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| Gloss Mountain State Park |
This week has been a little different and very full of worship. Week by week this year, we've sought out churches to worship in and people to connect with in buildings new and old, large and small across our great state. We've marveled at the gorgeous artwork and architecture and reveled in both the ancient and the contemporary houses of worship built to honor and bring praise to our Lord. However, this week, we've taken our worship opportunities in grand cathedrals built by none other than our amazing God himself.
Sunday morning we accepted an invitation from friends and members of the Saron Mennonite Church (see previous blog post) to attend a worship service with them at the Gloss Mountain State Park just northwest of Fairview. We brought along food to contribute to a picnic lunch, loaded our lawn chairs, put on our "play clothes", and drove the 20 minutes to "church".
The congregation welcomed us just as we've come to expect, with open arms and friendly faces, and we couldn't help but be inspired by the breathtaking views surrounding us. The Gloss Mountains are an impressive rise of red dirt hills in the midst of the desert-like flatlands of the Cheyenne Valley that gleam and sparkle in the sun due to deposits of gypsum throughout.
The Saron Church chooses to meet in this natural treasure once a year for Children's Sunday, and we were thrilled to be a part of this special service this year. After a simple sermon with visual effects to bring understanding to kids and adults alike, some acapella singing, and heartfelt prayer, we shared a meal together and bonded over potato salad and deviled eggs and homemade ice cream as generations of down-home church families have done before us. Then, we grabbed some bottles of water and headed up the trail...and I do mean up!
The trail to the top of the Gloss Mountains has built-in stairs to assist with the assent, and I for one was very thankful for the help. We climbed and climbed and chased lizards and pointed out cloud shapes and rejoiced together in the creation of our Father. The kids asked questions and pointed out discoveries, and climbed into underground tunnels, and despite the heat and the exertion, their joy far outweighed their complaints. It was a day of beauty and belief and friendship and worship, and I am very happy to say that God chose to continue our experience in many ways in the days to come.
On Wednesday of this week, my middle daughter and I arrived at another of God's majestic sanctuaries at Canyon Camp at Red Rock Canyon State Park. Here our camp theme was Partnering with God in His creation, and we had many opportunities to enjoy his handiwork in the sparkling stars, enchanting trees and plant life, and beautiful canyon walls. The climb to the cross at the top of the canyon gave us breathtaking views and reminded us repeatedly of the creativity and skill of our Creator.
We spent three days in this incredible natural habitat with our focus on our God, and my heart is so full from praising my Lord that I wonder why I don't take the opportunity more often to worship both with others and alone in the wondrous beauty of the Creator's temple. What a wonderful world He has provided for us, and while we should all continue with our Chase, there is absolutely no Steeple required.
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