Saw this on another friend's blog, and stole it. Thanks Darrel.

To journey without being changed is to be a nomad.
To change without journeying is to be a chameleon.
To journey and be transformed by the journey is to be a pilgrim.

Mark Nepo, The Exquisite Risk

Last Full Day in Florida

We head home tomorrow.  Here are some pictures from our last day.  We had a great week, the weather couldn't have been better.  Rain moves in tomorrow, just in time for us to head home. We're driving all 15 hours tomorrow so I can teach Sunday School, and then back to the grind Monday.  We're ready to come home, not sure about coming home to winter, but we're ready to be in our own bed.  

This next week I'm staring down at Makom, our on campus, student led revival.  I will be speaking four times, two on Wednesday, two on Thursday.  I'm looking forward to working with Joel Bubrink this week too.  Should be a great time.

Like I said last week, I'm feeling the weight again of this.  I love our campus, our students, and would love for God to make himself known in a new way this week.  I don't want to get in the way.  I guess it's official, vacation is over.

 

It's Crab Trap Day!

This has been the calmest day yet on the beach. The first two days, the red flag was up and you couldn't wander out past your knees unless you wanted to be knocked over by the rip current. It was pretty intense, but the surfers loved it.

Today, it was really calm in the morning and as the tide moved in continued to get rougher throughout the morning until around noon when the tide was highest. It was a lot better than earlier in the week. It never ceases to amaze me how powerful the surf is when its up.

Our tradition is on Thursday night of our trip here to eat at a great place called The Crab Trap. I don't like Crab and Terry ate her fill at the buffet the other night,(I know, I know) so tonight, she got fish toes, and I ate some incredible shrimp. We ate until we were full, bought a couple of t-shirts, so we're doing our part to help the Florida economy.

We've met some great people down here, and this time of year the mean age is 70, seriously. They like to fish, shell, and walk the beach. They also like to talk. Met a couple today from Toronto who live here every February/March, and head home before the pricing jumps for all the spring breakers.

We also met a Korean vet, who spends his days watching the end of his fishing pole. I guess the Pompono are just starting to run, and he said he's been out there most every day the last two months, and has caught 4. Two of them were too big, and he had to throw them back. The others were "quite tasty", to quote him.

Again, today was around 72, sunny most of the day. Fog rolled in today around 1:00, and hung around until 3:30, so Terry and I got a pretty good nap in, her after reading, and me laying on the couch watching conference tournaments. I go from spring break, to March madness, what a life (oh, back to work too).

One more day on the beach, and then we head home and back to "real life". A couple new pics taken today, but basically it's the same pretty much every day. Sun block, a beach chair, my shelling net, a book and reading glasses, and the sun. What more could a guy ask for.

Fourth Day in Florida

Another perfect day in Florida.  We actually saw dolphins, but I didn't have my camera with me on our morning walk.  I'll not make the same mistake tomorrow.  

I'm reading a great book by Eugene Peterson, Tell it Slant; you'll have to read it.   He is teaching on the parables and prayers that are unique to Luke.  As usual for Peterson, it's a great read. Giving me a lot to think about.  

One of the things I'm learning here on this trip is just how little I need to be content.  Just give me a chair, sun block, a shelling net, a good book, Terry, and oh yeah, the ocean, and I'm good. Seriously, I'm learning some valuable lessons on humility and contentment.  Still thinking and reading, so will write more later.

Thought I'd share a couple more pics from today.  The pace of this trip is perfect.  Not too fast, not too slow.  The scenes and weather have been perfect.  Today, I'm burned, and very happy.

  

From Morning to Evening

Got some incredible shots beginning this morning, and ending with the sunset. The colors were incredible.

This has been exactly what we needed. Tonight we ate crab and shrimp at one of our family's favorites, Captain Kids in Destin. It was one of the places my dad loved to eat at, and a buffet to boot. Drank some sweet tea and ate some hush puppies for dad.

Two full days in the sun, and not burned too badly, at least not for this northerner's lilly winter white skin. Day three tomorrow, and supposed to be 74 and sunny, can't wait.

Also bought a net today so I can join the ranks of the sea shell collecters. I'll post some of my booty tomorrow. It's another excuse to get me in the sun and water.

Thought I'd throw in a shot of our first "dolphin" sighting. Hoping to see the real thing soon. Our balcony is a great place to look for them, but the seas have been a little too rough for us to see much to this point. Not seeing many dolphins, but the surfers are a plenty loving the surf.

First Day in Paradise

Well, Terry and I are on a much needed vacation. Here are some shots from our first day, and some scenes of our balcony view.

This is a much needed vacation for both of us. Terry's Mary Kay business in Brasil is going better than we ever dreamed. We were hoping to go back together in May, but it looks, now, like she will have to go back in April. That's good, but bad for me, cause that means she's going without me again. Toni and her team there in Brasil are growing like gangbusters, and Terry wants to support them, and the best way to do that, is to be there. Frequent flyer miles, here she comes.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch. 74 today, sunny most of the day, and the same for the next four days. As I type this, I'm listening to the waves, watching Monk, eating kettle corn, and looking at the pictures from my new camera. Man, do I ever love Florida in March.

Feeling it!

I'm feeling it again.

I've been asked to speak at Makom, the student-led, on-campus revival. So I'm feeling it again.

The weight.
The anxiety.
The concern.
The need to draw near.
The nerves.
The closeness.
The desire.
The inadequacy.

I feel like I know where I'm going, planned from this end, but I'm excited about where God is going to take us. Places where none of us could have planned to go. I don't want to get in the way of what God wants to do, and where he wants to take us.

So, I'm feeling it again.