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Looking for last minute deals for Labor Day Weekend? Save money on your end of the summer vacation getaway. Your next getaway is our top-priority ! Check out the Hilton Naples Hotel website for great getaway deals and specials.
Photo credit: Clyde Butcher Website
Looking for things to do in Naples Florida for Labor Day Weekend? Of course we have the beautiful beaches in Naples, watersports for all enthusiasts, golf courses galore,kayak in Everglades National Park,
My top pick is one of the most unique opportunities and events for adventurists, nature lovers and photography enthusiasts is Clyde Butcher's Annual Labor Day Muck-About.
There are still a few rooms left at the Hilton Naples Hotel to book your last minute deals for Labor Day Weekend
Screen shot of where Southwest Airlines flies direct into Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW)
The sun may be shining where you are today but don’t delay!Southwest Airlines is having the most amazing low fares for Fall Travel!Last week I was eyeing ticket prices from Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) and the price per each roundtrip ticket was in the $375 range. I just purchased the same preferred dates and times for $137.50 roundtrip INCLUSIVE of tax, fees & baggage. I LOVE a great deal and was so excited that I booked a second trip for December.Southwest Airlines has direct flights from several cities to Southwest Florida International Airport (airport code RSW) which is a mere 28 mile from Hilton Naples Hotel. Coincidentally, Hilton Naples is offering some great guest room rates as well. My Travel Tip of the Day: Book your guest room reservations at the Hilton Naples with a check in on Saturday or Sunday and you can save up to $20 off your guest room rate**
Don’t delay and book your next getaway to the Hilton Naples.Offer on Southwestairlines.com sale ends Friday, August 24thand it is for travel from August 24, 2012 through February 2013.
** not guaranteed and subject to availability at time of booking.
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As part of the Hilton Blue Energy Bright Blue Futures project for International Youth Week, the Hilton Naples Hotel & Shula's Steak House Naples partnered with Big Cypress Elementary in Naples Florida to donate school supplies for the start of the school year.
Thank you to all our valued guests and team members who participated in Blue Energy Bright Blue Futures at the Hilton Naples Hotel. We appreciate you!
Labor Day Weekend in Naples Florida: Kids Free Offer at Naples Zoo
Looking for a great way to spend time with the kids or grandkids this Labor Day weekend? Take them to the Naples Zoo with this great Labor Day Weekend Only Free Child Coupon. Children (and adults!) can feed the giraffe herd from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily plus see the all new cheetahs. It’s a great chance to catch up on seeing all the rarely seen animals including the Malagasy fosas, Tonkin bug-eyed frogs, striped hyenas, blackbuck antelope, and the popular and fierce African honey badgers! Coupon required. The Naples Zoo is located four miles from the Hilton Naples Hotel. You must click on this link, print the coupon and bring the coupon with you for the Kids Free Offer on Labor Day Weekend at the Naples Zoo
To contact us Click HERE Not only does C'mon encourage children to befree to play, learn and dream, it also lets adults have a night of fun on theirown!
Tonight is their adult-only playtime where you can relax, explore, learn and justhave a lot of fun! Food, drink, music, themes and other 'big-kid' fun. The night will beanything but typical, as the Museum opens its doors to grown-ups looking formusic and a chance to recapture the feeling of childhood curiosity and wonder.
September 13, 2012 from 5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Theme: Tailgate Party Cost: $15 members/$25 non-member (21+) Call: (239) 514-0084
**The Children's Museum of Naples will be closed from September 17, 2012 to October 1, 2012 for scheduled maintenance.
To contact us Click HERE
At the time of this post, the countdown is on ... One day, six hours and 47 minutes to go to the official start of Labor Day Weekend!!! And of course our attention is tuned in to the weather in Naples ... great news - looks like we have sunny skies and low probabilities of rain ALL WEEKEND!
Photo Courtesy of visitsouth.com
There is still an opportunity to book your weekend hotel reservations at the Hilton Naples Hotel !
To contact us Click HERE Not only does C'mon encourage children to befree to play, learn and dream, it also lets adults have a night of fun on theirown!
Tonight is their adult-only playtime where you can relax, explore, learn and justhave a lot of fun! Food, drink, music, themes and other 'big-kid' fun. The night will beanything but typical, as the Museum opens its doors to grown-ups looking formusic and a chance to recapture the feeling of childhood curiosity and wonder.
