A fifteen-year-old girl wrote in her diary on August 1, 1939, “We picked eight bushels of apples. The men in the quarry blasted out rocks and opened a cave.” Not just any cave. It was an underground cathedral of exquisite mineral formations shaped over millions of years that is now listed on the Registry of National Landmarks.
Elizabeth Rooney (1924-1999) lived with her family on a farm in rural Wisconsin. Her dad was a classics scholar turned dairy farmer and her mom was an English teacher. They cultivated in Elizabeth an appreciation of English literature and love for God’s creation. A portion of the farm that was turned into a limestone quarry led to the accidental discovery of what came to be called the Cave of the Mounds.
Elizabeth went to Smith College to major in English and later received her M.A. in Christian Education. She returned to Wisconsin with her husband and family in 1972 to manage the family’s burgeoning tourist business related to the cave. She joined The Society of Companions of the Holy Cross in 1978, a group of Episcopal women from all walks of life committed to a life of “prayer, thanksgiving and simplicity.” While on a retreat in preparation to join her new companions, she had a life-changing encounter with the Holy Spirit. She described it simply as “falling in love with God.” As her spiritual life deepened, poems began to emerge as she walked in her garden, washed dishes, and drove her car. She wrote of that time, “The more I became aware of the active presence of God, the more beautiful and sacred everything became.” One of her offerings is titled “Lullaby for the Christian.” While most lullabies are written expressly for children, this one is simply addressed to a Christian. What a great way to close the day in trusting prayer: