Oklahoma City Temple Open House

When we could not get tickets to attend the Oklahoma City Temple Open House on Saturday, we decided it was important enough to take the kids out of school and for us to make a day of it. Neal had to work but we left early, drove through intermittent light showers, and gorgeous displays of wildflowers and had enough time to spare for lunch and a stop at a nearby cemetery (to document gravestones) before heading to the temple.

A temple of God is the most sacred place of worship in the world — a place where heaven touches the earth, a place where marvelous blessings are bestowed, and a place where we can feel closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and strive to become more like Them.  This is why we want our kids to see the temple, to feel of the special spirit that is there.  We want them to cherish the sacred.

It was short but the tour provided us the opportunity to see the baptistry, locker rooms, instruction rooms, the celestial room, sealing rooms, and the brides room. I was in particular touched by a painting as I left the celestial room of Christ being strengthened by an angel in the Garden of Gethsemane, it being fresh in my mind and heart from our studies during Easter week. I just felt sincere gratitude for my Savior and Redeemer.

Following the tour we changed our clothes and I took the kids to another treat. We stopped by Express Clydesdale Barn to see these magnificent beasts and give them a little love.  the kids enjoyed the farm dogs as well which were more than happy to expose their bellies for a good rub.

I also had a reality check and a reminder to respect nature when I put my arm far between the bars to give one of the horses a good scratch when it shifted and pinned my arm between it's muscular, nearly 2000 pound body and the metal bars. In less than a second I had definite soft tissue damage and was praying my arm wouldn't snap. The horse shifted again and I was quickly free but had a ugly bruise and bump on my arm (which took over two weeks to dissolve). Lesson learned. Think and respect the laws of nature.

After this stop, I bribed the kids with ice cream to read books while I got some more pictures in the cemetery before we headed home. Light showers has we approached home at sunset gave the black sky a contrasting stream of rainbow.  Love the beautiful things we get to see.