TWA:SW (8) The Sweetest Side of Dallas

We had such a wonderful time visiting with Marilyn and Lorin while we were in Dallas. We saw lots of famous sites and enjoyed all kinds of great food, but my very favorite day was Sunday go to meetin’ day.

Our friends attend Grace Church in Allen, Texas, which they helped start and have continued to invest in for the past forty-six years. It’s grown from a small congregation to a vibrant ministry that reaches many people weekly with spiritual support and resources.

Alan and I were truly blessed by the opportunity to fellowship there.

Sunday afternoon, it was really on my heart to visit Judy and Ron, who “just happened” to live nearby! I’d never met Judy in person, but she started following my blog, and over time I’ve grown to really admire her.

(Judy has written some guest posts for me and has also authored books, such as the ones above and below.)

She and her husband spent their lives in ministry and missionary service in many countries around the world (including both Ukraine and Russia), but they are now permanently retired.

When I learned that they’d moved into an assisted living situation due to her husband’s health needs, I was especially motivated to spend a little time with them.

Now, normal people would have said, “Fine; you go see them! We’re going to take a Sunday afternoon nap.” But, not Marilyn and Lorin. They said, “There’s no place for you to park your RV there. Let us take you.” In fact, with Ron and Judy’s blessing, they not only commuted us, they joined us in spending the afternoon listening to wonderful stories about Ron and Judy’s pilgrimage through life with Jesus.

As you might imagine, the four of us were trying to be a blessing and encouragement to this elderly couple, but you can probably also guess the ending. This precious couple fed our spirits and blessed our hearts! Rather than hiding out during Covid, Ron and Judy received us joyfully, regaling us with thrilling stories of adventure and delight (yes, and tough times) as they shared the good news of Jesus’ love around the world!

After a lifetime of travels, joys, and sorrows, they look back with contentment but still one ache in their heart. Ron had an urgent message he wanted to pass on to us: “Just love Jesus.” Jesus is worth everything. Nothing else is worthy. Jesus is the Pearl of Great Price, and He loves each one of us. We don’t have to worry about anything else; God will provide. Just love Jesus! Just love Jesus. Just love Jesus.”

“Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work” (2 Thessalonians 2:15-17).

Classic French Onion Soup: Or Try it with a Twist!

Here’s a classic french dish Alan and I first learned to love on cruises. Now it’s a fond favorite for us wherever it’s served. Our son Jonathan became the family aficionado, but I thought I should learn too! Here’s the best of what we’ve jointly discovered:

Classic French Onion
(Makes 4 tureens)

Sauté in a skillet until caramelized:
1 large, sweet onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons butter (or plant-based butter)
2 tablespoons fat (can be from leftover roast, olive oil, or more butter)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt

When dark and caramelized (about 20 minutes), add:
8 cups water
1 cup beef bouillon (or 1 tablespoon bouillon pasts (can be veggie to make it vegan) or 1 cube beef bouillon dissolved in 1 cup boiling water)
2 bay leaves

Simmer for a half an hour until all the seasonings have had a chance to meld.

For the classic recipe, the next step is to make some croutons out of fresh, crusty french bread. Butter lavishly and sprinkle with garlic salt, then broil until toasted.

When it cools, cut it into bite-sized pieces. (If you like croutons, make about 2-3 slices of french bread into croutons for each bowl of soup.)

While the croutons are broiling, grate 2-3 oz of gruyere cheese per bowl.

Just before you’re ready to serve the soup, pour about two cups into each tureen.

Add the croutons quickly.

Cover heavily with cheese and then pop them back under the broiler for just a couple of minutes, or until the cheese melts and starts to turn a golden brown.

Serve it immediately, piping hot and before the croutons get too soggy!

If you want to try a little different twist for fun, we experienced something like this on another cruise and really thought it was visually lovely. We’re not sure we actually like it better, but it’s a good way to keep your crust from getting soggy before you’re ready to eat:

Pour into 4 oven-proof ceramic soup tureens and add to each:
1/4 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (smoked is really good if you like smoked, although you can substitute for some other type of cheese if needed—even mozzarella), then cover with a section of Pillsbury’s crescent dough sheet.

