Inspired and Blessed Beyond Description

Day 216 of Photo Inspirations -- Inspired and Blessed Beyond Description
Please indulge me for just a couple more days of these grandkids photo inspirations.  I was inspired in so many ways in this day.

Got up early to catch the 8 am to 9 am opportunity to buy reduced priced Tulsa Zoo tickets which included the Jurassic Park exhibit and unlimited train and carousel rides.  It started out nice and cool and then the sun was like a heat lamp -- one of these photos shows Alexia with an ice pack on her head to cool off while we watched the sea lions.  Thankfully, there are plenty of buildings to walk through to cool off.

As always the baboons showed off their rare talents as they picked at each other's bottoms. ;-) And we saw two birds having a love fest -- Lexi's remarks?  "Well, there you go, the circle of life happening right in front of us!"  LOL! The more inquisitive we were, the more we found out that the Tulsa Zoo rescues many animals.  In fact, we saw two beautiful bald eagles that were not in captivity and wondered why they weren't flying away.

We asked one of the Zoo employees and he said they had been wounded and could no longer fly.  Then we saw the sea lion show and found out they, too, had been wounded and if they had not rescued them, they would have been killed by predators.

We loved that these beautiful animals were protected and now live in a safe environment and are bringing much joy to those of us who see them.

My thoughts as we walked through the zoo and so many various species of animals -- tall, little, colored, speckled, one-foot standers, crawlers, climbers, jumpers.....and all of them created by our awesome God.  What an imagination he had!!!!

Alexia wanted to go to the top floors of Citiplex Towers (formerly, City of Faith) to take photos. We headed that way, while listening to beautiful Christian music on KXOJ.  The kids had me turn the channel up louder so they could hear one of their favorite songs, and then I realized "we're heading to Citiplex Towers and that's where KXOJ broadcasts from".

So now we were on a photo inspiration beyond what we originally planned.  Going up to the 55th floor, there was KXOJ and a sweet receptionist named Debbie gave us a grand tour -- showing us the broadcast studio.

Now we could put images in our mind where those DJ's and music are broadcasting from.  Bryson was amazed that "those guys" actually get paid for doing something so fun.

Then it was back to Great Granny's for a special time with little cousin, Anna, and Great Granny surprised the kids with her BEST-IN-THE-WORLD chocolate cake.  Seriously, there is no one that can hold a candle to her cake -- though we've tried.  Bryson said, "No one, except Jesus, can make a cake as good as Granny!'  ;-)

We ended our day with more fishing, swimming, pickleball, with a finale of a few left-over fireworks on the street, and then watching a sweet movie called "Home" (a must-see for families -- so good, with such a good message).

Call me a photo-taking fanatic and I'll agree. I'll continue to be enjoying these days for many years to come because of these photos and the memories we captured with them.  Thank you Facebook.  Thank you Mark Zuckerberg for giving me such a beautiful place and space to archive my memories!  Thank you my FB friends for letting me celebrate life in its sweetest ways.

On the Right Track

Day 83 of Photo Inspirations -- On The Right Track! 
Driving down Hwy 75, it was "photo inspiration time" -- as I drove past the BNSF trainyard in West Tulsa and saw what seemed to be the longest train I've ever seen.  I was amazed at all the oil tankers that were a part of the moving train I saw -- probably at least a hundred.   And, as "off-the-beaten-path" as it may seem, that trainyard holds sweet memories for me -- so much so, that I had to dig in my photo archives for those photo memories.

I well remember the love our first grandson had for trains.  Actually, he was consumed with them.  And we did everything we could to embrace that love with him.  We loved taking him to Ollie's Station Restaurant.  If you haven't taken your kids or grandkids there -- it's a MUST SEE -- besides country home cooking!   Model trains all throughout the restaurant that go around their ceiling tracks quite often, as well as an amazing train city all laid out.  Of course, that was Braden's favorite place to go.  When he comes to Tulsa, he still likes to go to Ollie's.  And, these photos brought back the memories of Papa and Braden going to the BNSF trainyard here where they watched the trains coming in for hours -- locking and unlocking their cars.

And, there's also the memory of the little powered train that he drove around the house with his little brother.

And, I think about THE CONDUCTOR of our lives and desiring that He guides us in making the right decisions on our "life" tracks.  I pray, with the Psalmist, "Show me your ways, Oh LORD; teach me your paths." Psalm 25:4. The Conductor knows what's up ahead, but we don't, and sometimes the great unknown causes us fear and apprehension.  Putting confidence in THE Conductor of our lives is where we find the greatest peace and comfort.  He knows the beginning from the end and the tracks He's laid out for our lives are for our ultimate good.  So we pray, "Show me YOUR way -- Teach me YOUR path", because when we seek His wisdom and direction....we'll arrive at our destination in just the perfect time -- HIS TIME.

Continuing to remember back to my grandson's love of trains, we took him and his little brother to the Tulsa Zoo where they have a fun train that goes all around the zoo.  Sitting in their Papa's lap, of course, was their security blanket, but what admiration they had for the Conductor.  He was the King Pin that knew his way around those tracks.  And, he would get them safely back to the station.  

Our lives are all about getting on the train, allowing the Conductor to take control, and not getting derailed. Remember the story about "The Little Engine That Could?" When he was trying to go uphill, he kept saying, "I think I can!", "I think I can!".  Great story about optimism and determination.  But, better than that, we can say, "I KNOW God can!", "I KNOW God can!"  Staying in close communication with our Conductor, keeps us "on track" and ready to move forward and follow His leading at a moment's notice.    He just might be saying "ALL ABOARD" -- right now.