Adopt a Highway

Our church has adopted a 1-mile stretch of highway going north and south from the building. I have lived in other wards that did this, but I have to admit I never helped out to keep it maintained. This morning the bishop asked Joe to represent the bishopric (he is the executive secretary). So, even though we have plenty of projects around our own house -including trash pickup- we headed over to Bonham.
As expected, the crowd was much smaller than at the pioneer breakfast a few months ago. We stuffed the kids full of sugar, pulled on our cute orange vests, grabbed a bunch of trash bags, and set off. The kids stayed behind at the church with some very unfortunate young women.We were dropped off at the far end of the stretch of road, and started making our way back. I was on one side of the road with a few teenagers. They made me feel so old and out of touch. Or maybe just grown up? They were being silly, and also stupid. I probably used to be much worse. Like I said: Old!

The after we met the other group half-way, we crossed the road and started heading back to the other group. Joe was with this other group, and apparently they picked up every single little piece of trash. He said he got to the point where he picked up every single piece, yet these 2 women kept lagging behind picking up even more (that wasn't even visible to the naked eye)

When we were almost done, a man stopped on the side of the road. He asked us if we were from that church up the road? He then thanked us for cleaning up, and proceeded to offer us a donation. He wasn't talking to me, but I was wondering what I would have said. On the one hand you don't want to accept, because it's just a service we are doing; but on the other hand you don't want to offend them either. The church member accepted the donation ($20), and said thanks.

I think this highway clean up was a great way to show the folks here in Texas that we are good Christian people. I have never lived in a place where I have heard so many people say that the LDS church isn't Christian. We believe in Christ, doesn't that define Christianity? Anyways, we had a good time, and I'm sure I will feel it in my legs tomorrow, from bending over and squatting.