(Make sure the dough covers the top completely so you get a nice rise and a bit of a puffy effect after it bakes.)

Bake at 375°F for about 10 minutes or until the crescent-roll topping is golden brown.

Serve immediately with salad or whatever else you like! 🙂 Either way, french onion soup is pretty wonderful!

“Our dear Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this food. Feed our souls on the bread of life and help us to do our part in kind words and loving deeds. We ask in Jesus’ name” (- Author Unknown).

“The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him:
your heart shall live for ever” (Psalm 22:26).

TWA:SW (7) Dallas

Alan and I have flown through Dallas/Fort Worth Airport (DFW) more times than we can count. As of 2021, it was the second busiest airport in the world measured by passenger traffic (62,465,756).

DFW’s metro area includes 7.5 million people—the fourth largest in America, so this is one metropolis that Alan and I would never tackle in our RV. We didn’t imagine we’d get to see the city, but we definitely wanted to see our dear friends, Marilyn and Lorin, who live north of Dallas.

But, like the great state where they live, Marilyn and Lorin offered incredible hospitality, including some grand touring of Dallas!

Dallas, Texas, is only three hours south of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, but it seems like another country.

Dallas is the land of the “High Five Interchange.” Here we are on I-75 passing under four other highways!

This is the view from above, from Wiki by Austrini (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:High_Five.jpg)

Dallas County Courthouse, built in 1892. We visited on a beautiful day!

(View of Dealey Plaza we took later from Reunion Tower)

It will take more than a day to share all our wonderful experiences, but one day we saw highlights of Dallas’s famous historic downtown area, including where John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Walt Cisco, Dallas Morning News, Public Domain

It happened on November 22, 1963, an event burned into the memory of every American who was living then.

Alan and I were both in junior high (as were Lorin and Marilyn; Marilyn graduated with us). We all remembered exactly where we were when the news hit. It was the 9/11 of our generation.

Dealey Plaza, where the assassination occurred.

JKF was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald from the sixth floor of this building, which now houses the “Sixth-Floor Museum” dedicated to exploring the life and legacy of Kennedy as well as the history of Oswald and various conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination.

Photo by Justin Newman of Secret Service agent, Clint Hill, jumping aboard to shield the occupants of the limousine seconds after the fatal shots (Public Domain)

If you’re interested in a book giving a close-up look at presidential lives, the secret service agent who was on duty guarding Jacqueline Kennedy that day, Clint Hill, wrote a fabulous memoir: Five Presidents (2017). We listened to it on our trip. There’s some rough language, but what a unique look into the private and public lives of five of our presidents! Clint wrote with respect, compassion, and often a touch of light-hearted humor, describing vignettes from the many years he stood in the shadows guarding some of America’s greatest leaders during their hardest and best hours.

As the day waned, we headed up to the top of Reunion Tower to watch evening fall over the city.

Lorin and Marilyn timed our visit perfectly so we could see the city in all its busy glory but then enjoy views of evening coming on and the sun setting over the city.

Dallas by day (All views from our trip to the top of Reunion Tower)

Major highways running into and out of town

Dallas Skyline in the afternoon

Dallas Skyline by night

President Kennedy had prepared a speech to present at the Trade Mart in Dallas on November 22, 1963, but because he was assassinated, his speech was never delivered. However, in his honor, much of Kennedy’s speech is written for us to read at the top of the tower. I think it is just as timely in 2023 as it was 60 years ago.

Here is the ending: “My friends and fellow citizens: I cite these facts and figures to make it clear that America today is stronger than ever before. Our adversaries have not abandoned their ambitions, our dangers have not diminished, our vigilance cannot be relaxed. But now we have the military, the scientific, and the economic strength to do whatever must be done for the preservation and promotion of freedom.

“That strength will never be used in pursuit of aggressive ambitions – it will always be used in pursuit of peace. It will never be used to promote provocations – it will always be used to promote the peaceful settlement of disputes.

