Sandman's Journal

I've had the last week off from driving truck, so I've been working with Dad to get his and Mom's house insulated.

Last night I took a break and drove to Dunn Center to meet friends at the Ilo Bar for beer and pizza.  One of them was my buddy Max Haendler from Brooklyn, who is out here doing construction for a rancher from Marshall.  I hadn't been to the Ilo Bar since the "shrimp reception party" documented in Elizabeth Lawrence's Roll Out Cowboy, so I was glad to see that Sadie is still running the bar.  She has been since 1979, when I was a youth.

Instead of driving back to Killdeer Mountain last night, I stayed over at Grandma Edna's place in Killdeer.  In a few minutes we'll be heading to church.
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The new pastors.

Post-church update:  Grandma has been raving about the new pastors at St. John's Lutheran Church--John and Rachel Simonson--and now I see why.  Normally my experience at St. John's is one of trying hard to stay awake, but today I stayed alert.  Reverend Rachel held the service; she and her husband John take turns.  In her sermon she explored Matthew 19:24, which is where Jesus tells a rich young fellow to sell everything he owns and give it to the poor.  When the astonished man refuses, Jesus warns him that, ". . . it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 

I'm pretty sure the congregation has tripled since the last year.  More young people, too.

Afterwards there was coffee, cookies, and talk of the warm weather.