Oklahoma Pilgrimage

I am on a bit of a pilgrimage to Oklahoma as I prepare for my ordination in one week. I am finding myself to be very emotional right now -- in a good way, but still more emotion than I prefer to show. On my trip, I am connecting with the elements of my past that God used to form my call and inform and transform me along the way. It should be an interesting journey.

When I arrived in town, the sky was an azure blue that I really only see in Oklahoma and floating across were big, puffy clouds. Those clouds are a photographer's dream background. I checked into my hotel and headed downtown to reconnect with the church of my childhood, First Presbyterian Church at 7th and Boston, across from my high school.

This is Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, one of the largest UMCs in the country. Just as perspective, I am standing in the middle of Boston Avenue @ 7th street, approximately four blocks away. This is a big church that towers over all of downtown Tulsa. It was very nice to have today's holiday to be downtown without traffic.

Okay, this was meltdown #1. I drove by the home of my childhood, not far from downtown Tulsa. This area is being taken over by Hillcrest Medical Center where my mother worked as a social worker. As I made a second pass to look at the house, I saw someone leaving. We talked and I got invited inside! How amazing is that? Of course, that took my emotions right over the edge. Still, what a privilege. I had not been in the home since we sold it in October 1970!

Phase 2 of my trip took me to Chandler Park in West Tulsa. On the way I passed Lottaburger, a drive-in haunt of my childhood. I am so going to be eating a Lottaburger this week! Chandler Park is built on a bluff over looking the Arkansas River in one direction and downtown Tulsa in the other. I think these are my favorite pics so far!

Tulsa is an amazingly beautiful city. This photo was taken from up top of Chandler Park.