Tag Archives: Christian bloggers

We Don’t Fly-Part 2

19 Oct

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I’ve been looking back on our July Cruise vacation. We flew from Florida to Alaska. We had a lot of anxiety but didn’t feel we could turn down our daughter’s gift of an Alaska cruise, The flight to Vancouver was not ideal, but it wasn’t as nerve wracking as we feared. We were both able to relax For the return flight, our daughter downloaded movies to her iPad Pro for her dad to watch during the flight and he was a happy man.

Our hotel in Vancouver was in the same shopping strip as the famous Tim Horton Donut shop. Now I am a die-hard Krispy Kreme fan. People from up north swear by Tim Horton donuts, so we had to give them a try as they were practically next door. Plus my husband hasn’t found a donut he didn’t like.

This picture was taken the morning after our late and traumatic arrival in Vancouver, so he wasn’t looking too perky. The donuts did lift his spirits.

We made several visits to Tim Horton’s and after multiple “tastings” we gave them a rating, comparing them to Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts.

Overall taste and texture Krispy Kreme was the winner, with Tim Horton a strong second and Dunkin Donuts in last place. Tim Horton did win first place in the apple fritter category, my husband’s favorite treat. Eating one is like enjoying a fried apple pie with a nice amount of apple bits. Dunkin Donuts came in last place.

Moving along back to our flying experience…Going through airport security was exasperating. Seeing our stuff going through a scanner ahead of us made me crazy. ANYONE could pick up our stuff. My husband was in a wheelchair and I was always ahead of him while they detained him.

Our daughter became so stressed trying to make sure my husband and I were ok that on the flights home, I agreed to being wheeled through the airport too. It kind of hurt my pride, but truth be told, the wheelchair escorts walked so fast I couldn’t keep up with them.

By the time our trip was over, we had overcame our fear of airplane travel. We would definitely be willing to fly again if anyone offers us a free vacation! Well, except for the scam caller who claimed to be from Expedia and offered me a too good to be true deal.

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2023 Road Trip-Part 8

18 Oct

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 8 – July 22:

This morning after breakfast, I headed back across the John A. Blatnik Bridge into Superior, WI to visit the Richard I. Bong Museum which was one of the main reasons for this trip.  Richard Bong was the highest scoring U.S. Army Air Force fighter pilot in the Pacific Theater during WWII.  I had followed his exploits and wanted to visit his museum for years.  This small museum is filled with artifacts and memorabilia following the history of Bong and his fellow fighter pilots as they fought the mighty Japanese war machine in the pacific.  Their beautifully restored P-38, representing Bong’s personal airplane, is the centerpiece of the museum.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

Before leaving Superior, I wanted to visit The Old Firehouse & Police Museum situated in the old 1898 restored Fire Hall #1, which had used five horse-drawn fire fighting rigs, and I’m sure would have had a lot of beautifully restored antique fire fighting artifacts and memorabilia, but it didn’t open until noon today.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

A few blocks from the Old Firehouse Museum, I tried to visit the World of Accordions, but they didn’t open until 3:00 today, so, I gave up on the museums there in Superior and headed north, back across the John A. Blatnik Bridge, into Duluth to visit the Historic Union Depot.  This huge structure, built in 1898, is actually the second railroad station to be built on the site, replacing the 1st old 1869 wooden depot.  The building (known as the St. Louis County Depot) now houses the Superior Railroad Museum, the Duluth Art Institute, and the St. Louis County Historical Society Museum, as well as being the departure point for the North Shore Scenic Railroad 1-hour & 6-hour train rides along the Lake Superior shoreline.  The station provided railroad passenger service to and from the Duluth and Superior areas until passenger service was terminated in 1985.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

Heading northwest out of Duluth on US-53, I drove for hours thru the beautiful Superior National Forest, stopping in Virginia, MN and Gheen, MN (we have good friends named Gheen) for potty breaks and to rest my bottom, before finally arriving at the Koochiching County Historical Museum located in International Falls, MN.  This 2-gallery museum displays exhibits and artifacts covering the 10,000 years of local native American history and culture, the early fur traders, and settlers to the area, which includes the development of the lumber and natural resources industries.  The second gallery is devoted to the life and career of the 1930s football legend & Football Hall of Fame inductee, Bronko Nagurski who was born and raised in International Falls.

