GATORS IN LIFE (February 6 - March 1, 2019)

Wyndham Cypress Palms

The winter part of our Wyndham Resort Wanderings came to a close as we boarded the Delta flight back to Indiana.  It had been a three month journey spent on Grand Cayman Island and at the Wyndham Cypress Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida.  The final three week segment in Florida was spent with temperatures in the mid 80s (10 degrees above normal) while our midwest friends suffered through snow, ice, and sub zero temperatures.

Joyce and Gary Miller

Once again, we were blessed with a visit by some long time friends that we hadn't seen in over 30 years.  Joyce and Gary Miller were members at the church I pastored in Tipp City, Ohio back in the 1980s.  They now live in Virginia.  It was as if we had never been apart.

I will return to Indiana having lost about 12 pounds!  Lots of walking in the morning quiet and coolness and being a little more careful about what I ate made the difference.  I'd like to lose another dozen pounds before embarking on our Alaskan cruise at the end of May.  We all know that cruises add pounds.



REFLECTIONS


During my morning walks, I found myself thinking about how wonderfully blessed I am.  I spent considerable time in prayer just thanking the Lord for all the goodness that has been a part of my life.  Oh, there have been some gators cross my path from time to time but for the most part I managed to come out of those confrontations uninjured and able to continue my journey.  Gators tend to be pretty unmovable.  They find a place in the sun and just lay there.They are not afraid to let you know they are there.  I think they enjoy knowing that you know that they are there and that they are the alpha predator.  Problem is that from time to time they get hungry and lay in wait for the unsuspecting critter to wander by.  That's when they are dangerous.  They let their presence be known until it's time to feed.  Then they head to the dark, shaded places and bide their time.

Your best bet is to give them space, walk around them, and stay out of their dark hiding places.  Just continue your trek, knowing that you are wiser than they are and are able to avoid a confrontation that could prove to be fatal.  Fatal.....to the gator that is.