The End of Florida

 

On our way out of Florida Pam and I stayed at a beautiful resort on a bay in the Gulf. This was our setup and the scenery didn't disappoint. We were a mere 30 feet from the water during high-tide. We stayed there for a week with our good friends Mark and Kim. Mark is a pilot for Southwest Airlines (don't ask him about their customer service, he gets very angry!), and Kim is a homemaker. She stays plenty busy with their grandson while Mark is flying. We have known them for more than ten years and we absolutely cherish our time together with them, so spending a week in the Panhandle with them went way too fast.

Mark and Kim have had a pretty rough go the last five years. They lost their son, Matthew, unexpectedly at the age of sixteen. They have not been the same since and will forever be changed. Matthew was a loving, goofy, kind-hearted, and giving boy. He was well-beyond his years in the way he carried himself and the way he treated others. He loved superhero movies and would frequently go with my son to see the big screen adventures. Our son, Justin, and Matthew were best friends. Matt was at our house almost every day, and he even went on vacations with us. He was the embodiment of how Jesus teaches us to treat others. Luke 6:31, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." Matt treated others with kindness and compassion. He accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and was baptized not long before he passed away. Because of the decision he made to follow Jesus his eternal destiny has been realized. He now walks among others who preceded him into eternal bliss. John 14:5-6, "Thomas said to him, 'Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?' Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" Matt entered Heaven through his belief and profession of faith. Matthew left an indelible mark on those whose lives he touched. He is immensely missed, but nobody misses him more than Mark and Kim. I am so proud to be able to call myself a friend of this family. It is a blessing and an honor. We love you Matt!

Below is a picture of Mark and Kim's daughter Lori. She loves me!

Mark and Kim in the shirts that I made for them. Mark is a Star Wars nerd and named their trailer the Maluminum Falcon because of his love for Star Wars and because they bought an Airstream. 

While in the Panhandle spending time with Mark and Kim we did plenty of exploring. The weather was pretty bad for most of our time so we had to figure out ways to not make them bored of us. We climbed a lighthouse, went to a local coffee shop (Mark's favorite thing in the world is coffee!), went on some hikes, and thoroughly enjoyed our time together despite the weather. Now, those of you in the northern part of the country might say "What a loser! It is Florida! Don't complain about the weather!" Let me address that. When it's in the 40s in Florida it feels like 30s in Minnesota because of the humidity in the air. It gets downright cold. So . . . the pictures of us bundled up are for good reason.

My cute wife in the lighthouse

That's Mark in the background photo-bombing us!

Our setup on the right, Mark and Kim on the left.

Thanks Mark and Kim for the great week we had with you. Looking forward to it next year (maybe). I say "maybe" because I am not sure what the plan is that God has for us. Through thoughtful prayer and petition with God, we continue to seek His guidance in this journey we're on. I still haven't found work, and it may be for a reason. It may just be because He never wanted me to leave my previous job and He may just be leading me back there. I don't know for sure if that's the case, time will tell. All I know is that I am enjoying every minute of this journey with Pam and I will continue to be intentional in my joy and gratitude for living this lifestyle. We are truly blessed, for however long this season of life lasts. Thanks for reading! Please feel free to share and/or comment. Happy trails!