Today we trekked through the majority of Oklahoma, North Texas, and now have stopped in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Texas is gorgeous… Wide open fields, ranches with real live cowboys, and the smell of freedom in the air. We saw so many of the famous Texas stereotypes, it was fantastic. The saying “everything is bigger in Texas” is true… Let me tell you that much. While in Texas, we stopped in at one of the places that they modeled the “Cars” movie after and snapped some pics. (I thought Andrew nearly was going to die of elation… 🙂 )
Tonight we stopped in Albuquerque, New Mexico. New Mexico is again, more western than where we’ve been… It appears much more western than Texas (with its lovely southern overtones) is. The threads of both Hispanic and Native culture are quite prevalent, hugely in the architecture. The buildings here are unique, and quite stunning.
The landscape here is also beyond breathtaking… Quite possibly the most breathtaking of all the states we’ve been through on this trip so far. As far as the eye can see, there is red clay contrasted with the brilliant blue sky, which is filled with billowy white clouds. You can even see the purple mountains in the distance…. And for the leg of our journey coming right into ABQ (as locals call it.. with a mouthful of a name like Albuquerque, I don’t blame them) we drove right through mountains. So spectacular!
Tonight as part of our New Mexico pit stop, we headed out to Calvary ABQ and worshiped with the body of believers there. The service was amazing. The worship was vibrant, and the preaching was solid!
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On this leg of the journey, it’s really been hitting me exactly WHY we’re on this road trip, and where I will be this time next week. I will be at my new “home.” I’m not going back with my family. A range of emotions are flooding over me… Stress, excitement, nerves, and even feeling altogether overwhelmed. I’ve never been this far from my entire family before for longer than a few weeks at a time.. (even through those times, I was staying with my dear Grandma in North Carolina.) If I’m honest, there are a lot of things I am anxious about… But at the same time, I am overcome with joy. I have prayed about and hoped for this experience for years… and here I am. Just days away from being at CCBC. And, not only do I get to attend my dream school that happens to also be on the most beautiful campus (in California!), God provided the opportunity for my whole family to travel across “America the beautiful” with my family. When I think of God’s faithfulness and hand in my life, I’m overwhelmed to the point of tears… He is so prevalent in my life, and I’m excited to have time set aside to deliberately focus on my walk with the Lord.
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Today’s tunes have been Phil Wickham’s album The Ascension... This album released a few months ago, and is one of our very favorites as a family. (Phil Wickham is one of my very favorite musicians… Definitely my favorite worship leader.) My favorite of his songs on this album are Wonderful and Thirst.
I also have listened a fair bit to Hozier’s “Like Real People Do.” If I’m honest, I haven’t a clue who that group (or singer) is. Kate and I heard that song on So You Think You Can Dance a few weeks back, and have been pretty smitten with it ever since. (This is a case of a song that makes me wonder how people can question the inspiration of a Creator.. But I’ll save that soapbox rant for another day. 🙂 )
psalm 91:1 