Freshwater

Located in the wilds of Wyoming, the name Freshwater was chosen as a Western analogy to Christ. Just as He is the Living Water, and we must have Him to have eternal life, any desert dweller knows the importance of fresh water to life, both for self, and the nourishment of crops or livestock. By taking nourishment in God and His word, we strengthen our own relationship with Him, our faith, and the quality and abundance of our fruitfulness.

Our keystone verse is from Jeremiah, Chapter 17, Verse 8: "For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see whenSave heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."

The fruit that we speak of is mentioned in Galatians 5:22
"²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

And the heat could be anything we experience that might test our faith in God; trials and tribulations, relationships, anything that focuses our love and attention anywhere but on Him...

Thursday, January 26, 2012

El Marko Lanes

After our lovely experience on Tuesday (see previous entry), I was dejected and depressed. The kids were upset and disappointed, and my husband knew he had to cheer us up somehow. So, he suggested we head to another bowling alley in town, called El Marko Lanes.

When I was a kid, El Marko was a dark, dingy, smoky place. I remember going on a school field trip there, and I'd been there a few more times.

We pulled up in front, and I ran in to ask if we would be able to bowl. There was a no smoking sign on the door, and the room was clear and not smoky at all. The clerk at the counter looked up and smiled as I came in, and was eager and willing to help. He answered all of my questions, of which I had many, and I went back out and got the family.

I asked about the bumpers, and he said once we got the names entered, to come back and let him know which names needed them, and he would enter it so they would come up automatically on those people's turns. It was really cool! We had a few resets, and more than one occasion where Hannah threw the ball over the bumpers and into the next lane, where the ball had to be fished out and sent back (thankfully there was no one bowling there). Becca tossed it over the side and into the gutter where it got stuck about halfway down once, and the guy had to walk down the middle to pick it up. Laramie fell to her knees at least once, and I did as well, but my very next ball was the stuff of comic strips and sitcoms, when I swung my arm back to prepare for launch, and the ball dropped off behind me and rolled towards the bench.

We still had a day full of family fun. We spent a wonderful afternoon at a very family friendly, bustling and busy establishment. They were patient and willing to answer all of our questions, reset our pins, find our lost balls, and help with all the needs of novice bowlers.

We ate a late lunch at the cafe, and fed our family of 7 a full, very filling meal for less than $40, including sodas. I can't hardly get by with that eating off the dollar menu at a fast food joint! And, our 26 year old son was able to eat till he was full, which is pretty much next to impossible unless we're at a buffet.

I would definitely recommend a visit to El Marko Lanes if you're in Casper, WY and you want to go bowling!