Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Precious moments chapel & ... Peace

I had a weekend after my surgery to remove my cancer & before radiation started. I knew I wanted to go see the Precious Moments Chapel. I've been there two other times. Once my grandma took me & my kids. My youngest daughter loved precious moments & we took her to go see it one spring break when she was little. And I took my mom there to see it last year.
You can almost feel the presence of god in this little place. And even though I am in a love/hate relationship with him right now. I knew I needed to go talk to him. I was scared about the radiation. And yes they took my cancer out and hopefully in a couple weeks I get the all clear test... but there is always that fear.
Anyways what is it they say about best laid plans? Well an ice storm hit Missouri and even though we had nothing, they did. So I didn't go . Which was probably for the best cause I was sore.
I made it through the radiation and trust me there were days I wasn't sure if I was going to. And decided to go on Saturday.

The precious moments chapel is in Carthage , Mo. & is where Sam Butcher decided to make a home for this sweet little chapel. And I am so glad he did. when you first get to there you come into the welcome center. For some reason I always go when there is a big Christmas tree in there. but maybe that was a sign for me. since my bucketlist was to see all the Christmas lights this year, and i just wanted to make it through Christmas... or maybe they just were to lazy to take down the tree yet... you never know. But I'm sticking to it being a sign. They have a bakery but it's also never open when I go being closed for the season. They have a gift shoppe but I always wait til last to go looking through it. The whole welcome center looks kinda like a village square with a castle tower. They have precious moment big figures and some animatronic ones too. It's not the best but its kinda cute.
From the gift shoppe you walk outside to a path to the chapel. I really want to go when there are flowers out here. I imagine it is quite beautiful. Through the path there is alot of angel statues , a walkway with angels on either side and an awesome fountain. There's also a museum out there but its always closed for the season when I go. so I'm not quite sure whats in it.
 Then you come to the chapel. It has bronze window panels and Philippine wood carved doors. The little details are absolutely amazing. The tour guide said the weather here made the doors start to crack and Sam said that in life nothing is perfect , it still worked so it was staying the way it was.

 When you first walk in you come to a big room with painting . It is like the Sistine Chapel. Sam painted that by hand. The tour guide said something about it being easier when he was 54 than 75 but apparently he comes in a fixes stuff and repaints or adds to the paintings. When it's signed you know he's finished with them. They have a little tour where the guide tells you about stuff every hour.
We got there early so we walked around to the other rooms before it started.
the hallways have these beautiful stained glass windows in them .
The windows on one side of the chapel depict the lords prayer. the other side depicts Matthew 5.
And my absolute favorite is the one in the middle. There is a room that has some figures and letters in it. there are two of these windows in it and they are amazing.
There is a remembrance room with photos of some of the people and their stories depicted in the paintings. They also have huge leather bound books to right in for remembrance and also one for prayer requests. Johnny wrote in the prayer request book but he wouldn't let me see what he wrote.

 My whole reason for going to this place was this next room- Phillips prayer room. Sam built this when his son was killed in a car crash. it resembles a church, complete with pews stained glass windows and a mural painted of Phillips bedroom with an empty bed , angels above with a sign saying welcome Phillip. I've been here before and remember this room. My mom and I had taken a trip to here before and this room just moves you. Im not sure why and it is hard to describe. There is a feeling of peace here and you feel like you are in god's presence.
I sat in those pews and cried. for people that have not gone through things such as this . You don't really understand. Your body is fighting. Your fighting your disease. Your fighting your emotions. And I guess I just needed to feel that hope, that peace, and pray that god has a better plan for me than this and that he needs me around here for awhile longer.


*The ceiling was the first thing he did it is 32 feet up and 1400 square feet and 75 angels. it took him 2 1/2 months. At age 75 he decided to repaint the clouds to not look so dismal, so the clouds went from blue to purples.
At the far hand wall above where you walk in is Sams sense of humor . the 7 days of creation . and the 3 minister of art- music writing and reading.
*Top right of the room  has painting of angels playing musical instruments ( a band of angels). These top ones are the only ones done out of studio and brought to the chapel. The rest where all painted directly onto the walls.
 Next set are paintings of the old testament. (adam & eve, noahs ark, balaam's donkey, deborah, david shepard, daniel and jonah)
The big set is hebrews from the old testament ( jacobs ladder, joseph being sold, baby moses in basket, joshua in prayer, ruth & naomi, hannah taking her son home, & queen ester)
Bottom set is  ways we worship- pray, sing praise, preach & teach, & fellowship.
*Top left of room- young people of the bible.
next set is Jesus life-  nativity scene, wiseman. finding egypt, jesus & joseph in carpenter shop, in temple, the crucifixion , & resurrection
Big set- parables- sower of seeds, prodigal son, the good Shepard, proud king and the humble servant, the good Samaritan, pearl of great price, the wise and foolish builders.
the bottom set is grandpas island in each season.
* front of room- Hallelujah square
the west side- graduation day- the angels are marching up stairs to get their halos. Mr butcher has painted himself in it with popcorn in a balcony watching. He said he has paint brushes, eating popcorn and has no halo. There are 3 people painted into this painting. He does this to try to comfort families.
the east side- promises of everlasting peace.
the main picture- hallelujah square- the hope we have in Christ. It is a childlike depiction of heaven. there are special people painted in this. and directly in the center. the only adult painted is jesus. cause he should be in the center of your life.


 As you leave the chapel you can see grandpas island- with a cool castle playhouse any kid ( or adult) would love to have. You can see an actual cave with a 5 foot angel outside of it, & a sign that says he is not here he is risen. A recent addition is Timothys bell tower, this was made for another son that just recently passed away. We went in it but there is just a room with a angel in a big chair and some letters and photos of timothy.
After this we went back to the gift shoppe. I love looking at all the cute figures. All the details and oohing and ahhing. I did get a stuffed white owl. He reminds me of hedwig from harry potter.
But I saw a ton of figures I need... okay I want .
This trip is pretty short there isn't a whole lot to do. But I got to do what I came there to do.

Cancer sux Ya'all!




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