Category: Home

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date November 30, 2023

Welcome back to #TravelThursday after a week off last Thursday for Thanksgiving Day here in the U.S.A. I was in Wylie Texas (northeastern suburb of Dallas) for 8 days and 9 nights – visiting my family for our annual #ThanksChristmasGiving (combined Thanksgiving and Christmas) tradition.

I flew out of #SRQ – Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport – on the Wednesday before the week of Thanksgiving. It was a late-afternoon / early-evening flight on American Airlines, and everything went about as good as can be expected with it. The flight – the only one of the day between #SRQ and #DFW – was about 90% full. That was a little bit surprising. I wasn’t expecting it to be that full. It was equally as full on the return flight back to #SRQ on Black Friday afternoon (the day after Thanksgiving here in the U.S.A.). I’m not sure if this single flight per day (in each direction – originating from #DFW) is seasonal or year-round.

I had an aisle seat flying out of #SRQ and a window seat flying back in. I prefer a window seat so that I can watch the weather outside all the way up to cruising altitude. It was exciting to see a new landscape out my window as we made our descent into the region – particularly a clear view of the beautiful Tampa Bay area to the north.

My first impressions of #SRQ were great. There are no parking garages – just surface parking including long-term, short-term, and rental vehicles. They are all connected to each other in front of the only terminal, and that one terminal has just 13 gates. (A new terminal is currently under construction, and it will add a few additional gates.) It’s the 8TH-busiest airport in Florida, and it was easy-in and easy-out to and from the surrounding metro area. It’s about 79 miles away from my Sebring home in the center of the state – almost a straight-shot along mostly rural Florida State Road 64.

I don’t know when I’ll be flying again (perhaps next November), but it will be a pleasure to fly out of #SRQ.

Today – November 30TH – is the day exactly 36 years ago that I flew to Miami International Airport for the first time ever on my way to my new home at Homestead AFB. (I would arrive on-base after Midnight on December 01ST.) Next #TravelThursday – I’ll write about the start of my 37TH and final year in South Florida. Let’s keep traveling together.

Tags Florida

Blogging Food Holidays Home

Happy Thanksgiving Day

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date November 23, 2023

#TravelThursday returns next week.

Tags Thanksgiving

1980s Animals Blogging Career Driving Food Geography Holidays Home Military Travel

Stateside

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date November 16, 2023

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Last week I wrote about my arrival in the south of England 38 years ago on November 10TH 1985. Tomorrow is the 36TH anniversary of the date (November 17TH 1987) that I left England behind and arrived back home stateside.

I actually don’t remember much about that day. My memories are quite vivid from the Sunday morning 2 years and 1 week earlier when I arrived in England, but when I left England – not so much.

A friend of mine drove me from our (military) dormitory over to Billeting / Lodging at dawn, and from there I got on a shuttle that I think took me all the way to the airport. I don’t think I did the whole British Rail trek going to London (like I had when I arrived). I got on my flight at Heathrow, and I was back in the Washington D.C. area a few hours later that afternoon. (I got those 5 hours back that I lost 2 years and 1 week earlier.)

My Dad picked me up at the airport, and we went home. My cat – Fluffy – went ballistic with joy and happiness when she saw me. It was a wonderful stateside homecoming.

I got to hang out with my family – dad, mom, brother, and cat – for almost 2 weeks through the Thanksgiving holiday week. Again – I don’t remember much from those 13 days, but I know that it was a good time because I was back home with my family again.

I’m with my family right now – mom, brother, sister-in-law, nieces, and dog. We’re continuing our annual November tradition that goes back almost 20 years – #ThanksChristmasGiving – or #Thanksmas. It’s where we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas combined in a single week. The Christmas tree and decorations have been up for a couple of weeks, and we are actively engaging in Christmas shopping and gift-wrapping. We’ll open all of the presents by the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving morning. Shortly after that the entire house will be filled with the aroma of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Next #TravelThursday is in 2 weeks – when I celebrate my 36TH (and final) anniversary in Homestead Florida. Let’s keep traveling together.

Tags England

Bible Blogging Christian Church God Home Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date September 24, 2023

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday September 24TH 2023, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

I’m back in Homestead for the first of 2 Sundays in a row at my longtime home church of the past 8½ years. I’m looking forward to service and fellowship with my closest brothers and sisters of my church family and this fantastic journey.

Back home in Sebring I’ve been working on my next sermon on “Jude & Judgment” (based on Jude’s letter near the end of the New Testament). I hope to preach it to my Homestead church family at the end of November.

And now here on #SundayScripture it’s the continuation of the refresh, renew, and reboot of my sermon on “Pray & Believe” – originally preached on Sunday June 16TH 2019. Here’s Part 9:

[CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK]

There was an excellent movie in the theatres in early-2019. It did pretty good at the box office too. It made over 40 million dollars here in North America. That’s a lot of people seeing a faith-based movie at the theatres. It was called “Breakthrough”. It’s available at many stores – on DVD and Blu-Ray – and you can also stream it. It’s about a suburban mom who loved Christ and her family. She was a prayer warrior. She prayed often. She prayed intentionally.

Her 14-year-old son was playing with two friends on a frozen lake in mid-January during a milder-than-normal winter day. The kids were warned to get off the unsafe ice, but like typical teenagers – they brushed aside those warnings. They all fell through the ice. Two recovered safely back to the surface. One did not. He was underwater for 15 minutes before he was eventually rescued by a first-responder who refused to give up. Was the first responder led by an angel ?

After 15 minutes underwater the kid was lifeless. He was rushed to the hospital in a coma.

The movie was based on the real-life events that occurred in January of 2015 just outside of St. Louis Missouri. It made national headlines. The mom got an entire small town to pray for her son. Guess what she got ? She got miracles ! God hears our prayers. God responds with miracles.

It was a great movie. I shed tears several times, and I nearly wept out loud once or twice. And that’s OK to do – even for a guy in his 50s. I was also overwhelmed with joy. Watch this movie on DVD or online or on TV if you get the chance. Hollywood doesn’t make too many movies like this.

But that’s the power of prayer. Think about this. Who do you pray for ? Who do you pray for ? If all of your prayers today were answered by God tomorrow – then how many people – other than yourself – would experience life-changing miracles ? How ‘bout this. Would any of those people be complete strangers ?

But Pastor Chris – why would I pray for complete strangers ? I want God to answer the prayers for my loved ones – my family and my friends.

Yeah – same here. But God commanded us to love your neighbor as yourself, and everyone is your neighbor. If you see or hear another person – no matter where you are – then he or she is your neighbor. Love them. Pray for them.

[TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK]

If you wish to learn more about the God I know then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.