September 13, 2012 from 5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Theme: Tailgate Party Cost: $15 members/$25 non-member (21+) Call: (239) 514-0084
**The Children's Museum of Naples will be closed from September 17, 2012 to October 1, 2012 for scheduled maintenance.
To contact us Click HERE 2 Samuel 6:1-5,12b-19;Psalm 24; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark6:14-29
When we find ourselves in ahopeless place, a culpable place, a hurt or wounded place, it is the Good News ofGod in Christ that shines light into our darkness.As we enter the story in the Gospel today, wefind Jesus on the scene, changing things up and bringing Good News to thosepossessed of broken spirits and those who were sick, blind, and lame, but HerodAntipas was distraught and a little frightened at what was going on in hislittle "neck of the woods." HerodAntipas was a 1st-century ruler of Galilee and Perea, and he bore the title oftetrarch ("ruler of a quarter"). Antipas inherited these territories from hisfather Herod the Great and ruled them as a client state of the RomanEmpire.He was responsible for buildingprojects at Sepphoris and Betharamphtha, and more important for theconstruction of his capital Tiberias on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.Named in honor of his patron, the emperorTiberius, the city later became a center of rabbinic learning.[1]Antipas was no unknown, weak, or puppet ruleras is depicted sometimes on film and screen, he was a central figure in the lifeof this region.Despite his power andinfluence, Herod had a great secret.Infact, with his actions at the recent banquet of death, at which John theBaptist was executed, he has added deeds that are even more shameful to his repertoire. Whywas Herod afraid of Jesus?Deep problemswith his personal relationships seemed to be a pattern for him.Early in his reign, he married the daughterof King Aretas IV of Nabatea.However,on a visit to Rome he stayed with his half-brother Herod Philip I and therefell in love with Philip's wife, Herodias, (granddaughter of Herod the Greatand Mariamne I and his niece), and the two agreed to marry each other, afterHerod Antipas had divorced his wife.This would be Herod’s downfall and eventually lead to a war with Aretas,a defeat, and eventual exile as King.Herod,needless to say, had some issues. John the Baptizer did not hesitate to pointout Herod’s folly of marrying not only his niece (against Jewish law), but fordivorcing his wife and marrying his brother’s wife (also in conflict withJewish law). I believe that Herod wasdeeply troubled with his own actions, because he liked to hear John speak.Maybe John’s call to repentance gave Herodsome hope that there was light that could shine in his own relationaldarkness.Nevertheless, Herod’s wifebecame a voice that eventually influenced him to silence the accuser, and ofcourse, she had another plan.We knowthe story where there was a seductive dance, a character challenge, and finallyan execution.Herod succumbed to thepressure because he faced the disdain of his friends and the threat to his popularity,had he not carried through with his premature promises.John died because of Herod’s choices. Herod, like most of us, was wrestling with hisown demons.He was torn between hisadulterous relationship and the offer to pursue repentance and amendment oflife, and because of this tension, he was led to choices that broughtdestruction on others.Herod rejectedthe call to change, to become new, to experience grace and forgiveness.He silenced the voice of Kingdom living,despite how much he considered himself a fan of John.Then, he heard that Jesus was casting outdemons, healing people, and doing deeds of power, and Herod feared, John hadbeen raised from the dead.The messageof God that is calling us to change, despite our resistance, cannot besquelched. Beinga fan of Jesus may be considered a good thing, but our salvation is not aboutadmiring Jesus, but about how the Gospel makes us more like Jesus, not that wefeel good?C.S. Lewis once said, “I didn’tgo to religion to make me ‘happy,’ I always knew a bottle of Port would dothat.If you want religion to make youfeel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.’ Herod was a fan of John and later of Jesus butwhen John’s message became a little too uncomfortable for him; he silenced thevoice.“Herod feared John, knowing thathe was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him.When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed;and yet he liked to listen to him.” Herodliked sitting on the sideline, watching John do his work, hearing him preachingrepentance, and calling others to change, but he kept his distance.The message was a little too close to his personalbrokenness. Youcan silence the messenger, but the message always remains.In today’s reading, John is dead but nowJesus was on the scene and Herod was afraid.Herod faced Jesus later on in the story when Pontius Pilate sent himover for trial.Herod wanted to be a fanof Jesus too, not because of his call to enter the Kingdom of God, his call totransformation and grace, but because he wanted to be perplexed and entertained.