On May 29, 1848, Wisconsin became the 30th state of the Union. It would be another 100 years before I’d be born. This beautiful state is known for its charming farmsteads – almost 6200 dairy farms dotting the hilly landscape – cheese and other dairy products – the Green Bay Packers – General Douglas MacArthur, Vince Lombardi, Harry Houdini and Frank Lloyd Wright. It is referred to as the “Badger State,” not because of an abundance of badgers, but because there were many tin miners in Wisconsin in those early years, burrowing through the ground in search of this particular metal. The city I was born in, Milwaukee, was well known for its production of beer, which I never gained a taste for. My father, on the other hand, enjoyed it immensely. Wisconsin, prior to the Civil War, was an important stop for the underground railroad, leading runaway slaves to freedom in Canada.

We all probably have a strong connection with our home state. I know we still root for the home teams. We remain staunch fans of the Green Bay Packers and recall the glory days under the coaching of Vince Lombardi. We continue to love cheese, ice cream and other dairy products. We both have fond memories of farm life, even though neither of us ever actually lived on a farm, we had opportunities in our young lives to spend time at them. I recall my grandmother milking cows by hand and squirting a bit of it in direction of the family cat as he waited with his mouth wide open.

I lived in Wisconsin until 1973. I was thirty-one years old, a stay-at-home mom with three children and a husband that built a career in the advertising business. The move to Minnesota was caused by a job change. In all our almost 60-year marriage we’ve made many new friends along the way. Most of those friends were found in the various churches we attended – a good church family is almost as good as blood relatives.

We rarely get back to Wisconsin now. The last time was seven years ago to celebrate a 90th birthday. As we drove through the lush countryside – filled with amazing acreage and a captivating wrinkle in time – a whole backdrop of a lifetime ensued. I have been blessed to live in two mid-western states. I enjoyed the best of city life as well as life on a farm. Values were established through family, friends and church. All of these elements led to a complete and blessed existence.

Wherever we live in this world, we have the opportunity to share the blessings that God has given us through His Son, Jesus. We are the recipients of His grace, and our mission is to share that good news with others.

“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” Ephesians 4:25 ESV