“We in this country, in this generation, are – by destiny rather than choice – the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. We ask, therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility, that we may exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint, and that we may achieve in our time and for all time the ancient vision of “peace on earth, good will toward men.” That must always be our goal, and the righteousness of our cause must always underlie our strength. For as was written long ago: ‘except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain’.”

May we, the people, continue to honor that vision today and every tomorrow until Shiloh comes.

“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it:
except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psalm 127:1, KJV).

TWA:SW (6) Is Oklahoma OK?

Oklahoma is the only state in America I’d never visited before, so even though we only got as far as Broken Bow in the southeastern part of the state, I didn’t want to miss experiencing a tiny taste of Oklahoma.

Illinois River running through Oklahoma. Public Domain

Besides, I have a brother-in-law who’s an Okie (although he’s lived most of his life in California). Frank’s mom was a Cherokee princess who was still winning beauty contests while a patron of an assisted living center! Frank is one of the richest, hardest-working, most enterprising people I know personally, and Alan and I have been greatly blessed by Frank marrying Alan’s older sister. They’ve showed us extravagant hospitality over the years. When Alan’s parents died, Jan and Frank became like surrogate parents (although only a few years older). They took us in for an entire month with our two kiddos just to let us rest and recover. Even after Jan died, Frank has assured us that he’s our forever brother. He’s one Okie who’s more than okay! He’s awesome!

Ouachita Mountain along Talimen Scenic Drive in southeastern Oklahoma.
Public Domain

Alan’s only brother earned his undergraduate degree in Oklahoma. I never heard him complain, so I’m guessing he’d say that Oklahoma is OK, or maybe better than okay!

In 1955, the Rogers and Hammerstein musical romance, Oklahoma, hit the theaters. I was five. Most of the story went completely over my head, but I can still sing along with such classics as “O What a Beautiful Morning,” “Oklahoma,” and “People Will Say We’re in Love.” I fell in love with Oklahoma from watching the movie, and along with Washington State and Massachusetts, it became one of the three states I was convinced would make great places to live when I grew up.

Gloss Mountain. Public Domain

Funny how experiences as a small child can have a powerful and lingering influence.

The Oklahoma we saw was bereft of beauty and colorful movie sets.

“Oklahoma” comes from two Choctaw words: “okla” (people) and “humma” (red). It was called “Oklahoma”—the land of the red people—before it became a territory, and it was one of the last states (46th out of 50) to join the Union.

Because of Oklahoma’s severe weather and inhospitable topography, it became the “Indian Territory” where Native Americans were forced to relocate from their homes east of the Mississippi River. Some 60,000 Native Americans were forced to leave their homes in the Southeast and move west to “Indian Territory” (which became the state of Oklahoma in 1907).

One of the courageous women who walked the Trail of Tears in 1838.
Public Domain

The conditions were so harsh that the migration was called “The Trail of Tears.”

It’s estimated that 4-15,000 people died from exposure to severe cold, lack of food, and diseases like small pox. It was perhaps the single most cruel “ethnic cleansing” that ever occurred in America.

Photo of a Dust Bowl storm in Oklahoma during the 1930s.
Public Domain

The Dust Bowl and Great Depression in the 1930’s were devastating to the already suffering people. They were definitely not OK then, either. Oklahoma has had a long, painful history.

Oklahoma’s state animal is the bison.
Photo by Jack Dykinga for the USDA; Public Domain

Today, Native Americans are a minority of the population, although there are still twenty-five Native-American languages spoken in Oklahoma.

Downtown Oklahoma City, by Kerwin Moore, Wiki Commons

Oklahoma has a current population of just under 4 million, with 65% living in the metropolitan areas of the two largest cities: Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

Oklahoma is America’s third-largest producer of natural gas and fifth-largest producer of crude oil. Forestry products and lumbering are also valuable sources of revenue.

It is fifth in the nation in both cattle and wheat production, and that’s the one thing we did see evidence of on our grey and rainy trip early last spring to Broken Bow. Broken Bow. Even the name speaks of sorrow.

