One of Missouri's most beautiful natural attraction is Grand Falls located on Shoal Creek. It is the largest continuously flowing natural waterfall. It is like a little Niagara Falls and when the wind is blowing you will feel a mist just like Niagara Falls. The falls cascade over solid chert before flowing south.
We also visited the Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, Missouri. This was a place that I had wanted to visit for a long time. Samuel J. Butcher said the Lord lead him to the rolling hills in the heart of the Ozark. As you enter the estate surrounding the chapel, you feel the beauty, peace and the presence of God all around you. One side of the Chapel depicts the Old Testament, the time of law. The other side depicts the New Testament, the time of grace. The volunteers are wonderful and can bring the Chapel to life for you when telling the story.
The intricately carved chapel doors. Sam Butcher and understudy Nelson Lete carved the doors in Ilo Ilo, the Philippians. They are made of Nara wood, which is one of the hardest woods to carve. It took the two artists over one year to carve both sides of the three doors.
This was Samuel's first project working atop scaffolding over 30 feet high. He worked for over 500 hours. The angelic scene thrills visitors who are awed by the 1400 square foot mural.
There are 30 stained glass windows in the Chapel - Sam designed each one - He calls the experience the challenge of a lifetime. After completing the designs, he worked with his sister-in-law to accomplish what he desired in the windows. Each stained glass window has over 1000 pieces of glass.
There are 84 murals in the Chapel.
The Blessings of Hallelujah square.
This mural illustrates Samuel's personal belief that within the heart of each of us lies the hope of Jesus Christ. When painting this mural , it was his desire to show Heaven as a place of reunion and new joy.
This will be Samuel's tombstone when he dies. I think this is how most of us would like to be remembered as well.
The next leg of our journey will take us into the hills of the Ozarks in Arkansas.
