Route 66 - Pt 7

He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” (Isaiah 25:8-9 ESV).

Today we travel along Route 66 to Tucumcari, New Mexico, arriving at the Blue Swallow Motel. W.A. Huggins, a carpenter by trade, began construction on the Blue Swallow Motel prior to the outbreak of World War II, and Ted Jones, a prominent eastern New Mexico rancher, opened the motel in 1942. Facing Route 66, the Blue Swallow offers access to motorists from both the highway and a side street. When Mr. Jones and his wife died in the 50’s, Lillian Redman and her husband bought the motel and successfully operated it until her death in the late 90’s. From the start, the Redmans put their customers first. When guests didn’t have enough money for a room, the Redmans accepted personal belongings in trade or provided the room for free. Ms. Redman and the Blue Swallow became icons of Route 66 folklore. She described the special and close connection she had with the Route 66 motorists who came in each night this way. “I end up traveling the highway in my heart with whoever stops here for the night." When Lillian ran the Blue Swallow Motel, each guest was provided with a copy of this benediction. A printed copy is in each room even today. An excerpt from the greeting is: May the business that brought you this way prosper. May every call you make and every message you receive add to your joy. When you leave, may your journey be safe. We are all travelers. From “birth till death,” we travel between the eternities. May these days be pleasant for you, profitable for society, helpful for those you meet, and a joy to those you know and love best. It was intentionally named “The Blue Swallow.” The swallow, as well as bluebirds and sparrows, has always had a symbolic meaning for sailors because these birds were usually the first sign that land was near. For a sailor, a swallow tattoo reflected his hope of coming home safely. Swallows return home every year, no matter where they are. and no matter what the struggle was The swallow is a bird symbolizing a return home after a struggle, surviving a hardship, and a victory gained. I don’t know if we will be able to stay in the Blue Swallow Motel when we make our trip west along Route 66. I do know that the unalterable promise of God, secured by the resurrection and guaranteed by the presence of the Holy Spirit within every believer, is to bring us home safely. It will be THE ultimate road trip!