson of staying quiet is really risky because we're there at the whole ceremony is going on. I mean I'm like I can feel the tears welling up because it's such a serious moment. The two guards they're about to put a sovereign moment. I mean it's really quiet.

Rhett: 26:14

Every you can hear a whisper or you should be able to. You can hear a whisper and it's just a very serious and moment of you know just um, what's the word respect it is? Yeah, it's just a sacredness, it's a sacred ground, and there's the, the commanding officer.

Justin: 26:30

Basically you have the new soldier who's taking over and he he receives the inspection in front of everybody and you're basically right there watching the inspection. Yeah, so you have guns.

Rhett: 26:42

So for people who have never been. There is a soldier who's guarding the tomb and walking back and forth guarding it day and night day and night 24 7, and then the guard comes out around the right side and that guard is inspecting the new guard that's going to replace the one that's currently out there. So there's actually three people out there there's a one in front of the tomb yes, there the captain, and that captain is meeting with a new guy that's replacing the one who's about to walk. Back and forth.

Justin: 27:04

The most strict guidelines too. Unbelievable, Because it has to be.

Rhett: 27:08

I mean, we should have done the research before this conversation but it's down to the T Bro.

Justin: 27:12

I mean I'm nervous watching it. Like oh my gosh he looks great to me Let him go serve, but it's like I mean they're inspecting everything.

Rhett: 27:20

The highest form of excellence in every aspect of their uniform, their appearance, and you feel it out there.

Justin: 27:27

It makes you recognize the country we're in and you obviously I won't take it deeper yet Us as Christ followers, you can take that into a whole nother level. Spiritually, the disciplines we should have, that's another episode. But in what it takes to serve and protect a country like ours, the excellence, you cannot have any slip up, and it even goes down to the changing of the guard, and the perfection and the excellence you feel the moment there and the hairs on your arm are sticking up. And so we're there in this sacred space. It's quiet. And so we're there in this sacred space. It's quiet, and my youngest Ben I love you, ben he will be turning eight in just a few days and so he'll take them off and put them on his shirt.

Justin: 28:23

And, rhett, those glasses fell, hit the pavement. We're right by the soldier. Oh, man, and the environment we just described to everybody. You hear it like he might as well have dropped a bowling ball, yeah, and the soldier stops his inspection and glances kind of to the right with his sunglasses. You can't see him and I'm seriously praying and I'm telling our boys do not move, do not move, please Do not move, just stay quiet. I'm whispering under my breath. He's looking at us.

Rhett: 28:52

Do not move. Soldier stared you down. He totally stopped what he was doing.

Justin: 28:57

He's kind of got this side angle, like through the side of his eye. He's staying focused on the soldier but he's just glancing and I can't tell through his sunglasses. Okay, but I think Ben went to go grab him and I'm like do not move, do not move. And so Ben, he's staying at attention. I think the soldier looked at us and realized they're trying to be respectful. He went on with the inspection and we have all this on film, which is funny. And as he's doing the inspection, he's kind of completing it and he hit one end of the moment and, in front of everybody, he looks back and he says you may pick up your glasses.

Scott Lawrence: 29:35

Ben goes down and picks his glasses up and he's like, and then he backs, back he backs up.

Rhett: 29:40

So we're thinking like oh, this felt because there's a barrier there, so like a rope of sorts, yeah, and he walked past the rope to get the sunglasses. He was given permission because he was about to go do it and I grabbed him like do not move, oh man and, okay, they leave.

Justin: 29:54

Beautiful exchange. We're sitting there like guys. Brad charles, of course we just made that. I mean, I felt like one of the Griswolds. We just came and caused a scene, destroyed the tomb, destroyed the sacredness of the tomb and the unknown soldier. That was it. That's what it felt like.

Rhett: 30:16

Have you seen that T-Mobile commercial? I know?

Justin: 30:19

It reminds me of me and you Every time I see those guys. Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh, what guys are great. It reminds me of me and you every time I see those guys. Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh, what a beautiful day.

Rhett: 30:28

And for everybody listening. They're like Rhett, can you please keep this thing together and let Justin finish the story. No, I'll go down, but he knows I'll go down the rabbit hole. This is just our conversations, and so a guy.

Justin: 30:39

After they leave, everybody's back to honoring the tomb and just kind of enjoying the atmosphere. A soldier comes back to us and he walks up to me. He says sir, can you please come with me this?

Rhett: 30:49

is the moment we die.

Justin: 30:50

I was like this is where they execute you this is where we disappear from society.

Rhett: 30:53

I did, and now we enter.

Justin: 30:55

I was like this was treason evidently and they're taking all six of us we're walking like, oh no, this can't be good. I'm like you know, we just got to go with it. Yeah, they take us into this side door. Where you walk down these stairs and you're underneath, it's like it's like the bowels of this tomb area. I saw that entrance. Yeah, oh man, you go down in there and what it is? It's it's the soldiers who are on guard later, some of them who are kind of hanging out. They have different things they have to accomplish. So it's the soldier's green room, slash locker room. That's a great way to look at it. It is like their locker room. And so we come in there and they just began to talk to us and they began showing us the guns.

