#WhereAreTheUbryTerrells ... Leg 9: Colorado

Neither Randy nor I have spent much time in Colorado, so when we started looking at the map, we were overwhelmed by how much there was to do. From National Parks to state parks to monuments and museums, it seemed like we could spend a month here and not even begin to see all that Colorado has to offer. Not to mention the sheer beauty of just driving down the highway, passing one mountain range after another.

And yet, what we really wanted to do was go to church in Parker with a group of people who had come to San Felipe last October on a mission trip. We made so many incredible friends while in Mexico and we were anxious to see some of them. To reminisce about what an amazing place Sonshine Hacienda is, and to pray together about what God is doing next.

So we made a beeline from Albuquerque to Denver, stopping southwest of the city to go to Crossroads Community Church on Sunday morning. The church has 4 services—so a ton of people go here—yet while standing in the lobby, one after another of our friends from the mission trip approached us with hugs. Randy chatted with Pastor Guy and filled him in on our leaving San Felipe. I caught up with Vanessa, whose stories of fostering children have stirred my heart. We shared our struggles—and triumphs—with learning to trust God’s plan. WE want to be the ones to care for these particular children into adulthood, but what if God has a family who is even "more right" to care for them? And other children who are even "more right" for our families to care for? Randy had a "bro-mance" with one of the mission trip attendees, who he nicknamed “Stretch”, and soon he and his son joined our circle. Followed by Vickie and Norman who graciously invited us to stay at their home in nearby Franktown.

The church service itself was amazing. It was baptism Sunday, so one by one, young and old approached the baptismal font and shared their story of how God had come into their hearts. The stories ranged from God helping them through drugs, a parent’s suicide, bullying, to young children simply being excited to let God into their hearts. Each story was unique, and each was a powerful testament to how much God cares for us individually and collectively. While the Quaker tradition that I grew up in doesn’t practice baptism, I wish there was more opportunity and more encouragement for people to share their testimonies of faith, what God has and is doing in our lives. To me this is what makes a church come alive.

After church we all went to lunch and then Randy and I headed back to Vickie and Norman’s house. Of all the people we met on the mission trip, we probably knew them the least well. But God’s plan was obviously for us to stay with them and get to know them in a deeper way. We found them to be truly amazing people, humbled and grateful for all the blessings God has given them in their lives.

We hadn’t been on the road long yet… less than a week… and yet I was already struggling with how to find balance and sanity on this journey. The same was true when we first arrived in San Felipe. It took months for me to figure out that I simply needed to wake up 2 hours earlier than everyone else to take time for me—to read, pray, write, do yoga—and this gave me the energy I needed to be around people the rest of the day. But how do I do that in a motor home? Vickie and Norman’s lives exude this kind of balance—balance they are fiercely protective of. Vickie is very open about the fact that having and beating breast cancer was the way God started opening her heart to finding this balance. And then she and Norman cared for and lost both sets of their parents. It’s amazing how God can take these struggles and turn them into beauty. He did that in Vickie and Norman’s lives by challenging them to find what was important to them, what made them happy—as a couple and as individuals—and encouraged them to put those things in to practice. For Vickie it is sleeping in and working late. For Norman it is motorcycle rides. For Vickie it is interior design and for Norman it is cabinet making. That isn’t to say they don’t have stresses in their lives—but when they do they take those to their small groups at church and pray about it, they don’t bottle them up or let go of the things that give them joy.

We ended up spending 3 nights at Vickie and Norman’s house. We just didn’t want to leave because our spirits felt so good there. We prayed together and ate together and felt at peace, even in the uncertainty of what God has for our futures. 

Vickie and Norman are true Colorado lovers, not taking for granted the beauty of the state they get to call home. Therefore, they had a vast number of suggestions of places we would love to go and do and see. They loaned us their jeep and we set out on daily adventures, catering to this need in our souls to be outside every day.

We spent 2 days exploring the Garden of the Gods (it’s free!). We hiked to a waterfall at Rocky Mountain National Park (we bought a pass for $80 that will get us in to any National Park for the next year). We loved the trails at Castlewood Canyon State Park (state parks have $7 entrance fees, and are mostly dog friendly). And we could have spent a week at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, which neither one of us had ever heard of, but was the most beautiful canyon we have ever seen. We made the adventurous descent into the canyon to have lunch by the river, and were sore for days afterwards!

We also did some touristy things—driving up Pike’s Peak, visiting Buffalo Bill’s grave, buying beer at the Coors Brewing Company, touring the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park where Stephen King was inspired to write “The Shining”, standing on stage at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, eating appetizers on the top floor of the Hilton in downtown Denver and walking through Union Station.

We managed to cram that all into one week, but didn’t even begin to see all that Colorado has to offer! And yet, we were ready to start heading west. The beauty almost becomes too much for you (not to mention the altitude!). We’ll definitely be back, but for now it is time to move on, to head west, to see what else is out there.