The Caverns

I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.  Ezekiel 34:26

While planning on a little road trip next weekend for, what we think, is the final college visit for my oldest, got me thinking about the first part of my honeymoon.  We won’t be far from that very spot!  It was twenty-one years ago our married adventure began.

We stayed at a sweet little place where we could sit outside and enjoy the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains while drinking the delicious peach tea that was waiting for us when we arrived.  How nice it was to recuperate from the wedding excitement. Mostly, we drove around looking at the beautiful area, but eventually we did explore the Luray Caverns close by.

All this reminiscing led my mind back to the caverns.  There was something among all the stalactites and stalagmites that my brain was getting tangled up in.  I kept going back to them.  What was it that I was to learn from that underground formation?  It felt like there was a treasure that I couldn’t find.  I went back to their website to see if anything popped out to me.  Sure enough, things were starting to come together.

At luraycaverns.com, the process of creating caverns is described in this way:  As rainwater seeps through decaying vegetation in the soil, it picks up diluted carbonic acid. The acidified water percolates through limestone, dissolving and eroding layers along the way. It descends into lower levels of the earth and leaves huge chambers.

Calcium carbonate enters the cave and releases carbon dioxide. Over time, what starts as slow seepage and thin deposits of crystallized calcite becomes the massive forms that you see in Luray Caverns today. These formations continue to grow at the rate of one cubic inch every 120 years.

Thinking how someone could view the caverns as either being scary, dark, damp, and unpleasant or something of great and intricate beauty, I decided this is where we were going to have some real truths uncovered for us.

Let’s start at the beginning as the process described.  Rainwater.  Since rain is a major part of our water cycle, I think we can agree on the importance of it.  We need it to survive; it’s essential.

When rain comes down, I think of it washing the old away and providing fresh.  The blessing of rain falling reminds me of showers of blessings that are poured onto us. Even though we initially appreciate them, sometimes things can take a bit of a turn.

I  learned that when rainwater seeps through decaying vegetation in the soil, it picks up diluted carbonic acid.  Let’s just think about that for a moment.  On the ground we have something that is no longer the healthy, living vegetation it used to be.  It’s being broken down.  That pure rainwater is now getting mixed in with garbage…hmm.

Of course I had to look up pure carbonic acid and found out it’s some strong stuff that will kill!  Imagine my surprise when I also learned that solutions of carbonic acid are safe and in beverages.  That’s a little confusing to me, but lucky for us, the diluted part in the process we’re talking about means it’s in low concentration.  Digging into that, has me making some connections.

A blessing falls down like rain.  This could be anything.  It falls fresh on us…positive situation here.  What happens though?  It starts streaming through our rotten vegetation (the past, the old thoughts, the negative experiences, the fear, the shame, the condemnation) that we believed was disposed of.

This is the way I see it.  The rainwater (the blessings) seeps through decaying vegetation while picking up diluted carbonic acid (our junk).  Could this be where our mind starts receiving something that was not intended?

Next, the acidified water percolates through limestone, dissolving and eroding layers along the way.  Makes me think the limestone could be our heart.

Then, it descends into lower levels of the earth and leaves huge chambers.  Now we’re in our inner most being.  Could this represent our soul?  It’s quite a process we’re seeing here.  It wouldn’t happen overnight.

Finally, the calcium carbonate begins its work.  In those places that were hollowed out, new formations are seen in the form of stalactites and stalagmites due to this build up.  I was agreeing with this line of thinking but reached a snag.

How did we go from our emptiness and hollowed out inside to something beautiful?  The blessing started out as beautiful but changed as it got to our inner most being, right?

We could say that those deposits were hardened pieces of us.  They could be like scar tissue building up and causing more and more problems.  It’s sad to think of beginnings turning into such a mess!  I know I’m surely not inspired by that.

Here’s the problem with that being my final conclusion.  The inside of the cavern wasn’t ugly, it was beautiful and amazing.  It was like artwork from a master with the majestic formations, the gorgeous pool of water, and I can’t forget about the stalactites’ singing!

So, how did the ending go from one that was going downhill rapidly to one of beauty?  One word…light.  They filled the space with light and music.

There’s our answer.  It isn’t over.  Our stories aren’t finished.  Our situation isn’t hopeless.  Our big, gaping holes inside have the potential for joy and awe.  Only if we allow Light in.  How often do we take the gift and leave the Giver at the door?  The gift will surely turn into something it wasn’t meant to if that is how we receive.

Are you feeling like you have big, gaping holes inside today that are filling up with more negativity and garbage?  Have you given up hope for the world around you?

Turn on the Light!  Invite the Giver of great and wondrous things in so you can be awed at how He can transform the view.  God can take what was garbage in the dark and change it into a piece of art in the light.

Really see what type of work He has done on the inside but don’t get stuck there.  It’s time to climb out of the cavern knowing the beauty and light that’s now within.  With the Holy Spirit shining, you can’t keep that light to  yourself.  You are needed in this world.  He who is in you is needed to brighten the world, so share!  You’re a vital part of the process.  The process that began the downward spiral is not complete when kept to yourself.

There’s a warning that comes with this challenge.  It will be hard facing the world.  As I came out of the Luray Caverns, My eyes needed to adjust.  That’s absolutely understandable.  What I don’t want you to do is turn around and hide out again.  You’re needed.  You’re important.  You have too much to offer!

I can’t seem to leave it at that.  There’s one more thing that keeps begging to get out.  Blessings are interchangeable with words in this writing.  Are others’ words seeping through that decaying vegetation causing some issues in you today?  Just think about it.  It’s a key to a treasure that has been hidden in those dark places.

Will you see the scary, dark, damp, and unpleasant or something of great and intricate beauty today?  Your choice!