Top Ten Midwestern Favorites!

     I have now lived in New Mexico for four months.  It many ways, it has become home.  I am originally from California, and this is somewhat similar.  However, my years living in the Midwest had an effect on me.  It touched me in a special way.  I'm not quite the same person I was before moving there.  We technically lived in South Dakota, but were in a tri-state area with Nebraska and Iowa.  From our front door, it was about five minutes to Nebraska, and twenty minutes to Iowa.  Many of our experiences occurred in Iowa and Nebraska.  All three states held fun and blessings. 
Below are the State Capitol Buildings in Pierre, South Dakota (left) and Lincoln, Nebraska (right). I was in Des Moines, Iowa many times, and Walter and I even visited the Capitol building there.  I could kick myself for not taking a picture of it!

                       

   
     A lot of my friends in CA and now here in NM mistakenly consider the Midwest to be the Bible belt, but it really isn't.  The Deep South is more the Bible belt.  The Midwest is a culture unto itself, perhaps the most "all-American" of all US regions.  I was thinking about it today, and I have come up with the top ten things I miss about the Midwest!
     So...

Number 10) I miss having bragging rights on the freezing winters (note, I don't necessarily miss the freezing winters themselves, just the bragging rights!).  Yes, California and New Mexico both get colder than you'd think, but their winters are nothing compared to the Midwest.  On New Year's Day this past year in South Dakota, it was  -30 degrees Fahrenheit!  Much of the rest of the winter was also below zero.  40 degrees above zero in the Southwest might not impress a Midwesterner, but it must be admitted that 40 degrees here is usually windy, overcast, rainy, possibly even a few snow flurries.  By contrast, if it is 40 degrees in the Midwest, it is usually springtime, sunny, and still.  Much more comfortable than Southwestern 40 degrees.  Anyway, though, below is a photo of our car last winter.

Number 9) I miss two of my favorite restaurants ever: Donna's Diner, in Wynot, Nebraska, and The Fryin' Pan, in Yankton, South Dakota.  The Midwest has excellent meats and fresh vegetables.  American food is at its best there (their international food isn't as good as CA or NM, but the American food more than makes up for that). Also, side-note: if you do want Mexican or Chinese food in the Midwest, get it in Iowa.  It's pretty good there.
Below: Donna's Diner, Wynot, Nebraska.  Excellent food, service and prices--plus the owner, Donna, is a Christian.  Walter and I could get dinner and leave a tip for under $20.

Number 8) I miss the excellent prices.  Our auto insurances was one-tenth of California or New Mexico. Our rent was about two-thirds of what I would pay in CA or NM.  And don't get me started on how cheap gasoline was!  Also, South Dakota doesn't even have state income tax!  On the other hand, they do tax groceries, which made it advantageous at times to buy groceries on the Iowa or Nebraska side (if I happened to be down there already).  The photo below was taken in 2017 at the Casey's gas station in Vermillion, South Dakota.

Number 7) No traffic!  I have always hated heavy traffic.  Being from the Los Angeles area, I can attest to the fact that rush-hour traffic never rushes, and lasts a lot longer than an hour.  It can be a source of great stress.  One has to plan on leaving early for things, factoring in possible traffic jams.  I loved that the Midwest has very few of those.  In the larger cities, such as Des Moines and Omaha, there was some level of traffic, but it still moved pretty smoothly.  Lots better than LA, and Albuquerque.
Below: traffic in San Francisco, CA...taken with my own camera in 2010 while visiting.  This isn't even bad for San Francisco, but you would never see it this congested in our little tri-state area.  

Number 6) Distinct season changes.  Above, I said I don't miss freezing winters...and I don't!  But I do miss the more distinct season changes.  Growing up in California, I learned to recognize season changes more subtly, like the light in the sky, the direction of the wind, or other slight variations.  In the Midwest, I didn't need to be as astute to it.  It was much more obvious, and could be very beautiful, as evidenced by photos below...

