ANNA TELLS OF CHRISTMAS SEASON

Well, I had a great deal of turkey left over after Thanksgiving.  I sent as much home with guests as I could.  On Saturday, I made up Jean's recipe Turkey - Mushroom Pie and put it in the refrigerator to heat up on Sunday.  Elmer and I really enjoyed it.  The rest of the turkey, I made into sausage and soup.  Most of the sausage went over to our freezer at Jean and David's.  The soup went down onto the shelves in our basement.  I try, never to let food go to waste.

We saw Bishop Joseph and Martha, the other day, they are still waiting for their first grandchild.  Their grandchild is their son Erin and daughter-in-law Lovina's first child. It should have arrived in November, but hasn't come yet.  If the baby does not come soon, the midwife said Lovina should go into the hospital.  So I guess Wednesday, December the third is the day.  All are hoping it comes before then, at home, and natural birth.

On the first Sunday of December we have service, we are asked to bring a small note if we know someone who would need help, food, finances, etc. at Christmas time.  It does not matter if they are Amish, Old Order Mennonite or Englisher.  If they are Amish, Bishop Eli, usually knows, but once in a while someone thinks of someone who has needs.  Like there was a widowed Amish lady that needed a recliner chair for her back.  She did not have the finances to buy one.  Somehow Bishop Eli found out she needed one.  It was delivered to her house.  Another time we found out of an Englisher family that were in need of food.  We made a food package for them and presents for Christmas.  Every now and then they would get a package on their porch until one day the man told us he had gotten a job and appreciated all we did, but could now provide for his family.  Later when their finances improved, he gave us a donation to pass on to others.  We really look to help others all year round, but especially at Christmas.

If we get someone that is Old Order Mennonite or they get someone that is a member of our group, Bishop Eli and Bishop Joseph get together and work together to help those.  Englishers, the Bishops sometimes get together if it is a family that has big needs.  Like maybe someone whose house has burned down or they got evicted or need a big item.  I know that Jean gave her old washer to an Englisher lady one time, when she got a new one.  As I said we try to help in any way that we can.

Also, we want to help senior folks.  Maybe someone that has no family local or no family at all.  More than once we have invited someone into our home for Christmas dinner.  We ask them to become a member of our family that day.  In our home, we treat them like family with prayers, dinner, and we see they get presents.  We do not ask them to do chores or help in the kitchen, but if they want, we don't turn them down.

We never let people do chores or work in the kitchen until we had one Amish couple.  They refused to come to our house the second time we asked.  Elmer went to their home and asked them why they wouldn't come - thinking they had other plans.  The man said, we would not let them help.  They will not come unless they can help.  So Elmer told them to come and help with chores, which they did.  The people felt that their helping was the way that made them feel it was all right to come.  Even helping in a little way.   The man didn't milk cows, but fed the animals for Elmer.  His wife didn't prepare the whole dinner, but helped in the kitchen.  She was the best pie cutter you could get.  Each piece was cut the exact same size and I still can't do that.  They have gone to be with the Lord, now.

Also, we are making gifts for many of our friends.  Elmer and David went to the store to get some tools as gifts for Michael and Thomas. Elmer and I have to go the stores to get some gifts that some people want that we can't make. But we do try to make as many gifts as we can.

Candy making, cookie baking, pie making is starting now.  Make those, not only for our home use, but to give as gifts.  Also I like to make breads.  Then give homemade bread and jams as gifts.  We have friends of Amish, Old Order Mennonite and Englishers we give Christmas gifts, too.

So we are off to preparing for Christmas this year.  Oh, someone asked if we put candles in our windows.  No, we don't.  We use to, but one year Elmer went to a fire at an Amish house.  The house burned to the ground because of candles in the window.  So we don't do that any more.  When it gets closer to Christmas, we will decorate with evergreen and berries.  I usually make an arrangement for the dinner table with the evergreen, berries and gold ribbon.  Right now, Hannah wants to have the Christmas Day dinner at her house.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Anna