We've Been Here A Month!

Well, so much for writing a new blog post each week. After 40+ hours of work, campground walks, two worship services, and team meetings each week, my ability to put pen to paper (or, rather, fingers to keys, though that doesn’t sound nearly as nice) and form coherent thoughts is severely hindered. This past week especially presented unique challenges, both expected and unforeseen, that further limited my desire to write. But, finally, after a restful Saturday spent meandering the little shops of Medora and a good pair of worship services this morning, I’m feeling up to the task. Plus, what else is one to do while he is waiting for laundry.

Perhaps the most exciting news we have to share is that we now have (spotty) wifi at the RV. This is quite helpful, because it means we no longer have to plan a trip into town to use the internet. Also exciting is the fact that it looks like we will both have Mondays off, which will allow us to do some exploring of some more distant places. Last Monday, we decided to take the sixtyish mile drive to the North Unit of TRNP. It was beautiful. With higher, greener buttes, and narrower, more constricted valleys, the smaller North Unit offers a perspective of the North Dakota Badlands that is both the same yet oh so different. We picnicked at picturesque panorama of the Little Missouri River and then drove to the end of the scenic road where we had planned to take a short hike to another overlook. Unfortunately, however, it rained, and I’m not about hiking in the rain. Even so, it was still a worthwhile day, for it was a day spent together. Oh, and the speed limit on two lane roads in North Dakota is 65. Way to go North Dakota!

After two weeks of leading worship services in the park and in town, we earned a well-deserved week off (does sarcasm come through in print?). But seriously, we did have a week off. Last weekend, the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation (TRMF; aka our employer) held its yearly appreciation weekend for those who have donated to the Foundation. A part of this weekend is a worship service at the Burning Hills Amphitheater, which is the nearly 3000 seat venue for the Medora Musical. Though we didn’t have nearly that many (only about 300), it was still an awesome experience to be on that stage. I told our team that it was enough to make Joel Osteen jealous. Additionally, we got to spend some time with Spencer, the executive director of ACMNP. I, for one, am thankful that they allow each team the freedom to do ministry in the unique ways for which they are best suited. I love knowing that they are behind us for support, but also that they don’t micromanage our efforts.

Personally, and this is something of a non-sequitur, I have been reading C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia this summer, and you should too. I loved these books as a child, as is evidenced by the well-work covers and dog-eared pages, but as an adult who has grown in the faith, these books are incredible. On page after page, the images and metaphors of Christianity burst forth. The descriptions of Aslan’s golden radiance and the warmth of his mane make one ready to embrace the first lion he or she meets (but don’t). I am currently in the middle of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and as I read about the Dufflepuds desire to live invisibly so as not to have to look upon their (perceived) ugliness, I was struck by a realization that was difficult for me, a sometimes individualist, to swallow: The community of ugly humanity is better than the loneliness of self-sanctified individualism.

Finally, and speaking of ugly humanity, we have had to deal with a difficult and unexpected issue this week. Without going into much detail, I can say that our whole team is struggling through issues of social justice (or injustice?) and that we are learning to work from a new normal. However, as we try to move forward, I cannot help but think of the metaphor of a refiner’s fire that stretches throughout scripture. It is tough and uncomfortable in the present, but through perseverance and continued faithfulness, I am convinced that we will come out of this situation in a way that will help us to serve the Kingdom more effectively. It is my prayer that you, too, may be strengthened and refined by whatever challenge you face. May the power of Christ help us all to live increasingly faithful lives in the face of increasingly difficult circumstances.

May yours be the peace of Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God forever,

Lane & Susan

Our First Real Week (We Both Worked)

Anybody who has ever complained that the weather in North Carolina is too temperamental has obviously never been to North Dakota. This week began with days full of cold air, blustery winds, and incessant rain. I informed my coworkers, most of whom are from Montana and North Dakota and thus described such weather as a wet spring day, that this was, in fact, a cold winter’s day and had no place in late May. By the weekend, however, the skies had shed the layers upon layers of clouds and turned a brilliant shade of blue that is just shy of being as gorgeous as the cloudless sky that sometimes sits above the land of the pines.

The weather, though, has not been the only thing to change dramatically this week. Susan began her job (which is really two jobs) at the historic Von Hoffman house in town and the gift shop at the Medora Musical, the latter of which requires her to work until 11:00 a few nights a week. For a woman who needs much sleep, and for the husband that lives in a 32’ RV with her, this will require some adjustment, and your prayers are appreciated. However, this has been the only hiccup of our whole adventure to this point. Everything else, from the flawless trip to our excellent team to the kindness of everyone we have met, has shown us clearly that this is where God wants us to be, and it is here that we will stay, and work, and be faithful.

In spite of the fact that we are both now working 40+ hours each week, we have found time to spend together. Last Sunday, we drove to Wind Canyon, a place along the scenic loop through the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, to watch the sunset. Although we missed it by a few minutes, the sun, which had just crept below the high buttes that jut against the horizon, was still casting magnificent colors across the whole sky. In those moments of sheer, unadulterated beauty, God’s presence is palpable, and, for me anyway, it is a refreshment that confirms that rightness of our work here this summer.

Aside from our adventures as a couple, our team has begun to have deep and intimate conversations with each other about the real issues that are confronting the church today. If there is one thing that I can already say for sure, it is that we are all different. Even among the five member of our team, we hold different interpretations of scripture regarding the role of women, spirituality, homosexuality, and, as I’m sure we’ll discover later, many other things. Nevertheless, this has not hindered us in the slightest. If anything, it has brought us closer together. Personally, I find it exceptionally encouraging that a group of people with such different interpretations of scripture are able to work together to faithfully represent and live out the multifaceted love of Christ in a place that is in such desperate need of it.

Finally, I played my first round of golf this past week. Three of us played a round of best ball, which, I learned, is where each player hits their next shot from the ball that landed closest to the pin after the last shot. Despite the several balls that I sent rocketing off into the native grass, I managed to have a couple of good shots. However, if I had been playing based on my shots alone, I would probably still be chasing a ball around the seventh fairway. In the end, the three of us managed to shoot a respectable seven over par. As I reflect on this, I cannot help but think of the words of Ecclesiastes: A three-stranded cord is not easily broken. I needed the good shots of my coworkers, and, though rarely, they needed mine. Together, we are much stronger than we are apart. May we all seek out friends to carry us through those places where we cannot carry ourselves, and may we carry our friends through those places where they cannot carry themselves.

 

May the peace of Christ reign among us all,

Lane & Susan