From Pastor Gordy Dear friends, As I write this it is a hot and muggy day. One of several in the last days. One redeeming trait on days such as this is the fact that there are often short, abbreviated periods of rain that come down and hopefully provide some relief to the crops and gardens which, by now have been mostly planted. We have quickly moved from being too wet to seed the crops to needing this moisture, and we thank God for it. Our prayer, as it is every spring and summer is that the crops will now flourish with a bountiful harvest. I don’t remember a spring I have appreciated so much after such a long and cold winter. One can see the green of our lawns and trees coming back to a fuller luster. It seemed to take forever for the snow banks to melt in the shelter belts or even to be removed from some of the underpasses near the South Dakota border. One thing that never seems to change is that we never know what the summer days hold. Every spring, summer and fall are different. As people of the land we are constantly reminded of how dependent we are on our Creator to sustain our lives. We are reminded that in every period, whether it be spring, summer or fall, God promises to be with us and sustain us, no matter what. This summer I hope you will take time to savor the blessings of not only sun and rain, but of family and friends, in gatherings both in our homes and in our churches to celebrate the very blessing of life itself. One last comment. It seems lately that I am hearing so many people, both young and old, remark on how fast life goes. My dad used to say the older you get the faster it seems to go; I agree! So this summer, please try not to get so caught up in the hectic hustle and bustle of it all that you forget to take time to listen, to observe not only what is happening around us but within us. Things like the joy of hearing our children’s laughter, the excitement we feel at family coming home, the wonder of seeing a full moon coming up over the treetops, the joy of clouds gathering for a much-needed shower. And then give thanks to God, for the wonder of it all! Love in Christ, Pastor Gordy