DAY ONE PSALM 1

Blessed or happy is the one who does not think, behave or belong to the way of sin...Instead the person takes delight, finds direction and joy in following God's ways. The latter is like a tree planted by streams of water...a tree who yields fruit .. a person who can achieve anything that is worthwhile. It would appear from Psalm 1 that whatever shapes our thinking shapes our life.  Where will we direct our minds and hearts this day? Blessings await the one whose heart and mind are captivated by God and his grace in Jesus Christ. Have a blessed day!

 

THE PALM

There are over 2,500 different palm tree species in the world.

Who knew God was so very creative! Infact today at our 6:00pm worship service, I am  talking about his ability to recreate!

A LOOK BACK

Can you guess who is in this picture? And who is the cubby checked young boy? My guess this photo was taken about 1976-1978. {Sorry this post is so late. I had trouble accessing my blog late last night.} 

NAME TAGS

I saw this idea several years ago. A orderly way to arrange name tags to be used weekly. And close the doors for a nice polished look to the wall. Each name tag fits nicely into its own slot. I do believe this is a homemade invention!

Say "hi" to the Erickson's when you see them :-)

 

ARE WE LOVABLE?

A simple Morning Glory bloom is beautiful for two reasons: 1. God made it and 2. God made us with the capacity to see beauty. Today while swimming in the apartment complex pool,  I struck up a conversation with a person who was questioning whether God loved them. And then they answered their own question with, "But I am a good person therefore God must love me."  I pointed out God's love doesn't depend on how good we are. If that was the case few of us would be worthy.

In fact God's love for us depends on his character not ours. God is love. Our beauty as humans comes from who created us ! We are loved because at the very core of God's being is love! Lets use our God given gift of seeing the beauty in God's creation and in the people around us.

RANDOM THOUGHTS & PALM TREES

This is just a snapshot I took while waiting for a red light. But for some reason it really said volumes! Look how these three Palm trees made room for each other to expand at the top...each reaching for the sun and giving expression to their separateness... Yet when your eye travels to the base of these palms, the trees all soak in water and nutrients from the same small patch of soil.

The Church when it works the best, draws from one source for life and strengthen - Jesus Christ alone. But there is room for each of us to grow and mature in different directions with perhaps differing ideas... just a random thought from a roaming retired reverend.

BIG ROCK

It is hard to believe, but on top of this huge crumbling rock formation, is a town of Amerian Indians! A good friend, Barb O. drove me to this exceptional place in New Mexico! And yes, we traveled to the top! What a wonderful day exploring in the USA.

BLUE WATER

Sometimes we just need to be alone in a sea of blue sparkling water. Turn off the tech noise in our lives. Get unplugged in order to plug into what God is doing in the your life. Maybe we can't go to St Cruix this week, but a quiet park bench might just do it for us. Embrace the silence. And listen for God's small still voice.

 

 

EPHESUS

Here is the ancient theatre at Ephesus in present day Turkey. It was here where  Paul contented with those who opposed Christianity and here were many came to believe in Christ as Lord and Savior.

Sunday, we continue to explore the meaning of God's Word to not only ancient Ephesus but to today in the Church.

I took this picture in 2002.

FALL IN PA.

A little homesick for PA.'s fall ...

Taken along Linden Road, Washington County, PA

SUMMER DELIGHTS

Late summer tomatoes ...yummy... I am sure missing my garden and its veggies.

 

Got to find a Florida Farmer's Market!

Imagination

Hey, doesn't this look like a little village of gnomes nestled into the edge of a lake? Well it is a photo by the lake...but cypress roots growing in the water.

New Stats

Here are the month's viewers and their location.. Again thank you all for following ...   United States                   1318
Russia	96
United Kingdom	39
Ukraine	20
Ireland	9
Germany	8
Austria	5
Canada	5
China	5
Australia	1

The otherside of the city

Homelessness is a major problem in downtown Orlando. There are several agencies and churches that attempt to care for these needs. Our own Dawn N. is very active in one such venture called Compassion Corner. Another member, Londra M. is a part of the Christian Service Center.  It is not uncommon for a homeless person to attend our worship services or stop in to one of our functions. Some Presbyterians make up bag lunches to hand out to homeless persons they encounter on their way to their workplaces.

Pray for the needs of those who struggle with life. Thank God for your many blessings and use them to serve others.

MAKING WAVES

HEY FRIENDS, Ron S. posted the following description of yesterday's bird photo:  The Green Heron (Butorides virescens) is a small heron of North and Central America. It was long considered conspecific with its sister species the Striated Heron (Butorides striata), and together they were called "Green-backed Heron". Birds of the nominate subspecies (no matter which taxonomic arrangement is preferred) are extremely rare vagrants to western Europe; individuals from the Pacific coast of North America may similarly stray as far as Hawaii

Thanks, Ron!

Today's photo is again from Vero Beach ... almost all the east coast of Florida is feeling the  effects of hurricanes out in the Atlantic... waves and riptides plague the coast line.

If storms can have such a powerful effect on nature, how are our lives effecting those around us? Do people want to get out of our way, because of our destructive behavior? Or are people's lives improved just by knowing us?

 

NAME THIS BIRD

All right all you bird professionals... name this bird! Found on the Sebastian River, Florida

STRING LILIES AND OTHER STUFF TO PONDER

The reflection is almost as beautiful as the real thing. I wonder what people see reflected off of us? Do they see anything similar to the wonder and majesty of our Creator?

 

Photo taken on the Sebastion River near Vero Beach, FL

LAWN ORNAMENTS

We were looking for alligators, when these "lawn ornaments" came into view as they grazed in a yard. 