“Show us miracle Jesus, dance for me”was his response to the message, not “change me, enter into my darkness andshow light, excise my wounds, and heal me.”The message of the one who “prepared the way,” and the ministry of “Immanuel,God with us” sounded good and it was entertaining, but the cost of letting itsink in was too great, it required a death but not of the messenger.It required Herod to die to his old ways.In order for us to experience the new lifethe Gospel brings, we need to die to who we have been. As difficult as this may sound, discipleshipleads to death. TheGood News, the Gospel is a balm to the injured, the bandage of hope to thebrokenhearted, the salve of hope and new life. As followers of Jesus, we must face that we havebeen wounded in some deep, profound way.For most of us, there is a hurt that we put away and have kept in a boxfor a long time.Maybe that wound wasone inflicted upon us.May it is a wound,we inflicted on another. Maybe webrought a hurt upon ourselves because of our own choices.Whatever the case may be, each of us carry theburden of injury, and it is painful. Herodhad wounded others, and he in turn had been wounded by his choices.He needed healing.For whatever reason, sometimes we reject the soothingbalms the Gospel offers us, which could bring healing and restoration.The pain of bringing that all up again thoughmay be too great and so, our wounds remain.Herod listened to John, but from a distance.Herod liked John’s teaching, but he neverallowed the message to get close enough to excise his wounds. Sometimes we wait too long, the wound festers,the damage goes deeper, and the healing may require extensive surgery.Herod waited, and in so doing, he woundedJohn, he silenced him, he killed the healer. It is then, that facing the possible pain ofcleaning out of the wound, cutting out the infection, and enduring the subsequent healing process, may be toomuch for us, because it is a long and arduous process. The reality is, we have to endure pain, and wemay have to endure death so that we might experience resurrection. Thereis no Easter day without Good Friday.There is no resurrection without death.There is no new life, until we die to the old life.The Good News that God’s love brings about newlife, is a healing balm and it restores us to healthy relationships with Godand each other. The Good News requiresus to let the Great Healer work on the deep wounds of our souls, so thathealing will come.The Good Newsrequires us to die to ourselves, so that we can experience new life.It happens now once, but day after day, weekafter week, year after year.TheBenedictines have a saying, ““We fall and get back up, we fall, and get backup, and we fall and get back up.”We arecalled to die every day, so that we can experience a glimpse of resurrectionevery day. The tragedy of the story of the beheading ofJohn is obvious.There is another humantragedy in this story and that is Herod’s tragedy.A man finds himself face-to-face with thepossibility of grace, forgiveness, healing and new life, and he chooses deathinstead.For us, following Jesus mayrequire us to let go of something we would rather not, to bring up an old woundthat is still painful, to face a dark part of our lives that remainshidden.If we can offer that up to God,we can experience life afresh.God givesus the strength and courage to die to our brokenness, so that God’s grace canraise us to joy, peace, and reconciliation the Good News of God in Christproclaims.
To contact us Click HERE 2 Samuel 7:1-14a; Psalm 89:20-37; Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark6:30-34, 53-56ByWednesday each week, I usually have a rough idea of how the sermon for theupcoming Sunday will unfold.So, bymid-day on Wednesday, Teresa will receive from me a picture for the bulletincover.I have to tell you, I had to setthat sermon aside after I heard the news of the horrific tragedy in Aurora,Colorado.Like many of us, I woke upFriday morning to a nice cup of coffee and I turned on the news and sat in myeasy chair. The Special Report bannerwas flashing on the screen and I had a sick feeling in my stomach, similar tothe one I experienced when I learned of the tragedies of September 11th,eleven years ago.The broadcaster announced with great concernin her voice, “ At 12:30 a.m. in the morning, on Friday July 20, 2012, at a normalannual event( a summer movie release) one of largest mass shootings in UShistory took place.” She continued to report that there were “ 71 victims, 12killed, and 59 injured in a movie theatre in Aurora, CO.”The alleged assailant was “24 year old JamesHolmes a PhD student at the University of Colorado.”The rest of the newscast included somedetails of the tragedy, some information about the shooter, and then came what forme, was the most emotional part of the newscast:the pictures of people in tears holding eachother, and the desperate pleas and cries from friends and family who wereasking this question, “Why?”
