Wednesday April 6, 2016  LOST AND FOUND

Yesterday’s blog was written early in the day when not much had yet happened.  But, as it turned out we had a wonderful afternoon of exploration.  Neil asked if we would like to go to the beach.  I jumped on the bandwagon, ate a late lunch and then headed to the beach.  Unfortunately by the time we left it was late afternoon.  Neil drove us along the beach road where Donald Trump’s estate takes up a good size of land on Palm Beach Island.  I can’t even imagine the cost of the upkeep of the buildings and grounds.  We drove around the island for a while and viewed the ostentatious homes, some of which, are occupied only a few short weeks or months of the year.  I wonder what goes on behind their closed doors.  It reminds me of a quote by George Eliot:

“THE CONTENTED MAN IS NEVER POOR;

THE DISCONTENTED MAN IS NEVER RICH.”

I wonder which it is that lives behind the façade of the beautiful, expensive homes?

Now, back to the wonderful conclusion to our day.  We went on walks around the grounds of the Flagler Museum and stopped under a tree that was huge.  It was a Kapok tree.  To learn more about the tree go to:   http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/kids/species-profiles/kapok-tree

Here is an excerpt from the website: 

“Kapok Tree (Ceiba pentandra)

Botany: 

…giant in the rain forests, the kapok tree can reach up to 200 feet in height, sometimes growing as much as 13 feet per year. Due to its extreme height, the kapok, or ceiba tree, towers over the other rain forest vegetation. The trunk can expand to nine or 10 feet in diameter.” 

I will post a few photos but the lighting may not be the best.  Dave and I are standing beside the tree and a part of the root is by our side.  The tree was so tall we could not capture the magnificence of its amazing stature. 

After our walk around the grounds of the museum Neil then took us to an amazing hotel by the ocean.   The Breakers is well known and about the ritziest place I have ever been as far as hotel or resort accommodations go.  Of course we did not have the opportunity to see any rooms or suites but the grounds we explored were magnificent.  The grounds are gated but Neil, with his delightful English accent, sweet talked the gatekeeper to allow us to go in and look around.  The facility looked like a movie set.  I figure that is the closest I have ever come to experiencing such opulence.  I am so happy that I am contented with what I have.  I believe the richness of contentment, like the quote said, is worth so much more than always looking for more.  When compared to the lives of those who frequent The Breakers, I fall into the category of “the contented man who is never poor”.

MY TREASURES ARE IN HEAVEN

By Kathleen Martens

April 6,2016

The beauty of the ocean

Fills my heart with peace

Creating deep contentment,

And never does it cease.

It takes not silver or gold

For my joy to overflow,

Because it lives in my heart

Wherever I may go.

And I have no baggage

With me to lug all around.

Joy is light and airy

Where contentment is found.

Nothing to lose,

What I have is steadfast.

It is Jesus living in me,

And His spirit will always last.

Serenity, mine to keep,

The gift that comes from love.

My treasures are in heaven

Waiting for me above.

No thing on this earth

Has greater lure for me

Than the day I meet Jesus

And His face I will see.

I have two little short stories to relate to you so you can see the antics of “the beginning of forgetfulness” or in other words, the tell-tell signs of aging.  While we were walking around the beach I lost my sunglasses.  I asked the guys (as Rebecca was not with us) if they had seen my red sunglasses.  No, no one could find them.  When we got into the car I looked all around and the glasses were no where to be found.  That is, not until I bent my chin way down, only to discover the glasses wrapped around my neck where I put them when I took them off to take a picture.  Oops!  That goes to show you just how much the men were looking at me.  There they were, clinging to my neck plain sight.

Later, we left The Breakers Hotel and exited through the front gated area.  After we drove through the gate Dave realized he had lost his sun glasses.  We decided to see if the gatekeeper in the back area would allow us to go back into the Breakers compound long enough for Dave to search around and see if he could find his sunglasses.  The guard allowed us back so Dave could search.  When we arrived at the entrance where Dave needed to enter the Breakers he stepped out of the car and began to walk away.  He immediately found his glasses…in his pocket, safe and sound.  Oops!  Well, lost and found.  That’s a good ending.  FOR BOTH OF US!

Thanks to all of you who have prayed for my friend’s daughter.  I received an email later yesterday which give me an update on Michelle’s daughter.  Here it is:

“Thank you so much. Daughter (I choose not to mention names of other’s children) is already doing better.  The liquid around her heart is less every day and it’s no longer bloody.  Thank you so much.

Please continue to pray for Michelle regarding her upcoming surgery to remove a cancerous thyroid.  I don’t know if it will be Thursday as planned, but whenever it is, she needs your prayers.

Update on last night’s card game.  The men won by a small margin.  But, like my husband said, a win is a win regardless how narrow the point range.  However, I will say, it felt really great to win 16,000 points to their 8,000 points the night before.

I must go.  I am being called to play the next game!

Lord, thank You for all the beauty you have made that fills me with contentment.

Thank You Lord for designing such diversity of flowers.

Thank You for being the Creator.

Thank You for new experiences.

Thank You for food on the shelves at the stores.

Thank You for toothpaste.

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU