(August 16 - 20)
Leaving Chicago Wednesday morning found us stuck in some late rush hour traffic. We were headed for Hudson, WI via Elgin, IL and the traffic on I-90 towards O’Hare made for a nervous 30 minutes wondering if we’d be late for our 10am appointment in Elgin. The US headquarters of
International Teams–-an agency sending teams of missionaries world-wide–-is located in Elgin.
We were hoping to meet with one of their “recruiters” (although we were self-recruited) for a couple hours to learn more about the organization and perhaps start down the road towards an assignment with them in Africa. Two hours later, with no red flags and many encouraging signs, we were back on the road towards Hudson wondering where we might fit in with this unconventional organization.
Six hours and one afternoon Cracker Barrel breakfast in Wisconsin Dells later, we pulled up to the Jim and Becky Norquist residence in Hudson. College bud Ben Norquist was to be married to Ariel Harms on Saturday. We were immediately at home at the Norquist hotel. Mrs. N. kept our stomachs full all three days we spent in Hudson and Mr. N. made sure our coffee cups were always full.
Thursday meant getting fitted for some tuxes and picking up all the necessary provisions for Ben’s bach party that eve in the Wisconsin heartland. Twelve eager, young men headed out in the early afternoon to a rustic cabin in the woods on
Rib Lake, WI.
There we feasted on the finest trout and salmon prepared and cooked over coals by Andy (Ben’s twin and thus host to the party) with plenty of baked potatoes and carrots soaked in butter.
As night fell and the gourmet beer selection that Andy brought up began to dwindle, I broke out several bottles of wine and a cheese selection to accompany each. Come on! Does it get any better? Great company, a lakefront campfire in the woods, stomachs full of food and a twilight wine-tasting: the man knows how to throw a bachelor party.
Friday we decamped early and returned to Hudson for an evening rehearsal and dinner.
Ben and Ariel’s wedding on Saturday seemed to have relatively low stress levels, and no noticeable gaffs (minus a pre-wedding tire change on my sister-in-law’s car–-yeah she’s dating Ben’s twin bro, who knew).
Alyssa and I were each struck by the beauty of their ceremony, an affair stripped to the essentials and stuffed with meaning. Their pastor (who apparently studied under
John Piper) delivered a message from John 17 that must have stoked even the chilliest of marriages.
After the reception dinner we danced the night away under the tutelage of a dance instructor brought in to get the less fleet-footed amongst us out on the floor. The bride and groom departed to much fan-fare and...Alyssa and I followed them to their hotel. We spent the night a floor above them in the
Minneapolis Sofitel (yes, an unplanned fluke from which Ben derived endless amusement).
On Sunday we took in the worship service at the downtown
Bethlehem Baptist church where we listened to another great sermon from John Piper. Rested and refreshed, we once again took to the road. Our last hard deadline until October 7 behind us, we piled our possessions into our trusty Civic and headed for SW Minnesota.