Photo Credit: https://www.exploreminnesota.com/profile/koochiching-county-historical-society-museums/

I was a little apprehensive about crossing the border into Canada, as the van I had purchased in Wisconsin only had a “Temporary Tag” and I wasn’t sure how that would play with the Border Officials.  However, the temporary tag was not the problem at the border crossing.  There was construction going on at the crossing lanes and only two of the four lanes were open to cars.  It took me 1-½ hours to crawl along the approximately ¼-mile line of cars waiting to cross.  What a MESS and big waste of time that was!   Once it was my turn to show my Passport and temporary Wisconsin Auto Registration, my papers were checked, and I was passed right on with no problems.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing.  He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville.  Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is:  John 10:10

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Whom Shall I Fear

16 Oct

My Take

DiVoran Lites

The Lord is my light and my salvation 

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life

Of whom shall I be afraid?

Photo Credit: Pixabay

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

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Meals with the Family-Part 2

15 Oct

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

  As the children got older, schedules were more difficult to manage for family dinners, so it has essentially dwindled down to just once-a-month with Bill, DiVoran, Fred and me.  We take turns where to meet:  one month Fred and I go to Titusville, and the next month Bill and DiVoran come to Orlando.  We usually meet about 10:00 a.m. at the house for some time to just visit and chat – catch up on our lives.  About 11:30 we head to a restaurant for a lunch meal together.

Bill and DiVoran’s house

Our house

In Titusville, that usually means Dixie Crossroads.  YAY!  Love that place and the Rock Shrimp they serve! 

Credit photo Google Search and Dixie Crossroads website; Steve Hunsader

There used to be a restaurant in Titusville called Portofino’s that we enjoyed, but they aren’t in business any more.  Another was Pumpernickle’s, which served authentic German food.  Fred and I really loved that restaurant, since we lived in Germany for six years.  But, unfortunately, they aren’t in business any more, either.  Shucks!  There is still a good Mexican/Cuban restaurant where we go occasionally called El Leoncito which is excellent.

Photo credit Google Search, El Leoncito website; Herve Andrieu

When Bill and DiVoran come to Orlando, we have quite a wide variety of restaurants to pick from.  Recently we went to Cracker Barrel, since they have such a wide variety on their menu.

Photo credit Google Search and Cracker Barrel Website

We described the salmon at Longhorn Steakhouse, and DiVoran decided the next time they come here she would like to try that! 

Another time they came over to Orlando, we all met at Columbia House in Celebration.  It is a “traditional Spanish” restaurant, and the food is excellent. 

Photo credit Google Search and Columbia House website

For those who don’t know, Celebration is a housing development built by Disney, located not too far from Disney World. 

This is the symbol of Celebration

Photo credit Google Search and Celebration website

It is essentially a self-contained community which includes shopping, schools (reported to be state-of-the-art), and a hospital (also reported to be state-of-the-art).  I’ve been a patient in that hospital, and it is quite good.

We’ve eaten at Azteca Mexican Restaurant, Cheddar’s Home Kitchen.  We’ve taken them to 4 Rivers BBQ, and The Catfish Place in St. Cloud.  We’ve eaten at IHOP as well as Red Lobser and Olive Garden.  So we really have our choice of eateries here.  That keeps it interesting.

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Three Lies That Can Rob Your Security

14 Oct

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

I tried, really tried not to get nauseous at Angie’s story.

“I was taught that you eat anything you kill,” she said.

Angie is one of hubby’s family members whom we recently visited. They live in a double-wide trailer surrounded by vegetable gardens, horses, and gorgeous trees at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Each family member is refreshingly warm, down-to-earth, simple, transparent and genuinely kind—traits seldom seen these days.

I relished in their ways of life and in their unique stories like the one Angie related about the day she killed a crow.

“I brought it home,” she said matter-of-factly. “Prepared it, carved out a piece of the breast, breaded it, added salt and pepper and fried it.”

I gave a fake smile to hide my disbelief but had to ask, “How did it taste?”

“Awful. I spit it out.”

In these times of turmoil, we also need to spit out the distasteful and destructive lies from the enemy of our soul.

