A Texas Reunion By Betty Fritz
Just took a road trip to Texas from Indiana…1200 miles across America. We traveled through five states: Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. We had not gone far before seeing an American flag flying proudly against the deep blue sky. I placed my hand over my heart and said the pledge of allegiance to this symbol of freedom so often disrespected. Of the three grand kids traveling with us, the two older ones joined in. ” We should do this every time we see the flag on our trip.” I said. The kids agreed and Grandpa rolled his eyes. I am proud to report that we saw Old Glory flying in almost every city and town along the interstate…sometimes as many as six or seven at once….and we saluted each time and the pledge was said. The kids gave up soon, but I was determined.
We stopped at several rest areas along the way and I noticed that almost every one of them, in every state, had some kind of memorial honoring their local veterans of the various wars. I was humbled to see the names of those who died that we might continue to travel freely across this great country. God bless them and the ones who continue to fight.
Having made this trip almost yearly for the last 25 years, we all have certain landmarks and points of interest we always look forward to seeing, such as the airport in Indianapolis, the huge arch in St. Louis, crossing the Mississippi River and looking for barges, the Ozarks and Branson, Mo. The accent of the people and even the sound of the pavement changes when entering a different state. From the tall trees in Indiana, the rocky hillsides in Missouri, the red dirt of Oklahoma to the flat lands of the Texas Panhandle, America is beautiful with lots to behold.
Also along the way we see several crosses. There’s one in Effingham, Ill. and one in Oklahoma City, but the one we look forward to seeing most is located just off of Interstate 40 near Groom, Texas. It was erected in 1995 and is a part of The Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ Ministries. A man named Steve Thomas had a vision and a desire to spread the Gospel of Jesus. The Lord laid it on his heart to build giant crosses across the USA in order to lift up the name of Jesus so that all might come to know Him. It is said that over 10 million people pass by the cross yearly and over 1,000 stop by every day. We have watched the progress of it’s construction yearly and have stopped by several times to visit.
According to their website the cross stands 190 feet tall (19 stories) and is the largest free standing cross in the world. Surrounding the base of the cross there are 13 bronze statues depicting the story of Jesus from the time He was accused by the court… through the stages of carrying His cross… to His crucifixion. The verses from the Bible describe each scene and brings to life the reality of His dying for the sins of the entire world. One cannot visit this place without feeling the presence of Jesus. It is a solemn walk and takes some time to reach the hill where three smaller crosses stand representing our Lord and the two thieves. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The truth of these words become awesomely real at the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The first time we stopped, several years ago, only a few of the statues were in place and only a couple of small buildings were finished. Today they have a beautiful gift shop, the Fountain of Living Water, the Last Supper, and the empty tomb all beautifully depicted and placed at the foot of the cross.
The cross itself took 100 welders and other workers countless hours to construct it into separate pieces. Seven flat bed trucks hauled it from Pampa, Texas to the place it now stands. Every available concrete truck in the area worked together to pour the foundation in one day. Prayer groups met at the site daily to pray as each step was taken and finally completed. It is truly a work of God and a beautiful, factual representation of His death on the cross for the sins of us all. If you are ever in the area it is well worth the time it takes to follow Him through His walk up to Calvary. The adjoining area is equipped for RVs so campers can spend the night. The cross is open 24/7 and everyone is welcome to visit. I guarantee you: you will be blessed.
Our destination was Friona, Texas; a small town south of Amarillo where my family meets each year for our annual reunion. Family arrived on Saturday for visiting and reuniting. On Sunday we traveled on to Muleshoe, Texas where my nephew and his wife hosted a chuck wagon lunch followed by homemade ice cream and a special cake.
We returned home tired and road weary, but filled with lots of good memories to hold us over till next year.
Picture is of Groom, Texas Cross!
My name is Betty Fritz. I was born and raised in Texas but have resided in Elkhart, Indiana for the last 25 years. My husband is a Hoosier so that’s how we wound up here. We have two daughters and a son plus 6 grand kids…..3 boys and 3 girls.
I retired last year after working for 24 years at Elkhart Child Development Center. I’ve been writing since a teenager and have taken several writing courses. I enjoy writing short stories. I wrote a book of poems, RHYMES OF THE TIMES, which was published a few years ago. I have written countless songs, a few for which demo recordings have been made. Recently I’ve been writing blogs..most of them about my faith and things the Lord has taught me in my Christian life over the last 51 years. My inspiration comes from my personal relationship with Jesus Christ and my desire to see that my grand children grow up in a Christian nation. My goal is to bring glory to Him and help others to see that there is POWER in the name of JESUS!
