Beware of Urban Wildlife

First, let me explain the setting. Nate and I were walking through a nearby neighborhood in inner-city Orlando. It was the type of area where the front-yard monster trucks towered the roofs of trailer homes, and faded confederate flags peered through dusty windows. I knew of the area because last December the residents were notorious for using 3 inflatables, 5 plastic Santas and 15 stands of multi-colored Christmas lights to decorate 40-square-feet of land. The colorful displays made a humorous place to run last winter.

In the midst of our walk, Nate spotted a peacock in someone's yard. Odd, I thought. Then I saw 5 more. Six peacocks in one yard! Stranger still. Upon inspecting the neighbor's yard, I saw eight peacocks. As we continued walking, the numbers increased. We counted at least 50 peacocks within the space of 2 football fields. Some were perched on mailboxes. Others on roofs, trucks, porch swings, and swimming pool covers. I begin having flashbacks of the Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds." Small children were in the yards, playing in the midst of the fowl smelling animals, and teenage boys were scaring them off the road with their motor motor bikes. Yet the adults seemed to act like the peacock infestation on this particular street was perfectly normal.

Feeling like we were in a nightmarish dream, we walked quickly until we found another (more friendly looking) neighbor a couple miles down the road. According to her, wild peacocks have lived on that street for years, flocking in certain yards and terrorizing the residents with horrific squawking sounds. It was cute, she said, when there were four of them. But now people keep feeding the birds, and the population won't stop growing.

Of all the sights I've seen in Orlando, this one struck me as the most bizarre. I never knew wild peacocks thrived in inner-city Orlando, far from any parks, grassy lots, or farms. The street is only a mile from our condo, so I hope they don't wander over our direction. If any do, they will be unlucky birds. I just might serve "peacock stew" at this year's Thanksgiving dinner.

--Ivy

Wedding Day Memories

People tell you the wedding day is a blur, and true enough the day flies right on by. For example:

At our reception I picked up a piece of strawberry cake for Ivy and I to share, but then with pictures and goodbyes I put it down, never to pick it up again.

Here are some of my memories of the wedding day...

-Playing Ping Pong with David Bilodeau the morning of the wedding at 10am, while wearing black pants and a white shirt.

-Having Subway with my friends David, Chris, and Dave before the wedding at 1pm.

-Singing Opera at 8:30am, because I was so happy :)

-Being around friends that make you laugh, Dave Frost and David Bilodeau.

-Driving with Dave to the church and getting lost.

-Eating a wonderful breakfast of bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast.

-Trying diligently not to see Ivy before she came down the aisle.

-Seeing her beautiful reflection in the glass door at the back of the church.

-Watching her walk down the aisle and seeing how pretty she looked.

-Trying not to lock my knees during the ceremony.

-Seeing old friends who had gathered at the church.

-Hearing my dad say, "Grandma says her heart is here".

-Trying not to cry while reciting my vows.

-Thinking it was funny that the marriage license only required a SS Number and no signature.

-Putting my arm around Ivy's chair during the reception.

-Watching the "memories" DVD with friends and family gathered.

-Saying Goodbye to my friends Keith and Claudia.

-Having my picture taken with my co-workers from Orlando.

-Popping balloons from the van with Levi Ivy's brother.

-Eating homemade Ice cream at the Fisher's house.

-Being amazed at how much birdseed does hurt when thrown at you....finding it in my hair.

-Riding up and down the 4 blocks of Main St. Pitsburg honking the horn, having "just married" written in the back window, watching a small boy on a bike look at us in wonder.

Thank the Lord....who creates the mind and causes us to have many happy memories of our lives.

Tropical Storm Fay

Monday: There was much anticipation at work that we might get Tuesday off because of the Tropical Storm moving towards central Florida.

Originally weather forecasters expected Fay to strengthen into a Hurricane and hit SW Florida.

Tuesday: We received the day off work, but most of the day just received light rain. In the evening Fay grew stronger with heavier winds and rain.

Wednesday: More rain and wind from Fay

Thursday: More rain and wind. By this time I think most central Floridians were waiting for the storm to clear on out. About 40 miles to the East of where I live along the coast they have seen the worst flooding. The storm stalled out in the Atlantic and just kept pouring down the rain along Florida's east coast.

Friday: Above is a picture I took out my window around 8am this morning. Fay is now moving west. There has been a lot of talk over the past year about the need for more water to sustain the growing population of Central Florida. This storm has certainly helped bring Florida more water.

