I was walking into the restroom at the Norske Nook restaurant when I happened to notice the song playing on the radio. I had not heard it before when my dad and his wife, Marilyn, and I were sitting at the restaurant table, relishing being at this special place. We had stopped at the Norske Nook for lunch on the way to Minneapolis to remember my aunt Jan, my Godmother, my dad’s sister, as she and my grandma had loved this place dearly. We were headed to her funeral after she died suddenly from a serious infection. It was a shock for all of us as Jan was so full of life and a joy to all who met her.
The Norske Nook is a small restaurant, off the freeway, in the small town of Osseo, Wisconsin. Known for an incredible selection of homemade pies…and all things Norwegian, from gifts to books.
After I ordered our food, which included a treasured plate of lefse, (a Norwegian potato “tortilla” spread with butter and sugar and wrapped in a spiral), I headed to the restroom. This is when I noticed the song.
“Don’t stop, believing”…I noticed the last few lines of the classic song by Journey as the song was ending. Soon after, the next song began. “I’m a Believer” by The Monkees. Usually when I hear that song I think of Shrek, but this time my interest was piqued by hearing these two ‘believing’ songs so close together. I immediately smiled, felt a chill in my body, and said “thanks Jan, you are in a better spot”. She truly was a faithful believer.
Jan had always been a woman who helped strengthen my Christian faith. When my mother died in 2000, she reached out to me through the years with cards, books, phone calls, letting me know that she was here and that she was cheering me on in my faith and daily life.
Before I left Germany to head to the US for her funeral, I had found one such book she had given me. It told the true story of a Norwegian boy during World War II and the occupation of Norway by Germany. She had left a note inside for me, saying she has found it at the Norske Nook in Osseo and had loved it. She wanted me to read it and then pass it on to my dad when I was done. So that is what I did. I read it on the plane and then gave this gift to my dad, from his sister.
Knowing that Jan would have looked through all the books on the shelf there at the Norse Nook, I jumped up to peruse and see what I could see. Immediately I saw a book titled “Laughing for Lutherans”, with the quote from Martin Luther on the cover that said “If Heaven does not include laughter, I don’t want to go there”. I grabbed it and knew I had to purchase it.
At our table, we dug into the book of Lutheran bulletin bloopers and funny little quips that people have said, and we laughed. And we laughed. As someone who worked at our church for 10 years and edited way too many bulletins and newsletters, I know that is not easy and sometimes funny things are printed or said. I knew I wanted to give this to my sister, also Jan’s goddaughter, and a youth director at her church. Jan would have picked that for us for sure. She had a great sense of humor. Once she saw that I had a Martin Luther doll in my church office (long story…was a gift)…she insisted we take a photo together with it.
We left the restaurant and headed to Minneapolis as her funeral was the next day. As funerals do, they bring family together who have not seen one another in years. Seeing so many family members and spending time laughing with them was so good for my soul. My sisters and my nephew performed a rendition of “Amazing Grace” with vocals, piano, and violin for her funeral. I know Jan would have loved it.
My time with extended family was quickly coming to a close. I was already at the airport the next day to return to Germany. My check in took only a few minutes, so I had lots of time to spare. I found a quiet spot with some tasty American treats to savor and was debating what to do next to spend my time. I was behind a few days in my online Bible devotional plan that I do with friends around the US, so decided to dive right in.
I sat there and studied and reflected for quite some time before I caught the song on the radio in that small cafe and it caught me by surprise. “I’m a Believer” by The Monkees was playing on the speaker. I thought “how could that be?”, thinking back to just two days earlier at the Norske Nook.
I believe Jan was telling me one more time she was ok, better than ok. She was in a much better spot, and I, should keep believing.
Embracing Second Half Wonders 