I started out my day in Pierre in a lovely way doing something I’ve been longing to do: I finally got to visit the coffee shop, Pier 347, which is just as cool as I expected it to be. I got some cinnamon-sugar bagel bites and chai, and settled in to do some reading and grading. That was a fabulous way to spend a few hours, and it made me want a coffee shop in Eagle Butte so much!
After that I spent a space of time wandering up and down the little downtown strip, though by then only a few places were open, since it was around 4:30 PM or so. I went in to the Hobby shop, and after a brief walk-through, probably spent about half an hour talking to the guys surrounding the register. A few of them were kinda cute, but I think most of them were married. I didn’t really care, though--we just had a fun conversation about South Dakota, child-rearing, the women who frequent the leather shop across the street from them, and other things. The next store that was open was the Hollywood Shop, which has quite expensive (well, over $100) dresses. I visited with another guy there, who was probably in his seventies. I don't usually look too closely at dresses that expensive, so I needed conversation. We had a very fun chat--his wife grew up in Timber Lake, which is one of the smaller towns near to me. I asked around as I went to figure out where I should have supper, and got a tentative recommendation for the Chinese restaurant downtown, since I said I was in the mood for Chinese.
After that I washed my car and whipped through Walmart to pick up some other things, though my “whipping” got slower and slower as I figured out what I needed and wanted. About this time I smiled up at Jesus and asked Him if He wanted to go out to supper with me (facetiously, of course. I didn’t really have the option to leave Him behind!) I was still hankering for Chinese food, so I pulled up to the downtown Chinese restaurant at around 8:00 PM. I was totally overcome when I walked in the door, settled down into a booth, and immediately realized the restaurant was playing Christian music! God must have known I’d get distracted from our “date” otherwise! I know I would have. I can always distract myself, but it’s much easier to focus on your Jesus if you are surrounded by praise music. Plus, I loved pretty much every single song they played. The restaurant was almost empty, and by the time I finished my supper, I had been the only customer for about half an hour. Pretty sure I was singing along on at least a few of the songs. I just couldn’t help it! Who ever knew a Chinese restaurant to play a Christian radio station? I was in awe, as I always am when Jesus “shows up” in a way I don’t expect.
Despite the fact that the food itself was less than stellar, supper put me into a very romantic mood. Because of this, and because I was feeling very full of less-than-stellar Chinese, I decided I needed a walk, so I headed to the Capitol grounds at about 10:00 PM. There is a circular walk at the bottom of the hill that is very well lit, and I figured that would be the perfect place to wrap up my night before heading home. I would say it was. It was lovely, in fact. I read names on the monuments, found Dewey County on the list of county names, and tried mostly unsuccessfully to take some nighttime pictures. I kept singing to Jesus, because I wanted to hang onto the the wonder I had felt when I heard His gentle reminders. After that, I slid back into my car and started the relatively brief drive home, wishing that I had my computer to write on. When I retell this story it seems very inconsequential, but it was a big deal to me. God restored my soul.