God is good and the provider of all water. I find it amazing how God sustains the earth and how little we sometimes thank Him for His abundant provision.

Nate-

Hurricanes

This time of year in Florida is known as "Hurricane Season".

Hurricane season lasts for about half a year. I think June 1st- November 1st. Normally the stronger storms form in the Atlantic in the later part of the season.

One website that I frequent about 2 times each day during this time of year is http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ where they give a great breakdown of the current Atlantic hurricane outlook.

In 2004 the year I first moved down here Orlando was hit by 3 hurricanes. The picture (above) is of the first rain/thunder band from Hurricane Charlie as it approached my apartment in 2004.

Job chapter 38 reminds us of God's control over the weather.

Nate-

Trusting Jesus

Looking at the state of US economics lately, should cause us to reflect on a simple old truth:

-Trust in Jesus-

While oil hits 143$ per barrel and Wall St. continues to turn downward.
Christians everywhere should turn our eyes upward towards Jesus Christ.

Why trust Jesus?

Jesus is our refuge.
Jesus is our salvation from sin.
Jesus words speak truth.
Jesus sent His Spirit to guide and lead us.
Jesus sacrificially loves us, (demonstrated by His death on the cross).
Jesus asks us to follow Him.
His burden is easy.
His load is light.
In Jesus is no sin.
In Jesus is mercy.
In Jesus is grace.
He is the Good Shepherd.
He is our cornerstone.
Jesus speaks of Heaven, and He provides us a way to get there.
Jesus will never lie to us.

Today I was reflecting on the problems of the world, and thinking about the Christians who struggled through the Civil War in the 1860's or the Revolutionary War with Britain. World War II also claimed many lives and was a trying time for our country.

One thing we have in common with early Americans is that we have God's Word and we have the option to trust in Jesus for our daily living.

Are you trusting in Him today?

Nate-

Global Prayer Digest

Prayer should be foundational to the spread of the Gospel. One strategic tool in helping Christians to pray more focused for unreached people groups is the Global Prayer Digest

This prayer guide is available free online, or for a minimal subscription cost. Our Wycliffe Prayer Ministries department uses this prayer tool throughout the week to pray for unreached people groups.

It may come as a surprise to many, but there are millions of people worldwide who have never heard the name of Jesus. As Christians prayer is so vital for the spread of the Gospel.

Nate-

The Expansion of World Religions

I found this map helpful in explaining the growth of major world religions:

http://www.mapsofwar.com/images/Religion.swf

Nate-

Driving a Standard

It had been oh...7 years since I had last driven a standard car.

The last time I was driving a standard was in Michigan going on a lengthy roadtrip. I was coming off a interstate ramp and shifted into 2nd gear from 4th....and that is when the check engine light came on...it was my roommate's car...and Chris drove his car for the rest of the trip...yeah we were going to visit my family in New England.

So, here I am engaged now and my finance owns a standard car...(which I might add gets great gas milage since it is a tiny Geo Metro).

Well we went out to learn how to drive a standard this would be about my oh 4th learning experience? (I learned twice before at Camp and once with Chris).


My greatest challenge was getting the car from a stopped position into a moving one without stalling or making the Geo shake violently. While our practice for the most part went well, I have more to learn. There were a few "peal outs" in the Wycliffe parking lot.

The real question is my old friend Chris glad I'm out on the road practicing?

Nate-

One God—Many Perspectives

(Reflections from a recent visit to a local Lutheran church. Long, I know. But hang in there...)

First of all, upon entering the cathedral style sanctuary, I realized I had misjudged the Lutheran dress code. Everywhere I looked, I saw black. Classy black. Black skirts, black hose, black purses, black slacks and black ties. Kind of like one big, stylish, professional funeral party.

I, on the other hand, being accustomed to a more contemporary service, was wearing…pink. A pink hand-me-down t-shirt from Goodwill, a frumpy faded jean skirt, and an old sweatshirt jacket I picked off the free table sometime during my college years. Not exactly stylish. Certainly not funeralish. But at least my scuffed up flip-flops had black rubbery soles.

Secondly, I was noticed the rigid schedule of the service. It sort of like being in the midst of a Broadway musical. The pastor would read a line of prayer. The people would respond in a unified chant, and then everyone broke out in a spontaneous line of chorus accompanied by an enormous pipe organ. The only thing missing was the choreography.

