Myakka River State Park - Vacation Day 5

On Thursday morning we drove back up State Road 72 to Myakka River State Park for a day of sightseeing. Myakka River State Park is one of Florida's oldest, largest and most diverse natural areas. It was developed in 1934 by the Cilivan Conservation Corps. The Myakka River flows through 58 square miles of wetlands, prairies, hammocks and pinelands. The river and it's two shallow lakes attract numerous wetland creatures.

While there we walked down a nature trail and then climbed the 70 foot towers for an awesome view of the wetlands, forest and prairie. Before climbing the tower we had to cross the Myakka canopy walkway. The walkway is suspended 25 feet above the ground and extends 100 feet through the hammock canopy. While walking on the nature trail we saw a dragonfly that was dying and a big ant commonly known as a velvet ant (the proper name for it is dasymutilla magnifica).





After climbing the tower we ate lunch at one of the picnic areas. While eating we fed the squirrels and some ugly crows. After eating lunch we hopped aboard the "Myakka Maiden" for a scenic cruise on Upper Myakka Lake. While on the lake we saw several gators, a great egret, blue heron, and an ospery.






This is a great place to visit, but not during the month of July. Especially if you have people with you that aren't into looking for wildlife.

Beach Vacation Day 4, 5, 6

David went home on Wednesday afternoon after spending time on the beach and lazying around the pool. He spent the rest of his vacation in West Palm Beach with Tommy and other friends that live there.


The rest of the week we spent playing at the beach, going to see the movie "My Sister's Keeper", enjoying a huge amusement center, lazying around the pool, and visiting a state park (a separate post on that to follow).


While traveling to the beach I spotted a beautiful bird sitting on the fence, but by the time I pulled off the road and got the camera out a Florida Highway Patrol pulled another car over and spooked it. So I watched for the bird on the way home hoping to get a picture of it. Once again I pulled over and got the camera out. As I was approaching to snap the picture our friends, Annie and Linda, drove by and blew the horn at me. The bird took flight and I didn't get the picture. I was so frustrated, but hopefully there will be other opportunities.

We got home on Sunday afternoon in time to unpack, pick up Bailey from the sitter and go to church. At times through out the week it was challenging to keep everyone happy. But, all in all it was a good week.

Beach Vacation Day 3

We spent most of the day at the beach. Angela and Annie went parasailing and had a blast. We were able to watch them from the public beach access.

Later in the evening, Jim and Phyllis came over and we grilled steaks. After dinner we went walking on the beach and took some pictures of the sunset. God's handiwork is amazing.

(Click on collage to enlarge)

Beach Vacation - Day 2

We woke up to the sound of thunder. By 9:00 a.m. it was raining and a day at the beach didn't seem too promising. David and Angela went to Books a Million and then decided to go to see Transformers. With them gone, the three girls decided to go get a pedicure at the mall. The pedicure was so relaxing and our toes looked great afterwards.

Later in the afternoon the weather cleared up and everyone hit the pool at the condo where we met the neighbors from Louisville, Kentucky. Later in the evening we invited them to join us for bowling. The kids and I were nervous because we had only had very short conversations with them. But it turned out that they were wonderful people.

20 Years Old

It's official, David is no longer a teenager! He's now 20 and it's hard for this mom to believe. Happy Birthday David! We love you! I praise God for giving me such a wonderful son.

Beach Vacation - Day 1

I arrived at the condo on Siesta Key mid-morning on Sunday (David and Angela) arrived around 1:00 p.m. Linda and I went to Publix to buy groceries for the week while we waited on D & A to arrive and Annie was at the beach.

After buying groceries and putting them away we went over to Jim & Phyllis' condo to frolic on the beach and eat dinner. Our friends, Betty & Buddy, had driven over for the day as well. Before dinner Buddy, Betty and I went walking along this beach looking for shells and taking pictures.

Respectable Sins Book Review

I highly recommend Jerry Bridge's book "Respectable Sins". It is a book about sin, but it deals with the sins that we often do not take seriously. Christians have a way of focusing on the sins of society around us while overlooking the sins so prominent in our own hearts and lives.

The book opens by showing us the gospel of Jesus Christ and what God has done for us to help us to be people of holiness. Bridges reminds us that holiness is not something we can obtain on our own since our flesh wars against the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17). Bridges shows that the way to holiness is not in rules of religion but only by the grace of God given to us freely in Christ (Titus 2:11-14). The problem of holiness is not that we can't obtain it but that we are by nature children of sin who need to be born again by the Spirit (Ezekiel 36:25-27; John 3:3-7).

Secondly, Bridges turns to showing us that sin is not just found in society at large but it can be in our thoughts, our words, and in our actions. It is easy to see sin in others, Bridges points out, but we need to first see sin in us (Matthew 7:1-3). Bridges then takes the light of God's Word and allows us to see that all sin grieves the heart of God (Ephesians 4:29-31). Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). The Law of God shows us our sins (Romans 7:7, 14; 1 Timothy 1:8-10; James 2:8-11).

Bridges gives 7 helpful directions with dealing with sin:

1. Address our sin in the content of the gospel - God has forgiven our sin and credited to us the perfect righteousness of Christ.
2. Rely on the enabling power of the Holy Spirit - For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
3. Recognize our responsibility to diligently pursue all practical steps for dealing with our sin.
4. Identify specific areas of acceptable sins.
5. Memorize and apply appropriate scriptures.
6. Pray over the sins we tolerate
7. Involve one or more other believes with us in our struggles against our subtle sins.

After giving these practical steps of dealing with our sins, he writes a chapter about each one of these acceptable sins: ungodliness, anxiety and frustration, discontentment, unthankfulness, pride, selfishness, lack of self-control, anger, judgemental ism, envy, jealousy, sins of the tongue, and worldliness. This is a long list, and to be quite honest, I found that I had need to deal with almost all of them.

