What State Are You In?

What state are you in? The first thing that comes to your mind is probably the State you live in. Me? I live in Florida. But that's not exactly what I am talking about.

You see, the state I am referring to is a state of mind. The great writer, Apostle Paul perhaps said it best, "for I have learned to be content in whatsoever state I find myself in." No, he wasn't talking about Florida, though it is a great place to live. He was talking about rising above the circumstances you presently find yourself in. Whether it is poverty, or sickness, pain or strife, finding peace with your situation is what gives us the strength to overcome. Whether you have plenty, or suffer from pains of hunger, finding peace with you situation is paramount to finding the keys to successfully moving beyond the circumstances of the present moment.

Often we think life should just be on auto-pilot. Cruising along until that blissful day called "Retirement." But more often than not, your cruise control has been knocked off a few times by having to put on the brakes. It happens to all of us!  What do you do then? Answer: You start drilling a well, digging deep down inside and reaching for that place that only faith can touch. When you are there, you are changed in a moment. In the twinkling of an eye, everything becomes new. Somehow you find the strength and determination to change your situation. Not by shear might, but by divine intervention.

So the next time you find yourself in an untenable position, reach down and find that strength that only comes from above. The result will be mind over matter: When you are in the right mind, it just really doesn't matter.

North Florida Revisited

North Florida is a land of many different faces. Not only in people but also in landscape. For instance, in the picture in this writing you see a very different type of Florida. Not the glitz and glamour of South Beach. Nor the traditional vacation destination on one of her hundreds of beautiful beaches. But the flat, quiet and serene picture of a still vibrant Agrarian Economy.  Little would you know that this landscape exist not far from the busy streets of a major metropolitan city, Jacksonville, Fl.  But it does! And in abundance too.

Acres upon acres are increasingly being managed with the rotation of crops in and out of this flat loamy soil.  Conditions are nearly perfect for growing crops year round in this region of Florida. Strategically located between the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean, the small town of Hastings is a major player in the world of Agronomy. Often referred to, and proudly so, as the potato capital of the world, this region offers much more than a few "spuds" for the dinner table. Because of the lay of the land, the temperature is elevated during the winter months with the river temperature and the ocean temperature building a natural barrier to freezing temperatures. Sure there is the occasional Arctic blast that comes through, but those are the exception rather than the rule. A hard freeze is a rarity here.

The area is also teamed with wildlife. Water birds, such Egrets and Blue Herons are in abundance feeding off the many drainage ditches filled with water. Sea Gulls come inland in the mornings for feeding. Florida whitetail deer, skunk and a host of others inhabit this beautiful land where man and nature have agreed to co-exist for centuries. Keepers of the land, these farmers are. They take their duty very seriously as well. Early mornings and late nights, sun up to sun down they work these fields with all the fervor needed to insure that this economy keeps going for generations to come.

From Cracker Swamp Road, back over to SR13 as it meanders alongside the St. Johns River, there is a calm that envelops the soul. So the next time you travel through the Great State of Florida, be sure to visit this region and take a journey back in time to a place where time itself seems to stand still and enjoy the beauty of nature.