Thursday, May 23, 2013

Severe Storm Warning

Well we had our first close call this evening with a severe storm.  No tornadoes or anything but it did have quarter sized hail I heard.  I still stand in awe of the storms in Oklahoma.  We lived there in the early eighties and I well remember looking to the skies with concern as the tornado watches came almost every single evening.  We lived in a little apartment in Tulsa across from a mall that was devastated by a tornado and never finished…sobering.  Here we very seldom get such storms and I’m thankful for that.  My daughter has graduated and the ceremony was really a blessing.  It seems unreal still.  We are going to Florida to stay with family for about two weeks.  By God’s grace we’ll visit Disney World and perhaps another theme park or two.  It’s been a long time since we visited with our Filipino relatives…we are all excited.  It seems a wonderful cap to Danielle’s graduation. 

The weather hasn’t been conducive to photos so I’ll allow for another blast from the past.  Riding elephants is one of the most fantastical things I’ve ever done045 .  Riding on the head is a lot more difficult then the head but I’m glad I’ve done it at least once.  This was from an elephant trek in Thailand with my friend Andy from the Philippines046.  The Golden Triangle is a source for the drug trade but on a clear day looking down into the jungle that’s kind of hard to imagine047.  I’ve heard of drug lords with whole private armies protecting them…glad they weren’t around this day048.  Our guide was knocked flat when this elephant grew tired of his nonsense049.  Our treks often had a lot of walking in the humid jungle050and it wasn’t all on elephant back051.  The people on the trek were mostly European052.  I can almost feel the tropical sun beating down on us still053.  The Philippines didn’t have a trek but we did go on trips to see some things.  Here I am with a pastor in a church I preached at054.  This is me with a youth group055.  Some sights still take my breath away056.  Going from island to island on little boats made me feel so alive057.  The tropical sunsets always blew my mind058.  The last three pictures are a total change of gears.  London and a visit to the HMS BelfastE1.  The structure of the city after trips to locations in Africa took some getting used toE2but I liked the work it did on me.  The last is a Cathedral…I remember the sense of peace insideE3.  Now the lightning is flashing everywhere around us but still I feel at peace.  Good to know that the greatest temple God ever has had is found in us!

12 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh riding an elephant is something I've always wanted to do! Joe you shuold write a memoir :)

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    1. I hope you get the chance my friend! It's sort of like riding on a slow and controlled earthquake!

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  2. A great post and photos. Although I realize the devastation that some storms can cause, I have always loved the rain and storms.

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    1. Storms are fascinating things without a doubt. We near the anniversary of a tornado here that destroyed our Metra...still I stand in awe of such storms.

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  3. Great pictures as always Joe. My daughter Danielle always wanted to ride an elephant, she finally got at chance at the zoo. Not quite the same as you, but it satisfied her. Congratulations on your Danielle's graduation.

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    1. A ride is a ride my friend. I went on treks in these situations and still laugh when I think of the advertising saying a 3 day trek...one of those was elephant the rest was my own two feet. Danielle's big day was a real joy, thank you.

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  4. i remmber also the neck of an elephant Those hairs are like injection needles lol
    My prayers for the Oklahoma ppl Its like a war zone.
    and for u Joe I wish u a wodnerful time and for myself we fly tooo
    direction East We are lucky ppl. cos we are healthy and we dont have worries. Bless u and ur family.

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    1. Ha, ha, you're quite right about the hair! That's the one thing I didn't expect somehow! It is good to take stock of one's life and be thankful for the blessings of God. It's always good to hear from you my friend!

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  5. Congratulations to beautiful Danielle on her graduation, Joe. Will she continue or start a career?

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    1. We are not a rich family by any means so this like everything else we will wait and trust in God. I'm not eager to throw her into anything until she really knows. I know many who spend thousands 'finding direction' in college. I think this a waste of time and money. After vacation we'll see. Please remember us in your prayers!

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  6. Coming back to say good morning.

    :-)

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