January 31, 2026 – A Glimmer of Hope

I am sitting in my kitchen writing tonight with candles lit in my front windows, a gentle glow of hope and community shimmering into the night. It has been an emotional week. I pray that by the time you read this message positive change has come to our state, our home.

I was in a meeting with the Reconciling In Christ (RIC) committee this week and a beloved member of the team and our congregation blessed us with devotions to begin our meeting. One of the things he said, a statement he heard from someone, was that, “God does not need our good works. Our neighbor does.” It struck me as such a simple yet profound message. Our good works on behalf of our neighbors is Christ’s love in action.

There are plenty of opportunities to be involved and to be one who does what they can to help, one who sees a need and meets it in a way they are comfortable with. Bethlehem’s Day of Service is coming up soon, and the more who show up the merrier to prepare kits to help others in parts of the world that just don’t have the resources available that we do to promote good health. REGISTER HERE to join in the joy and the fun of this day.

Another great opportunity to make a difference and to learn more about supporting our LGBTQIA2S+ neighbors is coming up on February 5 and 12. REGISTER HERE to receive a link to join Rev. Emmy Kegler (author, speaker, podcaster, theologian, and pastor) for a two-part Bible study that takes a look at the verses most commonly pulled out of their biblical context to condemn homosexuality and the LGBTQIA2S+ community. How have they been used by Christians to “clobber” marginalized people? How can a robust study of these verses help us interrupt the harmful ways they are misused in the name of Jesus? Hosted by the RIC Core Team, these sessions will invite our historical, literary and cultural curiosity for these verses and their more modern translations. Together, we’ll notice how tempting it can be to choose certainty over connection to the sacred story and one another. This awareness and movement can make a way for more healing and hospitality than we thought possible.”

And of course, finding ways to pitch in and help in your own community and neighborhood right now is so important. A great place to start if you’re not sure where to plug in is your local food shelf. Donations and deliveries are in high demand, and you can have a huge impact helping your neighbor by volunteering.

May you find a glimmer of hope in your circle this week, whether it is a candle glowing from someone’s window, or a vigil to attend, or the kindness of a friend or stranger that makes you smile. And may you be the glimmer of hope for someone you cross paths with this week. Your simple acts of kindness make the world a better place.

With hope,
Heidi

January 24, 2026 – Frostbite and Mindful Movement

So, you might be asking, “What can frostbite and Mindful Movement possibly have in common with each other?” Let me explain: being alert to frostbite and participating in mindful movement are both ways to take care of ourselves in this cold and stressful world.

Many of us are outside even on the coldest of days for one reason or another. With the incredible arctic air mass that is blanketing us lately, it is crucial that we are aware of symptoms of frostbite and know how to respond.

Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, ears, cheeks, chin and tip of the nose and even private parts that aren’t directly exposed to cold air. Because of numbness, you may not notice you have frostbite until someone points it out. According to Mayo Clinic, the early symptoms of frostbite are

• Numbness.
• Tingling.
• Patches of skin in shades of red, white, blue, gray, purple or brown. The color of affected skin depends on how serious the frostbite is and the usual skin color.
• Cold, hard, waxy-looking skin.
• Clumsiness due to joint stiffness.
• Pain.
• Blistering after rewarming.

Mayo also states: “People with frostbite also might have hypothermia. Shivering, slurred speech, and being sleepy or clumsy are symptoms of hypothermia. In babies, symptoms are cold skin, a change in skin color and very low energy. Hypothermia is a serious condition in which the body loses heat faster than it can be produced.”

If you are outside and experience these symptoms, it is time to seek professional medical help.

To avoid frostbite, remember to dress appropriately for the weather: wear loose layers, hats, mittens, socks and sock liners; limit time outdoors (it can take mere minutes to develop frostbite), don’t drink alcohol if you plan to be outside, and stay hydrated.

