Ben and Sue Day 45

Day 45, Sunday, October 21, 2007

Greetings from The United Republic of Texas!

. . . We had a busy day today -- went to church -- First Baptist Church of Van Horn Texas.  Was a lovely, alive, friendly church.  Lots of people introduced themselves and shook our hand and welcomed us -- we felt very welcome.  Once again was good  to start the week with fellowship with like-minded people, to sign old familiar priase songs and to hear God's Word preached with passion and yet mercy.  Was very good indeed.  One lady at the church gave us a white bag filled with goodies because we were visiting for the first time.  After church I discoverd it was homemade pumpkin bread -- oh delicious.  In fact just now,  late in the evening as I write I am enjoying tea and pumpkin bread. 

So. . . we went to Carlsbad CAverns today in New Mexico with our friends Ian and his lively wife Christina.  We have missed them these many years and was good to see them, enjoy a meal and good conversation once again.  In order to get to Carlsbad Caverns from Van Horn one must drive north 90 miles on highway 54 -- one single long, flat road with surely some of the most barren land on planet earth.  Much like yesterday there was mile after mile of sagebrush, cacti, desert sand, foothills on every side.  The caverns were spectacular.  We were transported via elevator 750 feet underground.  If you have an opportunity to get on the Internet  and look for pictures of Carlsbad Caverns I would really encourage you to do so because whatever words I use will be so inadequate to describe its beauty and uniqueness.  Absolutely awesome, inspiring tour of this huge hole 750 feet in the ground -- took about  1 1/2 hours to walk the whole distance around.  We saw tons of staglamites and stalactites -- seemingly bottomless pits, whole "Scenes" created by calcium sulfate deposits that looked like woodland creatures gathered together, huge holes in the ceiling and sides of the cave and so much more.  Every time we turned a corner of the cavern one of us was saying something about how awesome, creative, unique or beautiful that part of the cave was.  So thankful we had the opportunity and so much fun to walk through with Ian and Christina.