Rhett: 31:36

Oh, that's so cool. The knives.

Scott Lawrence: 31:37

We're thinking like what's going on?

Justin: 31:39

They're being so good to us. We're like is this before they kill us? Like I didn't know. They started taking pictures with us and a guy came in and told us the history of it. I don't know if that's a normal deal or not that people get. I didn't get it. But, bro, I just thought to myself what's going on? We got great pictures of them and as we're walking back we go see Kennedy's like eternal flame. But what hit me is they were putting their best foot forward because they made an impression on my four boys. I think there's a part of it that was almost a recruiting.

Scott Lawrence: 32:10

Yeah, that one memory might make them at some point say, wow, the honor of that.

Justin: 32:17

So I didn't want to undo what it could have been. But in my mind I'm like, is this a recruiting tool?

Rhett: 32:20

You know, it was special. I know I'm, I should know this and I think I'm right when I say this, but it's like one of the highest honors. It is, from what I'm told, to be able to be one of the guards at the tomb of the unknown soldier.

Justin: 32:34

It is, it's one of the highest, most you, you know, sought after positions to be able to guard a tomb of what that soldier represents for the freedom of the experience and the sacrifice that was made.

Rhett: 32:49

And so when you actually have that understanding and you're there, I remember our experience. I didn't get that whole back locker room, I was kind of hoping I was like. Hey, you know me, I'm kind of lingering around. I mean my son's, you know, he's I don't know what, he's 14, 15 or whatever. Well, there's a restroom right beside that door. So I'm like let's go to the restroom here and see if we can just kind of hang out for a moment.

Rhett: 33:09

My wife's, like you know, let's just keep moving I'm like no, I like Max, Come here, you're young and sweet and cute and whatever you know, we'll see if they'll. They'll create a father son moment for us, and it didn't happen. But I just seriously, though, on that right side, like if you're facing the tomb, you want to be on that right side on that first step, man, I mean that's where it's at, because you're right there engaging, and I'm dude, literally my mind it was so quiet, it was so reverence in watching that in my mind, was just so thankful for the freedoms in the person, the man or the woman in that tomb, and the people have given their lives and the people who are currently serving us and the people who you know have served us. And I'm just so grateful because here I am with my family and enjoying this beautiful moment, and they play taps oh yeah, they play taps.

Rhett: 33:59

And if you don't miss you, oh man. And when they started playing taps and all of a sudden an Eagle literally not making this up, a bald Eagle flies over. They're playing taps. I have literally a grown man. Streams of tears going down my cheek and just gratitude.

Rhett: 34:18

I know we're a couple of weeks from Thanksgiving and just so thankful, and so, you know, I would just say this, man, I know we're a couple of weeks from Thanksgiving and just so thankful, and so, you know, I would just say this, man, I mean, we have so much to be thankful for, so much, regardless of who was or who wasn't elected. If you just look around, we have so much to be thankful for and, uh, and I'm grateful, man. And so that was one of those things for me. Just talking through this, it just reminded me of how grateful I am for just for everything, man.

Rhett: 34:46

If you sit back just for a minute and you slow down enough, you can find a lot of things to be thankful for.

Justin: 34:53

Absolutely, and we live in a country that allows us to have our own opinion and we get to cast that opinion on a ballot and we get to see what happens and if you have the right perspective and what I would submit is the right way, you get to look at the end of it and say it doesn't matter who the next president is. King Jesus is forever on the throne. Coming up on the next episode of Armchair Authentic, we have a conversation with Scott Lawrence, church planter and pastor of Keys Church in Kissimmee, florida.

Scott Lawrence: 35:32

It's okay to have bad days. And I think leaders and pastors and just Christians, fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, hear us. It's okay to have a bad day.

Rhett: 35:42

Absolutely.

Scott Lawrence: 35:43

It's okay to feel down in the dump. Now don't let a bad day become a bad season. Surround yourself with life-giving people. Be in the Word, remind yourself of what's true. But, man, again, pastor Rhett is one of my overseers, he knows this. I've called him on bad days. We've had conversations. We've had real difficult conversations about what does, what does the future look like if things don't change? What if? Because all of those things have to be real conversations. You know, and praise God, we're in a situation where this past July I was able to go full-time with the church and I don't think I would have ever envisioned that a year ago. You know, I just I would have wanted to have the faith for it but, honestly, like I wouldn't even allow myself to have the faith for it because I would have just felt like I was going to be disappointed.

Justin: 36:31

We're really looking forward to that conversation with Scott Lawrence. Hey guys, if you enjoyed this episode, would you do me a favor. Would you pull out your phone, copy the link and send it to a friend? We would really appreciate that. Thank you Well, until next time. We hope you have a great week. We'll see you soon.