Is Oklahoma OK? I can’t answer that. She’ll have to speak for herself, but if she’s not OK, I think the rest of our country bears some responsibility for helping her heal.

How about individually? Alan and I watched Oklahoma together the other night, and I was shocked at all the loose moral innuendoes that were sugar-coated by song and dance. What did I pick up subliminally as a five-year-old? That Oklahoma was a wonderful place to live and sexual immorality was at least maybe OK? Where was the truth in that? Okay, so it was doubtless true that there were many white people who lived on ranches and fell in love with cowboys, and life for them was—certainly not without problems, but generally happy . . . “OK” for sure. For the heroines and heroes, but not for everybody.

“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:11). As individuals and as a country, let’s put away childish thinking and face our troubles before they stop us in our tracks! Whether you’re an Oklahoman or anybody else, if you need therapy to recover from past abuse, please get it! Need help? Ask! If you don’t know whom to ask, may I recommend asking first the God who is the “Our Father” God? He invites you to ask and promises that “you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things,
which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:3).

Curious About Corinth?

Ever wonder if the Bible is true? Ever heard of Corinth, Greece? Ever wonder what the city of Corinth was like back in the first century when the Apostle Paul was preaching there? How about what it’s like today? This afternoon, my son Jonathan is going to be giving a free virtual tour of what the city of Corinth was like then and now—and how this information can inform and confirm our confidence in the biblical records.

Saint Paul in Ancient Corinth:
Archaeology and the Early Church

February 19, 2023 (Sunday)

          4:00–5:30pm Eastern Time (UTC-5:00)

          3:00–4:30pm Central Time (UTC-6:00)

          1:00–2:30pm Pacific Time (UTC-8:00)

​

Presenter: Jonathan J. Armstrong, Ph.D.

If you’re interested, here’s a link to register:

https://www.aqueductproject.org/benefit-lectures

The American School of Classical Studies has excavated ancient Corinth since 1896, rendering this one of the most comprehensively researched archaeological sites to be of significance in the biblical record. This lecture will take the form of a virtual tour, showing what visitors can see at the site today and how Saint Paul would have experienced the site in the first century. We will also examine how the features of the ancient city show through in the literary record that Saint Paul leaves for us in his correspondence with the church at Corinth in our New Testaments. This lecture will showcase Jonathan’s photographs from the archaeological site of ancient Corinth in Greece.

This is the Gospel (Good News!) that the Apostle Paul shared in 1 Corinthians:

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, ² and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. ³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ⁶ Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive” (1 Corinthians 15:1-6).

Can You Top This? Beef and Cheese Quesadilla with Mac’n’Cheese

After a generation of absence from menus any more elite that doggie diners, macaroni and cheese is fighting its way back to popularity and prominence. Even the food trucks at Disney World’s Fort Wilderness sell hamburgers topped with Mac’n’cheese. Have you seen this phenomenon? Tried it? Do you like it???

In an effort to stay abreast of new fads, I decided to try mac’n’cheese on a quesadilla to see if that would enhance the experience. I haven’t tried this recipe on my grandchildren yet, but my theory is that those who love both mac’n’cheese and quesadillas (which is most of them) will like this a lot! If you try it and like it, let me know. Maybe we can start a new fad that will catch on.

Beef and Cheese Quesadillas Topped with Mac’n’Cheese
(Makes two large Quesadillas)

In a skillet, combine and sauté until tender:
1 tablespoon butter
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 sweet bell pepper (read, yellow, or orange)
4 oz. chopped roast beef (could use chicken or tofu)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper (to taste)

While the filling is frying, prepare the bottom of the quesadilla. For each:
Lay out one 8-inch flour tortilla (I used whole wheat, but white works fine)
Top with 2 oz. grated cheese (I used sharp cheddar, but softer cheeses are probably more common).

Add half the sautéed meat and veggie mix to each of the shells.

Now, the more traditional way parents make quesadillas is to cover the filling on each tortilla with 3 slices Kraft cheese, add another tortilla on top, and microwave for about 45 -60 seconds, or until the cheese has completely melted.

