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!

9/11

we must tell the stories of this great land
the stories of our struggles and flaws
the stories of tragedy and suffering
of all that needs to be healed and restored

we must also tell the stories of valor and bravery
the stories of unimaginable courage
in the face of unspeakable evil
stories of men and women
who represent
our highest ideals
our best selves
men and women
who through their character
their love of country
and their other centered hearts
remind us that we must live for others
that we must reach beyond self

with gratitude for those who protect and serve
for those who rescue and heal
we sing
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer strain
The banner of the free!

amazing…

And I thought these were cool when they were put together! Took a nice long ride on the Yamaha yesterday and stumbled across this… amazing…

the way of grace

south haven beauty

Spent a beautiful afternoon in South Haven, Michigan. The day was gorgeous, and very windy. For the para surfers: a perfect day!

illinois river morning

I would not call the Illinois River picturesque, however, with a little help from the sun and some clouds, it dresses up nicely!

oh that midwest sky

Took a short ride with rain to the north, and rain to the south. I was able to stay in the middle and enjoy the beautiful Midwest sky. Thanks for stopping by.

tracer meets mississippi

Spent the day riding to Savannah, Illinois, located along the mighty Mississippi River. It was an absolutely beautiful day, and the photographer in me wanted to stop every 5 minutes as the beautiful, gentle rolling hills of this region of Illinois guided me to the river. I resisted, otherwise I would still be on the motorcycle! Thanks for stopping by.

chasing the sunrise

This post could also be called, “variations on a theme.” I got out by 5:00 am and enjoyed chasing the sunrise along the shore. The ocean waves were singing, the sky was just dancing… a beautiful start to the day…

a walk in the park

I have so enjoyed spending some time on Long Island visiting my parents. Whenever I come back home I always take a walk in Eisenhower Park and visit the Veterans Memorial. This beautiful memorial serves as a tribute to the heroes of Nassau County. I also always go to Jones Beach. That will be the next post.

mom moments

This is my dear mom who is… well, to be polite, she is above 90 years old. We try to get back to Long Island, NY a few times a year to visit with my family. COVID porevented an earlier trip this year and, this time, my wife needed to be at home, so I am here enjoying my parents who still live in the house I grew up in. We hung out on the front porch and just chatted away a few moments together. She carries a weight of sadness for all that she has seen in this world, but at any moment, she can laugh and get me laughing as well! Favorite quote so far: “You have to enjoy your home… when you think about it, for 60 years this home has kept us from getting wet.”