As Iwatched the interviews of the victims and family, I heard how raw and ripe the emotionsof anger, helplessness, sadness, grief, and confusion abounded.“Why,” seems to be the question we all wantto ask. There are not many words ofcomfort in times like these although we try.Sandy Phillips the mother of Jessica Ghawi, an aspiring journalist whowas killed, said, “"I'll never have her to hug again, or get a textmessage again or get a funny Facebook picture." "That's the hard partright now ... knowing those are things I'm never going to experienceagain."[1]Many of us saw the video of Tom Sullivan, whoseplea for news of his son was so heartbreaking.His son, Alex was celebrating his 27th birthday the night ofthe movie, and we find such irony in his son’s last text message, “'Oh man one hour till themovie and its going to be the best BIRTHDAY ever.'[2]There are so many stories that will be told overthe next few weeks; stories of loss, anger, pain, broken hearts, andblame. We also wrestle with trying tounderstand how a bright, intelligent honors PhD student, could do such ahideous act?We wrestle with our ownfeelings toward him, feelings of anger, disgust, and possibly even a secretdesire for vengeance.Then, we imagine what hisparents are feeling as they learn of what their son did to so many people.“Why,” is our question as we reflect on thisevent.We may be asking other questionsas well, “Why would God let this happen?”Maybe we ask, “What good could come of such a tragedy?”Some religious folks may even say, “God has aplan in all this and there has to be a reason.”Really?We are wrestling with amystery here, and we should be cautious about trying to seek answers where theremay be no clear answers to find.Do wereally believe that the God of the cross, would somehow want this to happen? Jesus’ministry is surely a ministry of liberation, of the resurrection but we mustknow that creation is, by definition, limited.Jesus, in his ministry, consistently sought to free people from life’s diminishingforces (illness, mental and spiritual afflictions, demonic spirits, even death).Jesus never says “just suck it up,”although he does say “do not sin anymore.”The heart of our “Why” question seems to rest in the nature of creationitself and the nature of human freedom, and not why God would make this happen. “Creationis not the Creator, and doesn’t share inthe Creator’s perfection.Our universeand we as creatures, are still in process.We are by God’s salvation work, moving into greater perfection in God’screation.However, Paul asserts inRomans 8, that there is a tendency in all of creation to fall back into decay.There is an interplay within the createdorder of itself, a moving towards perfection, and at the same time falling backagain.God allows this freedom to playitself out, but God doesn’t stand by, as impersonal, because God of the Bibleis the one who saves us and saves us in history, in the workings out in time ofour movement towards life, even in our falling back into decay.This work of creation, this struggle ofmoving toward the perfection of God, and the falling back into decay may not beapparent in any individual life because some it may be, that in some unknownmystery, it is God’s very long-range perspective at work.”[3] Tragedy,pain, anger, loss, human evil all seem present in tragic events brought aboutby human decay, evil, and sin, and yet we ask, “Why, God?”Maybe a glimpse into this awful mysteryemerges if we can accept that “Moral evil is the tragic implication ofcreaturely freedom.” “Creation is the creation of finite freedom; it is thecreation of life with its greatness and danger . . . The creation of finitefreedom is the risk which the divine creativity accepts.”[4]God took a risk with human choice sothat love would be a matter of freedom and not coercion.It isnot a cut and dried answer, it does not fulfill the desires of our modern predispositionsbecause we are still left with “Why.”That my friends, may be all we have.We don’t know the answer, and honestly it is okay to be in a situationof darkness and mystery.Maybe mystery sometimesis good, because that’s where in our suffering we are forced to reach out forGod’s presence. We reach out to senseGod’s touch and if we are honest, we need tell God what is on our hearts, weneed seek answers that come only from beyond ourselves. Ifind great comfort in our President’s wise words the other day, when he remindedus of the uncertainty of our lives. ThePresident said, “Life is fragile, our time is limited. "We're going tostand by our neighbors in Colorado during this extraordinarily difficult time.Such violence, such evil is senseless; it's beyond reason." He continued, "Whatmatters at the end of the day is not the small things; it is not the trivialthings ... Ultimately it is how we choose to treat one another and how we loveone another."[5]As Christians, our response should be to standby our sisters and brothers, because how we love one another is what isimportant. Weall have had experiences of suffering in which, we know we have in some way,experienced grace.Maybe in the mysteryof the “Why,” we can be present for each other as Christ is present with us inthe tragic.When we have experienced God’slove, it is so important to let God’s love be incarnated in us.The more we ourselves have experienced salvation,the more confidence we have to carry it into situations like these.When we consider the cross, we know in thesuffering of creation that God is with us.The shadow of the cross extends forward and backwards in history and in a a paradoxical way, we areunited with Christ precisely when he cries out “My God, my God why have youforsaken me?”God identifies with our “Why”questions, God knows our pain, and God cries out too.Many of us may stand in the midst of thistragedy and cry these same words.The reality is the God who is the ultimategiver of freedom, has