In this episode of A Few Moments with God, I explore the life of St. Paul of the Cross, a mystic who believed that the Passion of Christ was the surest path to God. I discuss how his life of prayer and profound faith led him to found the Passionists, a religious order dedicated to sharing this very message with the world. Join me as we discover how St. Paul of the Cross can inspire us to find deeper meaning in our own lives through the Cross.
All posts by Swagnilla Ice
Levelling Up My Hobbies (and My Content!)
Hi everyone,
I’m getting ready for the weekend and thinking about something that’s a big part of my life: my hobbies. From reading a good book to making art, these are the things that recharge me and spark a lot of the creativity you see in my content.
You might know that a lot of my time goes into Creative Engineering and A Few Moments with God. But what you might not see as often are the moments in between—the ones where I’m just enjoying a passion project. For me, these are things like getting lost in a good book, writing new ideas down, or getting my hands dirty with some pottery. I’ve also been getting back into playing some old favourites, like modded Minecraft and Factorio on my PC, and even dusting off some classic Wii or GameCube games using the Dolphin Emulator for the latter. These aren’t just ways to pass the time; they’re ways for me to learn and experiment. Reading, for example, has taught me a lot about storytelling, which has been super helpful for my own video series. Gaming has helped me see things from new perspectives and has trained my eye to notice small details that can make a big difference.
I often think about how cool it would be to share more of these things with you. Imagine a series of posts about the new pots I’m making or a deep dive into the latest mods I’m playing with. Right now, it’s a challenge to find the time and resources to do that justice. That’s where you come in.
Your support through Swagnilla Ice helps me turn these small passion projects into something more. It helps me invest in things like art supplies or new equipment. More importantly, it gives me the freedom to dedicate more of my time to these creative outlets. By becoming a member, you’re not just supporting a blog; you’re helping me grow as a creator and bring even better content to you.
So, if you enjoy what I do and you’re excited about the idea of seeing more, please consider joining one of our membership tiers. Even the Peasant membership is a great way to show your support, or if you want full access, the Squire tier is a fantastic option. The more paid members we have, the more time I can dedicate to hosting events on the Discord server. For example, once we hit five paid members, I’ll host a bi-weekly voice chat, with each session focusing on a different topic. At ten paid members, I’ll start a weekly live stream on Discord. And if we can hit fifty paid members, I’ll host a monthly community gaming night with games like Jackbox and Golf with Your Friends. I’m certain that I can also continue to find ways to provide even more content for higher numbers, so please consider becoming a Squire or higher today!
Thank you for being here and for helping me make all of this possible.
Talk soon,
Nathan Pinno (aka Swagnilla Ice)
Creative Engineering E36: This Machine Turns Logs into Diamonds (in this Modpack!)
In this installment of my Creative Engineering series, discover a cool trick using the Create mod in my modpack: a machine that turns logs into diamonds! I’ll walk you through the entire process, and at the end of the video, I’ll share some special rewards that supporting members of Swagnilla Ice will unlock once we reach a certain number!
My long-term goals are…
My long-term goals are simple and personal. First, I want Swagnilla Ice memberships to cover my monthly bills. This would give me the freedom to focus fully on creating content for you.
Second, I’m saving up C$5,000 to purchase a lifetime Paid Memberships Pro Plus membership. This upgrade will allow me to give you a better experience on the blog.
Finally, and most importantly, I hope to one day launch my charitable organization, Project Green Light. My goal is to help others break free from the chains of addiction, just as I have.
Episode 61: St. John Chrysostom
This episode explores the life of St. John Chrysostom, an influential fourth-century preacher and writer who rose to prominence but was exiled twice for his strong convictions and opposition to corruption. Despite facing immense trials and conflict, his dedication to the poor and his courageous stance against abuse of power earned him a lasting legacy in the church. Ultimately, his life serves as a powerful reminder to find glory in all things, even in the midst of suffering.
Welcome to the New Swagnilla Ice!
Hark, loyal subjects of Swagnilla Ice!
I come before you today with a royal decree! While I shall continue to create my tales of adventure on YouTube, both through my gaming series and the A Few Moments with God podcast, I have decided to return to the hallowed halls of the blog. This will be a place for me to share my thoughts, plans, and even a few sneak peeks of what I’m working on.
In a show of my gratitude for your continued support, I have also decided to restructure the kingdom of Swagnilla Ice. Our new membership tiers will now reflect the journey of a true hero. Starting from humble beginnings and growing to a position of great power.
- The Peasant tier is for all who wish to follow my journey. It is free and gives you basic access to all the goings on in my kingdom.
- The Squire tier is a small pledge of $1 per month. For this, you get full access to the kingdom and a sign in my Minecraft worlds.
- The Knight tier is a more substantial pledge of $5 a month, which also grants you full access and a sign in my Minecraft worlds.
- The Lord/Lady tier is for those who are ready to take on a leadership role for a pledge of $25 a month. You will have full access and a sign in my Minecraft worlds.
- The Duke/Duchess tier is for my greatest benefactors, a pledge of $150 a month. In addition to full access and a sign in my Minecraft worlds, you will also be granted permission to post go-live announcements in our Discord.
Yes, that is right! I have also created a new Discord server. All subjects, no matter their station, are welcome to join. Let us build a community, a great empire if you will, where we can share our common interests.
I am greatly looking forward to this new era of Swagnilla Ice. Your support, no matter the level, is what allows me to continue building this kingdom. Thank you for being a part of this community. I am proud to be your content creating king, but I am even more proud to be a loyal subject of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.
Creative Engineering E35: Automating All the Dyes
In this episode of Creative Engineering, I show you how to automate dye production using Create, Integrated Dynamics, and Functional Storage. I’ll also be finishing the other factories I’ve been building over the past four episodes off-camera, so they’ll be ready for our next video!
Episode 60: St. Andrew of Crete
In this episode of A Few Moments with God, I examine the life of St. Andrew of Crete, one of the great hymnographers and leaders of the early Church. Despite a brief theological error, St. Andrew’s powerful repentance led him to compose the famous Great Penitential Canon. His life serves as a beautiful reminder that even saints stumble, but through dedication to God and the Holy Cross, a truly blessed life can be achieved.
The End of Tycoon Mania & The Future of Swagnilla Ice
I have two major announcements today. I’m ending the Tycoon Mania series and shifting the entire channel’s focus to a brand-new theme. I also have a critical message about the future of the Swagnilla Ice community website. Please watch the entire video to understand what’s next for the channel.
Creative Engineering E34: Automatic Paper and Sugar On Demand!
In this week’s episode of Creative Engineering, I’ll start with an update on the subscriber sign (we’re a little lower this time, but that’s okay!). Then, we’ll get started on our new on-demand factory using Integrated Dynamics and Create to automate paper and sugar production. At the end, I’ll give you a sneak peek at what’s coming next: finishing this factory to get it fully operational!