His craftiness is peppered with deceit and destruction. Caution: he works best to destroy us by first bringing in doubt, then aims to rob our security hoping we bite into these lies:

  • Seek first to solve your problem
  • Change will come if you try harder
  • Another person will ease your loneliness
  • Your provision comes from your paycheck

Angie spit out the disgusting crow’s meat and we should also do the same with those lies. On the other hand, victory comes when we delight our soul with the delicious truth in God’s Word:

  1. God’s ready to give us what we need. Are you busy seeking answers, solutions, changes or breakthroughs on your own? If so, you might be stuck in the mud of discouragement, exhausted by the seeking frenzy. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). While you choose to seek God first, expect and count on the promises that will come in ways you may not expect and in the timing that might surprise you.
  2. Resist the lie that says you prayed incorrectly, your prayers are too brief, too long, with the wrong words. God has the prayer pattern defined in Matthew 6:9-15 and He adds, “And most of all, …when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:7). Before you ask Him? That’s deliciously wonderful! No wonder confidence increases in knowing He’s aware of your needs, desires and longings.
  3. Another lie we need to spit out is the one that sparks these questions: Am I worthy? Do I deserve what God offers? Am I clean enough to receive? Am I too weak to pray boldly? His reassurance comes when you whisper to Him: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).

Through Jesus, our heart can be clean and, more open to hearing His voice, knowing His lead and savoring His promises.

Let’s Pray

Father, in these times of difficult challenges and pending requests, I vow to discard the lies from the enemy of my soul. I will instead taste the goodness You offer, the path You show me and the peace You infuse in me. In Jesus’ name.

What lies are creating a bitter taste in your heart?

Janet

Celebrate with me! My new release, Now I See: How God’s Amazing Grace Transforms the Deepest Pain to Shining Joy won the 2023 Memoir of the Year Golden Scroll Award.

BONUS article on recognizing and defeating our enemy’s lies.

Your copy waits for you HERE.

Let’s Stay in Touch

You and I are only a click away. You can use this CONTACT FORM to leave your prayer request, make a comment, ask a question, or invite me to speak to your group. Or simply reply to this email.

I also invite you to visit my WEBSITE. You’ll find more inspirational blogs along with my story, books, and videos. You’ll also learn the passion and mission of JC Empowerment ministries.

Janet Eckles Perez

Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR

Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.

www.janetperezeckles.com

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2023 Road Trip-Part 7

11 Oct

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 7 – July 21: This morning after an early breakfast, I headed north in my rented pickup truck, for 6 miles to meet Glenn at the Chrysler Dealership in Wausau, WI.  I wanted to see what kind of used vans he had available.  Glenn met me at the door and already had a red 2013 Chrysler Town & Country van out front for me to inspect.  We took it for a test drive, and I was satisfied that this van would suit my needs.  We settled in his office to do the necessary paperwork and he told me they had just recently received the van in a trade and had processed it thru their service shop with everything for resale, except it had not yet been detailed.  Since that would usually take about two days (for the carpets to dry) he would take $600 off the price for that not being done.  I was okay with that!

Photo Credit: https://images.search.yahoo.com/chrysler+town+%26+countryntry+touring

I told Glenn that Clayton (the mechanic) had told me he might be interested in buying my 2006 Dodge van if I decided to sell it.  I told him I wanted to add that money as a down payment on the 2013 van.    I called Clayton and we struck a deal for him to buy my van.  Then I said, “Okay Clayton, now you have my van, and you have the money for my van, how do I get the money to Glenn for my down payment? “  He said, “Let me talk to Glenn.”  He told Glenn, “I’m out hunting this weekend, but you know I’m good for it (friends for 25 years), I’ll bring the money to your office Monday morning.”  Well, Glenn was okay with that (I was amazed!) and he said, “Well that settles that, you are good to go.  All we need to do now is run this by the financial office.”  

image Credit: https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/auto+sale+with+dealer

That done, Glenn said, “The final paperwork will take a while to put together, so why don’t you return your rental truck and then we’ll drive this van up to Clayton’s shop and I’ll help you transfer everything from your 2006 van to this 2013 van so you will be ready to continue your road trip as soon as possible.”  That worked for me.  He followed me the 8 miles to the Mosinee Airport, where I returned the pickup truck to the National Car Rental office.  When the agent handed me the receipt, he said, “I don’t understand this, but you only owe $2.53 for your rental.”  I was shocked!  And I said, “How can that be?”  He said, “I don’t know, but that is what it says here on your receipt.”  I told him I wanted a paper receipt showing the balance of the $750 I had paid for the week’s truck rental had been credited back to my credit card account.  He did that, and I was happy with that.  All I could say was, “Thank you Lord, for the miracles you work in our lives every day!”