not abandoned us.In our human freedom to choose love, life, and peace, or to fall backinto the decay of death, tragedy, and evil, Immanuel stands with arms wideopen, and says, “I am with you.”We maynot know the reasons, we may not know the why, but we can know that God is withus in the riskiness of freedom and love. Sowhat can we Christians do in the midst of the lives lost, the families broken,the death, the pain, the anger, and the desire for answers?We need to do what we do best, pray.We need to be present in prayer, as God ispresent with us.Our hearts can joinwith the hearts of those in pain who cry, “My God, My God, why have youforsaken us?” We can allow the grace ofGod in us to be incarnated in our presence with them.Do we load up and go to Colorado?No, but maybe we make it known that we lovethem, we pray for them, and we join them in their grief and pain. Inthe Gospel reading today, people were bringing the sick before Jesus knowingthat if they would but reach out and touch him, they would find healing.Maybe that is the only answer we have today,in the midst of the Colorado tragedy.Maybe what we must do is in prayer, bring the victims, the survivors,and our own broken hearts before the Master, and trust that in some way and insome mysterious time to come, he will bring healing, peace, and rest. [1] http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/20/justice/colorado-shooting-victim-ghawi/index.html[2]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2176810/Dark-Knight-Rises-Colorado-Shooting-Last-tweet-Alex-Sullivan-died-going-premiere-birthday.html#ixzz21Gfgi51a[3] Excerptsfrom Notes taken in lectures from Pastoral Theology class 2007, The Rev. Dr.Julia Gatta, Professor.[4]IBID[5]IBID
To contact us Click HERE 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a; Psalm 51:1-13; Ephesians 4:1-16;John 6:24-35
Foodis one of the basics of life and it is our earliest experience of interdependence.Have you ever noticed the miracle of the bondbetween mother and baby at feeding time.It is one of the most intimate of human interactions.There in the mother’s arms resting is the helplesschild dependent on her mother, who gives of herself for the needs of the baby.The mother was serving as both nourisher and asnourishment. This bond of parent andchild grounded in basic needs, is the beginning of a bond that will surely growand mature through the years.Our lives beginand continue in an ongoing wrestling with in an insatiable need for sustenance,and the obvious reality of our utter dependence on others for that sustenance. Today, we tend to forget that we are notindependent islands, we must rely on others.It takes many hands, many people to plant, grow, harvest, prepare,package, deliver, and sell all that we eat.The USDA reports that we eat about a ton (1,966 lbs) of food perindividual, per year.What would it belike if each of us really had to plant, cultivate, and harvest our own sustenanceeach year?Consider that the next timeyou drive down 776 on your way home, as you witness the plethora of fast foodoptions, seafood bistros, and Publix/Sweetbay’s/and Winn Dixie’s.It is hard for us to imagine that obtainingour daily bread involves more, much more than merely making a five minute stopby the local Wal Mart bakery department. Thefolks who got into the boat and went to Capernaum seeking Jesus were lookingand hoping for their daily bread.Whocould blame them.Filling their empty stomachsin those days, did not include a quick order at the McD’s drive-thru, a little stopat the local grocer, or a night out at the local seafood house. Working for their food was a natural part of everydaylife and this new rabbi was giving out free lunch.Naturally, these new followers wanted to stickclose to Jesus.The unfortunate part of this story, is that theyfollowed Jesus not because, the recent miracle was a sign for them to strengthentheir faith in who Jesus was and the life he offered.They had already seen that sign in themiracle of Jesus feeding the 5000 and yet, they followed him because of theirown personal needs, their empty tummies, and the food Jesus was giving out freeof charge. Wehave to be a little cautious as we read this story because, it is easy for us tocondemn these folks for their supposed self-serving discipleship.We might say, “c’mon you need to follow Jesusbecause he is the Son of God, the Messiah, the promised one; you need to have ahigher and loftier reason for following him.”Caution, there is more to this story.I believe their need for physical sustenance and the need for spiritualfeeding went hand-in-hand.Jesus knewabout their basic needs for food, air, and water. Jesus knew those hunger pangs pretty well andthus, he had compassion on the crowd and so he fed the multitude. I amnot convinced that Jesus was chastising these folks.I think he was saying, yes I will feed yourbody and at the same time, I will feed your soul, are you ready to feast?I think the challenge to these unlikelyfollowers and we the followers of Jesus today,is we need to get spiritually hungry again.When was the last time you were hungry; Imean really, hungry?Following Christ goesbeyond satisfying our own personal physical needs.Being fed by the bread that never perishes involvesour deep connection to Christ in his accepting, reconciling, and restoring grace.It is only in Christ that our deepest hungercan, and will be fulfilled. If weare honest with ourselves and each other, we all come here each week withhunger pangs.Whether, we come to this placeseeking the presence of God, seeking to be filled through a sense of feeling good,or just seeking, coming to the table uncertain why we come at all, we all comehungry.We all come expectant, and yet, we may have inthe past, come to the table and left disheartened without witnessing the miraculoussigns of God’s grace all around us.Maybewe have come seeking a