Michigan was Grand

[Current location: St. Louis, MO]

It's a mystery to me how the organizer of the Rapid Waters Zone's spring LWML rally in Grand Rapids, MI, got my name, but when I mentioned to an October 2023 team from St. John's in Grand Haven, MI, that I'd be in their area in mid-April, a visit was a foregone conclusion.

 

The St. John's crew insisted I come to their prom-themed school auction Friday night - just the occasion I'd been waiting for to break out my mom's '70s prom dress. Zoom in to see the cars and stoplights!

Saturday morning, my host family graciously let me borrow their car to drive myself ~45 min. to Messiah Lutheran Church, where an empty table awaited the paraphernalia I'd brought.

Just outside the room where attendees were wrapping up a continental breakfast was ALL. OF. THIS. My mind ricocheted from awe and gratitude to the fact that I'd flown to Michigan. With a carryon, and ONLY a carryon. Skip ahead to the end if you're dying to know how God provided. 

The business portion of the day's happenings - including my presentation - shifted to the sanctuary. 

Afternoon fellowship with members of the St. John's team at my host family's tap room. Yes, they have a tap room attached to their garage. 

The fun & relaxation continued after a routine Bible class presentation at St. John's on Sunday morning with duck pin bowling - a new trend? - and afternoon drinks outside in downtown Muskegon. You heard me: first I expected to freeze and was pleasantly surprised by sunshiny CO, so I wasn't mad when the same was true in my northernmost stop. 

I couldn't come to Grand Haven and NOT lay eyes on its famous lakefront beaches, hence a pit stop on the way home from church.

Arnold's snuggles helped filled the Freddy-shaped void in my cat-mom heart until it was time for bowling.

Ending the day in my favorite way on my hosts' thrift store chic porch.

Monday it was back to St. John's for my first of two school chapels, followed by a visit to the 1st and 2nd grade classroom.

Their teacher, a participant on the aforementioned October team as well as one to Jamaica in 2019, provided a special snack (plantain chips and tropical fruit juice) and LAC coloring sheets during a brief Q&A.

Chapel #2 at West Shore Lutheran School ended well before I needed to be at the airport, so my chauffer for the day and I headed to lunch and the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park on another stunningly gorgeous spring day.

We caught the tail end of a seasonal butterfly exhibit. You'd never know these are brilliant blue morphos!

Washington, D.C. ain't got nothin' on these cherry blossoms. 

There's a Rodin!

I still wound up getting to the airport earlier than I might have needed to, but I did have two bags to check that I hadn't come with. I'd flown to Michigan with only a carryon...which meant I could take advantage of Southwest Airlines' baggage policy and check two bags back to St. Louis for FREE. Problem: I didn't have two bags. Enter one of the LWML rally attendees who lived nearby and did! One of my spiritual gifts happens to be packing suitcases; I never doubted for a second that every last sticker, bouncy ball, and Matchbox car would fit...and they did. Visitors frequently travel back and forth between St. Louis and the DR; I can't wait to see how many children in how many places will be blessed and encouraged in their faith by the Rapid Waters ladies' generosity. 

Until next time, blessings in Christ!