We head home tomorrow after a week of vacationing with some family members and seeing others in summer jobs or new adventures in life. Today, it’s just the two of us, in the surprising Sand Hills of northern Nebraska. So many little lakes in middle of green prairies grasses, and the sky dominates everything. Yesterday was cloudy, and the drive from Wyoming was dominated by their movement and shape changing.

We’re staying two nights in a small ranch with four cabins, right in the the middle of dark sky country. My husband loves star gazing, so was disappointed with the cloud cover last night. Today, the sky is clear and blue, and he can’t wait for it to get dark. The hike through nature preserves this morning was enjoyable, but our lunch experience was the star of the daytime hours.

We found the local cafe in Valentine, Nebraska. It was long and skinny—and packed. Two waitresses were really hustling, and one gentleman was bussing tables. For $11, John got a roast beef dinner with potatoes, green beans, a roll, and a piece of lemon cake. I’d ordered a tuna fish sandwich ($6.95), so when John noticed me drooling every time I looked at the lemon cake, he offered it to me.

The food and prices were great, but the best thing was the waitress. She never stopped moving and you could sense how busy she was. It didn’t stop her from smiling, taking time to listen to orders, or noticing when something else was needed. She even thanked us for our patience for the longer-than-usual wait time. As we left, we chatted for just a minute before a wave of new customers came in—two large tables of eight or more. “You’ll sleep good tonight,” I told her. She laughed and said she was there until ten tonight, without a hint of self-pity.

She managed to twinkle and didn’t seem to rush, but she covered her area very quickly and efficiently. Doing a hard job well and doing it with grace and cheer. This is the time for applause (we already gave an abundant tip).

Lord, help me to step into whatever is set before me today with this waitress’ attitude and pleasant demeanor.