Celebrating the Creator and His Creation

What a wonderful week we’ve experienced seeing and celebrating God’s wonderful creation.  On Sunday, we worshiped with Chad and his family at First Baptist Church of Gatesville.  Part of the service was the Home dedication for six children.  There was a time of commitment for the parents, family, and church members to help in the process of raising the children to know, love, and follow the Lord.  As pastor, Chad did five of the dedications.  He asked Larry to do the time of commitment time when he and Lori dedicated their home for Sawyer.  We celebrated and thanked God for the beautiful creation of Sawyer Mae.  Chad also recognized a church member who celebrated his 106th birthday that week!  He stood as they sang “Happy Birthday” to him!

 On Sunday evening we met up with Larry’s brother, Terry, and his wife, Debbie, to spend the week with them in the Big Cedar Lodge area near Branson, Missouri.  They picked us up at the airport and then we drove another two hours.  On the way, we were able to watch and marvel at the lunar eclipse/blood moon/supermoon through the clear night skies of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri.

  This week we have enjoyed the beauty of the Ozark Mountains. Tuesday, we spent most of the day and evening at Johnny Morris’ Top of the Rock Ozarks Heritage Preserve enjoying more of God’s incredible creation.   We took the 2.5 mile Lost Canyon Nature Trail from Top of the Rock on an electric cart.  The waterfalls, rock formations, Table Rock Lake, and scenery were amazing.  Part of the trail went through Lost Canyon Caves with stalactites, stalagmites, waterfalls, and more rock features.  Afterwards we went through the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum with carbon-dated animal skeletons, Native American artifacts, and displays of historical Civil War items.

 

Around sunset we gathered at the Chapel of the Ozarks.  Inside the chapel, when standing by the cross, one could see their own shadow along with the shadow of the cross.  A few minutes before sunset, we went outside as a bagpiper began playing “God Bless America.”  As the sun dipped below the horizon, a cannon was fired.

Fall is just a few days from being in full swing here.  The leaves are beginning to change colors and a cool front has made the weather very pleasant.  What a wonderful display of God’s creative handiwork.

 
One morning we played 18 holes of miniature golf.  Larry would stand behind me, with his hands on my hips, to keep me balanced.  It took a little over two hours to play.  I was able to stand and walk for that entire time.  It has been years since I could do that.  I am grateful for the stem cells God created in my body that are bringing about renewed energy and strength.

And God created families.  It has been such a blessing to spend this week with Terry and Debbie.  They have been coming to this area for 14 years now, so they know what to see, when to be there, and what to do.  We thoroughly enjoyed and were grateful for the sweet time of fellowship spending time together with them.

And today is our oldest son’s birthday.  Scott is a blessing to our family.  I am amazed to see the ways that God continues to work in and through him to encourage, challenge, and make a difference for His Kingdom’s work.  Scott continues to inspire and teach me. 

This week we have celebrated family, babies, the life of a 106 year old man, amazing places, weather, and scenery, and a son’s birthday.  We have worshiped the Creator and thanked Him for His creation.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

Isaiah 40:28

Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Psalm 96:13

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17 

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.

I Samuel 1:27

Children are a heritage from the Lord,
    offspring a reward from him.

Psalm 127:3

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

3 John 1:4