The Sandhill Crane is a tall gray bird of open grasslands, meadows, and wetlands. It congregates in huge numbers in migration.This crane frequently gives a loud trumpeting call that suggests a French-style "r" rolled in the throat, and they can be heard from a long distance. Mated pairs of cranes engage in "unison calling." The cranes stand close together, calling in a synchronized and complex duet. The female makes two calls for every single call of the male.

The sandhill crane's large wingspan, typically 1.65 to 2.1 m (5.4 to 6.9 ft), makes this a very skilled soaring bird similar in style to hawks and eagles. Utilizing thermals to obtain lift, they can stay aloft for many hours, requiring only occasional flapping of their wings and consequently expending little energy. With migratory flocks containing hundreds of birds, they can create clear outlines of the normally invisible rising columns of air (thermals) that they ride.

OSPREY

Here is another photo from the river boat jungle cruise out of Sebastian, Florida. It is an Osprey... kin to the bald eagle but smaller and more plentiful. He really looks like he owns the tree! Do you see the fish he has caught?

CAN YOU FIND ME?

 

Can you find the bird in the picture? It is known as a "snake bird. Found it on the river cruise yesterday.

MANATEES

Some more about Manatees... they have paddle like flippers and large tails... their large upper lip is used for gathering food and social interaction... these pictures show a possible unique kind of interaction:-) Sea Cows only mate about every two years, so this sighting was all the more exceptional !!!

Gee I wonder what this joyous flip of the tail means!!!!! Isn't this life that God has given us, grand!

SEA COWS

Along with new ministry colleagues, I took a three hour river cruise {not Gilligan's Island}.The highlight of the journey came at the end. There right in front of us were 7-12 Manatees, or Sea Cows, all swimming together.  These mammals come up for air  at least every 20 minutes. The measure 9-13 feet long and can weigh up to 1300 pounds. In Florida there life span is about 60 years. They are mostly solitary animals so it was most unusal to see this many at one time. Find the nose of this manatee and follow it to the right. And there are at least three other noses popping up in this picture. God's creation is indeed diverse!

WAVE WARRIOR

I am spending a few days at Vero Beach on a Presbytery Retreat and Meeting. It is good meeting some of my new colleagues in ministry here in Central Florida Presbytery. Before the retreat began, I sneaked a look at the ocean and caught this young man and his boggle board at play.

Mystery in the Woods

 I found these pieces of an old car in the Minnesota woods. Any guesses as to the make and model? It is interesting that the chrome trunk lock and maybe hood ornament are not rusted like the rest of the car. Can you see a face in the top photo?

Sorry about no new picture yesterday. Blogspot won't load any pictures last night:-(

I wonder when I am very old and rusted, will there be any unrusted indications about my make and model as a Christian?

RAIN

 

Raindrops keep falling on my stairs! Well not my stairs but the stairs outside my apartment. The "Florida afternoon shower" hit today while I dashed from car to home.  The geography of Florida opens it to wind and storms from Gulf to Ocean pushing back and forth. Oh that each of us would be so open to the Holy Spirit blowing through us! God brings refreshment and healing with each divine breeze.  

 

 

 

 

Milton Heiberg

I personally met this great photographer today! Check out his website: www.miltonheiberg.com

Milton Heiberg’s life is similar to the history of photography. At age eight he was given a Brownie Target camera and started making black and white prints in the basement of his home in Brooklyn, NY, where he was born and raised. He grew up with a camera in his hand. It was usually, but not limited to, 35mm equipment outdoors, and everything else up to an 8x10 view camera in his Manhattan studio where he spent a good part of his adult life. Now, as a complete convert to digital photography and Photoshop, he has covered most of the revolutionary changes in the world of photography.

As a field photographer, Milton was appointed Chief Photographer for several archaeological expeditions in Israel (1972–1979) under the direction of Duke University, University of Texas at Austin, and The Smithsonian Institute. He also created a photographic series on the Methods of Archaeological Excavation for the Archaeological Institute of America. He was a charter member of the International Center of Photography, New York City. He won first prize and best of show in McGraw-Hill’s Annual Art Exhibition.
Milton has written seven books and numerous articles on photography. The most recent is The Essentials of Nature Photography, Tern Book Company—a complete handbook of nature photography. He is a frequent presenter and lecturer on wildlife photography, special effects, and general photography. Tens of thousands of his images have been published worldwide.

Last week's viewers

United States	337
Russia	19
Ukraine	19
United Kingdom	10
China	5
Ireland	2
Japan	1

"WE SERVE..."

Today the Orlando Presbyterian Board of Deacons gathered and adopted the following Vision Statement:

"We serve to glorify God

by caring for others

with joy and diligence."

 





 

 

 

Indeed these great women are off to a grace filled start!

HOBOS?

Today I stopped at a train track on Colonial Drive and watched the Amtrak buzz by... pulled out the point and shoot camera and there they were! Two guys riding in an open car... train employees or old fashioned hobos?

BLUE WATER

Tonight a wonderful time worshiping with Orlando Presbyterian Church and I saw a preview of our new website...WOW ...can't wait to see it launched on the web!

For today's picture I went back a few years to a trip I took with good friend, Ellie Lytle. We visited with her family on St Croix. This was our view each day... not bad!

To all my viewers around the world - May God put the wind in your sail and direct your way!

BIRTHDAY BOY

Today is my Luke's 11th birthday..we celebrated by eating  at the "Four Rivers" Rib place and then an yogurt bar. Here is the Birthday boy and his family! Note what is missing from the picture... yes Jake's front teeth!

Yes, I love these people:-)

WELCOME

welcome to viewers in Ireland and Japan!