miraculous sign of grace in an uplifting song, aninspirational message, or something else.Maybe the bread we seek, the sustenance of grace that we are offered, canonly be found in the miracles of the shared lives of these folks who aresitting beside us.Look around, we are gatheredtogether as a community of the Spirit.Weare gathered together all seeking to be fed.We are gathered together as beggars, who are showing other beggars whereto find bread.We all come hungry and I believe we can all cometo the table expecting a miracle and we can be assured, the miracles of God’s sustenanceabounds, beyond our imagination. Miraclesstill happen and billions are being fed every day.The miracle of Jesus feeding body and soulhappens in some of the most unexpected places and in the most unexpected ways.A friend told me about such a feeding miraclethe other day.She was having lunch witha colleague in a local restaurant and as they finished their meal, her luncheoncompanion called the server over and said, “Jill, please bring me the salescheck for two tables back.Don’t tellthem who paid it and don’t tell them it was paid until I’ve left.”My friend was amazed by such a show ofgenerosity and hospitality, which her friend offered complete strangers. The server looked at my friend and said, “Oh,he does this at least two or three times a week.”In this miracle, there was no multiplicationof loaves or fishes going on here, but there was an abundance of grace presentthat day.There was also more than afree lunch being shared at that table that day.The luncheon companion of my dear friend was demonstrating how feedingthe body and giving unselfishly for the benefit of another, demonstrates howOur Lord feeds us spiritually. Miraclesstill happen and billions are being fed every day.Lastweek our food pantry here at St. D’s was running low on a few particularitems.Knowing that we were fallingshort and that some of the people we served would have to go without, a groupof our pantry ministers gathered and prayed for God’s nurturing and nourishinggrace. The next day, something amazing happened.A miracle, I believe.An abundance of food arrived andunbelievably, there was just enough food, and we received exactly what wasneeded to re-stock our shelves.Do youknow what one of the most interesting things about this miracle that I found?The ministers prayed for nourishment, but notfor themselves.The ministers were interceding for others andnot themselves. They prayed for folks that they did not even know. There was more than a free lunch being sharedat that pantry that day.Our pantryministers were demonstrating how feeding the body, praying with intercession,and giving unselfishly for the benefit of another, demonstrates how Our Lordfeeds us spiritually. The tableof grace, reconciliation, mercy, and abundance; isn’t that the table Jesus setsbefore us?Jesus is the food thatsatisfies our hunger and sustains our souls, not because our bellies are full, notbecause we are made to feel good, not because of the physical fulfillment ofthe day, which we surely receive.Jesusis the food that satisfies us, because we are fed by the one broken for us.In that meal, we are changed.Jesus is nourisher and nourishment and weall are brought together as one in that meal.The bread of life is not about filling our stomachs alone, it is about beingfilled so that we might feed others. Jesus askedthe rock on which he built his church, “Simon do you love me?”The church’s rock replied, “Yes Lord, youknow I love you.”Jesus told the foundationof the church, “Then Feed my Sheep.”Jesus’admonishment of Peter, the rock, the foundation upon which he built the churchwas this, “feed my sheep.”We are thechurch.We are beggars who protest,“Lord, feed us!”Our cry needs toinclude, “feed us, so that we might feed All your sheep.”We need to take up our part in the miracle ofthe “bread of life.” Wecan begin to understand discipleship when we recognize that we are mere beggars,called to show ALL other beggars, where to find bread.”It is through our common life together, dependenton each other , together dependent on God, that we will truly understand themiracle of God’s grace.Remember, if we leave here hungry this day, itwill not be because the right type of song was played, the best sermon waspreached, the best program was offered, nor the right people did or did notshow up.If we leave here hungry today,it will be because we failed to see the signs of the miracle of grace in thefaces, the face of Christ, found in our sisters and brothers ,seated here amongus, and the face of Christ we encounter in everyone we find out there on thestreets.
To contact us Click HERE After a summer of reading 50 Shades of Grey, I am ready to make room in my beach bag for favorite local author Randy Wayne White as he introduces a new series in his book GONE. Classified as a psychological thriller, "Gone" takes place on Captiva, Sanibel, Port Royal in Naples, and in the Ten Thousand Islands. Locals of Southwest Florida love reading Randy's novels as they take place in locations we can relate to while reading. Pick up a copy of any of the 18 novels Mr. White has written for great fictional beach reading. I'm looking forward to meeting the heroine of the story, Hannah Smith. Randy Wayne White will be doing a book signing on Friday September 7, 2012 beginning at 11am in Costco which is located 3 miles from the Hilton Naples Hotel
To contact us Click HERE Not only does C'mon encourage children to befree to play, learn and dream, it also lets adults have a night of fun on theirown!
Tonight is their adult-only playtime where you can relax, explore, learn and justhave a lot of fun! Food, drink, music, themes and other 'big-kid' fun. The night will beanything but typical, as the Museum opens its doors to grown-ups looking formusic and a chance to recapture the feeling of childhood curiosity and wonder.
