Life on the river

We're in the heat and heart of a Florida summer. That means it's hot and humid, when it isn't roasting and sweltering.

The great thing about living next to a beautiful Florida river like the St. Johns is spending the evening on it. That's just what I did last night, with a few friends, like Mr. T here, who enjoyed a few brewskis and gator bites, as we sat on the deck at a little restaurant on the river, catching the river breeze and some good music.



In the water next to the deck, a baby 'gator bided his time, plotting revenge:

"Will you please share a little fish, or shrimp, or ... some ladyfingerrssss?"

Our table included a view of the boats coming in:


Meanwhile, consummate musician-songwriter Rog Lee sang songs of Florida:


A boy fished off the restaurant's dock:


Dusk watercolored the scene:


The colors deepened, as night began to fall:



Ah, the beautiful St. Johns. It's worth protecting.

Me and my rainbow

Or, the rainbow that followed me home


We had a movie night at church last night. It was potluck and Evan Almighty.

I love this movie about a modern-day Noah. I reviewed the movie here when I first saw it a couple of years ago.

A terrific storm moved through just about time the event was supposed to start - the kind with nasty black clouds, tornado warnings and the whole bit. I had to wait out the storm before I could get to the church, it was raining so hard.

At the end of the movie, there's a rainbow, just as in the Biblical story.

As I drove home afterward, I could see a huge rainbow in my rear-view mirror. The rainbow seemed to be following me. By the time I came off the highway to turn toward home, the rainbow was to the side of me, instead of behind me. The end of it could have been right over my house.

I snapped a picture out of my car window as I sat at the stop light, waiting to turn toward home. As evening was falling, the rainbow didn't show up as brilliantly as it did just a quarter-hour earlier, but it was there:


It was a reminder, like the stories of Noah, Moses, Ruth and others - God doesn't speak to just the "perfect" people. He speaks to all of us, and will use even us goofs and klutzes to do his will, in all our weaknesses.

The cynical will say the rainbow's appearance was just a coincidence. That it appeared to follow me, and stay with, all the way home, was nothing special. Just light through a prism.

I know better.

In the world

Here's the thing: I've been going through this calling thing, and talking to God about it a whole lot. It's drawing me very close.

These quiet moments, alone with my maker, are so precious. I want to spend more time like this.

Of course, the world goes on - the job always keeps me busy; I'm involved in a lot of things at church and fellowship with my friends there. Then, there's social life after work - going to hear great music with my friends.

I'm overflowing. It's all good. But ...

Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be. We are called to be in the world, but not of the world.

Sometimes, I'd like to be like Julian, an anchoress — reclusive and spending lots of time in prayer and contemplation. I could crawl out of my hidey-hole now and then, to share my visions.

I think I just have to make sure I have enough time for solitary prayer and meditation.

Who orders the stars, who brings the Milky Way spiraling past in the darkness?

It is only you, God.

From Job 38:

The LORD Speaks

1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:

2 "Who is this that darkens my counsel
with words without knowledge?

3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.

4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.

5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?

18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.

19 "What is the way to the abode of light?
And where does darkness reside?

31 "Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades?
Can you loose the cords of Orion?

32 Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons
or lead out the Bear with its cubs?

33 Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God's dominion over the earth?

Take a look at this.

Galactic Center of Milky Way Rises over Texas Star Party from William Castleman on Vimeo.