Day Nine

Every morning this week I’ve tried to get up early enough to do chores with Dr. Cook, and every morning I’ve failed, usually because I stayed up too late blogging. (Just so we’re clear, by “sleeping in,” I mean that I got out of bed at 6:45 AM.) On this particular morning, however, Adam was sleeping over in the next room, and he had said over and over the night before that he was determined to wake up for morning chores. Sure enough, he was knocking on my door by 6:15 and out with Dr. Cook by 6:30. Kent Miller doesn’t call him Ricochet Rabbit for nothing.


Since Ricochet Rabbit clearly has problems getting enough energy, Leslie decided he needed some caffeine. She took us out to the Coffee Corner, where she treated us to an almond latte and an Irish crème mocha. Starbucks has got nothing on the Coffee Corner, and there was certainly a heck of a lot more seating than in our tiny local Starbucks. (A friendly suggestion for Nebraska’s next state tourism tagline: “Nebraska: There’s a lot more seating.”)

Our first stop for the day was at another local family farm, where we were to have coffee and conversation with a group of local laypeople. It was a productive and insightful conversation, but a highlight was getting a tour of the farm from two kids who knew the terrain as well as anyone. They even introduced us to the chickens!


Again, since we’d only had giant coffee drinks and delicious baked goods all morning, it was definitely time for lunch, I mean dinner. Kent took us to Big V’s, a local hangout where we enjoyed the best steak sandwich ever (seriously, if you are ever in Dalton, Nebraska, you have got to try this thing) and also a certain red beverage that is apparently particular to Nebraska. I almost don’t want to post this picture because I’m afraid my mouth will start watering again.


On our way back to Sidney, Kent finally granted Adam’s weeklong wish: To get stuck at a railroad crossing waiting for a train to pass. Seriously. Adam totally geeked out, and then we kept going…until we had to stop and grant Jim’s weeklong wish: To get a photo of winter wheat. What a trip.


In Sidney we settled down at Holy Trinity for the last time to have conversation about ministry with Pastor Schambach. What I should really post here are the pages and pages of notes that I’ve taken during Pastor Schambach’s talks. It’s difficult to put into words what I’ve learned from him these few days, and I can see how he’s been a great colleague and mentor to so many of the pastors we’ve spoken to this week. May God continue to bless your ministry. I hope LSTC sends an intern out to you very soon.

Finally, finally, finally it was time for our concluding celebration with all of our host families. We enjoyed appetizers and a delicious meal of prime rib and awesome potluck goodies at the Goose Pit inside Buffalo Point Restaurant. Wow. Nebraska’s an incredible place for a lot of things, but it’s especially an incredible place to eat, with old friends and new friends alike. The crowning dish for our food-filled trip? A delicious cowpie!!


Thank you, thank you, thank you to our host families. And thanks to all the people of the Nebraska panhandle who have shown us unimaginable hospitality, who have opened their hearts and homes and histories to us, who have met, supported, taught, encouraged, laughed and prayed with us these last ten days.

Tomorrow is Day Ten. We’ll head out to Weyerts Immanuel Lutheran Church, where we’ll worship with the congregation, join them for an annual meeting, and then we’ll be off.

MCK