Where are the Girls when you need them????



This is Dad's "Wrap Job".  He misses you girls!!

Christmas Day

   Christmas Sunday was a beautiful day.  We had one service at 10:30 a.m. We enjoyed the  wonderful Christmas music.  One of the ladies played "O Holy Night" on the violin. It was beautiful.


Since we did not have family around, we were invited to Orin and Leslie Thompson's beautiful country home.  Orin built the house with help from family and friends.  All the log beams on the inside were cut by Orin.  The fieldstone fireplace is awesome.  One of the sisters-in-law made a fleece hat for everyone in the family.  

Kearney is the matriarch of the family.  She is famous for her dinner rolls.  She made sure we had a present to open with the rest of the family.  We each got a box of fresh rolls.  They will go great with the goat cheese I bought. 

The Christmas story was once again read.  It never gets old.  Each time I hear it or read it, the truth of Christ's birth blesses my heart.  We felt right at home with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

     

Christmas at the Parsonage

On Wednesday, December 21, we invited our church family to our house.  I must say we DID have a full house.  We moved things around so that we could have a time of singing and scripture reading as well as refreshments.

There was enough floor space for the young ones to sit on the floor.

Folks stayed around and talked and ate for a long time.  I think the last ones left at 10:30 p.m. It was a wonderful time of sharing our home with our church family and friends.

"From the Manger to the Cross" Christmas Program 2011

One of the men sang a song my niece's husband wrote, "Did You Forget?", and the children joined him on the chorus. It was awesome.  Thanks, Dave, for your God-given talent.

We had a reader's theater type story that the older children and teens read. Actually, most of them had memorized their parts. The story line was remembering the REAL meaning of Christmas - that Jesus was born to die for our sins.  We used a song called, "Its About the Cross".  The teen girls sang the verses and the children joined in on the chorus. Everyone really sang out to the glory of God. 

Our little church put together a 12 piece orchestra.  They played "Away in a Manger" before the program started and ended with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" as our special Christmas offering was taken.  We hope they play again, soon.
It was a great testimony to our Wonderful Savior.  I know there were several in attendance that do not know the Christ of the Cross.  Dwight sang "The Babe in the Manger" and we trust that these folks will realize  "Your way of forgiveness is not by the Babe, but the Christ who died for your sins."

Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal

Everyone showed up for this important practice.  I was not stressed or nervous.  We just needed to get the moving in and out down pat.  The children knew their songs and sang with real gusto!  Fortunately, the microphones worked out great.  They had ordered a new one and it came in plenty of time.

We have two children that are handicapped and getting them up and down off the platform went very well.

The little costumes that we were able to borrow for  "The Friendly Beast" song were really cute.  The dove was losing her feathers and the camel's hat kept falling down, but other than that, it worked out great

Ladies Christmas Fellowship

We gathered in Leslie's lovely country home for our Christmas fellowship.

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The huge fresh cut tree made the whole house smell like pine. These are two of Leslie's children.  I teach Hailey piano.  She is an eager little student.

We revealed our Secret Prayer Pals and sang Christmas carols. I gave the Christmas reading from long ago, "More Blessed to Give."  And then, of course, we enjoyed lots of yummy appetizer type goodies and the Christmas sweets.  We sat around for a long time just talking and fellowshipping together.

The Decorating of the Church

Every year the young people decorate the auditorium and the Sunday School rooms at the church.  Last Sunday after the morning service, we were invited along with the young people for a delicious lunch of homemade pizza.  Then the trees were brought in,  the lights and ornaments put on, wreaths, garlands, and icicle lights hung.  It is a good thing we have a couple of tall fellas that climb the ladders to hang the icicle lights.

When the decorating was finished, then we worked on the reader's theater play that the young people are doing for the Christmas Program. They are a great group of kids and really have fun whenever they are serving. 

The last thing to add to the auditorium decorations is the flower arrangement.  I had to show the cardinal table runner I got and the cardinal ornaments Kari made me.  I tried the runner in the church but it looked at little "campy" for the auditorium.
I have been inspired to get busy with decorating my house - but made homemade raspberry jelly today, instead.  Tomorrow night is our Ladies Christmas Fellowship.