Photo Credit: https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/national-car-rental

We drove the van over to Clayton’s Auto Repair shop there in Mosinee, and the transfer of my things, that would have taken me 2-3 hours, only took about 30 minutes with Glenn’s help.  That was a huge thing for him to do for me!  That done, I left my key and vehicle registration to the 2006 van in Clayton’s drop box with a note promising to send the van title to him as soon as I returned to Florida.  Another example of small-town trust on Clayton’s part.  By the time we got back to the dealership in Wausau, all the paperwork was ready for my signature.  That didn’t take long.  I thanked everyone for helping me through one of the most intense 24-hours I could remember.  I said my goodbyes and was on my way north on I-39 in new wheels by 1:00 pm.

Image Credit: https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/leaving+in+car+on+trip

In order to arrive at this evening’s destination without losing my room reservation, I had to pass up the Chippewa Falls Museum, the Thorp Telephone Museum, the Wisconsin Logging Museum, and the Wisconsin Canoe Museum.  I’ll just have to visit them on another one of my road trips.  It was late by the time I arrived in Superior, WI and all the museums were closed.  I drove across the John A. Blatnik Bridge into Duluth, MN and Greta (my Garmin) took me to the motel there.  After I checked into the motel, I asked the desk clerk for a good place to eat, and he said he liked the Buffalo House Restaurant not far from the motel.  I found it and had their Seafood Enchiladas plate (Never had that dish before) and they were wonderful.  After that delicious meal, it was back to the motel, and right to bed for me.  As you might imagine, I was a tired puppy and the bed felt great.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing.  He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville.  Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is:  John 10:10

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Song of the Steadfast

9 Oct

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Yet the Eternal One is never shaken

He is still found in his temple of holiness,

Reigning as Lord and King over all.

He is closely watching everything that happens.

And with a glance, his eyes examine every heart

For his heavenly rule will prevail over all.

He will test both the righteous and the wicked,

Exposing each heart.

But remember this: the Righteous Lord loves

What is right and just, and every godly one

Will come into his presence and gaze upon his face.

Psalm 11:3-7

Photo Credit:Pixabay

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

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Meals with the Family-Part 1

8 Oct

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

                             

As I think back to the meals Fred and I have had with Bill and DiVoran (brother and sister-in-law), I am reminded of some great times.

The first meal we shared together after Fred and I moved to Florida was on the north side of Orlando, in a fun little restaurant called the Bombay Bicycle Club.  Interesting name and place.  I honestly don’t remember what either of us ate there.  The main thing I remember is that a horrific storm blew through while we were eating, and the power went out.  The credit card machines and cash registers were not working (all electric), and we had to pay with cash.  This is a picture I gleaned from the Bombay Bicycle Club website that is in San Antonio, Texas.  The one in Orlando is no more.

Photo credit Google Search and Jane C.

I can’t remember just where we met Bill and DiVoran the next time, but it was storming, as well – that I do remember!  I was afraid it was to be the hallmark of our meetings!  Fortunately, that has not been the case.

For a few years after we moved here, we would all gather together in any month where someone in the family had a birthday – and celebrate all together.  For instance, in Bill’s family there were three family members who had January birthdays – so we all gathered together one Saturday evening for a dinner along with cake and ice cream.  February was similar, so a repeat.  March held Bill’s birthday, then there was a dry spell until July, which held my birthday.  And so on.  It was a lot of fun, and we were able to see both of Bill and DiVoran’s children and their spouses and children. 

As a side note – Bill said that he was glad we had moved here, since when our girls and their families came for a visit – Bill and DiVoran and their families got to visit with them, as well.  Kept up the connection with cousins.  I remember once when we all gathered together at the Old Spanish Sugar Mill near DeLeon Springs for breakfast, because Karen, Brian, Forrest and Katie (along with Forrest’s girlfriend at the time) were in town.  It was summer, and hot, and that griddle in the middle of the table was REALLY hot, but it was still fun.

