Just a few miles to the northwest, Finnish settlers farmed right alongside their Norwegian neighbors. The Finns, arriving about 14 years later, likewise constructed a church to serve as a witness for Christ to the generations to come. And much like Fort Ridgely, the historic Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church is no longer in use… well, at least by humans....

There’s something about enjoying a serene Saturday in September. No need to go anywhere. No rush to have to do anything. Just a day to chill and watch a few college games. Being Labor Day weekend, it’ll be nice to have another one of these on Monday. I don’t know what the day will bring, but I hope it’s as serene as today.

Anyway, within a couple of weeks, I noticed my dreams were becoming intense, memorable, and far more vivid. Before using the “miracle tooth powder,” I seldom remembered my dreams. But now, uffdah Lewis, three to four nights a week I’m dreaming, and often, it's some uber-trippy stuff—like something straight out of Alice in Wonderland.

This evening I’m grateful for the prompt greeting party at the door; it was a nice change, and a wonderful way to kick off the ministry year. Perhaps it’ll serve as a sign for good things to come.

Today, I’m grateful for you. I’m grateful for the ongoing inspiration. I’m grateful my wife has graciously given me the 1½ to 2 hours per night to create these posts. Parenthetically, that’s about 480 hours, or 20 days straight (with no sleep) of continuous writing, designing, and posting these blogs.

I honestly can’t remember the last time I slept the whole night through without interruption. Truly! And as silly as this all sounds, today I’m totally grateful for that uninterrupted sleep.

Now, truthfully, we didn’t just go for a drive to look at the crops. While I do find them fascinating, I have no idea what I’m looking at, other than what’s obvious....

I was realizing that I was getting a bit testy and needed a break. I don’t know if it was showing at church, but I was feeling it inside. And while I married and absolute angel and woman of almost infinite grace (except with the doggos), I’m sure she was noticing my circuits were starting to short. Had I not taken a break, work and church might have turned into a soap opera itself. Oh, the drama.

I’m thankful for the wildly different designs on so many of our nation’s barns. But it’s not just barns; it’s in everything, really. And that goes straight to the heart of the human soul, spirit, and eye: the desire to design with beautiful intricacy, just as we’ve been designed by the Great Designer.

Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful day of adventuring down dusty roads to find and photograph these aging treasures on the prairie. Thank you for rejuvenating my spirit once more, and for reminding me of the blessings of living in this beautiful land.

Anway, I’m grateful for the time today to just go out and play and click-click away. Moreover, I’m thankful for the wonderful conditions, the permission to drive onto the property, a wife who indulges my hobby, and the history behind the farm. While I don’t know that history just yet, people made their lives on that farm, and they added to the culture of Comfrey: the community I’ve grown to love.

That glorious sun, without it we wouldn’t exist. It’s light and radiant heat give life to everything on planet earth. And for our sun, and God’s only begotten Son, who spoke our sun and all life into existence, I have the Lord to thank.