Number 5) My family heritage.  On my mom's side of the family, I am a first-generation Californian (on my dad's I'm a second-generation Californian).  My mother grew up in the Midwest, mostly Iowa.  She vehemently hated cold winters, and swore all her life she would live in California one day...and she achieved her dream!  But I have always been curious about Iowa, the place my mother was from, and where my parents married (the wedding was there, but their honeymoon was traveling out to CA where they would live...where my dad already lived).  My cousins and relatives on my mom's side mostly still live in Iowa.  While I lived in the Midwest, I enjoyed the chance to spend more time with my cousins, and getting to know my mom's home state.  Another highlight was visiting my mother's Alma Mater, Central College in Pella, Iowa.  I had always felt Iowa was a part of who I am.  On the other hand, my dad's family originated in Alabama, and my paternal grandmother instilled Southern values in me, so I feel as if that is part of me as well.  Below, Walter and I are pictured with my Iowa cousins in Des Moines.

Number 4) Beautiful sunrises and sunsets.  I got to drive to work every day at dawn, and was blessed to get to watch the sunrise.  The sunrise pictured blow was photographed at a park where I loved to hike before work, right on the South Dakota/Iowa state line.  The promise of a new day.

Number 3) Scenic country drives and walks.  This was especially true on the Nebraska side.  There was some beautiful scenery.  I did miss mountains while we lived there, but it was still beautiful.  

  

Number 2) Small town charm and fun.  There are some priceless things to see.  It is true that there are some very nice good-sized cities in the Midwest, even in our area (such as Sioux City, Iowa).  But the really small towns had a lot of fun things to see and do.  Maskell, Nebraska (very close to us) has the smallest city hall in the US!  Directly below is the village of Maskell sign, advertising the city hall.  The photo underneath is of the Maskell City Hall itself.  Maskell has a popular of 76.  Below that are some other small town pictures

Here are some other small town Midwest photos!

  

And the NUMBER ONE THING I MISS ABOUT THE MIDWEST IS (drum roll!)...

the wonderful people we are blessed to still call friends!  This includes our church family at Hillside Community Church, coworkers at Head Start, ministry partners with Child Evangelism Fellowship of Iowa, and of course, our next-door neighbor Russell!  Incidentally, the people are the number one thing I miss about CA as well, and would be the number one thing I would miss about New Mexico if we left.  Below are some of the precious people I miss very much in SD, IA, and NE. Walter and I are pictured with them, and most are photos of people we did ministry with.     

  

Viewers Like You

  Growing up, I had my favorite television shows.  Most people do.  As I got older, it seemed like TV became more and more of a letdown, as if the creators weren't even trying.  I personally feel television, as well as all forms of entertainment, have a responsibility to their viewers.  Some say that television, books, etc. should reflect the world around the viewer/reader.  I agree to a point, but prefer a more intentional approach.  I think forms of entertainment should present a better world...one that can be related to, but also gives the viewer something to strive for.  Themes of redemption and hope should be presented, even in the midst of sad circumstances.  That's how shows like Touched by an Angel or Little House on the Prairie lasted so many years.  People want that hope and inspiration.

     I think a lot of people agreed with me about TV becoming more down and depressing, because changes have happened.  Viewing TV today is vastly different than it was when I was a teenager and young adult.  People have options now.  They can watch traditional TV networks, they can subscribe to cable and watch their favorite channels, they can buy DVD's of their favorite programs and bypass commercial TV altogether, or they can stream shows of their own choosing.  The viewer has a lot more control than in the past, and I think that's a good thing.  This has given rise to producers actually taking notice of what viewers want.  In turn, more positive, moral and inspiring shows have come out (not to mention quality Christian movies that are actually making it big--that was unheard of when I was growing up!).  Of course, there will always be trash, because there is a market for that.  But at least there are good choices too.

   I have recently re-watched some programs that were popular when I was younger.  I enjoy other people's reviews of shows, so I'm going to give my own.  There will be spoiler alerts, but these shows are not new, and you very likely saw them in the past.  I'd enjoy hearing your responses as well!  No judgment intended at all if you disagree with me.