Click here for more valuable information from Mayo Clinic about frostbite and what to do if you experience signs of frostbite.

This brings me to Mindful Movement. Learning movement and breathing techniques can help enormously when one is feeling stressed or unbalanced. These practices are simple and easy for anyone to do, and they can be shared with others to promote health and wellbeing. What good fortune that we have an expert in mindful movement, Chrissy Mignogna (Director of Education and Lead Trainer for movemindfully, and owner of Winged Heart Yoga, both located in St. Paul), joining us for a Zoom presentation on Tuesday, Feb 10, from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Click here for more information.

This presentation, “I Am Safe: Mind-Body Practices for Promoting Mental Health”, is brought to us by Mental Health Connect. Click here for the Zoom link.

To simplify your search for information:

Here is information on frostbite:
Frostbite: Symptoms and causes — Mayo Clinic

And here is information on the Moving Mindfully presentation:
I Am Safe: Mind-Body Practices for Promoting Mental Health — Mental Health Connect

Bundle up, be safe, and move mindfully!

From the warmth of my kitchen,
Heidi

January 17, 2026 – Extraordinary Times

These past weeks have been extraordinary. The trauma many in our community are experiencing is palpable. Each of us has our own story to share and every story is important. Our stories are important because they are personal and they are real and they are our testimony.

How do we handle the stress we are living with and yet continue to find joy and live into the promises of Christ?

Are you experiencing signs of stress like headaches, trouble sleeping, changes in appetite, frequent mood swings or difficulty concentrating?

Does stress manifest itself in other ways in your body?

I know this weekend I couldn’t focus on anything and I canceled all of my social engagements and opted to spend time with my family to decompress and to just be in the presence of my joy-filled little granddaughters. They are balm to my soul.

It is so important these days to pay attention to your body. It’s okay and recommended to take breaks from social media, even when we feel urgency to stay informed. Remember to breathe, get exercise, spend time in nature, eat healthy foods, stay hydrated, get enough sleep and connect with loved ones who are like minded and supportive. If you are feeling like your stress is overtaking you, remember that it is okay and totally acceptable to turn to a professional for help.

Click here to learn about Managing Stress from NAMI for more wonderful insights and ideas for handling these stressful times. I also encourage everyone to find a trusted friend or family member to debrief with. Just processing our feelings with a safe person helps release stress and helps us feel connected and able to get through our days.

Here is a public statement from NAMI:

“Please remember that support is available. If fear or stress is affecting you, help is here. Call or text 988, the Crisis and Lifeline. It is free, confidential, and available in Spanish and other languages. NAMI Minnesota also offers online free support groups and classes designed to help navigate stress, trauma, and resilience together.”

Visit NAMI-MN

I close with these encouraging words from Gandhi that a friend shared with me this week. She has them copied and taped up throughout her house, and I plan to do the same.

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fail. Think of it—always.” —Gandhi

Blessings to each of you as you find glimpses of joy and celebrate community.

Heidi

January 10, 2026 – Happy New Year!

Welcome back to the routine of everyday life! I hope everyone was able to find glimmers of joy and moments of rest over the holidays.

I find that as our family grows, our traditions are changing and expanding to include new layers of loved ones and their extended families, and the unexpected joys of this season reminded me that the beauty of celebrating Jesus’ birth comes from the love that surrounds me in new AND familiar faces and experiences.

Although there is comfort in familiar traditions, I learn over and over again that it isn’t having the same exact appetizers or meals or playing exactly the same games or keeping to the same routine every single year that makes the holiday season meaningful. It’s connecting with people, and attending a joy-filled Christmas Eve service at church, and it’s being open to new adventures and experiences to see what might be in store for me.

Along with the joy, however, I am now experiencing the crash of post-holiday fatigue, and I am trying to stay energized under these grey skies! So I’m pulling out my sun lamp and working on my strategies to help myself thrive in this Minnesota winter.

