We weathered two ice and snow storms to get here, but we finally made it. I am currently sitting in a very comfortable leather armchair in the home of Gary and Betty Aadland chatting about various things and trying to focus my very tired brain.
This morning started with a bit of a scare. I woke up at 7:15. Remember how I was supposed to leave at 7??? I slept through my alarm! All three of them!!! I quickly called Kelli and was relieved to hear they hadn't left yet. I pulled on some clothes, grabbed my bags (thank goodness they were packed!), and ran out the door. It was snowing in Chicago. Hard. We made it through the horrible traffic on 55th st. (Thanks Chaks) and got to the airport only to find that the airport was closed and all flights were on hold until the skies cleared up a bit! So we got checked in and just relaxed. Eventually the skies cleared up and we made it to Omaha, albeit a little sleepy.
Pastor Gretchen from Emmerson, NE and Pastor Barbara from McCool Junction, NE met us at the airport and shuttled the lot of us from Omaha to Lincoln for an enormous lunch at Lazlo's. After some locally brewed beer and much deliciousness, we got to talking about Cow Pies. Naturally. We first tricked the non-Nebraskans in our group that cow pies were truly delicious affairs, bursting with fudge and nuts. After some good laughs we explained the fecal truth behind our little joke, but not before Kelli had worked up an appetite. So she absolutely had to get a Mud Pie for dessert, which of course is the next best thing if you're fresh out of Cow Pies. We ordered some cobbler and a slice of cheesecake to go with it and all eight of us shared dessert together.
From the restaurant we moved on for a quick pass through the state capital building. We admired the beautiful ceilings and rode the elevators up to the 14th floor to look out of the observation deck. Then on to Hastings!
Not 15 minutes out of Lincoln we started to hit precipitation. Before we knew it we were in the thick of a harsh snow, ice, and wind storm. Visibility was low and the roads were slick. I saw a van in the ditch with the windows cracked and the ceiling crumpled from having rolled there. I saw another truck on the side of the road with its entire front end destroyed. Pastor Barbara was a fantastic driver though, and managed to keep us on the road all the way to Hastings. Once we got to Hastings, however, we managed to hit a slick spot and go spinning 180 degrees into the ditch. Luckily the only thing that was compromised was our collective adrenaline level.
Finally we made it to the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, where Pastor Steven Peeler greeted us along with more than a dozen members of the community. We shared a truly Nebraskan supper of Runza's, Eileen's cookies, and coffee. I also met my host family for the week, Gary and Betty. They brought Mary and I to their beautiful home and served us a sensational pudding desert and even more coffee! It's a good thing I'm drinking decaf, otherwise I would be so jittery I wouldn't even be able to operate a keyboard!
---------------------
This prayer struck me today. This is exactly what we're talking about when we talk about revitalizing rural ministry. It is taking the weak and the poor and the small and transforming them into a strong source of love and the mission of Christ.
LORD, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
-Prayer of St. Francis of Assissi (posted in the Nebraska State Capital)
No comments:
Post a Comment