The Minnesota Farm Woman

You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say. ~Martin Luther

There are three stones at the bottom of the tote bag that I carry with me almost every day. There’s nothing special about the stones, they are typical Minnesota rocks probably picked from the church parking lot by my pastor a couple of years ago. He is the kind of pastor that likes to use visuals when he speaks every Sunday, and be it stones, water, or footballs, we’re often surprised but never bored. He gave each of us the stones and asked us to think about three places where we saw God that week. The stones stayed in the console of my car for a long time, and I can’t explain why I tossed them in the tote bag instead of out the door, but they are there to this day. My pastor probably never dreamed how important those rocks would become someday. It is easy to see God in life’s beautiful things such as sunsets and gardens and newborn babies. It is not so easy to see Him during the difficult times and sometimes it feels like there is more ugliness in today’s world than good. I pull a stone out of my bag if I am having a stressful day at work, or if I worry about the world’s latest crisis. Sometimes I reach in for something else and grab one by mistake. Except God doesn’t make mistakes. On a couple of occasions, I carried one in my pocket all day. Touching the rough edges with my fingers always reminds me that God is here with me and with each and every one of us, in all situations. I have never been particularly religious, and over the years did my Christian duty and attended church every Christmas and Easter. Moving back to my home town, going to church on Sunday became as comfortable as slipping into an old pair of shoes. Not that I would call the pastor an old shoe, but he gets it. He gets us. He gets me. Recently, I added responsibility to the collection plate and became a church council member. In our church and our community, everyone must do their part. If you live in a small town like I do, you will understand the impact of losing cheerful and motivated community members like Pastor Dwight and his wife Lisa. Yes, he has taken another call in another town, and although they are happy and excited with anticipation, they are sad to be leaving a community that has been their home for 20 years. In their honor, I ask all of you to do the following: Pick up a stone (any old stone will do) and keep it in your pocket or purse. Use it as a reminder that you are not alone. You may think it will be too heavy for you to carry around, but take it from someone who knows. Your burdens will be a lot lighter and your days a lot brighter. Godspeed, Dwight and Lisa. Godspeed, and thank you.

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