It is interesting to visit a favorite vacation spot after being absent for nearly 20 years. During the 90’s, we spent many of our summer vacations on the island. It seems numerous NE Ohio residents had invested in condos on the island whom in turn rented them to their friends and neighbors creating blocks of Ohio plates in the parking lots about the island. Such vacations were affordable, within 12 hours driving time of home, and greatly appreciated by the kids for the expansive beaches and decent waves, if for only one week each year.
Prior, we always drove straight thru. This time we did it in two days which elevated the trip a quantum leap for enjoyment, but also more expense for lodging and food…but on the positive side, it is an opportunity to experience a new community and its culture and food in route, particularly if you get creative in finding lodging and food away from the franchises, such as a bed and breakfast.
On the island, our twenty year absence visually revealed its growth. This time we visited for the first time the National Game Refuge, thanks to Teddy Roosevelt, the first of its kind, near Savannah GA, within sight of the new bridge and the shipping docks. We spotted 13 alligators on our drive thru today. One day we toured the Coastal Discovery Museum, a 68 acre portion of a plantation on the island, converted to an amazing collection of paintings and crafts from local artists, to elaborate walkways out over the lowlands demonstrating the habitat for the life cycles of crabs and oysters, and numerous displays detailing the islands various stages of its historical accounts since it was discovered.
I find it strange now to realize just how recently this island has become so developed for tourism. The first bridge was built in ’56 at a cost of 1.5 million which was replaced in ’82 by a 4 lane structure. I cannot recall any place in that I have personally witnessed such a change in the past 30 years (1989-2019) that really only began its tourist development 30 years prior (1959-1989). The airport opened in 1967.
So, I’m sitting here in the Disney complex in unit 1822 with the door open to the porch looking out over the salt water lagoon as the sun sets. We have three huge bedrooms; two up, one down, 4 baths. We are enjoying Loretta’s brother Larry(Debbie) generosity as they are Disney members, who invited Loretta’s oldest brother, Ken(Linda) and younger brother, Everette, and Loretta and I here for a week of renewal and relaxation. A year ago Loretta and I invited everyone to join us in Hawaii for 5 days but Ken and Linda were not able because of Ken’s recent surgery then. We have not yet decided what we’ll attempt next year.
And just as the local economy and geography of the island has undergone startling transformations, so have we as a family; not so much as an expansion of numbers necessarily, as many of you are so accustomed, as much as it is that our physical appearances have changed. Aging is not kind but we are all blessed with good health currently, though for a few of us, our mobility is currently challenged.
As you can imagine, I utilized my spare time to read. I learned on the way down that I can read very comfortably in the back seat of the car on my tablet so I finished reading and underlining both John Eldredge’s book, All Things New, as well as Imagine Heaven. Two recent acquisitions from Matthew Kelly, A Call to Joy, and Resisting Happiness, were quickly devoured and between the four, I experienced a delightful smorgasbord indeed that I will savor for weeks to come. Truth told, I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed such an understanding of truth from a 24 year old author as Matthew was when he penned A Call To Joy: Living In The Presence Of God.
Several quotes from it that I’ll pass along to you are:
“Only two things exist in eternity: Joy and misery”
“You will not be any happier today than you were yesterday, unless you do something different, at least in a different manner, with a different state of mind or heart.”
“Your fears are a passport to a new state, to a higher level, to a greater joy.”
“What you become is more important than what you do.”
Kelly repeatedly drives home the importance of “loving our fellowman into the kingdom”as “they” are the only investment we can send ahead into eternity as equity in exchange for our heavenly rewards in the second judgement, a point also under girding the message from Imagine Heaven in the last two paragraphs of Chapter One.
“In the western world, we live for retirement. We have a vision, a mental picture in our imaginations, of what retirement will be like — home, vacations, hobbies, and time to spend with the people we love. Because we can picture it, we will work for it, save for it, sacrifice for it. There is nothing wrong with retirement, but it lasts only a few decades at best.
What if we became a people who have vision for the ultimate Life to come? What if it’s true that this life is merely a tiny taste on the tip of our tongues of the feast of Life yet to come?What if Heaven is going to be better than your wildest dreams? And what if how you live really does matter for the Life to come? That would change how we live, work, love, sacrifice – wouldn’t it? That’s what I pray will happen for you as you get a clearer picture of Heaven…”
Consider Kelly’s second most recent book, Resisting Happiness: A true story about why we sabotage ourselves, feel overwhelmed, set aside our dreams, and lack the courage to simply be ourselves…. And how to start choosing happiness again! This little 37 chapter 186 page easy read is a spiritual powerhouse in helping us overcome resistance which is summed up well at the end of the first chapter,“The first lesson is that you never defeat resistance once and for all! It is a daily battle.” The remaining 36 chapters each have a Key Point and an Action Step to insure your daily victories. Not to even mention his quotes! Such as near the end of chapter 25, “Any type of inner slavery limits our ability to love ourselves, to love God, and to love others.” Well said indeed. Thanks for reading.
Blessings as YOU GO FORTH LOVING GOD & LOVING OTHERS>>>> Merlin