Saturday, May 25, 2013

I Love Florida... I Love Kentucky...

We live in Kentucky and just returned from vacation in Florida. I really love Florida and have good reason to do so. I grew up in the sunshine state; I was about 1 month old when my family moved there from Kentucky. So, I had more sand in my shoes than clay.  I really enjoyed my early childhood years in Florida except for a major hurricane (honestly for me it was an adventure), the passing of my mother when I was 5 and the assassination of President Kennedy.

When I was 9 years old my dad, brother, sister and I moved back to Kentucky (my dad remarried). Most of the time I was in Kentucky I talked and dreamed of moving back to Florida. In 1977 a few months after I got married, we were living in Florida. So nice, so many palm trees... so HOT! We adjusted to the climate change, I eventually got a wonderful job on a great fire department in Sarasota, we had 2 beautiful children and met a lot of fantastic friends.

After 13 years on the West Coast of Florida we moved back to Kentucky. Now 24 years later I often think about what it would be like living back in Florida. Most of my friends live in Florida and the greatest fire department in the world is there but ... they are not looking for a few good (old) men.

So how would I like moving back to Florida? This year something has changed... when we flew out over Florida and I looked at the land below I saw a sparse dry flat terrain. Then as we were over Kentucky, everything was lush, green, hilly or mountainous and actually beautiful. Florida with the exception of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean has a man-made manicured beauty while Kentucky has a natural beauty.

Now even without this new revelation I would never leave my children and grandchildren and move to Florida. I realize just how hard to please I am sometimes. I know that even though I'm happy with Kentucky right now, come this winter when we have ice and snow I would love Florida more again. 

The Lord wants us to concentrate on important things, not where we live or what we own. These things are nice but our relationship with Him and our families is and should be number 1. When we put God and our families first everything else will fall into place and we will be happy no matter where we are.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I REALLY LIKE TO READ UR BLOG...IT GIVES ME AN IDEA POINT BY POINT....WHEN U SAY "THE LORD WANTS US TO CONCENTRATE ON IMPORTANT THINGS,NOT WHERE WE LIVE AND WHAT WE OWN"...I WAS TOUCHED.....AND SO U SAID THESE THINGS ARE NICE BUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND OUR FAMILIES IS AND SHOULD BE NUMBER 1....AGAIN ANOTHER THOUGHTS TO PONDER FOR ME....AND THEN WHEN U SAID.."WHEN WE PUT GOD AND OUR FAMILIES FIRST,EVERYTHING ELSE WILL FALL INTO PLACE AND WE WILL BE HAPPY NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE....I JUST WAS AWAKEN FROM MY DEEP SLEEP OF A HORRIBLE NIGHTMARE...AFTER READING THIS MESSAGE FROM U...THANK U JACK...

Donovan said...

May God bless you friend. I pray that the Lord will give you peace and help you to rest well. If there is something that is standing between you and God, push it out of the way and run into the arms of Christ. Take care and rest in Him.

Anonymous said...

thank you Jack for a quick reply to my comment...i'm sorry i am not really that computer literate to know what to click and do just to read ur blog....but i tried my best to connect and read ur blog whichever way....my problem now...is that how can i push out of the way that something who is standing between me and God...i can't do that...i have also a heart...a heart of a human being who felt pity of someone who is a human being too...because of what they say free will....FROM TIME TO TIME I RUN AND REST IN JESUS CHRIST ARMS AND CRY...COZ I HAVE NO ONE TO TELL...EXCEPT HIM....BUT I CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF TO BE BOTHERED AND CONFUSED OF THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEYOND MY CONTROL.....i am taking chances to talk to u...hoping i can absorb some ideas and opinions from u coz i know ur heart is with HIM....tnx JACK
....

Donovan said...

First let me tell you that you do not have to tell me exactly what the issue is and it's best you don't. It doesn't matter because God knows and I don't need to know. In order for us to have a complete relationship with the Lord we have to put Him before everything else. I know in your heart you desire to do this but the flesh is weak. Paul spoke of this struggle in Romans Chapter 7. Continue to reach out to the Lord, confess your sins often and talk to Him throughout the day. Surround yourself with things that are holy and pure. If something is pulling you away from God or His Son Jesus Christ then you must remove yourself from whatever that is. God loves you more than anything. Trust in Him, read the Word (try to read at least 1 chapter a day, it will change your life)! Pray, Pray, Pray and I will be praying for you! God gave us a free will, use that will to serve Him.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Jack,your words move me a little ...even with this struggling time of mine that i am suffering now.Yes my mind tells me,you are right,pray pray pray and never stop praying to the Lord our God.I never stop praying to Him and never left Him ever since,despite of all my sins committed. For so many years my belief in God not to commit sin imprisoned me here.One of His ten commandments imprisoned me not to make a sin,that's why I am still here in this cell and not free to move because I am afraid that if I disobey completely what He said in one of His Ten Commandments I will be thrown to the fire of hell,because of this belief my women's right are being abused and I am being utilized.God created me and so I wanted to pay what He gave to me by taking care of myself by loving myself,but how can I love myself when I am imprisoned,utilized by other and I can't keep out from here because I am afraid to disobey ONE OF HIS TEN COMMANDMENTS.What will I do?Pls help me Jack.Thank you so much.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Jack,your words move me a little ...even with this struggling time of mine that i am suffering now.Yes my mind tells me,you are right,pray pray pray and never stop praying to the Lord our God.I never stop praying to Him and never left Him ever since,despite of all my sins committed. For so many years my belief in God not to commit sin imprisoned me here.One of His ten commandments imprisoned me not to make a sin,that's why I am still here in this cell and not free to move because I am afraid that if I disobey completely what He said in one of His Ten Commandments I will be thrown to the fire of hell,because of this belief my women's right are being abused and I am being utilized.God created me and so I wanted to pay what He gave to me by taking care of myself by loving myself,but how can I love myself when I am imprisoned,utilized by other and I can't keep out from here because I am afraid to disobey ONE OF HIS TEN COMMANDMENTS.What will I do?Pls help me Jack.Thank you so much.

Donovan said...

You have to make the decision of what is your number one priority? Do you love the sin more than God? I know you don't but continuing to sin will hinder your prayers and steal your joy. You must read the Word (Bible) and fill you vessel (your mind) with things that are pure. This keep the enemy from attacking you because there will be no room for him.

Donovan said...

Thank you, please visit again.

Descubriendo la vida said...

Preciosas¡