Choosing Joy

Here we are on one more adventure for 2024. It’s been an exciting year for travel. We see so many others out enjoying God’s creation – Earth as well.

As I’m writing, the view is spectacular!I’ll get back to that later.

This trip began with family in Florida for Thanksgiving.

Tom, Shannon, Lindsey, and Kassidy put on a feast. I did nothing but eat. I think I volunteered Jay for dish duty.

They were so gracious and made sure I wasn’t using my arm as it had grown quite a bit in size and a couple tumors above the skin had burst a few days prior to traveling.

The Tom Harris clan received a new member of the family a week before we arrived.

I love how God placed Thanksgiving before Christmas. Preparing our hearts with a time to remember and reflect on how good our lives really are even through trials.

We are truly thankful for all our readers that keep up with all the craziness we find to do. We are thankful for all of you who pray for me through this cancer time. We couldn’t do all this without your prayers.

I’ve asked this before, however these are such important questions to ask often – What are you thankful for? What brings you joy? Where does your joy come from?

After Thanksgiving dinner, we went to the Grandview Clydesdale Farm. This farm is family run – no employees. These are world class Clydesdales.

The owners keep 40 Clydesdales on the farm. Each one eats 100 lbs of food. 70 lbs of hay, 30 lbs of grain.

We stayed at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala. Beautiful and beautifully decorated for Christmas.

The next day we drove to Miami to board a ship – the Norwegian Joy. (Hence the name of the blog)

We chose the “Joy” ship because it is one that goes through the Panama Canal. And I like the name.

Absolutely gorgeous and a reminder of God’s promises to and for us….then He gave us a beautiful sunset too.

Two days at sea to reach Cartagena, Columbia. Whoa! It is hot here with 90% humidity. This California-Okie is not used to humidity any more.

Welcome to Columbia’s Miami – Cartagena.

We took the Big Bus Tour with a walking tour of the walled city. This is definitely a country of socio-economic classes and each class has their own district.

There is much poverty in the area. I can’t count how many time we said “no thank you” to all the trinkets they were trying to sell. Many were made in China. We did try to contribute to the local economy in helpful ways.

A Spanish Conquistador who founded Cartagena in 1554.

Juan is the great great great great great grandson of Pedro. He was also one of our assistant guides.. He brought up the rear of the group. So I got to have extra history lessons from him.

The number 11 is very important to the people of Cartagena. They received their independence from Spain on November 11, 1811 at 11:00a.m.

Cartagena has a dark side to it’s history like so many ports in the Caribbean. West African slave trade. Through those doors slaves were bought and sold. The balls on the street is where they were chained up in a single file to wait for their fate.

Cartagena is mostly Catholic with three churches in the walled city. It is very costly to be married in the cathedrals, somewhere around $300-$500.

The walking tour was really good. The big bus, not so much. Bless their hearts, there really isn’t much to show from the bus.

I found the people happy and proud of their city. Even through the poverty, there was so much joy and thankfulness that we were there helping their economy. For that, I was glad to be on the Big Bus.

My most favorite part:

Holding this sweet sloth. He was so cuddily. I didn’t want to let him go. I think he was pretty comfortable in my arms as well. I know the bible doesn’t have great things to say about slothfulness – its meaning is laziness, however I just love them. They could be one of my top favorite animals.

There was an area near the ship of so many animals -sloths, howler monkeys, parrots, flamingos, and turtles to name a few.

Early the next morning we began our time through the Panama Canal.

At 6:45 a.m. we were awakened by the cruise director announcing the arrival.

There has been a huge concern for the amount of water in the lake that feeds the locks. Right now the lake is at normal levels. (Rainy season just ended) They used to allow 40 ships a day through, however they are down to around 30 right now. They have been as low as 20 a day due to the lack of rainfall and the level of the lake.

The locks we went through are one way at a time. They allow five or six ships through one way. Then that many the other way. The ships just hang out in Gaton lake until their appointed time. Or going the direction we came the ships hang out in Limon Bay.

At their appointed time the tug boats surround the ship and guide them to the locks.

Back to the view I’m sitting and watching as I write I just can’t capture the beauty and green lushness. Here are a couple of pictures.

Sometimes you just have to take pictures with your eyes as a young child taught me long ago. Thank you, Campbell Jean, for those wise words.

This trip has been on our “Live Life Board” for quite a while. The doctors kept telling me I shouldn’t go, but here we are, and I am so thankful and full of extra joy today.

John 1:16 say, “The Word is full of His truth and grace. We all receive one blessing after another.”

I believe it.

Blessings,

Jay and Kelly