Spiritual Steak Sandwich at the Florida State Fair
BY LES MOROSO
When we planned a day trip to the fair back in November, I had no idea the kind of day the kids and I would be having as a result of pour planning, mixed with a volatile blend of impatience, price and more importantly, stupidity.

The day started heading south when we realized we got there 3 hours before the rides opened. With three young children, and no plan, this spelled disaster.

Luckily halfway through the morning, we bumped into Fred. You see, Fred cooks "Steaks."

He's been to more state fairs than he can remember. Fred claims to only remembers one important number: "3,412. That's how many people I seen saved next door since 1963." Fred describes himself as a Christian man on a mission from God. He owns two trailers, parked across the way from one another. One trailer sells steak sandwiches, the other give out spiritual food free of charge. You see, Fred has a secret...

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Wearing Verses
BY BRUNO LEVINE
Christian clothing is nothing new. People have been wearing shirts with crosses or verses from the bible for decades. What's interesting about this endeavor is that the clothes are designed to be more than biblically inspired casual wear, they are part of a mission from God.

Grace is a three and a half year that loves the zoo and Disney World theme parks. She is sweet, intelligent and very social. Gracie's smiles are abundant, her waving hellos irresistible. It's no wonder her mom and dad started an internet business based on those attributes and the fact she is simply adorable.

"We go to the zoo or Disney once or twice a week" says her dad, a former Disney cast member. He adds "We figure Gracie can either wear a princess shirt or a more purpose driven one with bible verses or an inspirational message printed on it. You'd be amazed how may people ask us where we got her shirts." The Wear a Verse endeavor started out with a single homemade t-shirt that drew immediate attention. Today, the Florida based Wear a Verse organization ranks among the most popular biblically inspired casual clothing companies in America. Not bad for a business that started out with an iron-on transfer on an old white t-shirt.

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Quiet Beaches
BY LIZZY ROSS
I love watching the sun play hide and seek with clouds over Madeira Beach. Another sweltering hot spring is slowly giving way to yet another wonderful sunshine state summer where perfect sunsets are indeed a dime a dozen.

Florida beaches are recovering from a busy season as the sunshine state readies itself for millions of tourists that will once again flock to the America's most popular coastal areas over the next few months.

It turns out winter is my favorite time of the year in FL. I love hiking and biking, which are both near impossible in the summer time, and I'm also a big fan of long afternoons on the beach, try that on a blistering summer day.

To me there is nothing quite like getting up early on Saturday, loading the minivan and driving to the beach. I love watching my five and two year old daughters build sand castles, then run back and forth to the water's edge while my husband plays volleyball. It's all priceless, and irreplaceable. Florida winters are simply exquisite.... luv'em!

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