Ireland - Day 4

I am down in the neck.  I have a crick in my neck and my left arm.  Very painful.  I think that it is from sleeping in funny beds.  It isn't always fun to be 61.

Today there was a big storm here.  Storm Callem was it's name.  High high winds.  30,000 homes without power.  We had to change our itinerary, but we saw some wonderful things all the same.

Muckross House - beautiful mansion - 1844

Catholic Church in Kenmar 1867

streets of Kenmar

O'Connors Pub in Kenmar

Joe and Linda Casebolt, Brian and Jane Dunn,

John and Valerie Sherley.  I was there too!

Killarney National Park

Ross Castle

Ross Castle - there are many abandoned castles, abbeys

and monasteries. I have loved seeing them all.

We are having a great trip.  It is such a joy to travel and see God's amazing world.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading some trips this year and next. If you are interested in reading about them, or joining in, the links are below.....

Holy Land Tour - includes my favorite spots
with optional Jerusalem extension
March 4-13, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/hl19030419g17768#.Wt84h7lRHcs

Paris-Normandy River Cruise

October 23-31, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/rc19102319x17768#.W3avNFJK3cs

Ireland - Day 3

Today we visited an area on the west coast of Ireland called the Burren.
There are piers for fishing boats to go out into the Atlantic.
There are some very odd, even amazing rock formations.
Green green green grass grows to a certain altitude and then it is nothing but rocks.
We visited the famous cliffs of Moher
We went to an old Methodist Church that John Wesley preached at.

Old building in the Burren.  Built in the 1400's

Everything here is that old.  They put on some stucco

and it looks a bit new, but it's not new.

Fishing Pier at the Burren

Rocky shoreline 

Yes we have rocks in the states, but friends, this is

definitely worth seeing.

How odd to say that this section of odd rocks 

by itself made the trip worth it all.

The cliffs of Moher.  Made famous in the movie the Princess Bride.

Church from 1766 where John Wesley preached

Church grave yard at the Wesley church.

Inside the church where John Wesley preached.

The woman on the platform is the Pastor.

I have to tell you, something happened to me in here.

It is what we all hope for... a visitation of the Spirit.

A reminder that we are a child of God.

A promise that God is not done with me yet.

I cried like a baby.

I am not sure what it all means,

but I am so very glad that it happened.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading some trips this year and next. If you are interested in reading about them, or joining in, the links are below.....

Holy Land Tour - includes my favorite spots
with optional Jerusalem extension
March 4-13, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/hl19030419g17768#.Wt84h7lRHcs

Paris-Normandy River Cruise

October 23-31, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/rc19102319x17768#.W3avNFJK3cs

Ireland - Day 2

Ahh.  The day begins well as I got 11 1/2 hours of sleep last night!!!
A wonderful breakfast at the hotel and then we were out to see the sights.

Irish rock fences.  Land is covered with rocks.  Clear it and

build fences with the rocks.

Joe and Linda Casebolt

notice thatch roof in the background

Brian and Jane Dunn

Marilyn Hardy and Bobbi Meyers

at the Kylemore Abbey

Kylemore was originally a single family home.

Purchased by the Benedictine Nuns in 1920

Gothic church on the property.

built in memory of the original owner's wife.

beautiful views of the Irish countryside from the Abbey

Gothic Church.  Amazing!

Pub in the town of Cong

Augustinian Monastery ruins - built 1200AD

more Augustinian ruins from Cong

This elevation of the Augustinian ruins reminded me

of the Western face of Woods Chapel.

We had a wonderful day!!!

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading some trips this year and next. If you are interested in reading about them, or joining in, the links are below.....

Holy Land Tour - includes my favorite spots
with optional Jerusalem extension
March 4-13, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/hl19030419g17768#.Wt84h7lRHcs

Paris-Normandy River Cruise

October 23-31, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/rc19102319x17768#.W3avNFJK3cs

Ireland - Day 1

This series on Ireland is running about ten days behind actual events.

I left the house at 12:30 to drive to Orlando.
I caught a 4:00pm flight to Newark.

In Newark I saw, hugged, and caught up with many of my old friends.
Our plane took off at 10pm.
There is a 6 hour difference.
I slept for 1 hour on the plane.

We met our guide, Jerry.
We drove 90 minutes to the town of Galway.
Here are some pictures of the typical medieval Irish town.

Lew Jones in Mizzou jacket.  Bill Pogson in KU hat.

Guide Jerry in black hat.

Old Galway medieval street.

store fronts in Ireland are colorful.

It's Ireland, there are lots of pubs.

Colorful medieval street

Building from the 1500's still being used today.

Lots of street musicians.  They were good.  

I could have stayed and listened for a long time.

St Nicholas Church built around 1200ad

Stone work on Cathedral 

Cathedral interior.

stone work on a building from the 1400s

Buildings build in the 1200-1400 were often plastered over to look

like bricks.... to look modern.  Recent work has chiseled

away part of the plaster to show the buildings as the were originally.

old city wall from 1100ad

We took a boat ride on the Corrib river.  

