The EVERglades and EVERlasting Life

 While in Florida, Hubs and I went to Shark Valley National Park in the Everglades.  The tour guide gave us tons of info and I remember some of it.

Well, yesterday I was listening to a podcast of Midday Connection and they were interviewing two ladies who had do hiking trips showing the hikers the connection between God and nature.  They told how to do this at home and I practiced on my walk yesterday.  Today I will try to do the same with the Everglades.

We saw a ton of alligators in Shark Valley.  They were easily recognizable....they are black (not green).  They remind me that the dangerous things in our society are everywhere.  They are not always disguised; they can be in plain sight.

 The fuzzy stork bird in the middle of this picture is a foot feeder...meaning he feels food with his feet because he has very poor eyesight.  A reminder that God can feed us no matter what our disabilities are; He has equipped us!

 These are actually huge nine and ten foot alligators.  The picture was taken from the top of a 25 foot tower.  Remember, big problems look small if you change your perspective.  David and Goliath, case in point.

 This is the walkway up to the tower.  The tower was originally a drilling station built by Mobile Oil when they purchased the land that is now Shark Valley.  They were hoping to find oil hidden in the Everglades.  They did but it was "dirty oil"; too many impurities to be of use.  Mobile gave the land to the US Park Service.  God uses our mistakes, too.  This Mobile Mistake became an educational opportunity to teach people about the everglades.  Is my life producing "dirty oil" to impure to be used?

This a Mama and Poppa Alligator.  We think.  You would have to turn them over and investigate their "privates" to determine their actual sex.  Appearances can mislead.....they look like a happy couple to me....but only God knows what is inside our "private place."

I hope you enjoyed this little trip.  I encourage you to get outside; walk around your neighborhood and look for God in Nature.  He is there!  By the way the name Shark Valley.....was named for the Shark River that flows into the valley between two very small hills.....names can fool you!