This produces rather thin but traditional quesadillas with excellent flavor.

However, if you really like mac’n’cheese, consider adding 1/2 cup of mac’n’cheese on top. I had a 3-cheese variety already made up in my refrigerator. Probably if you want kudos from company, it would be better prepared on the spot, but either way, it does taste good.

Heat it in the microwave (or grill it in your skillet) until the cheese has completely melted and the quesadilla is hot all the way through. On my first experiment, I only used half a tortilla in case Alan didn’t like it.

Truth be told, for Alan and me, as two older people who don’t need heavy carbs, we both actually preferred our quesadillas without the mac’n’cheese. I guess that’s not surprising, because we didn’t think the mac’n’cheese burger at Disney was as flavorful as the regular cheeseburger. However, I’m still looking forward to trying it on my grandchildren, because my guess is they’ll love it . . . especially if I leave out the peppers and onions! 🙂

If you try it, let me know what you think, will you?

“One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.”
(Proverbs 27:7, ESV)

TWA:SW (5) Till Shiloh Come

“Till Shiloh Come” is not a misspelling, or at least it is an intentional rewriting for my title to combine two concepts. The evil of racism will continue to plague our world—along with all other heinous sins—until Shiloh comes.

February is Black History Month, and I’d like to honor all black Americans by asking any Americans who haven’t yet seen this film to consider watching the 2022 movie Till (PG-13, 1:10, Biography, 7.2 IMDb).

Till is both the most disturbing and most worth-viewing movie I’ve seen this year. It tells the true story of the brutal murder of a 14-year-old black American who went from Chicago to the state of Mississippi back in 1955 to visit his cousins, and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley’s, long fight for justice. Alan and I traveled through Mississippi last year on our Southeast Tour of America, but now on our Southwest Tour, I’m just exploring Arkansas—which is directly across the Mississippi River from the state of Mississippi.

I don’t need to tell you any of the details, but I want to reassure you from my research that the details have been meticulously researched and presented correctly, down to dresses and jewelry worn by the mother. The only “facts” that couldn’t be corroborated by witnesses were the exact words and actions during the short exchange between Emmett Till (the boy who was killed) and the young woman attending the store (Carolyn Bryant, who changed her original testimony of flirtation to include physical touch during the trial).

The rest is gruesome, horrifying history. The best source I found for information comparing the movie to the reality was found on Real to Reel: https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/till/

What’s my reason for bringing up such an ugly murder today?

It’s a part of our history that we should face and understand. Hopefully it will help transform our attitudes so we don’t turn a blind eye to racism or allow fear to keep us from doing the right things to help others.

In today’s currency, $4,000 is worth about $43,646 in buying power. The men were never retried based on a “double jeopardy law,” which ruled that a man couldn’t be tried for the same crime twice. When Milam was asked why he killed Emmett, he responded, “What else could I do? He thought he was as good as any white man.” -National Civil Rights Museum.

Friends, neighbors, and countrymen: Emmett Till was as good as any white man. Let’s not deny this foundational truth of our nation: God created all men as equals in their basic human rights, and all men (and women) deserve to be treated equally.

I haven’t told the whole story, but various leaders of the Civil Rights Movement got involved to help protect the innocent family and forward the cause of racial justice.

The sad truth is that it took from 1955-2022 to get the Emmet Till Antilynching Act passed—that’s 67 years.

President Joe Biden, joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, signs H.R. 55, the “Emmett Till Antilynching Act”, Tuesday, March 29, 2022, in the Rose Garden of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott) Public Domain

Sixty-seven years for our country to pass a law to protect people from murder? At that rate, how long will it take to end racial injustice in America? Until we’ve self-destructed? A thousand years? Forever?

As a nation, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts, convict us where we’re wrong, and lead us to repentance and transformed behavior that honors all people, because all people are equally deserving of protection in their pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness.

