A gift remembered.

    Today I checked in with my spiritual director after a summer apart. In the course of our hour together, my home congregation's, Sinai Lutheran, Sinai, SD., gift to me at my ordination came up. Toward the end of the ordination festivities two representatives of the congregation approached Joanne and me. They said "We know you likely will move around during your ministry, so we are giving you two plots in the cemetery, should you even want to use them, because this will always be home."  As far as I can tell Sinai Lutheran is unique in this regard.
    This gift was a significant factor in Joanne's decision to be buried there. So she rest's next to my Negstad grandparents, Lars and Sigrid. The congregational representatives were correct, we did move around and it will always be home. The roots I have in that community are deeply meaningful to me.
   It's been awhile since I visited The Little House On The Prairie and I'm missing it. My incompetence at managing my calendar is partly to blame. During the summer my pattern of travel is go there the first part of the week. With that in mind, I scheduled a number of things for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays this fall. Oops! In the fall I teach school (volunteer) Monday-Wednesday so with the things scheduled later in the week there was no time for The Little House On The Prairie. Perhaps I should hire a secretary or a scheduler!
    But, since school has been mentioned allow me to report that I'm back at Noble Academy for my 9th year. It's a tough assignment; reading with small groups of accelerated students in grades 5-8. There are a number of students in my groups from previous years, 3 eighth graders are in their 4th year with me. The 5th graders are new so I'm making more relationships. Reading books together allows me to dispense my wit and wisdom. 😛They all know the mantra "Children are not for hitting." The 8th graders know the difference between cement and concrete....now isn't that earth shattering?  If they enjoy half as much as I do..............

Takk for alt,

al

Our marker in the gifted plots.