     Above, I mentioned both Touched by an Angel and Little House on the Prairie.  I'm not going to do an in-depth review of either of these, but I will comment.  Touched by an Angel ran from 1994-2003.  I was a teenager and in my 20's during its original run.  That was a show I enjoyed.  It had humor, depth, great chemistry between the characters, and messages of hope in God.  Although somewhat spiritually generic, it definitely got the viewer thinking about what truly matters in life, and about God.  As for Little House on the Prairie, it portrayed timeless family dynamics.  The show was taken from the series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  The love of family was always paramount.  As a little girl watching it with my mother (mostly in reruns, because the show's nine-year run ended when I was pretty young), I always felt comfortable and safe, knowing there were lines that wouldn't be crossed.  Even in tragedy (and I have sometimes felt the show had too much of that), love never failed.  A notable character is Caroline "Ma" Ingalls, played by Karen Grassle.  I think she was the best-written character in the show.  She not only epitomized a good example of a wife and mother, but also a virtuous woman in general.  She was strong but humble.  She respected her husband, but wasn't subservient.  She treated the other townsfolk kindly and gently, believing the best, but responding well to the worst.  I think characters like that are important in entertainment, giving an example to strive for.

   
   A show that is very, very popular with people about my age aired from 2000-2007, when I was in my twenties.  I am talking about Gilmore Girls.  During most of this time, I lived with my cousin in a rented apartment, and we did not have commercial TV (just at TV set with a VCR connected to it, eventually adding a DVD player).  As such, I didn't watch Gilmore Girls very often during it's original run, although I occasionally saw it at other people's homes.  I later had the opportunity to watch it, just to figure out why everyone was so hyped.  This is a TV show about a thirty-something single mom (Lorelai) and her teenage daughter (Rory).  The show examines their relationship with each other, as well as Lorelai's relationship with her wealthy parents (from whom she spent many years estranged after having her daughter at sixteen and not marrying the father).  Lorelai and Rory have carved out a nice middle-class existence for themselves, much to the chagrin of Lorelai's upper-class parents who want better for them.  There are a lot of interesting family dynamics.  The show also focuses on the townsfolk in the fictional Stars Hallow, Connecticut.  I will say that the show is entertaining, with a lot of pop-culture references.  Lorelai and Rory are quite witty.  The mother-daughter relationship between Lorelai and Rory, as well as between Lorelai and her mother Emily, are a psychological study, and are interesting for that reason. Here are my deeper conclusions about this show...                                                                                                                 
     I can see why people would enjoy the show, but I am confused by the extreme devotion some have for it.  Gilmore Girls portrays women going from relationship to relationship with no real commitment.  Lorelai will basically go to bed with any man.  Rory eventually follows in her mother's footsteps, having an affair with an old boyfriend after he is married.  Throughout the course of the show, Lorelai has a "will-they-won't-they" relationship with the local diner owner Luke.  The audience is constantly teased with the hopes that they'll get together.  And yet they constantly date (sometimes sleep with) other people while really liking each other.  That isn't love.  It's empty sex.  In the midst of this, Lorelai becomes engaged to one of Rory's teachers, then breaks it off before the wedding...and she does briefly marry her ex-boyfriend and Rory's father, only to divorce.  I see very little self-respect in these women, and very little that I could respect in them.  Also worth noting is that the characters take the Lord's name in vain every few sentences or so.  Any word or phrase used that much (whether it be like, um, or ya know) gets annoying...and with God's name, how much worse.  It's bad writing.  I also dislike how the show portrays Christians.  Rory's best friend Laine comes from a strict Korean Christian family.  Her mother is cold, hard, and mean.  Laine sneaks behind her mother's back, not taking Christian convictions for herself.  I kept watching to see if there was any redemption, but sadly, couldn't find any.  It definitely can't pass the Philippians 4:8 test (whatever is true, honorable, righteous, pure, lovely...think on these things).  I don't pass judgment on those who like it.  Some friends I respect a lot really like the show, and perhaps they see some good in it that I don't. We all have different convictions, and take things at different levels of seriousness.