September 13, 2012 from 5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Theme: Tailgate Party Cost: $15 members/$25 non-member (21+) Call: (239) 514-0084
**The Children's Museum of Naples will be closed from September 17, 2012 to October 1, 2012 for scheduled maintenance.
To contact us Click HERE Shula’s will be hostingtheir 2nd Annual Champagne & Chocolate Tasting benefiting the United Way of Collier County. Taste exceptional champagnesfrom Shula’s paired with delicious gourmet chocolates from Norman LoveConfections™. NormanLove will be presenting the perfectly paired chocolates. This event issponsored by Florida Weekly and Norman Love Confections™. The champagne tastingswill include Rosa Regale by Banfi, Poema-Cava, Domaine Carneros by Taittingerand Charles Heidsieck Rose Reserve. Tickets are available atShulasEvents.EventBrite.com or by contacting Jeff Jeromeat 239-659-3176.
Shula's is located inside the Hilton Naples Hotel on 5111 Tamiami Trail North; Naples, FL 34103
To contact us Click HERE
Special guest bachelor Jason Resmini , from the Bachelorette TV Show , and 11 spectacular local bachelors are creating exciting dates for the highest bidders! Join the Hilton Naples Hotel as we create the ambiance for eligible doctors, businessmen, an executive chef, a fireman among others in equally interesting careers who are looking forward to meeting you! We’ve checked them out, and they are all gorgeous and fun! So put on your most dynamite dress, invite your most enjoyable girlfriends to join you, and come for a night of fun.
Bachelor Auction to Benefit Cancer Alliance of Naples
At 7 pm doors will swing open to reveal the Hilton Naples transformed Enchanted Ballroom, with Scrumptious Dinner & Chocolates, Raffles, Music with the fabulous DJ Chris Ceron, and above all, the guys…. It will truly be an elegant, fun, Some Enchanted Evening! Note to those married ladies who want to join in the fun - it is OK to Look! Come support your single friends to win a memorable date, and have a great time. The evening is scheduled to end at 10:30 pm. Then again, there will be a dance floor…. All proceeds will be used to financially assist LOCAL low-income cancer survivors in Collier County with basic needs of food and gas, rent and utility payments during the time they are in chemo or radiation. Let’s help them get on with their lives while they fight for their lives. Please email, facebook, twitter and call all your friends to come out to support this cause. The first 50 to register will receive a free copy that night of “Think & Date Like A Man”, written by April Masini, nicknamed “The New Millennium’s Dear Abby” by the media. Register now to attend the Bachelor Auction benefiting the Cancer Alliance of Naples (CAN)
Photo courtesy of Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB
This weekend is a great time to get out and enjoy the wonderful nature and wildlife that Naples and the surround areas are known for.
Collier County is home to many parks, including the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. Saturday, September 29th marks the 19th annual National Public Lands Day which encouragees everyone to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors.
Hilton Naples Director of Marketing, Niccole Neebling posing during a Swamp Walk with Rick Cruz Expeditions
Big Cypress National Preserve protects over 729,000 acres of the freshwaters of the Big Cypress Swamp. Visitors to this vast swamp located in Ochopee, FL should plan on spending at least a few hours in the Preserve, exploring the scenic drive and several of the viewpoints and boardwalks. The Big Cypress National Preserve is home to a diversity of wildlife, including the Florida panther.
Nearby Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the USA boasting 1.5 million acres. Photographing birds, hiking, observing alligators are just a few of the many adventures you can choose when you visit the Everglades National Park
A great way to experience and Everglades adventure in both parks is via Airboat.
Everglades Area Tours also offers a guided kayak experience that is one of the best I've taken. Each trip is different and you never know what your going to see. Rick Cruz Expeditions heads up an fun and informative Swamp Walk which is definitely for those of you looking for a fun way to experience The Everglades. Stop by the Concierge at the Hilton Naples Hotel to learn all the ways to get the most out of your Everglades Adventure! And don't forget your camera - you'll definitely want to document your journey into The Everglades however way you choose to go.
To contact us Click HERE
Leaving Biddeford Pool at 7 am we slowly maneuvered around the lobster floats to fairly open water. The sun was shining, the winds were calm and even though the temperature was in the 60's, Beth stayed on the bow of the boat directing me through the mine field that was getting less dense as we exited the harbour. We passed uncomfortably close to a number of the pots but wouldn't realize how close until later in the day.