My couch calls to me every single afternoon, and I’m striving to seek energizing activities instead of succumbing to the easy out under a warm blanket. While I am a big supporter of napping, when I start using that couch as an escape from the greyness, I know it’s time to take action to combat seasonal affective disorder and the depression that comes with our winters for me.

One of the things that I’m looking forward to helping me is happening on Tuesday, Jan 20. Our Take Time for Mental Health team is hosting From Isolation to Belonging, a presentation that explores the science behind depression, addiction and the role of the nervous system, and how the healing power of community and belonging can help us move toward wholeness. I think understanding what is going on in my body provides aha! moments for me that help me assess just how I am actually doing.

The interactive program will be led by Jason Mayer (BS, MS, LPCC) of Anam Cara Therapies on Tuesday, Jan 20 at 6:00 pm. It will be held just down the road at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Community (4537 3rd Ave S) and a delicious dinner will be served. The second of the two-part series From Isolation to Belonging will be held at the Minneapolis campus on Tuesday, Feb 17. Save the date!

This is part of a monthly series of mental health education presentations in partnership with our friends at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Community (SJA). This year the theme of the series is Building Hope and Healing In Uncertain Times. Meetings are held the 3rd Tuesday of each month, and meetings alternate between Bethlehem’s Minneapolis campus and SJA.

Find more information here.

I hope you will find positive ways to navigate these dark days. The greatest news is that the days are getting longer! Spring is almost right around the corner!

May Christ’s light shine on you,
Heidi

December 27, 2025 – Christmas Blessings

I hope everyone is finding moments of joy and peace this holiday season! As we enter the new year, may you make yourselves a priority and take care of your physical and mental health. May you find a sense of community with friends or family or neighbors or your church family. May you seek to fulfill dreams and goals no matter how small or big. And may you always know that you are loved so deeply by a God who cares about each and every one of us.

Much love to each of you,
Heidi

December 20, 2025 – May You Find Joy

Not to draw attention to myself at all, but it happens to be my birthday this coming week. When I was growing up, as child number five of six, each of us received one golden gift on our birthday. Mom would wrap our thoughtfully selected gift and place it on the dining room table for us to behold in the morning when we descended from our bedrooms upstairs. There was that flutter of excitement as we beheld that beautiful gift of the unknown waiting for us to open and we saw our dreams come true as we opened our gift.

Mom was always so good about making sure that my birthday gift was wrapped in BIRTHDAY paper, and not once did she (and dad) give me a joint birthday/Christmas gift. My day was always recognized just like the other five’s birthdays, and I have always treasured that effort of hers to make sure my birthday didn’t get lost in the Christmas hubbub of a large family.

Probably the biggest bonus gift of our hard working, chore assigned family was the gift of NO CHORES ON YOUR BIRTHDAY! Of course, being born the day before Christmas Eve, when our family celebrated Christmas, there were plenty of chores and tasks to accomplish to prepare for our big celebration on Christmas Eve. Mom would start to ask me to do something: “Heidi, can you…”, then she would pause and say, “Oh, yes, it’s your birthday. Never mind.”

In retrospect, we should have established another day for me to take my day off of chores guilt free. But at the time, we didn’t think of it, and my older siblings covered all of the bases. Our Christmas Eves were always lovely and love filled, in spite of my absence of preparation assistance.

Fast forward to the 1980’s, after Mark and I were married and we were trying to start a family of our own. I had sworn that I would NEVER have a December baby, because your birthday does tend to get overridden by Christmas, and then… we had problems getting pregnant. After the trauma of infertility issues and a lot of doctor visits, lo and behold, my sweet baby boy Andrew was born a couple of years later… on December 19th! Just a few days before my birthday! I looked up to Heaven and said to God, “Ok God! I get it! Great sense of humor! I will take my baby whenever I get him!” What a gift. It no longer mattered when my baby arrived. He was sheer joy. My best birthday gift ever, in God’s timing.

