In one of his understated yarns, Garrison Keillor tells the story of Pastor Inkfest of Lake Wobegon’s Lutheran’s church. It is early winter and the churchs’ finance committee is meeting to finalize the new year’s budget. Things were tight and there were more needs than money and they were needing to trim some budget items.
Pastor Inkfest and his wife had been anticipating a trip the following week to the Lutheran mid-winter convention in Florida, a welcome break from the harsh Minnesota’s winter. In fact, Mrs. Inkfest had already had their trip all planned out from all the colorful Florida brochures on the dining room table.
As the finance committee proceeded, potential cuts were suggested. One person mentioned posssbily cutting the overseas mission budget, but than mentioned that there was the Inkfests trip to sunny Florida, while all the other members had to endure the frigid winter in Lake Wobegon.
There was a long period of loud silence, where pastor Inkfest sat there with every nerve constricted into a noose.  After a long period of time, the good pastor anxious to relieve tension, suggested they could cancel the Florida trip. Swiftly, one of the members said, well Pastor Inkfest if you really feel that way, and before anyone could say boo, the issue was settled and the trip cancelled.
Once again, the pastor had fell into his own trap. He went home defeated and worried about Mrs. Inkfest reaction.
For several days afterward, Mrs. Inkfest was as cold as stone and said not one word to her depressed husband.
One morning while eating breakfast the pastor saw his wife approaching him with a smile. She proceeded to put her arms around her husband and told him, how much she loved and repsected him.
After the tension was broken, Mrs. Inkfest looks into his eyes and said, “I would only ask one thing, the next time you decide to sacrifice and hang on the cross, would you at least ask me before you take me along with you”.
Keillor shows amazing insight into the stressful life of ministry. Thank you Mr. Keillor for such a gift.

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