FLORIDA STATE PARKS

When we were in Florida last week we explored State Parks, and now that we have a taste of them we plan to do more exploring on future visits to the Sunshine state. Neither one of us are big-time beach people in part because so many of the beaches are crowded---might as well go to the Mall of America. We had time for day visits only except for the Edward Ball Wakulla State Park where we stayed at the lodge for 2 nights and took 2 boat trips, seeing all kinds of birds and alligators and Manitees close up.

Here is a photo of me hiking at Torreya in the midst of all the greenery and another one of me swimming at the "Fountain of Youth" at Ponce de Leon Springs. I came out of the clear cold water and felt at least a week or two younger!

Another great state park in northern Florida was Falling Waters. On the way home we stopped briefly at Oak Mountain State Park in Alabama and are hoping to get back there and stay in a cabin next month.

Mr. Jimmy of Plains

On our way to Florida with Granddaughter Kayla we stopped in Plains, Georgia. John and I had been there previously for the Christmas Parade (Mr. Jimmy offering the greeting and prayer), but we wanted to show Kayla around. Turns out that Mr. Jimmy was teaching Sunday School, so we stayed overnight in Americus and got in line for his class at 8:30. He was animated and in good form and looks much younger than this picture suggests.This photo was taken after church; people lined up for pictures and a church volunteer snapped 2 or 3 a minutes so it went fast. I was inclined to let it go, but Kayla wanted a picture to show her teacher (since she was skipping school 4 days) and the rule was that the whole family had to go or none at all. I look kind of happy---probably because no president had ever before put his arm around me. John looks a bit miffed.

Enjoying Sunshine

Life is good. We're spending 3 nights near Orlando in a luxury 3-bedroom condo, thanks to my son Carlton and his connections. We'll head off to Fort Myers on Friday and then back home next week. Carlton and Kayla are at Sea World today, so John and I hang around here and relax. I was sitting out on the deck in the sunshine reading the latest issue of National Geographic and noticed this photo. Goats are climbing an Argan tree in Morocco to enjoy some tasty nuts. It reminded me again of the sheep and goats in the Bible. I don't often criticize Jesus, but I think he had it wrong when he gives sheep the favored symbolism. Goats are incredibly resourceful and intelligent---and make wonderful pets, as Buzzy (my only childhood pet) demonstrated throughout her long life.

SUNNY SAN DIEGO

We just returned from four wonderful days in Southern California where I delivered lectures (Rethinking Leadership, based on my most recent book) at Bethel Seminary. This is a smaller version of the big Bethel University in St. Paul--a warm place and not just in outdoor temperatures! Here I am attentively listening hard to a student's very serious question following one of the sessions. And here is John who is a vital part in each session. He's a reader, but far more than that. One student commented that he's an actor. One of the pieces he read was Martin Luther excoriating Jews. That was powerful with John's wonderful version of Luther's German accent.

We hiked up to the top of Cowles Mountain early one morning, had dinner on a sunset bay, and spent a wonderful day at the San Diego Zoo, hosted by Professor Jim Smith and his wife Linda. It was perfect weather the whole time except for the evening of our departure. Fog came in and the flights were canceled. My response is to spend the night at the airport. Not John's way, so we coughed up the hundred bucks for a room at Holiday Inn and actually had a nice evening and wonderful morning before we caught our early afternoon flight to Detroit which got us home just after 1 pm.

It's good to be home---home to the cloudy cold Michigan. San Diego people tend to be a little proud of themselves for choosing such a wonderful location (which last week placed second only to Denver as America's most desirable city in which to live). I tell them that they pay a price in having such weak characters. Hostile weather builds character. AND THAT'S THE TRUTH!