One of the ways that I have continued to meditate on the things contained in this book is by using a tree as an illustration. I have always thought of pride being the root of sin. But since reading this book, my thought process has changed. The life of a tree is the root system. Pride is the trunk of the tree not the roots. The root system is ungodliness. It is ungodliness that ultimately gives life to our more visible sins. Christians are ungodly. Ungodliness is defined as living one's every day life with little or no thought of God, God's will, God's glory or one's dependence on God. Whether we like to admit it or not after examining ourselves there is truth in that statement.

I believe this book will be tremendously helpful to Christians of all ages as they read it. It accomplishes several goals if read with humility. First, it brings sins we often neglect to deal with to the front of our minds. How many of us have even thought about our impatience this week? It's a sin we learn to live with. Or how many of us have thought about our lack of self control today? Second, this book focuses on heart issues and not externals. Sins of the heart are serious before the Lord, but we neglect them because no one else sees them. Respectable Sins drives our attention inward to our own hearts. Third, after driving our spiritual gaze inward, Bridges drives our gaze upward to the gospel. This book is gospel saturated and thoroughly explains how the gospel confronts our sins and shapes our lives. Finally, this book helps us to take sin seriously. As explained in the book, our culture seems to brush sin aside with ease. Respectable Sins will help us realize the malignancy of sin.

Respectable Sins is the type of book to keep close by and pull out when you are dealing with a specific sin and need help. It will direct your attention to Christ and offer Biblical ways to confront your respectable sins.

Kept

Not too long ago, after taking a little vacation, I told David that I could get used to being a "kept woman". Now I didn't mean that I desired to be someone's mistress, I meant that I could get use to not having to work everyday. David's reply to that remark was "Mom, you are kept!"

I should get to the point. . . I hadn't thought much about that comment until this morning when a friend sent an email to me about a kept woman. My son is so wise beyond his years. . .

I Am a 'Kept ' Woman

You see, there were a few times when I thought I would lose my mind,
But GOD kept me sane. (Isa. 26:3)

There were times when I thought I could go no longer,
But the LORD kept me moving. (Gen 28:15)

At times, I've wanted to lash out at those whom I felt had done me wrong,
But the LORD kept my mouth shut.. (Psa. 13)

Sometimes, I think the money just isn't enough,
But GOD has helped me to keep the lights on, the water on, the car paid, the house paid, etc.., (Matt. 6:25 -34)

When I thought I would fall, HE kept me up.
When I thought I was weak, HE kept me strong! (I Pet. 5:7, Matt. 11:28-30)

I could go on and on and on, but I'm sure you hear me!
I'm blessed to be 'kept '

I'm "Kept" by the Love and Grace of God

Scenery in Tennessee

She's Back

Angela got back on Friday night from a week in Milligan, TN. She went with the Methodist Youth Group on a mission trip sponsored by Know Sweat. While there they spent the week using their hands and feet to demonstrate God’s love for people in practical ways through service projects. These projects consist of community service, assisting ministries with outreach as well as home repair and maintenance for individuals. She loved every minute of the trip. I'm so glad to see her developing a love for missions.

On the Levee

Peacemaker not Peace-lover

"Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called sons of God."
~ Matthew 5:9

Jesus desires each of us to be peacemakers. Unfortunately, we live in a day when hostilities, disagreements, dissensions, and suspicions are the rule of the day rather than the exception. Jesus promises happiness to those who strive to restore relationships by calming the troubled waters of human conflict. Where is this promise of happiness found? It is among the greatest imaginable - - to be called sons of God. One of the most obvious characteristics of a Spirit-filled person is that they are peacemakers. Sadly, there all too many "Christians" who are "troublemakers" rather than "peacemakers."

In studying this beatitude I found that it has as its foundation the six previous ones. We can't be effective peacemakers until we admit our spiritual poverty, grieve over our sin, submit to God's control, hunger and thirst after righteousness, show mercy and become pure in heart. Peacemakers enjoy an indescribable peace with God. Our need to make peace with God doesn't mean that God is angry with us or that he is unwilling to interact with us. In fact, it's just the opposite. God desires to have a relationship with us. The only barrier between us and God is our sin and willful unbelief and disobedience.

I've thought of several people that I view as peacemakers. As I've thought about these individuals the common characteristic that I see is that they have an inner peace with themselves. We must begin with ourselves to become peacemakers. I remember as a child my mom telling me that if I didn't love myself nobody else would. Now I never took that advice to mean that I should think highly of myself, but I did understand her to be saying if we constantly are at war within ourselves then we will always be at war with others. Ever think about those who are always at odds with fellow workers, family, and friends? I think there are fighting a battle within themselves. When there is a pattern of saying hurtful words, whether true or false, it is obvious to everyone around that we are not at peace with ourselves. Not too long ago a pastor's wife told me, "hurting people say hurtful things." Jesus has promised to give us peace (John 14:27).

Not only are peacemakers at peace with themselves, they are also at peace with others. We must recognize that ending overt hositility and absence of conflict is not necessarily peace. Two people may cease saying unkind things to one another, but retreat into long periods of bitterness and angry silence instead. They are neither friends, nor at peace. They simply refuse to communicate or associate with one another. Peace is a positive thing. It is wholesome relationships from which constant goodwill is produced. Peacemakers reach out - - they take the initiative. Their concern is not who is to blame, but how can peace be attained or restored. They are not faultfinders or criticizers - - they are healers. They are the sons of God.

Anyone can love peace, but Jesus didn't say, 'Blessed are the peace-lover.' He says peacemakers. It's a life vocation, not a hobby on the sidelines.

Lake Pictures