A Whole Lot of Nothing

Marc and I have been visiting churches in the Texas panhandle and western Oklahoma, therefore we have been criss-crossing back and forth through this part of the country. At first glance this appears to be barren, desolate land. It is treeless, mountainless, miles and miles of flat grassy plains. We can see a weather system moving across those plains, like a freight train barrelling down the tracks. The skylines of the small towns consist of cotton gins and grain elevators. It seems like a whole lot of nothing.

This land is not a whole lot of nothing. It is farmland and ranchland, valuable to its hard working owners. I would think those farmers and ranchers would absolutely have to depend on God. Depend on him to provide rain at the right time and sun at the right time. Depend on Him to provide a good crop this year. Depend on Him to know all is well when a calf freezes in the brutal winters.

And it is not a whole lot of nothing to those of us who call it home. This area has a beauty all its own. I am quite sure this is where God was when he created sunsets.

There is not a whole lot of nothing inside the churches we are visiting. Warm, wonderful people are welcoming us as we share our ministry.

Wednesday night we went to Dumas to speak to a church. A friend of ours is the preacher at that church. We haven't seen those friends in years. Our wonderful it was to see these friends again. We had so much fun. Some relatives from Sunray also came over. My grandparents lived in Dumas. So as we drove, many wonderful memories flooded over me.

This morning we were in Sentinel, Oklahoma. It was a bit further than we wanted to drive in one morning. We left yesterday and spent the night with friends in Hollis. Again, we had so much fun, playing dominoes into the night, discovering I don't play dominoes much better than I play spades. As we stepped out of the house this morning, we saw an awesome sunrise, painting the eastern sky in colors only God could create.

The folks at Sentinel have sent money for houses and food for years. We were eager to share more of what we do with these folks. This was the first time we had visited there. It was a wonderful morning, complete with potluck after church.

We then drove to Childress, Texas. We saw one of those weather systems roaring across the plains at us, producing a few minutes of rain and then, a beautiful full rainbow. Again, this was the first time to visit Childress, but people here have been involved in the work in Honduras for about a year. We walked in and it felt like home. Marc, as always, did a wonderful job sharing what we do. Childress plans on bringing a team this year and there was much excitement there.

Tomorrow we will go to Spearman, Texas before returning to Borger.

As we drive across these plains that seem like a whole lot of nothing to some, I know this place is productive land, containing many memories, at least for me, with beautiful sunsets and sunrises and rainbows, and home to warm, loving people. Miles and miles of all types of beauty.

Terri