I drove away from my wonderful friends today.  Hugged everybody at Red Rocks Park where we spent the morning, wiped away my tears and said goodbye.  Red Rocks Park is located in Golden, Colorado,about 45 minutes from Chris and Cynthia’s home. It was well worth the drive time.  It is high up the side of a mountain.  The main attraction of the park is a natural outdoor amphitheater designed by nature at the top of the mountain.  Many concerts and shows are performed in the outdoor area.  It is a bit of a climb to get to it and I was concerned, because of not being acclimated to the altitude, but I could not resist at least seeing if I could do it.  I took it slow and did not even get winded or short of breath.  That was great considering my first day in Colorado.  This park was so amazing.  The red stone seemed to be pushed up from the depths of the earth.  I was so astounded at the magnitude of the rocks and jagged peaks that jutted upward to form the enclosure of the amphitheater.  I just wondered at the force of the heave it must have taken to create such a magnificent display of God’s mighty creation.  I did a lot of speculation as to how it happened.  Of course none of which are scientific.  I think God had a hand in it.  It was just breathtaking to be on top of the world so to speak and

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Colorado Denver area is absolutely stunning.  Of all the places I’ve been

so far I think it is the place I would likely choose to live if I had to pick from the places I’ve recently been.  However, wherever I am always seems the most beautiful.  But Colorado wins out in many areas.  It is clean, the air is  pure and fresh, the sky is beautiful, it snows (which I like), the people are so friendly, and the freeways are more user friendly than the other places I’ve been.  The only drawback is the density of the population.  I was told that there are over three million people living in the metropolis of the Denver area.  Very close housing and high density population in apartments, condos, and businesses.  I prefer space and trees, privacy and quiet.  So… maybe Denver would be out too.  But it sure was a pleasure to visit.  I stopped in Colorado Springs to take care of a necessity and decided to buy something to eat at Panera Bread as I had a gift certificate that I thought I should use.  Mostly I needed to use the restroom but I did end up using the certificate.  Met the nicest people working there and one went to a lot of trouble to give me directions in writing as to how to get to the post office.  I had a card I wanted to mail and could find no drop boxes.  Before I went to the post office I sat in a vacant parking lot of a new building that seemed empty and looked out at snow capped mountains.  So much better than sitting inside.  Afterwards I followed the directions to the post office (which were a little incorrect) and arrived safely.  The directions back to I25 were also a bit off.  I was impressed by that still small voice, which I know so well, to stop at McDonald’s and use the restroom again, which I didn’t need to do, but did it anyway.  I’ve learned to listen to that voice.  When I arrived I passed by a young man sitting alone and something said in my heart that I needed to sit down with him and hear his story.  I went to the restroom instead.  I have some really dorky sunglasses that make me look like an  insect with yellow eyes.  I had the glasses on when he looked at me and I could see a startled expression on his face.  Well, coming out of the bathroom I had the glasses in hand and paused at his table and told him I really wasn’t as dorky as the glasses made me look.  That caused him to laugh and we struck up a conversation.  Without even asking or prying he just started sharing his story.  He so desperately needed someone to talk to.  He served in the military, came home and moved from Florida to Colorado Springs.  He was there 4 days and had a room paid for until Thursday.  He was looking for a job and had one offer at a fast food place and another one offered if he wanted it.  Well one thing led into another discussion and before you know it I knew about half his history and how screwed up his life already was at 24 years old.  I knew there was only one solution for this young man.  He was very receptive and eager to talk.  In his words he used to go to church all the time but things had changed.  This brought the conversation to God and about having a personal relationship with God.  There was so much more that was said and I prayed for him.  He was so receptive to hearing what I had to say.  I truly believe this was a divine appointment for me to be there at that exact time.  I believe that on this Easter Sunday I was able to sow seeds in a fertile field.  He was so accepting and searching.  I thank God that I listened to that quiet voice in which His Holy Spirit prompts my comings and my goings.  Much of Jessie’s story is left out because I choose not to share publicly his private affairs.  I had one available book titled “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young and I gave it to him.  He promised He would read it.  I am praying that the book will sow more fertile seeds in this searching young man’s life.  Please say a prayer for Jessie that God would reveal Himself to this young man in a true and powerful way.

