Events of Sunday, January 16, 2011

                We started early today, rising at 7 so we could shower, eat breakfast, and depart by 8:45. Abby was the first person up, so she went to shower first. She returned just a couple minutes later and informed us that the bathrooms were closed from 6:00 to 8:00 am for cleaning. Why in the world would a campground close the bathrooms from six to eight? Crazy! But we’re flexible (gotta be!), so we made beds and ate breakfast first, then showered once the bathrooms opened. We were ready to depart and actually arrive at church by 8:45.

                Caitlin once again chose a great church for us this morning. Central Community Church was just half a mile from the campground. Several people greeted us on the way in, and two others came over to our row to introduce themselves before the 9:00 service began. The worship team included one young woman vocalist on keyboard, an electric bass, and a drummer. The sound was very boomy (over-amplified, I think), but all three musicians seemed to be having a fun worshipful time up on stage. The songs were upbeat but unfamiliar. Randy, the head pastor, taught from Exodus 13 on the principle of tithing, of honoring God with the first tenth. In brief, the truth is this: when we give God the first tenth, acknowledging his reign over all ten tenths, God “redeems” (blesses) the remaining nine tenths. On the other hand, when we hold back the first and best, then God destroys (“breaks the neck”) of the whole. While I have applied this principle in my financial life, Randy encouraged us to let the principle cover every area of life: time, talents, property, family, work, play. The kids remarked afterward about how the message challenged them to trust God more fully and give him the first and best of what he gives us.

                The plan for the midday was to drive south to the Visitor Centers of Biscayne and Everglades National Parks. The four hour trip took five hours because Gypsy (our GPS) sent Pam north instead of south on the Florida Turnpike. Next exit: 34 miles. Ah, well, we eventually arrived and accomplished even more than we had planned. I had called a ranger at the Biscayne National Park, and she signed us up for a ranger-led canoe ride tomorrow morning and encouraged us to visit Everglades. So we did.

                The Everglades’ Ernest Coe Visitor Center was well-developed, with a Junior Ranger program, an 18-minute video, and several instructional exhibits. From there, we drove on a few more miles to the Royal Palms Visitor Center and took two walks. The first one was on the Gumbo Limbo trail (a great name that refers to the Gumbo Limbo Tree), and focused on the great variety of plant life. The second trail was the Anhinga (named after a bird common to the area). This concrete path and boardwalk trail led us out into the open, amidst water and tall grasses. (Some of these grasses reached fifteen feet tall.) Here we encountered our first alligators. Abby kept track and counted 52. Ben, always the diligent scientist, had asked a ranger and learned that 10 to 15 feet is a safe distance, to keep the gators from feeling threatened. We could have gone much closer, if we desired. Most lay still in the afternoon sun. We saw a few that were moving, very slowly. They were big beasts, from eight to ten feet long. Outnumbering the gators were the birds of every size and shape. I recognized blue herons, white egrets, black vultures; and there were dozens of other varieties that I did not recognize. Competing with the birds for number were the bird-watchers, toting binoculars and cameras of impressive size. We enjoyed watching the gators, the birds, and the people.

                The sun was setting as we returned to the RV, so we drove to nearby Florida City. The Walmart did not allow us to stay in their parking lot, citing a city regulation, but directed us to a nearby grassy lot. Not much to look at, but an empty lot it is, so we set up, made dinner, cleaned up, and headed to bed.