Simple Complexity

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends! From beginning to end, I hope your day is blessed beyond your wildest imaginings.

As I think about Christmas and it's meaning, today more than ever, I realize that what God did in sending Jesus as a baby, was truly beyond my wildest imagining. To think about the very creator of the world, now a helpless human being, being placed in a smelly manger bed, is well, rather unimaginable.

Amidst all the decorations and lights, the music, the food, and the gifts, I hope I don't forget the complexity, as well as the simplicity of what Christmas is.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Complex.

Jesus loves me. Simple.

He loves me enough to die for me so I can be assured of life everlasting. Simple. Complex. Unimaginable.

Take time to read from the Bible today the story of His birth. Luke 1 & 2. Matthew 1 & 2.

Keep it simple.
Ponder the complexity.

Merry Christmas
Love, Dianne

One Baby's Impact on the World

The Torture Photo Session

2011

This morning, 9am.
Be at the tree. 
Look Festive. 
It's Christmas Photo by the Tree time!
No, I don't care what you wear.
Yes, you need to look somewhat presentable.
No, this is not for Christmas cards.
Yes, it will most likely show up on my blog.
No, you can't sit like that for the picture!
Yes, please look like you are enjoying this.

Hang on guys, I can't get the lighting right...

Okay, still trying to figure out the lighting...

Okay, last one. Make it goofy (like they really had to try hard for that!)

And after about 20 pictures, we got 1 or 2 that everyone was looking the right direction, and looking normal...Thank you Adrienne, Aaron, Amy, Heather and Ryan!!!!! I love you bunches and bunches!!!

Home is Where The Heart Is

The gifts are wrapped, the lights are up and for the most part, the cards are either delivered or in the mail. There are just a few that I am trying to find the current address for. You don't realize how much of a mobile society we are until you try to find addresses. (Phone numbers are a whole other ballgame!)

In the 23 years we've been married, we have lived 5 different places.

Our first home was in an apartment over Lura Folk's garage in Springs PA. We were there 3 sweet years. Our marriage started there and we brought our first baby, Adrienne, home to that apartment. I don't have a single photo of the outside of our apartment, but here is just a sample...

Leo and Adrienne...awwwww...reading farming magazines together

That's my man!

The second place we lived was in a trailer down by Leonard's parents. Small home, but large with memories.  Aaron was born while we lived here and so in our little trailer, the 4 of us lived and learned about life with toddlers. We were here for 3 years.

Dec 1992 Snowstorm! I am pregnant with Aaron.

Wootsie and Leonard

Adrienne and Aaron eating PB&J in the kitchen

Leonard and Adrienne heading to Paps to do the chores. A favorite of mine.

Then, we felt led to the mission field and while that didn't take us to a far-off country, it did take us to Louisville, KY for 2 years. Of course, coming from the country, living in a city felt a bit like a foreign country to us. So much was learned there and neither of us would ever trade the time we spend there. There is certainly a part of us that still calls Louisville "home". And, while we were there, Amy joined our family!
I have my KY album all put together so I didn't pull pictures out for here. Guess you'll just have to come visit if you want to see more. :)

2217 Bonnycastle Ave

Aaron and Adrienne; another favorite pic of mine.

In January 1997, we moved back to the area we had been away from. For 3 months, we lived at my grandparents farmhouse in Accident MD while they were still in Florida. That was an interesting time of living out of boxes and suitcases with a 5yr old, a 3yr old, and a 1 month old. It was an adjustment going from being shepherded by a mission organization, to figuring out what we were going to do now to make a life for ourselves.

MD Bearcreek Farm

The kids with my Dad 

Amy and Adrienne with Grandpa. He and Gordon would come in for breakfast after morning chores. The kids always enjoyed that time.

Another picture from our short stay at Grandpa Bender's farm.
Aaron, Amy, and Adrienne with Leonard

April 1 1997 was moving day! We ended up on the farm where we currently are living. The past 14 years have been a roller coaster of farming, nursing school, kids starting Kindergarten and graduating high school, and of course, adding Heather and Ryan to our family unit.

Home Sweet Farm

Carrot Harvest
Heather and Amy

Adrienne, me and Amy

And then there were 5....

We have been blessed in so many ways by each of the places we have lived and by people that we have met along the way. I am thankful for the ways in which God has provided!