     The next show I'll mention was my absolute favorite show as a teenager in the 90's (airing from 1993-1998).  Until recently (when I discovered it on Amazon Prime), I hadn't watched it at all since the 90's.  This is Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.  As this was my favorite show for a long time, and there are so many facets to cover, I could write a book about it...but don't worry, I won't here.  Just some observations.  At a brief glance, it looks very much like Little House on the Prairie.  It takes place shortly after the Civil War, in Colorado Springs.  The premise is that Michaela Quinn is a female doctor (rare for that time period).  From Boston, she answers an ad for a doctor in Colorado.  Because she responds by telegram, they assume she is a male doctor named Michael A. Quinn, instead of Michaela Quinn.  She has quite a time proving herself, but eventually does.  Initially, her only friend in her new town is the midwife, Charlotte, who has three children.  When Charlotte is bitten by a snake and is on her deathbed, she asks Michaela (or Dr. Mike, as she is called) to raise her children.  The entire rest of the series is basically about her experiences as a doctor and raising her new family.  Of course, like most shows, it wouldn't be complete without romance, and this show has plenty of that!  The main romantic plot line is Dr. Mike's relationship with Sully, a rugged mountain man who is friends with the Cheyenne Indians.  They eventually marry in season 3 (I told you there would be spoilers!).


     There is other romance in this show as well.  Dr. Mike's oldest adopted son, Matthew (a young adult at the start of the series) falls in love with and quickly becomes engaged to a sweet and beautiful Swedish immigrant girl named Ingrid.  As a teenager watching the show, I had a huge TV crush on Chad Allen (the actor who played Matthew), so I loved the story lines that involved his romance with Ingrid.  Sometimes, while watching it as a teenage girl, I would internalize it so much that I "became" Ingrid.  Matthew and Ingrid (pictured below) were, by far, my favorite couple on the series!

     There were other romances as well, but I'll only go into one more (I'm working up to a point).  The town's telegraph operator, a kind but awkward and naive man, falls for a worldly-wise prostitute with a heart of gold who works in the saloon. Their romance begins when he gets influenza and she nurses him to health.  I always thought this was a beautiful picture of redemption, as he is an upstanding citizen, and she is a prostitute.  He looks past what she does, and loves her for who she is.  She eventually rips up her contract at the saloon, and they marry.
     This show started out very full of hope and love, with heartfelt acting and beautiful music.  That's what drew me as a teenage girl. It was enough of a family show that my parents and siblings enjoyed it as well (but it was mainly my mom and me).  However, there were some subtle messages that were pushed, and eventually, the sweet hope and love ended in depression and sadness.
     Dr. Mike and Sully's life and marriage goes overall well.  However, almost every other character in the show has terrible heartbreak, or compromises in some big way.  But by the time the story lines got to that, I was already hooked, so I continued watching, getting more and more disappointed.
     The biggest disappointment to me as a teenage girl (and now, re-watching it) is that a month before Matthew and Ingrid are supposed to marry (and after four seasons of being engaged and having fun and romantic stories), Ingrid is bitten by a rabid dog and dies of rabies.  That was incredibly cruel, and seemed to come out of nowhere!  I have never heard an explanation as to why they wrote Ingrid out of the show.  I wish, first of all, that they hadn't killed her off.  But if they really determined they would, I would rather that they had them get married maybe a year earlier and then, after being married a while, had her die (they did that in the recent season of When Calls the Heart, and having the characters marry for a little while redeemed the loss of the character dying...but that's a whole other show). At least then they would have gotten to be married.  Part of the reason I identified with Ingrid's character is that she is one of the sweetest and most moral characters in the show, showing strong convictions and faith in God in several instances.  Also, like Ma Ingalls, Ingrid is kind, but not a pushover.  A truly virtuous woman.

