A beautiful new window stands at the front of the Chapel and when I saw it for the first time my heart skipped a beat. For me it's much more than just a switch-a-roo. That's what I love about this place we call home and that we get to share with so many. There are stories to be told in each building and we hope to continue that with everything we do to enhance the property .
So I want to let you in on the story of this rugged cross.
The Wood
I wish I could tell you a really great story about the history of the wood, where the tree stood, the exact barn that it came from and more. What I can tell you is this wood held up a barn. It weathered many storms and got a beating or two for the many years that it did it's job. Jacob Kimball, from Rocky Mountain Board and Beam, carefully removed this wood in his labor of love to preserve the pieces of barns that can't stand tall any longer. My husband went to Jake's to pick out the piece. The science of his selection, something dry. What I love more than the wood he chose is how that simple trip changed the direction of his day. It had been a rough couple of days. As we all have, things go awry and don't always pan out the way you had hoped. This was what my husband had been facing. There were more things on the to-do list than on the ta-da! list. But when he came home from picking out that piece of wood, it was as though he had started fresh. It may have been something Jake had said, or just the fact that he was about to do something he loved. Tyler came home with that fresh look on the day, and said, "lets just spend some time with the kids. That project can wait until tonight." We spent the afternoon cheering on our nephew at his basketball game and ate dinner together as a family.
The Carpenter
My husband is a quiet man. You won't find him dancing in the aisles or shouting from the soap box. I know sometimes we can get caught up in thinking the one who sings loudest during worship or raises their hands most must be more spiritual, but I know that's not the case. My husband shows his love and his character through his actions. I think he feels closest to Jesus when he's in the workshop rather than surrounded by people singing (that's not quite his element). But after all, Jesus was a carpenter so why shouldn't that be where he'd feel closest to him?
He got to work on that cross late that night and into the morning hours. I was busy with the kids and things on my to-do list as he would ask me what I thought about stain color or the way he should suspend the cross in the window. I never really saw the cross as he worked on it though and just kept hoping that things were shaking out the way he had hoped.
The symbol...
I ran, literally ran, out to the Little White Chapel and swung open the door. That's when it hit me. This cross, this is how my husband worships. The cross that stands is not to be idolized, for it is just a piece of wood. It will not bring miracles and it will not heal my soul. But when I look at that cross, I am reminded of my savior. The one who came and walked this earth, perfectly. The one who suffered in all ways so that he could relate to my struggles and my pain. The one who was ridiculed, beaten and humiliated in ways that I have never experienced. And my Jesus who died on a cross so that I could have the hope of a relationship with him and an eternity in heaven by his side. The symbol is not of death. Oh no, the symbol is of life! The symbol is of hope and grace and beauty and love. What a beautiful symbol we see now each time we swing open those Chapel doors.
But why?
There were a couple of reasons we chose to change the window. The stained glass window that stood there before was beautifully created and we know the time and talents it took to make it. While it wasn't the perfect background for every event held here, we still are grateful to the one who used their talents to create a beautiful piece of art. We did personally, however, feel that the window at the front of the chapel was not consistent with the beautiful stained glass windows along the sides. This was confirmed in the comments of many who wanted the same reverent feel and look of those side windows at the front where so many would be focused. That was our main motivation, but it's also been an opportunity to put a personal touch on the Little White Chapel that holds special meaning to our family. Removing the stained glass window has in no way been an act of dishonoring the one who painted it and certainly is not to dishonor Jesus. We are thankful that His presence is not dependent on a painting, or a cross hanging, or any other symbol for that matter.
Now I know this story is deep and we don't expect everyone to have the same reaction to this new window that stands in the chapel as we did. But we did want to let you know the story behind it. We have found that is what can make Still Water Hollow feel like home to you. We love meeting couples on their first tour who already have read the story behind the Little White Chapel and with each piece of history they uncover here they seem to love it even more. We hope that is what this story does for you.
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