Beyond personal and national responsibility for doing what’s right, there is hope for the future. I hope we learn to embrace each other as fellow image-bearers of the likeness of God, despite the sin that has marred us almost beyond recognition. (Some of us might only be recognized by a signet ring on our finger, as happened to Emmett.) I am committed to pursuing liberty and justice for all. But, on a deeper level, I am also aware that my hope doesn’t rest in becoming perfected on our own.

The Bible teaches that there will not be true, world-wide peace and rest “’til Shiloh comes” (see Genesis 49:10). Who or what is “Shiloh”? In the Latin Vulgate it’s translated as “he . . . that is to be sent.” The Revised Standard Version translates it as “until he comes to whom it belongs.” Old Testament scholars relate it to both the Law Giver (Moses) and the Messiah—the one prophesied to come and rule over the earth with wisdom, justice, and equity. Christians believe the Messiah has come. His name is Jesus. He came to redeem the world from sin through dying in our place, but someday He will come again to reign over all the earth. In that day, God says, “I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth” (Jeremiah 23:5). In that day, there will be “peace like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream” (Isaiah 66:12). Justice and peace, not just for the Jews, but for all men everywhere! That is why we pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”
(Genesis 49:10)

TWA:SW (4) Hot Springs and Cold Nights at Hot Springs National Park

Do you know where land was first set aside by America’s federal government for protection and public use? I would have guessed Yellowstone Park in Wyoming, but I would have been wrong. The answer is south-central Arkansas! Although Yellowstone became the first official “National Park” in 1872, the first land was set aside by the federal government for public use 40 years earlier, in 1832. It took almost another century before the four square miles of unique thermal springs became officially known as Hot Springs National Park. Today, the park encompasses more than 5,500 acres and receives more than 1.5 million visitors each year.

Hot Springs National Park was an easy drive from Little Rock, and their Gulpha Gorge Campground was an ideal place to stay.

We got comfy at our campsite along Gulpha Creek and did a little hiking before settling in for the night.

Among of the highlights of Hot Springs National Park are their many relatively easy hiking trails, which are great for the population they serve best—those who have health issues, especially aches and pains!

The Ouachita Mountains and the town of Hot Springs. Arkansas

We enjoyed a leisurely drive up Hot Springs Mt. Road (30-foot limit for vehicle length, so we just made it) and stopped at a picnic spot before walking the rest of the way up to the base of Hot Springs Mountain Tower.

The tower (216 feet high) provides tree-free (although very windy!) viewing of the hills and valleys below, and there are several relatively short hikes you can access from there.

However, the greatest attraction of the national park are the 47 thermal springs which spout in excess of 850,000 gallons of water each day. The hot mineral springs have been used for healing purposes since time immemorial by the Native Americans, but eventually, after the Europeans discovered them, almost all the springs were enclosed in 1901, theoretically to protect them and keep them pure, although sadly, it appears to have been primarily done to control who got to use them . . . and for how much money . . . 😦

Hot Springs water flow concept by Yeatts, 2006. Public Domain

When the water first reaches the surface, it is pure, having filtered through 6,000 feet of earth and rock to reach its depth, where it’s super-heated by the earth and then comes back to the surface under high pressure. It’s full of calcium, magnesium, etc. Here’s the best explanation I found for what causes the hot springs: “Rain and melted snow trickle into cracks in brittle rock (novaculite and chert) along the ridges of the Ouachita Mountains. Gravity pulls the water slowly downward through a network of cracks in Earth’s rock crust. The rock temperature increases with depth and the water emerges from the springs at an average temperature of 143°F. (62°C). When the water reaches a major fault on the west slope of Hot Springs Mountain, pressure propels it upward. The hot spring water does not result from a volcanic process. Its roundtrip journey—from the recharge zone along the mountain ridges to the park—takes over 4,000 years. Around the same time that the pharaoh Khufu built he Great Pyramid at Giza, 4,500 years ago, the water that emerges on Hot Springs Mountain fell as rain and snow” (from a Hot Springs National Park map).

Most of these thermal springs have been incorporated into the town, also called Hot Springs.

