The 33rd Day of the Omer

Today is the 33rd day of the Omer.  Chad and I went to Stanton to tour the Meramec Cavern, the largest commercial cave in the state of Missouri.  The drive took about 2.5 hours. The tour was a walking tour and took about 1 hour and 20 minutes.  The tours leave every 30 minutes and we only had to wait 10 minutes before our tour started after we bought our tickets.  The cavern was a huge and the temperature was cool.  Even though it was warm outside, we put on sweaters and wore jeans because the temperature is an even 54 degrees all the time.  The cavern was well lighted and there were handrails along the whole trail.  We were guided by two rangers, one of whom was in training.  The cave formations were incredible - the stalagmites and stalactites along with the natural river that ran through the cave system were really beautiful.  An interesting bit of history - Jessie James and his gang hid out in the cave, and alluded capture because they knew of a secret way out.  Also, Union soldiers used bat guano from the cave to make gunpowder for during the Civil War.  The back section of the cave has bats, but they generally don't come into the area where the tours are taking place.  One thing I thought of today - even if you're in a cave, you can still count the omer!

Psalm 78: 40-55 (KJV)

How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan.

 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.

 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

 He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.

 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.

 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.