The lesson I learned was that we are simply not in charge. God is in charge. Less than two years later, our beautiful baby girl Mari was born a week overdue… on our 5th anniversary. We share significant calendar dates with both of our beloved children, and I am always reminded of God’s sovereignty as we celebrate these most significant occasions in our lives.

We have been blessed with marriage and children, and I recognize that that does not happen for everyone who desires it. Yet, I praise God for the ways God shows up for each of us in our own beautiful lives and finds ways to lift up our own dreams and helps us each find joy in this world.

Blessings on your dreams and desires this Christmas season. May you see God’s hand and find joy in your life.
Heidi

December 13, 2025 – Easy Ways to Make a Difference this Holiday Season

I am looking out my window today at the fluffy, gentle snow that is falling. By tonight it will be a full fledged storm, but for the moment I am warm and cozy and thinking about the upcoming holidays. Gift wrapping, menu planning, Christmas card writing are all waiting for action on my part. I will get to them as the day and week goes on, but part of my day today will be spent drinking warm tea and contemplating how I can make a difference for others this year, so I have been thinking about things that have played a part in my everyday life lately that are easy and that I can share with others to consider.

Last weekend I spent a whirlwind three days with my beloved daughter Mari in Colorado. She teaches in a school where the staff loves and supports their students and their families, as most schools do. I was able to spend a joy-filled day in her classrooms volunteering (she sees 80 plus 5th graders for math every day), and every time she introduced me to her students, I had a room full of awe struck kiddos run up to give me hugs and tell us that we have the same face. I was touched by their sweetness and kindness and all of the funny honest things they shared with me and the questions they asked me about Ms. Peterson when she was growing up, especially about her level of naughtiness. So funny! (And she was about the least naughty child one could dream of!) The day was simply delightful. And like any school in the country, there are kids whose families struggle to buy gifts and holiday meals for their kids. So the staff adopts every child in their school whose family needs support at holiday time. Gifts and clothes will be purchased for every child in the family, and gift cards for groceries will be shared. I’ve experienced the sheer joy of shopping with Mari in the past for the families she adopts, and this year we will simply Venmo her money to help cover the purchases she makes. Do you know a teacher or a school that might need support to help a student in need? If this is a passion for you, consider reaching out to see if you can help support a family or student this year.

If you happen to be buying presents online right now, remember that you can “thank your driver” after packages are delivered and they will receive a $5.00 bonus at no cost to you! Someone told me about this earlier in the week, and after I received a box this week, and my Alexa had a notification for me, I asked her, “Alexa, what is your notification?” After she told me a package had arrived, I told her, “Alexa, thank my driver.” And Alexa told me that my delivery driver would receive a $5.00 bonus! Five seconds of my time, and I made a difference for that person! This program is running for a limited time only, but it’s free and easy for the moment. I believe you can access it on your apps as well.

Because of the storm that is brewing as I write this, Mental Health Connect’s holiday gathering was canceled tonight. Along with enjoying yummy food and great fellowship, our collaborative members were also supporting NAMI’s gift drive this year by bringing donations to be given to those in Mental Health facilities this Christmas. Did you realize that while so many gifts are given to people who are hospitalized over the holidays, especially kiddos in children’s hospitals, rarely do kids and adults who happen to be in mental health hospitals or residential facilities ever receive gifts? NAMI Minnesota has set out to change that and to bring a glimmer of joy to people who are struggling and in a mental health facility over the holidays. If you want to help bring that joy to someone, check out the specific gift list in this link for NAMI’s Holiday Gift Drive. They even have a convenient Amazon Wish List you can purchase from, then remember to thank your driver! Keep in mind that the deadline for donating is fast approaching, so you’ll need to take action quickly to participate.

If you or someone you love are struggling with the holidays emotionally, check out and share Mental Health Connect’s Holiday Tool Kit for resources to help get through the season. You can even share it in your social media posts! It may be just what someone needs.

