Even though our day looked quite a bit different than yesterday, we still found ourselves in a few situations worth sharing.
Do you ever have those days when you know you were put in people’s path or they were put in yours for a reason? Sure, it may just be coincidence, but sometimes it feels a bit more than just that… it seems as though you were, if just briefly, put here or there to look out for someone else along the way.
Today, we felt that. Waking up a bit groggy after a ten-hour drive from Minneapolis to Kadoka, South Dakota, we slowly but surely hit the road with the hopes to make it to Custer State Park (yep… State Parks are still in session, people); however, we first had to get gas for the 938rd time (kidding, it is now more like the 11th). As Blake wiped deer guts off Rhonda (for those just tuning it, our camper is named Rhonda), a lovely elderly woman with big blue eyes and an honest smile approached us. Introducing herself as Cindy, she first wanted to know about Rhonda- how she drove, how big she was, etc. so we invited her in to get the grand tour. After the 0.4 minute tour, you could tell that there was something else on Cindy’s mind. Asking her how she was today, her response was quiet & uncertain and after a few moments of silence filled with limited vocal fillers, she said “well, I was just pushed off the interstate by an 18-wheeler and I’m a bit frazzled.” Not knowing how to respond, we asked if there was anything we could do. She said she just wanted to have someone to talk to while she took a break. Well, what perfect timing because we truly had nowhere to be at that moment.
After talking about graduating college, her work at the local library, and how crazy the weather had been, we asked her to be a participant in our “from: me to: you // selfless stranger project,” and she quickly and enthusiastically abided. It just so happened that VJ’s message filled with Jesus-loving encouragement was given to Cindy. She read the message from him and with a renewed voice said, ‘this is exactly what I needed… thank you.’ Did we really do anything? No, not really. But one could argue that making the decision to stay an extra five minutes at the gas station with Cindy gave her the additional strength needed to continue down the road after her traumatic event.
While on our own individual journeys, in some sorts of ways, we, the human population, all have the opportunity to look out for each other without even knowing it. So, maybe if we stop and take the time to be as present as we possibly can with any and all we do in fact come across, we will discover the predominance of good. We were again reminded of this principle tonight with our waiter at the local lodge. A twenty-four year old who originally grew up 20 minutes away from Blake (small world) took the time to give us a few extra corn muffins & sweet butter to go because he knew the nearest place for food was forty minutes north. It was a small gesture on his part but one that went a long way. So maybe in the end, these simple yet purposeful interactions that connect two separate paths are just what we need to make it through the day.
Today we find graditude in receiving extra corn muffins & sweet butter, being present in the right place at the right time, and the serenity of the South Dakota stars.
Do you ever have those days when you know you were put in people’s path or they were put in yours for a reason? Sure, it may just be coincidence, but sometimes it feels a bit more than just that… it seems as though you were, if just briefly, put here or there to look out for someone else along the way.
Today, we felt that. Waking up a bit groggy after a ten-hour drive from Minneapolis to Kadoka, South Dakota, we slowly but surely hit the road with the hopes to make it to Custer State Park (yep… State Parks are still in session, people); however, we first had to get gas for the 938rd time (kidding, it is now more like the 11th). As Blake wiped deer guts off Rhonda (for those just tuning it, our camper is named Rhonda), a lovely elderly woman with big blue eyes and an honest smile approached us. Introducing herself as Cindy, she first wanted to know about Rhonda- how she drove, how big she was, etc. so we invited her in to get the grand tour. After the 0.4 minute tour, you could tell that there was something else on Cindy’s mind. Asking her how she was today, her response was quiet & uncertain and after a few moments of silence filled with limited vocal fillers, she said “well, I was just pushed off the interstate by an 18-wheeler and I’m a bit frazzled.” Not knowing how to respond, we asked if there was anything we could do. She said she just wanted to have someone to talk to while she took a break. Well, what perfect timing because we truly had nowhere to be at that moment.
After talking about graduating college, her work at the local library, and how crazy the weather had been, we asked her to be a participant in our “from: me to: you // selfless stranger project,” and she quickly and enthusiastically abided. It just so happened that VJ’s message filled with Jesus-loving encouragement was given to Cindy. She read the message from him and with a renewed voice said, ‘this is exactly what I needed… thank you.’ Did we really do anything? No, not really. But one could argue that making the decision to stay an extra five minutes at the gas station with Cindy gave her the additional strength needed to continue down the road after her traumatic event.
While on our own individual journeys, in some sorts of ways, we, the human population, all have the opportunity to look out for each other without even knowing it. So, maybe if we stop and take the time to be as present as we possibly can with any and all we do in fact come across, we will discover the predominance of good. We were again reminded of this principle tonight with our waiter at the local lodge. A twenty-four year old who originally grew up 20 minutes away from Blake (small world) took the time to give us a few extra corn muffins & sweet butter to go because he knew the nearest place for food was forty minutes north. It was a small gesture on his part but one that went a long way. So maybe in the end, these simple yet purposeful interactions that connect two separate paths are just what we need to make it through the day.
Today we find graditude in receiving extra corn muffins & sweet butter, being present in the right place at the right time, and the serenity of the South Dakota stars.