This is one of many old abandoned castles.

Galway City Cathedral, built 1965

very beautiful.

Although everyone is tired, it was a wonderful day one.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading some trips this year and next. If you are interested in reading about them, or joining in, the links are below.....

Holy Land Tour - includes my favorite spots
with optional Jerusalem extension
March 4-13, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/hl19030419g17768#.Wt84h7lRHcs

Paris-Normandy River Cruise

October 23-31, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/rc19102319x17768#.W3avNFJK3cs

Advertising Jesus

I don't believe that we should hide our faith under a bushel basket.  I believe that we should share God's love. 

But.  But.  But we need to be very careful about how we do that.   There are some advertisements that are not helpful.

What would you think of wearing a shirt like this?   How would it make you feel if you were talking to someone who was wearing one?  Well meaning Christians often do not think about how their notions of winning others actually makes people feel.  I am not sure that they care.

What about someone who is wearing a nice cross around their neck but acting like a hateful jerk?  What of the Christian on facebook that is posting judgmental things? 

And then there is this license plate.  My daughter Jennifer is moving to Jacksonville 😡.  Cathy and I

drove up there with her to help her find a place to live.  On the 3 hour trip back, we were annoyed by this car.  The driver snuck up on the shoulder and forced his way in.  He was weaving back and forth in traffic and changing lanes without a signal and with very little room.  Note the slogan on his licence plate: "Jesus- all his ways, all my days."

I wonder how many people will want to go to church with them?  I wonder how many people will want to believe in their Jesus?

If Jesus were here in person, I think that he would wear a shirt that said, "I love Pharisees too."  I think that he would be a very respectful driver, and would drive a Prius.  Or maybe like the early disciples in Acts 2, he would simply drive in one Accord.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading some trips this year and next. If you are interested in reading about them, or joining in, the links are below.....

Holy Land Tour - includes my favorite spots
with optional Jerusalem extension
March 4-13, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/hl19030419g17768#.Wt84h7lRHcs

Paris-Normandy River Cruise

October 23-31, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/rc19102319x17768#.W3avNFJK3cs

Uncle

A funny memory that makes me smile...

When I was a kid my Dad would occasionally tickle us until we said the magic word.

"Uncle."

Somewhere along the line, I added to this humiliating phrase that children must say to escape the tickle fest.  This is what the kids had to say in order to "tap out" or give up and be free of my torture.

"Uncle.  Dad you're the master."

As they got older, they caught on to the humor.
I would be tickling them and they would say, "ok ok ok, Dad.... you are the........ Dad you are the poop-head."
And the tickling would continue.

I loved those times when the kids were young.  Life is good now as well.  Maybe I will get some grand kids soon.

Uncle.  Grandpa.  You are the master!

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading some trips this year and next. If you are interested in reading about them, or joining in, the links are below.....

Holy Land Tour - includes my favorite spots
with optional Jerusalem extension
March 4-13, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/hl19030419g17768#.Wt84h7lRHcs

Paris-Normandy River Cruise

October 23-31, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/rc19102319x17768#.W3avNFJK3cs

an inspiration

From my friend Pat...

My wife and I were dining at our favorite restaurant in Coronado. Its set in an old house, so the dining areas are small and several. We happened to be in a room with three tables, one empty, us and an older couple.

I watched them through dinner, they didn’t talk much, each lost in their own thoughts. Probably their generation’s version of looking at an iPhone at dinner I thought. Once in a while, they talked, occasionally they laughed.

The bill came while she was in the ladies room. I watched him struggle with it. When she returned, he handed it to her and a long discussion about the amount of the tip began. They worked it out and she finished paying. Only then did I notice his white cane on the floor.

Later as they left we struck up a conversation with them. He was 94, she was 90. They were starting to feel their aches and pains she said, starting to feel their aches and pains. They had been married 67 years, had lived in Arizona(its too hot) and wished they’d moved to Coronado years before(the weather is perfect). He fought 3 years in WWII as an infantryman, she loved Cape Cod where they were from. He had been a doctor. They held hands as they left.

What an inspiration. At 90, they were just starting to feel their aches and pains. Mine remind me I’m alive each morning, and I’m a third of their life behind them. But after 67 years of marriage, they could sit quietly with one another, work out a minor disagreement, and help one another. And they held hands as they left.

They made me want to be a better husband for my wife, a happier man for those around me.
God’s world is full of inspiration. We just have to open our eyes to it.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading some trips this year and next. If you are interested in reading about them, or joining in, the links are below.....

Holy Land Tour - includes my favorite spots
with optional Jerusalem extension
March 4-13, 2019

http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/hl19030419g17768#.Wt84h7lRHcs

Paris-Normandy River Cruise
October 23-31, 2019