Fountain in front of Former Army and Navy Hospital,
which was used as a rehabilitation center for veterans

Some of the springs are visible as ever-flowing “jug fountains,” and there’s a spring between the park and the Arlington Resort Hotel where steam rises from the 143° thermal waters.

However, because the water is scalding hot when it emerges, most of the springs have been transformed for use by bathhouses, where the water is carefully mixed with cold water to provide therapeutic temperatures.

The night we camped at Gulpha Gorge, the temperature dropped over 40 degrees, so it was a very cold morning and we looked forward to soaking in some steamy hot pools! We toured “Bathhouse Row,” an elegant row of 100-year-old+ thermal bathhouses. In its peak year following World War 2 (1947), over 1 million baths were taken. Although there really was no “magical cure,” patients often felt some relief from soaking in the hot pools of mineral water. The saying was that “treatment in ‘America’s First Resort’ often served as ‘patients’ last resort’ for healing.”

If you visit, take time to explore the Fordyce Bathhouse, which has now become a visitor center and museum of sorts. You can take a self-guided tour to “see the splendor of the most luxurious bathhouse on the row.”

We were charmed by the elegant atmosphere and enjoyed the opportunity to take leisurely soaks and rotations back and forth through the four different mineral pools. I think it’s essential to make reservations ahead, but the price wasn’t exorbitant: $20 per person for a pass with an admission time but no exit time. We could have spent the entire day there if we’d wanted to! The bathhouses are part of the national park system so are carefully maintained. They provide free lockers, fresh towels, and showers with soap and warm water to wash before entering and on exiting the pools. The bathing pools are kept at precise temperatures: 95°F; 98°F, 102°F, and 104°F. We felt like little Goldilocks bears testing porridge! The 95° pool was pleasant but perhaps a little too cool; the 98°pool was pretty much perfect; the 102° pool felt hot and relaxing . . . a bit therapeutic; but the 104° pool was a little too hot, so we only stayed in that one about 10 minutes and didn’t try a second round.

When you’re achy and sore or not feeling well, what do you do for therapy? Thermal baths are a wonderful treat, but for me (and probably 99.9% of the world), soaking in a hot mineral bath for hours isn’t a reasonable solution! Years ago, I remember my Ob/Gyn recommended soaking in a hot bubble bath with water up to my chin. If you’ve got time and hot water, that definitely helps soothe muscle pain. But, how about heart pain? One of my favorite remedies is meditating on Scriptures. I memorize passages and sometimes quote them to myself if I wake up in the night. Here are a few verses from one of my favorites, Psalm 4:

“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer . . . the Lord will hear when I call unto him . . . Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”

Happy Valentine’s Day

With Valentine’s Day coming up tomorrow in America, I can’t resist wishing you a happy day. One of my sons used to call it “Singles Awareness Day” (before he met his wife). Whether or not you have a sweetheart here on earth, may the love of Christ surprise you in many wonderful ways tomorrow. May you see Him in dreams and visions. May you sense the reality of His eternal love and faithful presence. May your prayers rise like incense and be a sweet savor of life to life. May you see His goodness in the everyday miracles and graces He showers on us. May we adore Him together!

“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together” (Psalm 34:3).

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Blueberry Muffins

When we have lots of company, I usually make blueberry muffins by adding a pint of fresh blueberries to a white cake mix, but that makes 18+ muffins but that’s too many for Alan and me to eat alone. So, if it’s just the two of us, I make them from scratch. It’s really pretty simple, but very good.

Moist Blueberry Muffins
(Makes 12)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a mixing bowl, combine:
1/4 cup softened butter (=4 tablespoons, or 1/8 pound of butter)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs. Beat for 2 minutes

Add:
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Whip again, then add:
1/2 cup milk. Mix completely (but it will be a little lumpy from the applesauce)
Gently hand-stir in:
1 pint blueberries

Fill a dozen muffin tins or one 9X13 baking pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a deep, golden brown

We love muffins for breakfast or for snacks, but if I’m serving them for breakfast, I usually try to have something with protein too, like a spinach and Swiss cheese omelet.

God has “rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.”
(Psalm 136:24-26, ESV)