Thirdly, I was struck by the seriousness of the ceremony. At one point the entire congregation stood and turned around to stare directly at Nate and me. “What are they staring at?” I hissed, scouring the bulletin for a stanza instructing the congregation to stare rudely at the visitors in the back row. “Maybe it’s the jean skirt.”

Truth was, the congregation wasn’t staring at us. The church was simply waiting for the parade of white robed, red belted clergy to march down the aisle carrying a 9-foot wooden cross. A tradition slightly different from my own upbringing.

I could have walked out of the service last Sunday thinking all Lutherans are weird. But in all honestly, I believe the Lutherans see a piece of God that I often miss. They see the reverence due to the Creator of the world.

I’m not a Universalist, but I firmly believe that each of God’s children is able to see a different piece of Him.

I will use my father as an example to illustrate my point. I know my father as “Dad.” The stern but soft man who played softball with me and taught me to use a hammer. I know my dad very well and have thousands of stories about his sense of humor, his quirks, his caring heart and his discipline.

But I don’t know him the same way his high school buddies did. When I hear their stories of his mischief, his competitiveness and his cunningness, I understand a new side of my dad. Just as when I hear stories about him from his brother or his mom or his father-in-law or his neighbor or his patients.

Because none of us have been with Dad 24/7 from the moment he was born until this moment in 2008, we all have had different experiences with the man that we know by the same name.

So it is with God.

He is so big and so incomprehensible that we can only see one slice of his character at a time. I might experience his loving comfort. My Lutheran neighbor might witness his reverence-deserving power. But it is these two characteristics TOGETHER that can bring us closer to the Truth.

--Ivy

The Chase

And so there we were out running....when a small dog got loose from his owner and began chasing us. At first it was funny because the dog was only 9 inches tall and a very small critter.

Bound and determined the stubby dog high tailed it after Ivy and I. Now both Ivy and I are good runners, however we had to pick up our pace to avoid the small frantic animal.

The owner of the dog called after it to return, but her pleading was ignored by the dog and the two runners cranked it up a notch signaling a challenge to the dog...yeah try and catch us.

80 meters down the street, (which must have seemed like a mile for the dog), Ivy and I began to slow, and were surprised we hadn't outpaced it. We split and the dog had to make a choice who'd he go after....sure....go after the guy.

As I ran back to the owner I determined to run passed the owner and hopefully she would intercept the dog on the first pass....on the second pass she grabbed him and as Ivy and I ran off you could hear her scoldings her beloved dog.

Who would have thought small dogs could run so fast?

Nate-

Florida Tomatoes

Question:

If Nate goes to Lowe's and buys 8 Tomato plants which cost 3.98 plus tax is it worth his investment?


Answer:

8 Tomato plants times 3.98 = $31.84 + sales tax 6.5% = $33.91
Nate harvests 128 ounces of Tomatoes = 8lbs.

Price per pound $4.24 Yikes!


Lesson: Keep watering your tomatoe plants, keep harvesting, and plant 2nd generation tomatoes from the seeds of the 1st generation tomatoes and watch the price per ounce continue to fall.

Nate-

P.S. I hope Mrs. McDonald my 10th grade math teacher gets a chance to read this post.

The Reading Date

Well here we (Ivy and I) are camped out at Panera Bread with our laptops and reading material.

It's been a good Saturday....a trip to Goodwill and The Salvation Army, a local park in Maitland, a reading date to Panera and then we'll finish it off with some good ole' ice cream. (the 1/2 calorie kind).

I've a lot of respect for The Salvation Army as they have combined the Gospel message with social good works. They provide us a reminder that good works follow our faith in Christ.


Ok...back to the ice cream we'll have later, it'll be Cookies and Cream, yum!

Nate-

First of many

Well, here we are, sitting in the great outdoors of Orlando, unsure of where the wireless is coming from. Hopefully not a hacker. So if our blog suddenly ends in mid-sentence...

Oh wait. We're still here.

In case you have no idea why some random person is yakking about wireless bubbles, let us introduce ourselves. I'm Ivy. And my Fiance Nate is sitting right beside me. If you want to know more than that, then read on as we blog. Besides, who ARE you? And why are you snooping into our blog anyway. Mom and Dad, we know you're out there.

Keep checking in. We'll keep you posted on our bizarre adventures in life. Trust me, we've had a few of them.

First random adventure...(trust me, they'll get better.) We just watched the Pizza Hut delivery guy get the top of his truck smashed (ok, not smashed, but whacked pretty good) by the security gate of the apartment complex where I'm staying. Use the keypad, buddy. And bring the pizza THIS way.

Ivy