Every year we see bins in our communities overflowing with donations for Toys for Tots and food shelves and other worthy causes, and we watch the generous people on the news who help bring Christmas to so many. But until recently I haven’t given much thought to how one accesses those resources if you need to be the recipient of toys or food or support. If you know someone who is having a hard time providing for their family this season, share this link to Request a Toy from Toys for Tots, and this one from Second Harvest to Find a Food Shelf. Keep in mind that many food shelves also offer support for heating and electrical bills as well as other resources beyond putting food on the table. Or recommend thefoodgroupmn.org for affordable groceries. Anyone and everyone can shop at these Fare for All pop up sites for nutritious, quality foods at discount and budget friendly prices.

And finally, remember to start your day with joy. I have known my dear Dad for every single day of my 65 years of life, and as I chatted casually with him this week, I learned a lovely nugget I hadn’t known before. He has been sick and he was sharing how he knew his lost voice was returning because he could almost carry a tune again as he sang his morning song in the shower. When I asked him what his morning song is, he said, “I sing Praise to the Lord every morning, and I pray the Lord’s Prayer along with my prayers for my family at the same time. It’s so pleasant and it sets the tone for the day.” My heart overflows.

Praise to the Lord!
Heidi

December 6, 2025 – Advent Vespers Services: A Moment to Pause

November 29, 2025 – Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  What a gift it is to be the church with each and every one of you. I am on vacation this week, so the Care Message will be short and sweet.

As we have been practicing gratitude this month, I have decided to start my own gratitude journal.  I found some beautiful, affordable small journals at my favorite local bookstore in the bargain section this week.  A couple of weeks ago I found some fun multi-colored gel pens for a bargain at another store. I have been inspired after working with Bethlehem’s Mental Health and Addiction Ministry team on gratitude practices this month that this is the one I am going to take on.  After all, research shows that expressing gratitude actually changes the neurology of your brain and really does positively impact your health. For the price of a small bargain journal and a pretty set of pens, I can do something for myself and release some endorphins!

A friend in one of my meetings last week was talking about gratitude, and how he knows someone who also began writing down three things he was thankful for each day, and along with that also writing why he was thankful for them.  It takes journaling to a soul searching level, and will really make me ponder why each thing I am grateful for means so much to me.  

So the next time you see me at either campus or out in the world, ask me how my journaling is going, and share with me the ways you express gratitude each day. May we find delight in recognizing the joys in our lives!

With a grateful heart for each of you, and hopes for a lovely Thanksgiving,

Heidi  

November 22, 2025 – Feeding Hungry Neighbors

When we were young, brand new parents, life seemed so hopeful and promising.  A new little house, a four month old bundle of love, and even a puppy made life appear to be everything we had dreamed about.  My vision of what I had dreamt of my whole life was coming true.  And then, job loss hit.  It came out of nowhere when things were going so well. A layoff from work and our world began spinning.  

We had some reserves, but six months of diligent job searching by my dedicated, responsible husband left those reserves depleted.  I remember one day fretting because we were short on groceries, and a simple loaf of bread would make what we had stretch into meals for the rest of the week.  I had exactly 99 cents in my purse, and I headed to that grocery store.  It is one of those God wink moments I’ll never forget because I found a decent loaf of bread that rang up at exactly 99 cents. I laughed quietly out loud in disbelief. (Yes, it was in the ‘80’s…you could buy a loaf for under a dollar!) As weary and blue as I was, that little wink made my heart leap with thanks at the reminder that we weren’t abandoned by God, whose gentle reminder that He was walking beside us during this difficult, depressing time brought relief and calm. 

