Dubois, Wyoming

Pastor's Informal Report of the WY LWML Convention

Now that I have a moment to breathe…. I (Pastor) thought I would write a blog about my experience to my first LWML District Convention. On Thursday I left, bright and early, for Gering to get on the LWML bus. Two men (one of them the bus driver) and 28 ladies gathering from around the Pine Ridge and the Chimney Rock Zones came to stops along the way in Gering, Torrington, and Lusk. The bus ride would be about seven hours with one planned stop in Casper, WY to eat lunch. I thought that if I sat to the back of the bus I might get some rest and some work done. Right. J Between my penchant for talking and that this bus was filled with LWML ladies in which most have the same liking, conversation was the order for the day.

After we picked up the ladies in Lusk, I was asked to lead a brief (LOL) devotion on the moving bus. That was my first “rolling” devotion ever. In case the ladies wouldn’t recognize me as the lone pastor on the bus, I put on my “clerical cap” that Sarah got me for our anniversary. After the laughing subsided, we took a look at the theme for the convention, Psalm 19b, “O Lord, My Rock and My Redeemer.” We looked at the context in the Psalms and David’s use of the word Rock.

We stopped around 11:30 am in Casper at Sanford’s for lunch. If you have never been to Sanford’s for a meal, you are missing quite an experience. The menu is enormous and there are a lot of selections on it! The one in Casper is has an auto theme with an awning over an outdoor table that was an actual car. The planter boxes are buried pickups. Of course they disappointed me because they had a real racecar out front, but had a sign that said, “Do Not Climb in the Car.” Some of the ladies thought it would be cute if they took a picture of the pastor IN the racecar. We decided against it. We arrived in Dubois about an hour late, but still in enough time. The town is very old west. At an elevation of 7,000 feet and a population hovering around 1,000 it is a very cute town. Almost all of the Main Street building are old west wood front. Most of the new construction maintains that theme. Some of the motels even have log cabins to stay in. If you are heading to Yellowstone, it is worth the stop.

The convention began that evening with a walk along the river and campfire devotions. Pastor Coniglio, formerly from the our circuit, now in Dubois, led the devotions. He and his wife Jeanette, were also my gracious hosts. (After all, it was all his fault that I was even there.) After the evening festivities, in typical pastor fashion, Pastor Coniglio and I sat up bantering theology and other church related topics.

The convention had several mission related speakers, Chaplain Christiansen, military chaplain recently who recently returned from Iraq, and son of retired pastor Sam & Judy Christiansen, Pastor Nemac (Wind River Mission), and Pastor Paul (Star Valley Mission), both native American missions in the Wyoming District. Pastor Paul shared his journey from South Africa to Wyoming and the cultural differences. Believe it or not, Pastor Paul came from a much more Lutheran area in South Africa than he is now in Wyoming.

The Convention also had several business related issues, deciding on how to use our mission dollars, the use of several memorial gifts, and the election of officers. Two people from our congregation were elected to positions: Connie Cordes, Vice President of Gospel Outreach, and myself as Junior Pastoral Counselor. I was humbled and honored by the confidence shown to me in the election. (One side note, with the election to office, I will get to go to the national LWML convention in Portland, OR. We may make it a family trip.)

The trip home had us stopping at a “famous” malt shop in Shoshone, WY Their record last year was over 700 shakes and malts in one day!. After a long wait, because they were waiting on ice cream and change for large bills, back on the bus we went. After a “quick” stop in Casper for supper, I gave a brief motivational talk on “Be Who You Are,” encouraging LWML societies to rejoice in who they are, no matter their age and serve those who are not able to be a part of their societies, so that when the opportunities arise, those who have been served will rejoice in God’s gift of the LWML. Our concluding devotion on wheels was on the smooth rock that David struck Goliath, and how our Rock, Jesus Christ, strikes down our enemies of sin, death, and the devil.

All in all I had a great time with the LWML ladies on the way to and in Dubois. I look forward to using the gifts and talents that God has given me in service to the district LWML for these next four years.

Mundane Week with the Strawn's

A boring and mundane week was had by all here in Bridgeport.

The weather was nice, but hot. Monday, while Eden was at daycare, Lars and I mowed the lawn and did some gardening. As long as he’s in the backpack, he’s fine.

Monday night, I met my Weight Watchers Goal, then went home and had a huge bowl of ice cream with M&M’s. I’m sure I blew it, but I was very happy.

The rest of the week, Lars cried. By Friday morning, he had a tooth on top and a 2^nd one trying to pop through next door. On Saturday, I discovered a 3^rd tooth creeping up on the bottom. Needless to state, he had a miserable week trying to get those teeth in. I am so glad that we have discovered teething tablets, however. It’s a miracle non-drug for all those who like homeopathic stuff that actually works.

Eden is beginning to develop a new sense of defiance and mouthy-ness that we’re not sure where she found it. I’m sure it’s something that every almost 3 year old finds somewhere along the line, but still, I hoped to shelter my child from it. Alas, I grit my teeth and deal with the punches as they come.

Eden: “I want a snack”
Mom: “No, you just finished breakfast, it’s not snack time.”
Eden: “Yes it is”
Mom: “No, it’s not. If you take a snack, you will have no more snacks the rest of the day.”

(Five minutes later)

Mom: “Eden, where are you?”

Slience

Mom: “Eden, if you are eating a snack, I’m going to be mad.”
Eden: “I not”

Mom finds Eden, crumpling up the pouch that held the fruit snacks she just finished up

Mom: “There will be no more snacks today.”
Eden: “Yes I will”
Mom: “No there won’t”

We go outside to work in the back yard. I’m digging and moving sod with a 16 pound baby on my back. After a while, Eden wants her shoes and goes to the garage to find them. When she doesn’t return, I go looking for her. She’s not in the garage. The basement door is locked (meaning, she’s doing something she’s not supposed to and now I have to walk around the house). I find her in the downstairs living room, sitting at my desk, eating the last bite of an ice cream sandwich.

Of course, I go ballistic and send her to her room after a quick butt swat. She’s screaming, which wakes Lars from his nap and makes me even more happy. She quiets down immediately, and I just go outside for a few minutes. When I come back in to free her from the evils of her bedroom, she was waxing off the last of a bag of animal crackers that she’d hidden under her bed.

The rest of the week was much of the same…Lars crying and Eden being defiant, Mom pulling her hair out.

Al was pretty busy getting ready for a renewal of vows service for an out-of-town couple that had all of their family here. He also had new member class on Monday and Tuesday evening, which took care of those days completely.

On Wednesday, he and I went to Scottsbluff to see “On Golden Pond” which was being performed at Theatre West and was very well done.

We were saddened to learn, earlier in the week, that the main character of last month’s play, “A dog’s life” was killed in a motorcycle accident in Wyoming. He was a talent and an asset to that theatre department and had a wonderful role in the last play.

The weekend was fairly relaxing. The kids and I had dinner with Douthit’s on Friday, as Al had a rehearsal. Eden took two naps in two days, just as Lars was waking up both times (naturally). I finished McKenzie’s Christmas present and washed the kitchen floor. Nothing too exciting, but sometimes, that’s good.

Denver Trip, Take Two!