     Shortly after the tragedy of Ingrid's death, telegraph operator and former prostitute get a divorce when she discovers she is good at math and wants to be a career woman in banking instead of a wife (as if she can't be both).  Very depressing!  Of course, there is more to it than that.  There was a lot of immaturity on both parts...but still very sad.  Their differences could very easily have been worked out.  Telegraph operator became suicidal after this.
     The show became a series of empty promises it never delivered on.  It also was just like any other show that outlived its usefulness.  It became a lot of soap opera-type drama.  I had to stop watching it the last season it was on, because it was affecting my emotions too much!  Not to mention, as I said before, the show had a beautiful score, and the music really complimented whatever was happening in the episode.  In the early episodes, it made me feel good and cozy as I watched.  In the later ones, I was drawn into the pain and empty promises.  It was too much.
     In re-watching it, I find that I have to pretty much stick with the first three seasons and then just rewrite everyone's story in my mind.  If the show ended with season three, it would have been perfect.  That was its prime
     One other very curious thing that took place during the course of the series is that the actress who played Colleen (Dr. Mike's adopted daughter) left the show, and was replaced by another actress.  Both were beautiful and talented girls, but they didn't look very much alike at all (see photos below), and they didn't really bring the same personality to the role.  At the time, there was no explanation about the change.  Much later, it was revealed that the first actress didn't renew her contract (her parents didn't let her, and she was a minor and had no choice).  I'm sure it was hard for the replacement actress to step into the established role.  As a viewer, it was hard to adjust, but in total fairness, she did an excellent job, and I actually can't decide which I liked best.                                                                
      Upon analysis, Dr. Quinn is actually quite different than Little House on the Prairie.  Dr. Quinn started out beautifully, but failed.  It wasn't immoral in the same sense as Gilmore Girls, but it ultimately carried the message that love fails, life is disappointing, and there is no hope.  First Corinthians 13 gives the ideal that love never fails.  Romans 8:28 assures us that, while life is disappointing, there is redemption and hope as God works for our good. Jeremiah 29:11 asserts that God has good plans for us.
     Dr. Quinn also pushed the a few little agendas throughout its six-year run.  Not majorly, but here and there.  The feminism envelope is pushed a little bit (Michaela refuses to take Sully's name when they marry, among other instances).  Spanking is put on the same level as child abuse.  Dr. Mike refers to Mohammad as "a very wise man" in one episode, and it is revealed in a much later episode that she owns a copy of the Koran.  When Dr. Mike acts as substitute teacher in the schoolhouse, she teaches the children about Evolution (when that would never have been taught in school in the 1800's!).  While the main characters go to church and are more or less Judeo-Christian, the preacher is known to overreact and is often made to look weak and foolish in the stands he takes.  Later in the series, premarital sex is portrayed as beautiful, as long as the people love each other. None of these things are themes throughout the entire series.  They just come up here and there.  The overall theme, as I said, is disappointment and heartbreak, at least that's how I see it.

     The final show from the past that I'll analyze is another one that I rediscovered on Amazon Prime.  This is one my entire family enjoyed the first few seasons it aired (then I moved out with my cousin and didn't have TV).  I'm talking about 7th Heaven.  Originally airing from 1996-2007, this show is a similar example of what I was talking about earlier when I referred to Little House on the Prairie and Touched by an Angel.  It was inspirational, with the right message.  It lasted eleven seasons (all of which I have now watched), which goes to show that people are looking for that kind of message.  It was the most watched show on the WB (worth noting: Gilmore Girls was also on the WB, but never quite reached the popularity of 7th Heaven...that says something).  The show centers on the Camden family.  Eric, the father/husband is the pastor of a local protestant Christian congregation (denomination never stated, but the family and church are referred to as protestant and Christian throughout the series).  I remember when that show was going to start, I was in high school, and my parents were really excited that it was going to be a show about a pastor's family.  We were curious about how it would portray them.

     The Camden family is definitely not perfect, but they draw their strength from God.  Church, family, and faith are very important elements in the show.  The parents enjoy a beautiful marriage.  The kids have different successes and failures throughout the series.  Growing up and coming into oneself is portrayed realistically.  One thing that really stood out about the show during its early run was that the kids got into trouble, but there were consequences.  A lot of shows at the time portrayed parents and teachers as stupid and out of touch, and kids as being smart-aleck brats.  Not 7th Heaven.  Right always prevailed over wrong, and family love and acceptance were unconditional.  As the kids grew up and made decisions, their parents didn't always agree with them, but they always loved them.  It wasn't deeply theological.  The spirituality was probably on par with Touched by an Angel. One theme that is made very clear throughout the series is that sex is for marriage.  All of the Camden children except one wait until marriage to have sex, and the one who fails learns from the mistake and ensuing consequences.  The others, who do not fail sexually, certainly have their own struggles, but they have the love and support of their family.  What is most surprising about this show is that it came on before the days of DVD's or streaming.  This was on network TV at a time when shows were getting more and more immoral.  That really says something about the fan base's values.  Redemption, forgiveness and love are key elements.