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." Proverbs 24: 3-4


"As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

Christmas Photos

Every year at Christmas I try to get a photo of the kids either by the tree or somewhere else for Christmas cards. I thought I'd share some with you all today. I like to look back and remember. I think my kids would like to tell you how much they look forward to this time and that the bonding that occurs makes the torture photo session worth it.

I don't have a photo from last Christmas because a little boy borrowed the camera and kindly deleted ALL the photos on the card. Then he hid the camera behind the couch. In his defense, I don't think he meant to delete them; I think he was just checking them out and....oops.

But...there is always this year...so get ready for the photo session my 5 little pretties....muwahhh ha ha ha...

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

I am trying to find (either on the computer or in my many stacks of photos) of 2009...Maybe I'll have to find some of the ones that never made it to the Christmas card Hall of Fame. Cause some of those are kinda funny. : )

Simple and Sweet

Did you know that Hershey Kisses will get hard and crumbly, instead of soft and melty, when left in the oven for too long? I didn't know before but I do now.

I was making a gift for Ryan's school teacher. It was supposed to be easy and fast. I had made the same thing last year and thought I didn't need to read the recipe.

WRONG!

Something as simple as a few minutes made all the difference between success and failure.

A few minutes a day, spent in prayer and reading my Bible, can make all the difference between success and failure too. When I take the time, even if I don't have a "good" day, I can still have peace.

So, as I play Mannheim Streamroller (A Fresh Aire Christmas), I make another batch of Chocolate Pretzel Rings. And this with a good attitude, even though I just threw away 1 1/2 bags of overcooked Hershey Kisses.

Chocolate Pretzel Rings (Taste of Home Quick Cooking 2010)
50 pretzel rings or mini pretzels ( I like the waffle-shaped ones)
50 Hershey Kisses (can use plain chocolate ones or the striped ones; whatever you like!)
M&M's (I also used the M&M peanut butter ones)

Place pretzels on greased baking sheets; place a kiss in the center of each ring. Bake at 275 for 2-3 minutes or until chocolate is softened. Remove from oven. Place an M&M candy on each, pressing down slightly so chocolate fills the ring. Refridgerate 5-10 min. or until chocolate is firm. Store in airtight container at room temperature.
Yield: about 4 dozen
 Yummy!

Do I have to wrap the gifts?

I have never really liked wrapping gifts. It doesn't matter if it is birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, or just an "I am thinking of you" gift; I don't like wrapping any of them. The funny thing is, I like looking at wrapping paper and picking out the ones that will match my house. I like all the ideas I see of how to wrap in creative ways. I've even saved magazine articles with wrapping suggestions. So, why don't I like wrapping gifts?

First of all, it takes time to do it nice, to make it creative. And then, in 3.8 seconds or less, the hard work is ripped off and tossed into a pile on Christmas morning. Was it appreciated? Or even noticed?

Second of all, it requires tape and scissors, which for some reason at my house, always come up missing. 

Third, I am a bit of a perfectionist, and if I can't do it right, I don't really want to do it at all. 

Therefore, presents on birthdays are usually handed to the birthday person still in the bag or box. (I do at least take the price tag off.) Sometimes I just throw a blanket over the gift. I have even been known to tell the person to close their eyes while I bring the present to them and then, when all looks ready, I tell them to open their eyes and "Voila!"

I guess I could resort to throwing my offering into a gift bag, but that requires making the tissue paper look pretty at the opening of the bag. Too much work.

I could wait to put the unwrapped gifts under the tree until Christmas morning, but the chaos of which gift goes to which person would not be my idea of festive. Not to mention the fact that my children enjoy actually opening their gifts. (This may be because it doesn't happen any other time of the year.) 

Tonight I want to finish wrapping presents. I think I will listen to a new Christmas CD by Sephira called "Starlight." Maybe I'll light a candle or two. I may even wear a Santa hat. 

Who knows? I may even get creative and make a few name tags instead of just scribbling a name on with a Sharpie marker. 

Wrapped and, umm, labeled with Sharpie marker.
Note to self: Make proper name tags and pray for the person while making their tag.

I have had this paper for years; it is probably my least favorite because it doesn't match my house or personality.
 Somehow this roll NEVER runs out.

Okay, these aren't my gifts. But to learn how, see the following website:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6190453_christmas-wrap-tie-ribbons-gifts.html

(you can copy and paste in your little search window)