Photo credit Google Search and Patty Gibson

In the year 2001, while my hair was still growing back from my time with chemo, Bill and DiVoran’s grandchildren were still quite young, and we all gathered one evening at a resort near SeaWorld, where Bill’s daughter and her husband were “on vacation.”  I mention that because I was wearing a hair wig, but had taken a different one with me (don’t remember why).  During the course of the afternoon/evening I took off the wig to show the kids.

Jacob tried to pull his hair off like I had just done – but we told him it wouldn’t work.  His sister, Lacey asked if I had cancer.  She was a sharp little girl.  The kids were not upset or disturbed by my lack of hair.  Amazing.

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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2023 Road Trip-Part 6B

3 Oct

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 6 – July 20 Continued: 

 Here I was almost 1500 miles from home, with a disabled vehicle, only 6-days into a 20-day Road Trip with few options.  I asked Clayton, the mechanic at the auto repair shop, about rental cars and he told me he could have his helper run me over to the local airport where I could rent a car.  He also told me that he had a good friend (of 25 years) who worked at the Chrysler Dealership in the next town who might be able to help me with a car if I was interested.  I told him yes, and to give his friend a call and see if he had any vans available.  He called his friend, Glen, and he said he had a couple of vans, and I made an appointment to see him the next morning (Friday) at 8:00 am.

Image Credit: https://images.search.yahoo.com/mecanic/clipart

Then Clayton had his helper take me to the local airport to rent a car.  He dropped me off at the rental car office and I was surprised to see only two agents in the office.  With both showed big smiles, the first one asked me if he could help me.  I said, “Yes, I would like to rent a car.”  He said, “I’m sorry, but we don’t have any cars.”  I said, “No cars?”  And he said, “Not until late tomorrow at the earliest.”   I looked at the other agent and said, “How about you?”  And she said, “We don’t have any cars either.”  I said, “What is going on here?”  He told me something about a big annual reunion or something like that and all their cars had been rented for the week.  So, I asked him, ”What DO you have that I can rent?”  He said, “We have pickup trucks.”  So, I asked him about the estimated cost of renting a pickup truck from him and dropping it off in Florida (I was considering renting a pickup truck and a car dolly to take my van back home).  He said it would run somewhere in the neighborhood of $1000-$1200 for that scenario.  It never dawned on me that National Car Rental didn’t put trailer hitches on their pickup trucks or cars because they don’t allow people to pull a trailer or trailered car with their vehicles.  Duh!  I really wasn’t thinking straight by this time in the evening.

Image credit: https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/car+dolly

When I added that to the cost of repairing the engine ($1500 estimate from Clayton the mechanic), I was looking at as much as $2500-$3000 to get my 17-year-old van running again.  And then there was the problem of having to cancel the rest of my Road Trip.  Bummer!  So, I decided to wait and check out the vans at the Chrysler Dealership in the morning before committing to anything right now.  I rented one of National’s pickup trucks for a week (cheaper than by the day) and headed for my motel, which luckily, was just 8 miles north on I-39 in Rothschild, WI.

Photo Credit: https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;national+car+rental+pickup+truck

On the way to my motel, I saw a Denny’s Restaurant and decided to stop for one of their 3-egg breakfast plates with hashbrowns, link sausage, and a biscuit.  I love a breakfast meal any time of the day, especially when I can get a hot cup of Earl Gray tea to go along with it.  After that delicious meal, Greata (my Garmin) took me to my motel for the night.  After I got checked in, and got my things in my room (not much tonight as everything was still in my van in Mosinee), I didn’t even look for anything to watch on TV, but just recorded as many of the details of today’s events as I could remember, and went to bed.  I was tired and had no trouble going to sleep tonight.

Photo Credit: https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/dennys/2-egg+breakfast+link+sausage+hash+browns

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing.  He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville.  Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is:  John 10:10

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Lord, Please Reward and Prosper the Cause of the Righteous

2 Oct

A Slice of Life

DiVoran Lites

Reward and prosper the cause of the righteous,

For you are the righteous God, the soul searcher,

Who looks deep into every heart to examine thoughts and motives. 

God, your wrap-around presence

It is my protection and my defense.

You bring victory to all who reach out for you.

Righteousness is revealed every time you judge.

Psalms 7:9

TPT

Photo Credit: Pixabay

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

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