     In conclusion, I think all forms of entertainment (the written word, movies, TV, etc.) have a responsibility.  However, I think the greater responsibility rests with the viewer (or reader).  It is our job to discern what message is being portrayed, and what we are to take from it.  It is also our job to determine when it is time to let go, change the channel, put the book down, etc.  No one else can really decide that for us.  What upsets me might not upset you.  What might make you stumble might not bother me at all.  You might see a message or theme in something that I miss, or vice-versa.  It's between you and the Holy Spirit.  Look for the best, beware of the worst, I suppose.  Happy viewing.
   

God's Answers

     "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas..." Bing Crosby crooned over the department store intercom.  Surrounded by premature Christmas decorations in early November, I should have felt festive.  Many of the displays included the Peanuts characters, which are favorites of my husband's and mine.  The truth is, I felt like breaking down.  It had been a hard week.  Even this fun trip we had taken to Roswell, NM didn't take the concerns from my heart or mind (although it definitely helped!).

     After two-and-a-half months at a very difficult job, I had resigned.  I had no real sense of what God was doing, only that He had clearly led me to take that step.  My wonderful husband had been 100% supportive.  He has had his own struggles in his studies at the University.  Taking this trip to Roswell (about three hours southeast of our home in Albuquerque) was a needed respite.  We had a blast that first day, making fun stops, enjoying beautiful scenery, eating good food, and seeing interesting things.

    That night in our hotel room, we had poured our hearts out to the Lord about our situation.  What did He have in store for us?  What was His plan?  What would He have us do next?  Those were the nagging questions.  We prayed for quite a while.  "Lord," I closed, "Please give us something to hold onto.  Give us a glimpse into what You're doing."  I got this prayer from a Bible study leader I had in Riverside some years ago.  Immediately, the Lord gave us two scriptures.  The first one was Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all thy need, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  The second related me to the struggles we'd faced with work and school.  Second Corinthians 4:17 "For this light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."  Encouraged, we turned out the light and went to sleep.

     The next morning, I woke up earlier than Walter, and I took a little trip to the department store.  My main motive was that they had a blood pressure machine, and I wanted to check mine.  As someone who donates plasma, my vital signs are checked twice weekly.  I'm aware of what is average for me.  Over the previous few days, my blood pressure had been uncharacteristically high.  I knew this was due to stress, but I wanted to see if it had gone down at all.  While I was in the store, as I said, the Christmas spirit was everywhere.  Customers seemed jolly.  Sales associates beamed for pure joy.  I wanted to feel the same way, but the weight of the stress pulled me downward.  I went into an abandoned aisle.  The shelves were filled with Christmas Snoopy's.  This was too much for me, and I began to cry.  My confidence had taken a real beating at that job, and I felt almost dizzy.  I knew I would not be permanently scarred by it, but I needed time to heal up.  What were we supposed to do?  Had we misheard God?  "What should we do, God?" I asked softly.

     My phone beeped then.  Pulling it out, I saw that I had gotten an email.  It was from the principal of our church's Christian school.  She shared that a need had arisen at the school, and was I interested in a 5th grade teaching position?

     It was as if God were answering me right then and there...and answering our prayer from the night before.  I responded that I was interested.  She replied and asked me to come in for an interview Monday...that brings me to today.

     I had a very positive interview.  I pretty much have the job.  I am to come in on Thursday and teach a lesson to the class, just to see how I do.  I believe I will be hired.  From there, I will be able to observe the outgoing teacher on Thursday and Friday.  That school gets all of Thanksgiving week off.  I will have the opportunity to go over the curriculum and prepare.  My first day will be the Monday following Thanksgiving.  Financially, I will be taking home about the same amount I was with my job at the university preschool.  The salary is less, but it's not paying a retirement fund or insurance, so my check will be about the same amount.

     This type of job is largely a dream come true for me.  I have worked in ministry as well as secular jobs, all with children, and all in some form of teaching.  God can use all of it.  I have had a deep desire to work in Christian education for many years, and believe this is His leading.

     Please continue to pray for us as we move forward.  Pray for my husband's studies and relationship with the university.  Pray for me to heal up from the difficult job I just finished, and to succeed at this new job.  Thanks so much!