It can happen to any one of us.  LIfe is humming along beautifully as planned, then one crisis leaves us in a position we never imagined.  We were hard workers, frugal spenders, and responsible about our purchases, but six months of unemployment with a mortgage to pay and another life to be responsible for had us wondering every day how we were going to eat and pay our bills and survive.  We were blessed to have a supportive family who dropped surprise meals off for us at the very moments we needed food, and that’s when my beloved oldest sister told me about Fare for All whose mission is “Fighting Hunger, Feeding Our Community”.  Fare For ALL is a resource of pop up grocery stores that anyone can access, and it saved us. We were able to buy food at unbelievable prices that fed us throughout those six months. 

This year, there are so many people in that familiar situation, and I can feel their despair and the worry weighing on their shoulders.  The wonderful news is that we can do something so easily to help them through THEIR rough times by supporting our mission partners: our own local food shelves, ICA and CES . Our neighbors are going to continue to need to rely on these food shelves throughout the holidays and beyond, and our generosity can keep them fed and able to wake up every day to get kids to school with full tummies or get to work or look for a job. 

Consider packing up a bag full of unexpired extra food to donate at church (it’s so easy!) or make a financial donation which gives our food shelves extra buying power as they have access to bulk purchases at lower cost.  The Cub grocery store on Highway 7 & 101 in Minnetonka even stocks an entire display with pre-packaged grocery bags labeled for ICA that you can throw in your cart, pay $10 for at check out, then place it in the ICA donation bin.  It couldn’t be easier!  

What a wonderful season filled with God winks we can make for someone we don’t even know as they access food in a way they never imagined they would need.  Visits to our food shelves are way up, and we can help stock their shelves.  And, if you need support, visit Minnetonka’s ICA Food shelf’s web site or Minneapolis’s CES Food shelf’s web site  They are ready and willing to help you!

Your generosity is a blessing!
Heidi

November 15, 2025 – Holiday Wellness Toolkit

Growing up in a family with five siblings, I have wonderful fond memories of Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year’s Eve. They were days full of activity and traditions and great food and happiness. Holidays were full of joy and fun and excitement. I’ve learned over the years that this is not the case for everyone.

Loss, loneliness, abuse, addiction or difficult family relationships impact a large number of people, including my own family now that we have grown up and expanded. Because the holidays can hold so many emotions, Mental Health Connect has created a Holiday Wellness Toolkit to refer to for help navigating the holiday season if it just isn’t all it’s cracked up to be for you.

Do you dread the holidays? Are you lonely this year? Are you grieving the loss of a loved one and aren’t sure how you’re going to handle the season without them present? Or are you looking for new ways to give back and serve your community?

The Holiday Wellness Toolkit is full of tips on how to handle the holidays, ways to take care of yourself, holiday activity ideas, places for donating and volunteering to lift your spirits, and even a craft section to let your creative juices flow. The holiday toolkit has great ideas for everyone!

I love and adore my family, but they will all be gone over Christmas this year so I know I need to create different experiences for my hubby and me so I don’t plunge into feelings of loneliness. This Holiday Wellness Toolkit is giving me a wealth of ideas to celebrate in different ways so I can be proactive and find some alternative holiday joy. It already has helped me discover a new non-profit to support alongside Bethlehem’s mission partners that has me approaching the season with the fresh joy of giving.

I hope you find this helpful, especially if you need some extra support this holiday season. There are wonderful resources and ideas included. And as always, remember to reach out to us if you aren’t sure how you will get through your holidays this year. We are here to support you.

With hope for the holidays,
Heidi

November 8, 2025 – Navigating This World Together

The timing couldn’t be better.  This week we had the opportunity to cast our votes on election day, and I actually got emotional as I sent my ballot into the election machine. I certainly feel the urgency for my vote to count now more than ever. I am also currently reading a book that really challenges me to deepen my spirituality and apply it to my life and my work and to the world around me.  It is convicting me that I need to be able to be willing to engage in conversation with people in my life who have differing beliefs than I do.  So often I am caught off guard and simply can’t come up with anything to say when the person I am with brings up a topic that I have a different opinion on but don’t know how to share it so I don’t offend them or get into an uncomfortable conversation. I spend days thinking about what I should have said, or have the “why didn’t I say this!” conversation run through my head over and over. So I can’t help thinking that it is serendipitous that we have a presentation coming up called “Skills for Disagreeing Better.”