I got in my little Silver Fox and hit the road.  I had miles to go before dinner.  The drive through Colorado is so breathtaking.  The terrain is so varied, so expansive, so mountainous, and so awe inspiring.  The speed limit on most of the interstate is 75 mph (which means 85 to most others) so I pretty much got in the slow lane and did my paltry 75 mph.  I am determined to not get a ticket.  I saw a couple of people having conversations with police officers on the side of the freeway.  I was just glad it wasn’t me.

It seems there is a drastic change in the landscape when you enter New Mexico.  The mountains seemed to disappear, the trees were gone, and the land just seems more open and expansive.  Very few dwellings.  No roadside stops (which also means a dearth of restrooms) or gas stations.  Whenever you come to a gas station you fill up and empty out because you don’t know when you’ll come to the next one.  As I was thinking about this, something my friend Lana told me came back to my mind.  All this land I was looking at is considered sacred ground by the Native American Indians and is all owned by them.  I always thought that the burial grounds were the sacred grounds but Lana informed me that any land owned by the Indian Reservation is now considered sacred.  Those sacred grounds are truly beautiful because of the preservation of the vast open serenity but they do nothing for the bladder.  However, one thing I think I am learning is a new appreciation of the beauty of each individual landscape.  Each terrain has a unique and exquisite beauty of its own.  Breathtaking splendor is what I see.  God’s creation seems to be rising up and speaking to me of the awesomeness of God.  Such changing designs of creation all in the span of just a few hours of driving.  A 5 hr 50 minute map quest drive became my 9 hour journey of delight.  I enjoy every single moment of every single day.  I discovered one reason is because I get along so well with myself.  I know that might sound a strange thing to say but I have not once become angry at myself for anything I’ve done on this trip, like getting lost or taking too much time or talking too much or going too long without eating, you know, the kinds of things that someone else might make you feel bad about.  It is a real good feeling when you discover you are okay as you and accept yourself for who you are.  I enjoy my travel days because the Lord and I have great conversations and He always speaks lovingly to me.  And oh boy does He ever help me.  He is the best GPS system you could have.  He has helped me get out of a few tight spots when I was lost by just impressing upon my thoughts as where to go and BAM!  He was right on!  Another time he just spoke outloud through my Garmin that wasn’t working and told me in 4 words where to go.  I did it and again He was right on target!

There are so many stories I’ve yet to tell you about the missing 16 days that haven’t been blogged yet.  I’ll get to them.  I just wonder if there will be anyone who actually reads all this stuff I write.  If you are reading this please email me at the “CONTACT ME” tab so I’ll know there is someone out there actually reading my saga.  I’m writing to keep my family and friends informed but even if there is no one out there actually reading it I would still write it for myself.  If I don’t have anyone to talk to I might as well just put the words down in written form.  I much prefer a handwritten version  in a journal however.  Oh well…technology will have to do for now.

Arrived back in Albuquerque (hey I can actually spell this city now without looking it up) at 8:00 p.m.  Tim had the most incredible feast set aside for me-RAW TACOS.  Taco shell with all the trimmings but the meat substitute was crunched up walnuts with taco seasonings sprinkled on them with reconstituted sun dried tomatoes.  Oh man were they ever delicious.  I could only eat one but it was amazing.  He also had a sweet potato soup with pumpkin seeds on top.  I can’t remember how he made the soup but it was delicious.  I only had one bite due to stomach space and saved the rest for my breakfast.  He also had a salad all covered over in an individual bowl which I couldn’t even think of eating because I had to save room for the mango cheese cake  (without cheese) for dessert.  I cut one quarter of it out of my piece and ate it and that was about all I could eat in one sitting.  I’ll have the rest throughout tomorrow and hopefully at least one more RAW TACO.  So…So…delicious.  I don’t really know if I have ever known anyone who makes such delicious foods that I like to eat as Tim does.  When He and Lana lived in Wisconsin we ate many of his special features and I don’t think he ever served us the same thing twice.  Every dish was a winner.  I miss his cooking. (I actually miss them too!)

Well friends that is enough for tonight.  Oh, one more things.  I think I will try to download a picture of the road ahead of me as I was approaching Albuquerque.  I have trouble downloading the photos for some reason.  Some will download, others will not.  Hope the few I do tonightdecide to show up.