Moving Day     03/03/23

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve, Okeechobee, Florida

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.  “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.  Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod.  ~ Matthew 2:13-15a     This is the second of four dreams of Joseph that we’re told about.  Undoubtedly, you’re wondering, If God already knows what Herod is going to do, why didn’t He stop him?  Unfortunately, I cannot answer that.  But once again, we see the righteousness of Joseph who obeys immediately and takes his new family on an arduous international trek that took a minimum of four days.  We don’t know if the angel gave more specific instructions, but if Old Testament history serves, he most likely did not.  If an angel told you to take this journey, walking many miles in dust and heat and wind, with your wife and most likely a son who’s now a young toddler (not to mention the very Son of God!) who are both entrusted to your care, few provisions, and no set place to be, would you be so quick to go?  I think it took exceptional faith.  They remained in Egypt for one or two years until Joseph was called out by another dream to return home.

Several Master painters have done renditions of the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt. I’m sharing two today. : )

Throw up the shades and what to our wondering eyes should appear? 

No silly! Not Santa and his reindeer!

Five vultures in the dead tree, three turkeys, a lone sandhill crane and a deer!  All in full view just outside our window!  We put our breakfast aside for quite a while as we watched nature unfold before our eyes.  At one point, it seems the sandhill got too close for comfort and two of the turkeys ran after it, chasing it across the street to our right.  Eventually, it slowly made its way back to the field in front of us and the turkeys didn’t seem to mind anymore.  Everything was peaceful until the spell was broken for all of us, when a couple drove by in their small motorhome, pulling an empty trailer that rattled.  This is easily one of the most perfect sites we’ve ever stayed at! As long as we avoid gazing at our filthy, dirty Jeep.

Today was our moving day, sometime after 1:00pm.  We went all the way from site 23 to site 22.  Yes.  It’s the one right beside us.  It’s too bad we have to give up our near-perfect site!  But at least we’re not going far.  In three days, we have to move again – still within the Park.

Why?

It’s very difficult to reserve campsites in Florida, let alone for 12 nights.  We were fortunate to be able to get in at all.  Having to move isn’t really an issue.  And to make matters worse, there’s currently a bill up for vote to allow Florida residents to reserve sites a month before anyone else.  So, I get it that Florida residents should be able to camp in their own Parks, but how badly will that change their economy if tourists can’t get in?  Time will tell.  First it has to pass, and then we’ll have to see how much Florida residents really want to camp in their Parks.

So what else did we accomplish today?  Just a short bike ride.  The weather’s been the same every day for several weeks, not just here.  Days climbing rapidly into the upper 80’s, and nights cooling just as quickly into the mid 60’s.  No rain and no clouds to speak of.

We’ve come to the conclusion that every sunset just gets better and better!