Author: rutakintome

I married Ruth, my high school sweetheart, in 1983 and we have four children and 6 grandchildren. I have been the worship pastor at Mission Bible Church since 2004. We are located in Minooka, a southwest suburb of Chicago. I love singing, bicycling, music, Mahler, boxing, coffee, movies, The Beatles, sunsets, coffee, Mahler, the seashore, sunsets at the seashore, coffee, and… the seashore. Originally from New York, I grew up 15 minutes from the beautiful beaches of southern Long Island. I have a Fujifilm X-T5 that I use to capture the world I see. I also enjoy writing about the images that surface in my mind and heart as I work with the images from my camera. Thanks for stopping by!

as seen on the 606

I recently took a walk on the 606 with my grandson. What is the 606 you say? Here is some info from the excellent 606 website:

The story of The 606 begins just after the Great Chicago Fire. In their efforts to rebuild the city, the Chicago City Council gave permission for the Chicago & Pacific Railroad to lay tracks down the middle of Bloomingdale Ave. (1800 N) on Chicago’s Northwest side. The move helped connect goods from outlying rail ports to the busy Chicago River, and supported Chicago’s burgeoning industrial growth.

You can read more at the website. If you are ever in Chicago, it is worth taking some time to walk the 606. It was a cold day, but we just loved the sights and sounds of our walk.

new day in the nook

Morning workout at the gym… check! Taking time to give thanks for a new day and enjoy a sunrise… check! Have a great weekend. “The nook” is a nickname for my home town, Minooka, IL. Thanks for stopping by.

winter 2021

For most of February the temperature has been below zero. We are currently above freezing, and it looks like we will stay there for a while….say, for the rest of the year! These are some images taken at our home. We had a ski slope in the front and beautiful snow diamonds in the back. Thanks for stopping by.

stone cold part 3

The third post from a recent trip to New York, when I took a long hike on the West End of Jones Beach on a cold, windy, winter day. Thanks for stopping by!

stone cold part 2

The second post of some images from my recent trip to Long Island. This is the West End of Jones Beach State Park. It was a fiercely cold and windy day, but it was also a beautiful day. Thanks for stopping by.

stone cold

Back to my recent trip to New York and Jones beach for a few posts. I grew up on Long Island which, for me, also meant growing up at Jones Beach. Ever since I left the East Coast for the Midwest (back in the dark ages – 1985) I have been returning to visit family in NY and have also returned to this beach. Through all those years I never visited the West End of Jones Beach. During this last trip to NY, I decided to go exploring. It was an absolutely gorgeous day that featured frigid temperatures, pushed lower by a strong North wind that carried stinging sand off shore. It was awesome!

every whisper

the doctors said you were leaving
i don’t see a world without you
time stopped and crashed and just shattered
no God
please not you

so many whispered ‘Our Father…’
pleading grace and mercy for you
He heard all our cries
every whisper
a new story was written for you
undeserving and grateful
we’re still here
and i’m blessed to be loved by you
every breath is a gift
in every joy every sorrow
each moment a fading song
but we sing out loud
into the unknown tomorrow

time may fracture again
so we whisper
our Father in heaven above
may your name be first in our eyes
may your kingdom thrive
in our hearts and lives
may your will be done in our love

while we’re still here
on earth
as it is
in heaven

the edge of the sea

Back to my recent trip to New York for the next few posts. Just love the wind, the clouds, the endless waves and the distant edge of the sea...

winter beauty

Ice fog + frigid cold air + the morning sun + our beautiful town = a spectacular morning!

the beautiful “off” season

I particularly love the winter shore. The lonely beach seems to have more to say during the “off” season. I enjoy the endless songs of the water as the waves crash, and the water spreads out in a desperate attempt to explore and experience more of what it’s like to be on land. The taste of cold, salty air…