Good morning,
I pray the day is finding you well.
Chuck and I are in Rapid City South Dakota.
I ran out of time yesterday morning so I did not get the chance to talk with you.
The day before yesterday...I guess that's two days ago...we woke up to a wonderful breakfast and amazing coffee. Thank you, Sandy!
I went outside into Jim and Sandy's back yard to relax for a bit, but it did not exactly turn out to be as relaxing as I hoped it would be. I was sitting there contemplating their cottonwood tree that is almost two-hundred years old, and very big. I began to wonder if there was a bee-hive somewhere in the midst of the tree, or worse yet, a hornet's nest.
Just then as I was taking another sip from my coffee cup, a lone hornet, the size of a humming bird, decided to say hello. I have found that the only way to get rid of a hornet is to do the go-away-hornet indian dance. The hornet came right up to my nose, so I didn't waste any time. I jumped up, with my coffee cup still in my hand, and started doing the go-away-hornet indian dance.
To begin with, I was never a very good dancer, and this particular dance has many intricate moves and gyrations to it. I knocked over the chair, spilled my coffee, and finally gave up and ran into the house. I don't think I was doing the right dance. The hornet liked the dance and was dancing with me. In retrospect I think I confused the go-away-hornet indian dance with the very dangerous and invitational dance, come-thou-hither-thine-wonderful-hornet indian dance. The hornet continued to buzz around my head until I was in the house. Sandy said, "Do you need more coffee?" I replied, "No, there is a hornet out there." She said, "yes, we have hornets." I said, "I know."
After a bit we packed up to go. We met dad at the Mankato YMCA and took a tour. It is an amazing YMCA. John Kind, the executive director is an amazing guy and they are doing many wonderful things. Cheryl, the program director for Social Responsibility and I had a great conversation. We will be talking more once I get home.
Our next stop was to see my sister and brother, Katie and Kim. They recently downsized to a nice home in Sioux Falls South, Dakota. Kim is Katie's husband and not my biological brother. I just didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea and think we drove straight through to Arkansas.
We got there just in time for me to go work at the mobile food pantry that Katie directs. I met many wonderful people that are having a hard time feeding their families. I met Mark and Beverly. I carried a box of groceries to their house and sat with Mark and Beverly for a while. I prayed for them and gave a blessing before I went back to the pantry. Back at the pantry I met Ruth. Ruth is an elderly lady who is taking care of her granddaughters.
Ruth is a hoot.
I got into trouble with Ruth.
Ruth and I were shopping.
The food pantry is arranged in a horseshoe configuration.
All the food is set on the table and you walk through getting your food.
Ruth and I were holding up the entire line as we shopped. Picture nobody in front of us and a pile of people stacked up behind us as we debate the different kinds of onions Ruth would like.
Katie finally came up and said, "Let's get a move on!"
I said, "Backer on down a minute missy, Ruth and I are shopping."
"Backer on down" is an old Kansas saying. Well I guess "missy" is an old saying as well. I was pretty proud of myself for combining the two old-Kansas sayings." Katie did not seem as amused. Hmmm...wonder why?
The food pantry has cakes donated to it...wonderful cakes! Katie said, "If a kid is having a birthday, give them a cake."
Well, I do not know how it happened, but every kid I helped that day was having a birthday!
I'm not saying that as we got to the pastry table I made up a story about the kid having a birthday or anything like that. I would never do that... :)
By the end of the night I am not sure I was as much help as Katie thought I would be. That is what you get when you ask your brother to come see what you do.
I am very proud of Katie, she is being the hands and feet of Christ in her community.
Good job, sis!
Kim wanted to give me his Harley for the ride home and thought he could come get it later. It was a wonderful, very generous, offer. We did not take him up on it.
I love you, Kim! I hope this isn't too touchy-feely for you.
We left Sioux Falls around 11am yesterday morning. I called Katie from our first gas stop and found out I that I left my pocket Bible at the house. I will not see it again until I get home. I'm kind of bummed about that.
As we made our way to Rapid City, South Dakota, I started ruminating about Ruth, Katie, Kim and Christ.
I started thinking about the apostle Paul.
How he tells us to take care of widows and children.
I was watching this in action at the food pantry.
It is always fun, and if I am to be honest, very humbling to watch Christ in action.
I will ruminate on, "The hands and feet of Christ today."
Blessings,
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