minnesota

I feel like I have been in four states, two timezones, thirty cities and at least three different ages. Mama and I have driven all over the central part of Minnesota today. I want to tell you all about it but it will take me days to organize my pictures. We’ve been looking at cemeteries, old churches, libraries and even post offices. When I get home I’m sure I’ll do a minute by minute of our excursion (including everything we ate!) but right now I just want to tell you about one of the coolest things we did today.

It is such an amazing story, it makes me want to write a book just about this! I’m pretty tired right now, so if I ramble, you’ll understand, right?

Mama’s dad’s mother (my great-grandmother) was an orphan. Her parents came from Sweden to Minnesota. He (my great-great-grandfather) was a a logger on the Mississppi River. He fell in the river, got pneumonia and died. She (my g-g-grandmother) died of “consumption” leaving my Great Grandmother (age 2) and her sister (age 6) alone.

But while they were still alive and in Minnesota, my great-great-grandparents along with a few other Swedish couples started a church in Little Falls, MN. My great-great-grandmother made baked goods and sold them around town to raise money for “Sunday School papers” for the kids of the church.

How cool is that? My great-great-grandparents were church planters! A legacy of serving God that we can see as early as the 1800′s!

So, here’s the awesome part. This church is still here! It’s still active! Mama and I found it, went inside and talked to the Administrative Assistant. She led us to some old pictures and information about the founding of the church!

We saw some minutes from their founding meetings that had my great-great-Grandfather’s name on them! How amazing is that?

Here’s the original church sign from 1891. My great-great-Grandfather probably touched, but at least looked at this sign!

I just am so amazed that my great-great-Grandparents were serving God with everything in them! My great-great-Grandmother was basically in children’s ministry for goodness’ sakes!

(prepare for sharp transition)

It is 9pm and I am finally sitting on my bed at the spa. The place we’re staying is really more of a retreat center–sparse (but nice rooms), every exercise equipment known to man, a mental gym, a therapy pool, a lap pool, a running track, steam room, sauna, exercise classes, a spa and a fabulous restaurant.

You will not even believe what we have planned tomorrow. I don’t even want to tell you, in case we can’t do it all. But let’s just say, I will have exercised more tomorrow than I have in the past year combined.

And with that, I’ll leave you with my favorite picture of the day.