The FIRST Official Program Practice

The practice was to start at 9:30 am but we were missing about 12 children.  Some of them I knew would not be there,   BUT . . .  we began anyway.  It was very typical of a first time everyone was together for practice.   We worked alot on the verses that were to be memorized.  I had given the papers out in September.  The younger children are singing  "The Friendly Beast" song and here are some of them with their hats and vests on. We will have two donkeys but that's okay.  They are excited.  We all agreed that we need some more practice.  We WILL be ready on December 18th.

Thanksgiving by Lake Superior

The weekend of the opening of Deer Season we had a little buddy from church stay with us so that dad could go hunting and mom could go shopping.  We also had our first snow of the season.

This year we decided to do something different.  We let the girls and their families have time together in Rockford without mom and dad.  Sean was out West hunting and Becky took their kids to Tennessee.  We headed up north to Two Harbors.  We stopped at a Thanksgiving Buffet and enjoyed some quiet time.  The Lake was calm and smooth on Thursday, but when we came home on Saturday, the waves were rolling. 

Of course we had to stop by the Ariel Lift Bridge and watch the waves come through the Canal Park.

It was chilly, but hearty "wave watchers" just endure the cold.  The highlight of the trip was our stop at Betty's Pies north of Two Harbors.  The Lord taught us a great lesson.  People watch your demeanor even in a restaurant.  The pie was GREAT even though they were out of the famous 5 layer chocolate pie.  We came away from that experience saying, " You just NEVER know!!"  Thank you, Lord, for your goodness and Your reminders  to be faithful.

November Happenings

It was time to make lefse!!  This is the second year we have been invited to Elton and Mabel's to make good Norwegian lefse.  We were able to enjoy their new house.  The openness made it easy to spread out.

This is what the kids all looked forward to - playing in the flour.  This is Mabel's great granddaughter. All their kids, and grandkids did the same in years past. 

Dwight is taking his job as flipper very seriously.  There is a real method.  By the way, our lefse is gone already.  We did share it,too.  Hopefully, we will do this again before Christmas.  It may be time to get our own lefse iron.

We had a great group of ladies help plan, prepare,set up and cook our annual Fall Supper.

We gathered several times to work on the decorations and yummy white chocoate suckers.  Ladies can have SO MUCH fun working together

The evening turned out great.   The food was super and the fellowship sweet.  There were about 96 people present and several new families.  One of the families has been attending quite regularly since that time. PTL

Time with the Spring Lake Grandkids

It just happened to be Halloween.  Grand Haven closes off Main Street and the businesses hand out candy to the kids.  We took our little 101st dalmatian to get her bag full.

The big kids enjoyed filling their bags with goodies, too.

Alec and Em got out of school for the afternoon so they could spend some time with Grammy and Grampy

Our little Avery is growing so fast.  We met them at Culvers for lunch. 

Time with the Grandkids

I caught Caden setting up his race car track.  There wasn't a lot of room since his mom and dad's bed was in the middle of the floor.  We enjoyed the master suite.

Bryn is ready  for school.  She is showing off her new hoodie --

with her name on the back.

Alli is grinning from ear to ear because she was on the championship volleyball team. 

I especially like her name on the back of her hoodie.

Brad has moved his office into the church office since he is doing the preaching at the church.  He just couldn't seem to get any studying done in the school office.  I wonder why!!

The Ordination of Brother Stille

The last weekend of October found us driving through some of the most beautiful fall colors we had seen this year.  We made our way via Rockford, IL to Michigan for our son-in-law, Brad's ordination.  

Dwight was asked to be on the council along with Brad's brother and pastor friends from the area.  It was such a blessing listening to Brad read his doctrinal statement and then answer questions asked by the council. They recommended 100% to go ahead with the formal ordination.

The deacons of the church along with their wives  took the council members and wives out for dinner after the meeting.  It was a great time of fellowship and fun.

Brad's friend, Dr. John from South Carolina, was the moderator and then preached on Sunday morning.  Brad asked his dad-in-law to preach Sunday night.  We also were able to sing in the morning service and play for Mari and Brad when they sang in the evening.

Sunday evening after the service there was a reception for Brad.