The Skills for Disagreeing Better workshop on Tuesday, Nov 11 from 6:45-8:30 pm is “designed to help participants understand the values and concerns of those who differ from them politically. Through small group interaction both in-person and online, it teaches essential skills for communicating across differences and finding common ground. Develop skills for listening in a way the other person feels heard. Know how to share viewpoints in a way the other person might hear even if they disagree.”  Mental Health Connect is offering this ONLINE ONLY presentation by Jeff Thiemann, volunteer with Braver Angels and co-chair of the Reduce the Rancor, Minnesota campaign, and you are invited!  And you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home.  You DO need to register to attend, so please click here to register.

And don’t forget that Bethlehem’s Mental Health and Addiction Ministry is hosting a live zoom watch party with Dr. Christina Costa calleGratitude and Mental Health: Nurturing Resilience and Joy at the Minneapolis campus the following night, Wednesday, Nov 12 from 6:30-8:00 pm. Come learn practical tools to cultivate gratitude in meaningful, sustainable ways—and enjoy an evening of learning, reflection and popcorn with your Bethlehem community. You can click here to register.  And… there will be POPCORN!

And finally, if you are making difficult decisions about hospice or palliative care for yourself or a loved one, please join us as Dr. Glen Varns shares his expertise about palliative care with our Care Ministers at the Minnetonka campus on Thursday, Nov 13 from 6:00-8:00 pm. A light dinner is served from 6:00-6:30 pm, with the presentation beginning at 6:30 pm.

So many wonderful things are happening at Bethlehem!  We would love to have you join us as we navigate this sometimes difficult world together.

With gratitude for all the ways we are Becoming Together in Christ,
Heidi

November 1, 2025 – Gratitude Practices

An important part of my family’s self-identity over the years has come from having had a jewelry booth at the Minnesota State Fair for close to half a century. The fact that I can say I have been alive to work in that booth for a half century is a little startling, but also a part of who I am and a source of great joy.

During the final decade of our time at the Great Minnesota Get Together, my beloved husband found his own special connection to the fair as a State Fair police officer. He loved that job and made some close friends who came from police departments all over Minnesota. They provided support and safety to fair-goers all day every day for twelve full days each season.

One connection he made was with an officer who had a family member who was also a vendor at the fair. Lynn is an artist who paints beautiful, fun and inspiring “daily life” sayings that make their way onto canvases and handbags and mugs and a plethora of other items.

I have been the recipient of several of her special creations, including one from my dear husband that I look at multiple times every day. It is near and dear to my heart. It is a canvas that hangs in our bathroom that says, “every single day I am grateful for you.” There are darling birds scattered on the canvas along with words like kindness, hope, imagine, smile, faith, love, inspire and believe to remind me every morning and night that I am loved and to remind me of all I have to be grateful for.

Next Sunday, Nov 9 has been designated “Gratitude Sunday” for Bethlehem. Our Mental Health and Addiction Ministry team has been working hard to find meaningful activities and information to share with all of us to remind us how important gratitude practices are to enhance our lives. Look for, yes, an olive tree! at church at both campuses on Nov 9 where you can add a leaf with your own words declaring what you are grateful for.

Then set Nov 12 aside from 6:30–8:00 pm to enjoy popcorn and a “watch party” at the Minneapolis campus. We will be joining Dr. Christina Costa, psychologist, educator and speaker, virtually for an evening of discussion and to learn practical tools to cultivate gratitude in meaningful, sustainable ways that help us navigate these stressful times. Click here for more information and to register so we know how much popcorn to make!

Looking forward to a night of gratitude and fellowship and popcorn!
Heidi