Love...

...it can mean so many things
...expressed in so many ways
...but it's only found unconditionally at one place.
That place is the Cross.

As the story is told: At the turn-of-the-century, George C. Boldt, millionaire proprietor of the world famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, set out to build a full-sized Rhineland Castle in Alexandria Bay, on picturesque Heart Island. The grandiose structure was to be a display of his love for his wife, Louise.
Beginning in 1900, Boldt's family share four glorious summers on Wellesley Island while 300 workers, stonemasons, carpenters, and artists fashioned the six story, 120-room castle, complete with tunnels, a powerhouse, Italian gardens, a drawbridge, and a dovecote.
Not a single detail or expense was spared.
In 1904, tragedy struck. Boldt telegrammed the island and commanded the workers to immediately "stop all construction." Louise had died suddenly. A brokenhearted Boldt could not imagine his dream castle without his beloved. Three hundred workers laid down their tools. Boldt never returned to the island, leaving behind the structure as a monument of his love.

Heart Island from the boat


The Alster Tower (Play House)
Consists of stairs rounding the sides, an interior balcony, perhaps for drama and plays.
Most impressive, there were two bowling lanes!
This building was used by the Boldt family while the rest of the castle was being built.


Power House - built intended to electrify the island when they acquired it.
Notice the clock for river traffic.
(there were music from Chimes as well)


The Arch was used for formal entries and delivering guests.
The walkways to the arch are made of stone and separate the bay from what would be "The Swan Pond"



Observation Deck - What a View!


Boldt's Yacht House (just across from Heart Island)
Notice the three garages for their three yachts.


The trees made it very hard to get close up pictures of the WHOLE thing.


For 73 years, that castle remained eerily vacant, left to the mercy of the wind, rain, ice, snow, and vandals. The Thousand Island Bridge Authority assumed ownership in 1977, determined to preserve Boldt's legacy for the enjoyment of present and future generations. Since then, millions of dollars have been invested into the restoration of the stunning Heart Island structures and, more recently, the exquisite Boldt Yacht House.

Dining Room
Don't worry, there are ENOUGH seats for everyone.
Though...the house had at least 12 "Guest Chambers"


Reception Room
Desk to the left
Pink Marble Fireplace to the right
Check out the detail on the walls and ceiling!


The Hall
James insisted on dancing and we ALMOST did, then a group of people made their way in.


The Patio - The wood ceilings were neat!
Around the corner was a HUGE stone fire place!


Can you spy the heart?
Hearts were ALL over, designed in the ceiling, railings, plants, windows...

Detailed Plants were all over too!

Though a castle would be great.
The love of Christ is much greater!
To praise and give Him glory is why we're here.
He's so much more than great!
Not only does mercy and grace come everyday,
but the Kingdom of Heaven...
...is the true Castle of Love!

~AND~
He could be building it for you RIGHT NOW, without ever stopping, just awaiting your arrival.
Just think...
...a castle built for you,
out of love!

That's the God I love and live for!

The Power of Prayer

Prayer has POWER

I've been convinced that prayer has lost it's importance in many ways. We teach our teens about certain topics and what to do in those cases, we say we will pray for someone, but the promise seems to be forgotten many of the times. We pray for the sick or diseased, but we don't take time to go pray with them. We pray when we meet with a group of Christians, but it's only an opener or a closer of the meeting.. there is rarely power there.

Prayer needs to become something we instill in our lives to set examples for those around us. If we consider ourselves to be Christians we need to give God our time, not just a "Hey God" sorta thing, but time in our day that we sit before him in awe of Him and ALL that he is. The world is so loud with so many mixed messages that we just need to still ourselves and stop being so busy to just be calm and quiet before our God. Letting Him soak us in, letting ourselves soak Him in.

Prayer can change anything and if we, as people who believe in God, help teens and really anyone we have influence on, understand prayer. If we teach them how to be comfortable praying and just learning how to pray and have a reverence for our Lord and Savior. THAT will change their lives, we can help them "do" better and "act" better or teach them ways to "live" better.. BUT WHAT DOES THAT TELL THEM? That their actions are what matters... and that's not the case. It's our relationship with Him, talking with Him, being with Him, and giving our lives for Him. If we are giving our lives to Him, then we are doing what He wants for us..

How does a child convey to their mother or father that they need something, they cry, say just one word, they ask for it in a sentence, or they just go to them with a stinky bottom and it's evident they need something. God is the same way for us. To know what God wants, we need to CRY out to him. Say something simple like "God what do you want from me". Tell Him about what's going on and say "God I lay these things at your feet, do with them as you please" ...Sometimes we stink, we're dirty and we just need to kneel before Him and say nothing at all, and He cleanses us, makes us pure again.. wraps us in His blanket of mercy and grace, without us saying a single thing, just going before Him. That's all that "prayer" really is, and its POWERFUL when we genuinely do it.