Tenants Harbour Traps
Setting a course 3 to 4 miles off shore we sat back and enjoyed the slow rhythmic undulations of the sea swell which seemed to be timed with the soft drone of the engines. Slowly we watched as the bright morning sky started to cloud in and a few rain drops appeared on the windshield. Nothing bad appeared on the radar but when we saw a distant island fog in and a lobster boat disappear into a light fog, we became somewhat alarmed. Is this going to get thicker? Should we take one of the alternate routes I plotted in case of inclement weather or should we keep going? We still had phone service so we called ahead to Tennants Harbour and reached a soft spoken man named Stuart. Stuart said in his lilting down home accent, "We have heavy fog over he ah, but it was lifting". He couldn't see the harbor from his office window but "Hold on. I'll just walk out and look out into the bay... Yes, it's lifting you should be OK. Looks like you are bringing the good weather with you," he said calmly. As the fog became thicker I decided maybe the best course would be to just hurry up and get there. Powering up.....no go....only 12 knots....What!.."What now I cursed!" as I cut back the throttles and went down into the engine room to see if there was a problem. If you remember back to the first part of the blog, when we started out, this problem was due to a lot of water in the bilge. Not this time. I pumped out what little water was present from the dripping packing glands then checked the fuel filters. The port engine fuel filter pressure gauge had gone from 5 to 10 mm...not enough to hold back fuel delivery but I switched it to a fresh filter just in case. Back up at the helm I powered up with the same result. Clearly we would not be running fast, but why? The seas were calm and we had radar so we just kept our normal 1200 rpms, but our speed was at least a knot or two slower than expected. For fear of whatever was slowing us down getting worse, Beth refused to allow me to stop and back up to see if I could clear anything from the props or stabilizers...until she saw a Minke whale off our starboard side. I pulled the throttles back and pulled the transmissions in neutral. As she was trying to get a picture, I pulled the transmissions in reverse. An alarmed Beth came tearing back from the bow of the boat yelling, "Oh my God, you just ran over a lobster buoy and cut the rope. I saw the cut end of the rope!" There were no buoys in the area so I realized that it was a lobster buoy dragging off of our stabilizer that was slowing us down. We continued on and managed to navigate through another mine field of pots to finally enter Tennants Harbour. I had called ahead and Stuart had a diver ready to go under and check Doc's Holiday's bottom. Sure enough there was still a couple of fathoms of rope hanging off the starboard stabilizer. Some lobsterman back in Biddeford Pool is probably still looking for his trap! Now let me tell you about Tennants Harbor. This is down east Maine. Warm friendly people who will bend over backwards to help you out and not rip you off in the process.
Stuart is a thin man with a warm calm inviting demeanour and a soft voice that reminds one of Harrison Keller, the host of the radio show on public radio from "Lake Wobegone". His assistant, Chrissy is a bright enthusiastic girl with a glint of mischievousness in her eye who has "all you need to know about Tennants Harbour."
Chrissy informed us that the boat "Dreadnought" tied to the dock was owned by the famous painter Andrew Wyeth. His son, Peter owned one of the islands here and Andrew owned a couple of islands south of here. There was a museum nearby but we would have to get a taxi to get there.
"Dreadnought"
The famous Maine boat builder, Lyman Morse leased this facility as a launching site. Her father has worked for Lyman Morse for 30 years. We immediately took her up on her offer to show us a "mock up boat" that was put together because the would be owner really wanted to see what it was going to look like, not just the blue prints. The mock up was impressive and shows just what extent this boat builder will go to help his customers realize their dream. Unfortunately, the fortune of the person ordering the boat changed and construction stopped, but the mock is there with the blue prints for anyone who wants to continue the construction. Stuart came out to check on us at our mooring and after helping me shorten the scope of the mooring, was not satisfied that if the wind came up we wouldn't hit another boat close to us. He very kindly had us move in to the dock for the night...at no extra charge! He even helped us get secured to the dock. Because we might be leaving before he got to work in the morning, he thanked us for coming in...and invited us to return on our way back. Considerate, caring, honest down home people! Four in the morning and I heard the lobstermen starting their engines. The chilly fresh salt air was drifting in our aft cabin window as I slipped on some clothes and made my way to the galley to make coffee. I watched as the harbour started to come to life. As I watched the boys putting on their slickers to go fishing, something caught my eye. Thin somewhat aesthenic people with long hair getting on their boat? Not the usual outline of a rugged lobsterman. No....with the aid of my binoculars it was clear...two girls putting on their slickers to take their lobster boat "Endurance" out to their traps.. It turns out that Paula and Chelsea have been lobstering for several years! Yes!! Down Home Maine! Here sex , race, color or creed doesn't matter...honesty, hard work, respecting and caring for others, is what is truly valued in Maine.
Not only does C'mon encourage children to befree to play, learn and dream, it also lets adults have a night of fun on theirown!
2 Samuel 6:1-5,12b-19; Psalm 24; 
After a summer of reading 50 Shades of Grey, I am ready to make room in my beach bag for favorite local author Randy Wayne White as he introduces a new series in his book GONE. Classified as a psychological thriller, "Gone" takes place on Captiva, Sanibel, Port Royal in Naples, and in the Ten Thousand Islands. Locals of Southwest Florida love reading Randy's novels as they take place in locations we can relate to while reading. Pick up a copy of any of the 18 novels Mr. White has written for great fictional beach reading.
Shula's is located inside the Hilton Naples Hotel on 5111 Tamiami Trail North; Naples, FL 34103
