Tag: Florida

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Sunday Scripture

Shortly after 1:30 AM EDT on Thursday June 24TH 2021 disaster struck my South Florida community when about half of a fully-occupied 12-story residential beachfront condominium complex collapsed and pancaked onto itself along the Atlantic coast in the small town of Surfside (about 40 miles / 65 kilometers from my home).

It will very likely be the largest instant loss of life in Florida in nearly a century.

I realized the horror unfolding on the local TV news about 4 hours later as I was preparing to drive to work. At one point I got overly emotional, and I started crying. I haven’t stop grieving ever since. I weep with those who weep.

Search-and-rescue operations continue this weekend as our first-responder heroes continue to be hopeful that there are survivors underneath the rubble. We pray to our Lord for the safety and security of those heroes in the elements day and night atop the rubble. We pray for the comfort and peace of the family and friends who lost loved ones on that morning. We pray for the healing and restoration of the survivors who made it out alive. We lift up the town of Surfside to our God Almighty. #SurfsideStrong

I don’t personally know anyone who was in those towers, but I know that men and women, parents and children, and entire families went to bed on Wednesday night just like any other normal night with an ambitious schedule for Thursday, and in an instant they were physically gone along with the building they slept in. I didn’t know any of them, but they were my neighbors. They were God’s creations.

God is our refuge and strength – always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come, and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge !
(Psalm 46:1-3)

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.

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

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My Summer Vacation 2021 Road-Trip

It’s Part 3 of my multi-part Thursday blog series on my recent 77-hour / (4-day / 3-night) / 472-mile road-trip spanning Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee Counties (in that order). It was my first extended visit ever along Florida’s Treasure Coast. While there I was always within about 5 miles of the Atlantic Ocean and the adjacent Indian River.

Last Thursday we left off at the Elliott Museum on the barrier island off the coast of Stuart known as South Hutchinson Island. From there I headed north along Florida’s scenic State Road A1A. I soon entered St. Lucie County, and once I reached the Fort Pierce Inlet I headed inland (along A1A since there is no bridge over the Inlet). In downtown Fort Pierce A1A and U.S. 1 share a concurrency for a little over a mile. A1A then heads back out to sea to the barrier island on the other side of the Inlet. I stayed on U.S. 1, and I took that most of the way up to Vero Beach – my hotel destination for 3 nights. Once I entered the city limits of Vero Beach I believe that it was the first time in my life that I had done so – as a 33½-year resident of South Florida.

After I checked-in to my hotel and room I walked over to the nearby Bonefish Grill. I got there a few minutes before they opened for the day at 3 PM. I was not only their first customer of the day, but I was their only customer during my entire meal ! The service was great, and the food was great. I think I’ve eaten at Bonefish Grill once or twice before in my life (while on vacation). There’s actually one about 18 miles from home, but I’ve never been to that one. (I should visit sometime. They are actually open for Lunch.)

After my early dinner I drove over to the local movie theatre in town to see “A Quiet Place Part II“. It was my first movie seen in a movie theatre in 2021. I saw 3 last year in 2020. During much of the 2010s I was averaging about 35 movies per year !

After the movie I headed over to South Beach Park (a city park) on the Atlantic Ocean. When I got there at about 6:35 PM I noticed that lots of people were leaving the beach and heading for their vehicles. I was the only person getting out of his car and heading towards the beach. Once I arrived surfside I realized why everyone was abandoning the scene – including the lifeguards. A raging thunderstorm was quickly blowing in from the sea. I took a few photos of the darkened sky, and I too headed back to my vehicle. I drove back to my hotel 2½ miles inland. It was starting to rain lightly as I walked inside my hotel. As it turns out the thunderstorm was a complete bust. It pretty much fell apart as it swept inland, and only light rain fell from it for a few minutes. I should have stayed in my car at the beach until the storm passed, and then enjoyed the beach after.

That’s the end of Day 1 of my road-trip adventures. That was Wednesday June 02ND 2021, and I drove 203 miles on that day. I’ll present Part 4 for you next Thursday, and we’ll head back over to the barrier island, and we’ll visit some fun places on both sides of A1A and U.S. 1 in the Fort Pierce area.

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

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Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday June 06TH 2021, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us look upon our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ for guidance and direction – for safety and security.

I have returned from a 77-hour / 472-mile summer vacation road-trip to and from Florida’s Treasure Coast. I spent some quality time, I learned a lot, I had a lot of fun, and I met some great people along the way from Stuart to Sebastian Inlet State Park.

I have at least a month’s worth of new material to write about, and I’ll be sharing that for the next 4 or 5 Thursdays starting this Thursday June 10TH 2021.

One of my many fun visits was to the McKee Botanical Garden just south of the city limits of Vero Beach off U.S. 1. It’s on the U.S. National Register Of Historic Places. From 1932 to 1976 it was known as McKee Jungle Gardens, and it was a popular roadside tourist attraction right alongside the main highway for the U.S. East Coast.

That’s the King James Version from the Book Of Genesis – Chapter 2 – Verses 8 & 9a.

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.

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

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A Cold Day In The Everglades

Back in November when I found out that The United States Secretary Of The Interior David Bernhardt made it free for life for U.S. Veterans to enter America’s National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, and other public federal lands – first of all I was extremely grateful. It’s probably the best gift that has ever been given to me as a Veteran. After all this is a gift that keeps on giving every single day – not just on Veterans’ Day.

I live between two U.S. National Parks – Biscayne National Park to the east – and Everglades National Park to the west. Both are about 10 miles away from my home. Biscayne does not charge an entry fee. It’s free for everyone. Everglades charges $30 per vehicle for a 7 consecutive day pass, or $55 for an annual pass. I no longer have to pay either fee. I’m free !

I actually got in to Everglades National Park for free during 2 consecutive winter seasons (2015-2016 and 2016-2017) when I worked out there as a volunteer (in uniform) giving tours at the NIKE Missile Site (HM-69). I worked 31 Saturdays out there showing hundreds of visitors from around the world a sampling of authentic military history from the mid-1960s to the late-1970s (when it was an active duty base out in the middle of the Park).

Back in November I said to myself that I would visit the Park on a cold day this winter season, and so last Saturday was that cold day. With temperatures in the upper-40s and lower-50s at dawn I entered the Park for the first time since my last Saturday working out there in March of 2017. It was like a homecoming for me. I actually drove the entire 38-mile main park road down to Flamingo on Florida Bay. It was my first visit there in nearly 7 years. I took a fun 90-minute organized boat tour up-and-down the waters north of Flamingo. I took the same tour almost 8 years ago.

After the boat tour I did a lot of walking all around Flamingo and then at a couple of stops along the way back up the main park road. I took a lot of pictures. I walked over 13,000 steps / 6 miles.

The Park was packed on that Saturday / day after Christmas. Everyone else had the same idea as me to visit during a rare cold South Florida day.

Now I need to figure out what my next fun cold day out will be here in my local area. Maybe Vizcaya ? (also free for life for U.S. Veterans)

All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries