Thorns Crowned with Setting LIGHT

i rode my bike yesterday... and was on the way home, going the round-about way around the neighborhood. At a dead-end street, i discovered the yard that i always notice as i drive on Palm Avenue -- the one with the plethora of cactus.

Wouldn't you know it -- my camera was with me \o/

So i knocked on the door... TV on -- loud and clear (anti-burglar gimmick?) -- but no answer, even after my "HELLO... hellO... hello?" i parked my bike and took the above photos, as the setting sun highlighted the thorns of these seeming other-worldly creations.

And as i write this blog, a thought crosses my mind -- were these the kind of thorns worn by our LORD JESUS?

TYPICAL Bike Ride to CORONADO

Instead of attending another Zumba or kickboxing class this past Saturday, i was persuaded to ride my bike instead. It was high time for another GODventureZ. This was a time to be alone with the LORD, with the Holy SPIRIT -- not some fitness jaunt to accomplish a speedy ride from point A to point B in three hours or less, but an open-hearted readiness to go where the SPIRIT leads.

So from Palm Avenue, i took a right on Saturn Boulevard, past Home Depot, onto the bike path which connects to the Silver Strand bike route.

From the end of Palomar Street is the entrance to the bike path... this is the "salt factory."

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. (Matthew 5:13)

Just around the bend, after the marshes, was Carl, a bird watcher of pelicans, egrets, terns, plovers, loons, grebes, herons... Then he (Noah) sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. (Genesis 8:7-8)

Yours truly...seeing everything this day as a GODventureZ with the SPIRIT of JESUS.

At the scenic lookout was Mrs. Walden, on her bike again, after many, many years... with Bella, all dolled up in the basket. She proved to me that once you learn to ride a bike, you don't forget. You just have to get your courage up -- and she had plenty!

Cyclists...12 of them -- i wondered if there was a disciple in the bunch of them...

Millionaires' haven -- Coronado Cayes. If you want to know where the most millionaires live, the data shows that it is in California. California has a total of 662,735 millionaires, which represents 5.28% of all households in the state. (Millionaires)

The world's richest individuals have a combined income greater than that of the poorest 416 million; 982 million people out of the developing world's 4.8 billion people live on $1 per day, and another 2.5 billion (40% of the world's population) live on less than $2 per day. (InfoPlease)

i was riding around Silver Strand State Beach (after checking out Coronado Cayes) and was blessed with this mural by Jaime Rayon.

Here's Angel... with a direction and purpose of his very own...

Here's the lifeguard (see his left foot?) at Silver Strand Beach... keeping a sharp eye on all the partakers of various water activities.

Here's Madison... one thirsty dog! But no living water from this fountain! ...whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14)

Not too typical, but not unusual either...all in a day's fun.

Big-boy toy... quite a move-up from his little-boy tricycle... more splash... more bells and whistles (read -- noise)!

Coronado swimming pool... human seal, up for some air. (Real seal...)

In front of the Coronado Civic Center -- something new to me... a giant kaleidoscope! With it's seeming infinite combination of colors and patterns, this is one toy is sure to please both adults and kids. i spent some time myself just ooh-ing and aah-ing as i turned the knobs this way and that way -- like a kid, being charmed with the intricate lacy designs created right before my very eyes.

Putting this 3-D mural of tiles together to create this wonderFUL mosaic of Coronado memories is artistic expression which evoked wonder in me of those by-gone days...

Imagine the almost naked, bikini-clad folks seeing this picture... they'd be aghast at the cumbersome full-dress of the women. But notice the hilarity on their faces -- they were having a ball... fully dressed and all! True joy comes bursting from deep within, no matter the outer circumstances.

A sweeping view of our "world-famous" Coronado Bridge. Remember when we had to pay a toll to cross? Remember when we had to drive the whole way, without the bridge? Remember the ferry... not the current tourist ferries -- the real ferry which took passengers and cars back and forth?

Magnificent engineering... reminds me of the arches of a cathedral.

When the wind blows, the wheels go round and round like pinwheels... as does the whole sculpture! This is located at the park immediately after the Coronado Bridge.

Family outing... father and son... and daughter? This miniscule beach at the Coronado Landing was crowded, but this teeny corner belied the sardine-capacity during that sunny Saturday.

A young girl's quinceanera... replete with all the attending male cousins and friends...

Quincenera attendants... probably already looking forward to their own entrance into womanhood.

Downtown San Diego -- a scenic background for this unknown celebration...

City of Coronado's summer concerts have begun... this contributing artist reminded me of Jimmy Buffet, except he sang much about down south Louisiana and not so much about Margaritaville.

No collision here... but BIG boats overshadowing little wee sailboats is but a typical scene here at the Coronado Landing.

The rich (if not so famous) with their play things... foreground for the Coronado Golf Course and Bridge.

Beautiful young lady visiting from Michigan, being shown the sights by a San Diego native.

The pooches are Ricardo and Lucy (named after the I Love Lucy comedic characters). Does the gentleman look Cuban?

This was truly a GODventureZ -- not only because of the many sights, people and music i was given to enjoy -- but because of the added dimension of being surprised like a little child as each new gift was unwrapped by the Holy SPIRIT's engineering. He showed me much, much more -- things that touched my heart in a very personal way -- like the seal popping his head up out of the water in answer to my silent prayer; the white egret posing, backlit by the morning sun; a bird of prey perched on a cross, the exact hat i've been looking for at a price that fit my budget... a much desired gift to top off the already full cup. Consciously feeling and seeing the presence of the SPIRIT throughout the whole outing was the real GODventureZ!

High-End "MAQUILADORA"

A maquiladora is an assembly plant in Mexico (near the United States border); parts are shipped into Mexico and the finished product is shipped back across the border.

This factory is on this side of the border, assembling high-quality products for U.S. and international consumption. It's really not technically correct to call this plant a "maquiladora," for the company adheres to strict U.S. labor laws and safety standards. It's equipped with current-model machines, allowing the operator greater efficiency. We have a spacious lunch room with all the amenities (quite a few microwaves, a large new fridge, snack machines) -- even a Starbuck's coffee and chocolate maker... gratis!

Working here is almost like being transported to a foreign country -- to our neighbor just down south a ways -- Mexico. (Zenaida and Licha are my next door -- or "next-machine" -- neighbors... and now my friends.)

Spanish is the language of choice and tortillas and salsa are the usual sides for lunch (versus rice or bread). As a result of being thrown into this environment, my Spanish has greatly improved. My rusty Spanish learned in high school (many moons ago) and in the month-long language immersion courses in Guatemala and Chile is being polished and sharpened daily. i can honestly say that my Spanish is much better than my Fijian! i can almost speak it better than my native Filipino language -- Tagalog.

But alas -- i still have a long way to go with the Spanish language! Today i went to work at 11:30am (instead of the usual 6:30am) because i misunderstood the Spanish conversation i had with Esperanza, a Mexican co-worker and friend. We finish at 11:30, NOT start!

Here are Lucy and Alicia... very hard-working, very helpful, very friendly ladies... as are all the rest of the workers. Working with these very down-to-earth folks -- some who work to the very last minute before the bell rings (for breaks or at the end of another 10-hour work day) -- has given me a new respect for the blue-collar worker. Working with such hard working people has erased that cartoon image in my mind of the Mexican too attached to his siesta. GOD has allowed this GODventureZ that i may unlearn such negative views, ingrained since childhood.

What is truly remarkable about this company (part of LCI) is that it hires visually impaired people! Amazing and wonderFUL. They are literally half-blind (or near blind) and are trained to be part of the work force -- their efforts are just as important in the whole scheme of producing the finished product. (Maia, Alicia - their fully seeing "mother hen" -- Oni, and Wayne and Kadihd in the back.)

This environment is, indeed, a GODventureZ for me... another aspect of Life 101 with many new friends (Ariana, Ana, Jessica and Lala, above) and new experiences -- including the numbing experience of sitting for 8 - 10 hours at a time! Yet GOD has added many wonderful blessings to this gift of His -- friendly people to work with, time with my daughter Maia, employment in this tight economy, money for necessities, grateful insight that GOD is my true Employer (for it was His providence that allowed this job to manifest), and most joyful for me is listening to John MacArthur sermons the whole day, where he expounds one Bible verse at a time... sometimes for a whole hour! Hallelujah!

Lucy and Guadalupe enjoying the newly built picnic tables for morning breaks and lunch get-togethers. And just recently, Rich added shade for the three tables -- NICE!

Rejoicing faces -- Kristina, Laura (wearing an rLn original) and Lupita.

Rejoice in the LORD always. Again i will say, rejoice! i know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. i have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For i can do everything with the help of CHRIST who gives me the strength i need. (Philippians 4:4, 12-13) The Secret of Contentment is CHRIST JESUS.