Brevard County Zoo

We have been painting the exterior of our house now for about 6 weeks. It's finally done! It's a long process when you only paint in the mornings before the afternoon rains come.  With that being said,  we needed a day to relax and enjoy.  Clif has been antsy to get back to his photography.  So, we ventured over to the Brevard County Zoo.  Even though it was hot, it wasn't as brutally hot as Augusts usually are in Florida.  It was actually tolerable.  It must not have been so hot because many of the animals were active.  Enjoy the pictures!





The meerkat village.  They had some interesting facts.  For example, they play tag to teach the young ones to keep up with the group.  Another thing they are born blind, and the adults help the babies poop.  Try to figure that one out!



This one was born in June.  It's only 2 months old.





The giraffe was my personal favorite. :)



The impalas.

















They fed the gators.  Not as impressive though as when they feed gators at Gatorland.



The American crocodile.  They fed 2 of those as well.



The barn owl is real but sitting in a tin house.  It kind of looks like a painting!

We spent a leisurely 3 hours there.  Another day, we'll return, and if I have the nerve, we'll do the treetop course.  This is a series of zip lines and high wire trekking that allow you to view the zoo from overhead.  I can't imagine zip lining across the alligator/crocodile exhibit!  I wouldn't want to fall in!  The people on the course seem to have been having a ball. :)

The Blessed Mother

Just over a year ago, I stumbled upon a website www.locutions.org .  I like the disclaimer on the home page Concerning Private Revelations:  These are private revelations and there is no need to believe them.  If these revelations help your faith, then receive them.  If not, you can set them aside.  We are called to believe only public revelations.

I have prayed and wrestled with posting this on my blog the entire summer.  What has held me back is people's opinions.  I know there will be many that will think I've fallen off the deep end, I have become even more of a "holy roller" than I already am, that I have lost my mind, that I am following false doctrine, etc., etc.  However, the longer I have procrastinated, the more urgent I felt on my heart to share, despite warnings and concerns of family/loved ones.  However, I realize, I must do what I believe the Holy Spirit is calling me to do, and sometimes that means having courage to go against what the "world" thinks.

I can attest that these locutions have helped me in my faith, therefore, I feel it placed upon my heart to share them with you.  After reading all locutions by Fall of 2013, I found I was yearning for more.  But, for some reason, I wasn't able to find any written from that point.  However, this past Lent, when exploring the website further, I found that they have the messages organized so it makes it easier to read locutions that would be of particular interest.  Since then, I have caught up on missed reading and stay current on a weekly basis.  I have pasted the link here for easy reference.
http://www.locutions.org/read-the-locutions/

These locutions have been read and discerned by Msgr. John Esseff who at one time served as spiritual director and confessor to Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  As to who writes them, I have no clue. All I know is I am a person who is prone to anxiety, fret, and worry.  In reading these locutions, I have found peace, joy, and a calmness I never knew.  Yes, some of the revelations are alarming.  Even with that, I still feel a deep peace that I know I can only receive from my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Along with these posts, I also follow Medjugorje where Our Blessed Mother has been visiting visionaries since 1981. http://www.medjugorje.com/index.html and http://www.marytv.tv/ . Mary TV is the latest addition thanks to my cousin Sharon.  It is incredible to see how many pilgrims visit Medjugorje.

Now, I must also admit that there are Mysteries within the Catholic Faith that I do not fully understand.  Devotion to Mary is one of them.  However, I can tell you from personal experience that devotion to her and her intercession with her Son, Jesus works.  She has brought me closer to Him than ever before.  Promptings I get from the Holy Spirit have deepened.  Changes I need to make have been placed firmly on my heart in where I can no longer deny them.  It is simply amazing the journey I've been on these past few years!

In my quest of unraveling mysteries, I have done much reading, including scripture.  I realize that I am not a theologian, so I have found it helpful to read other materials to help me discern the Word of God I read.  I found many books to be helpful from the Dynamic Catholic Institute. http://cart.dynamiccatholic.com/Free-Catholic-Books-CDs-s/1844.htm 
 In the past year, I've done more reading than I ever did in school!  In any event one of the most helpful books I've read is titled Made For More by Curtis Martin.  In this book, he explains Mary's role in a way I never knew.  He goes all the way back to the Davidic Kingdom.  Here he explains that Kingdoms of that time had 3 significant parts.  One of course being the King.  He is the one who establishes the way the Kingdom is to be. The second is the Queen who was always the mother of the King!  Her job is to listen to the people of the Kingdom, and present their petitions, concerns, etc to the King. In other words, she interceded for them.  Her seat is actually at the right hand of the King. And third, the prime minister whose job was to ensure the people were aware of and followed the rules of the King.  He goes further to explain as if you don't put two and two together that Jesus is the King, His mother, Mary is the Queen who intercedes for us to Jesus, and the Pope is the Prime Minister.  WOW!  When Jesus came to earth, He stated,

Mark 1:15

and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

He also says,

Mark 10:15

Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

I have meditated on what was revealed in this book Made for More, and I am so excited with what I am learning, I just have to share it with you!

It is my prayer that you deepen your relationship with Christ through the links I have provided.  May God's Kingdom on Earth truly reign.

In Christ,
Trish :)

Departure Day from WI

Being my flight was due to leave around 6:20pm, we decided to have an early picnic dinner at High Cliff State Park near Appleton.  It was actually about 30-40 minutes from the airport on the NE side of Lake Winnebago.  This lake is so big that you can't see the south shore from the north shore.  You can only see across it from east to west.  The temperature was a cool 68 degrees.  I'm glad I wore a long sleeve shirt.  The kids however seem to be acclimating nicely. 



We picnicked on the top of the bluff near the viewing tower.  After lunch Michael and I climbed up for the view.



The airport could be seen by the naked eye directly across the lake from here.

There was also a short trail to Redbird.  I thought it was about an actual bird.  Little did I know. Ha!



Red Bird was a chief of the Winnebago.  There was a war between the Winnebago and the US back around 1827.  I wasn't aware of such an event.

One last photo before departure.



I thoroughly enjoyed spending a week with the kids.  I miss them, but look forward to future visits. :)