I am constantly amazed at the compassionate, kind, generous people we meet. Watching the news, you get the impression that in general, people are terrible, rude and difficult. I haven’t found this to be true.

Recently we traveled to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa for a humongous antique farm show. Everyone we met there, in the throng of thousands and the hot humidity, was friendly. The very first evening, after traveling 800 miles since before dawn, we sat across the table from another couple, eating our local Presbyterian Church supper fair. Starting a conversation, we discovered this couple to be local and long time supporters of the show. They helped us get oriented to how the show was set up and told all of things we wouldn’t want to miss. We ran into them several times over the two days we were able to explore this show and they greeted us each time, asking if we needed help finding anything and answering our questions.

I found that everyone, from the crowd to the vendors to the exhibitors were good for directions, a laugh over something going on, and lots of great communication. Each time we hit the food tent, we met new folks and shared our lives in that breaking of bread together. I broke bread with so many people: the snow cone man, the sugar cookie lady, the honey seller, the Christmas ornament guy, the caramel popcorn-making church, some Amish families-over and over. Blessing.

More recently, I “met” an internet friend. We’ve been reading each other’s blogs for some time and now, he has agreed to officiate at our wedding in February in Nebraska. I’m thrilled that the community of God works this way. We attend Cowboy church, but don’t have a home church close by, and we’re marrying at a little church with a big plains history, but a couple hundred miles from home. People are good. People are kind. People are compassionate. People need community. Blessing.