Day 11: His Word and His Weather

This is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Because it is the LORD's day, and there is a Calvary Chapel near by, and we like to fellowship with believers, we went to church and there met a great bunch of people who love to worship.  The teaching was by Assistant Pastor Patrick Steel.  Karen was thrilled with the text from Ezekiel 47 and 48 because the ladies Bible study is in the last part of Ezekiel also.

Buckstaff Bathhouse

We visited with several people.  One man, Bill, strongly suggested we visit Hot Springs since we were so close--just 30 miles away. So, after church we did laundry and washed the car (have to get chores done before playing).  Arrived in Hot Springs about 2:45 and walked the main street of old town.  Blocks of "bath houses". The water coming out of the ground is 134 degrees so elite people built places to take baths--quite a rage at one time it seems.  Hot Springs is also a National Park, second oldest in the United States. We ate at Ohio Club (the oldest continuously running bar in town--opening in 1905) with quite a gangster and prohibition history.  

We took a walk but the anticipated "severe thunderstorm" was beginning so our exploration was cut short.  As we got back to the car the wind was picking up and rain beginning to fall.  The temperature dropped from 90 to 75 in less than 5 miles, and bottomed out at 68 degrees.  But the wind swirled and it literally rained in sheets.  

When we think of thunderstorms at home, we think a clap or two of thunder, some rain, and maybe hail.  Not here!  Torrential rain, gusty wind, and even hail accompanied the lightning.  Visibility was down to 30 feet.  Almost continuous lightning and thunder the entire 30 miles back to the motel. It was quite a joy driving (we're being facetious here) through the storm on a freeway with many construction zones and detours. Dips in the road filled with rain water would pull the car from one side to the other along with creating momentous fans of spray.  Traffic on the 60-mph posted freeway was travelling 45 mph most of the time, and that seems a bit fast.  At 4:30pm it was dark enough for street lights to come on and headlights be required.

We are thankful for this day that the LORD made.  Great word and worship, extreme weather--at least for us.