The Event ~ Celebrating 90 Years!

February 28, 2014 my father-in-law turned 90 years young!  It was an occasion to celebrate in a special way.  Kathy, Tim and I planned a special birthday open house to honor him.

We planned the celebration for Saturday afternoon March 1 at his Faith Church in Bayard for his many family and friends to share in the event with him.  Unfortunately, weather did not cooperate.  It blizzarded early that morning for most of the morning, and cleared about two hours before the event.  Fortunately, his immediate family who had to travel a distance arrived in Scottsbluff on Friday nite.    A few close relatives ventured out to join us on Saturday afternoon, but the weather cut the expected attendance in half.  Only a few friends ventured out in the cold and icy roads, and several expected relatives didn't make it.

But it was still and eventful day for those of us who had the privilege and blessing of celebrating 90 years with him.  He received so many cards in the mail that he so much enjoyed.  His nephew put him in headlines by putting his picture on the cover of Newsweek magazine.

It was a special event.  Leo has been and still is an inspiration to all of his family.  He has been blessed with a good and healthy life, loving children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and I am so blessed to have him as a wonderful father-in-law.  I thank him for loving me like a daughter.

 

The Event ~ Childhood Friends Reunited

Last week Tim and I had the pleasure of reuniting with my bestest childhood friend.  We visited Heidi and her husband Dave at their new  retirement home in Chino Valley, AZ.  It was the first time I had seen her in about 32 years.  I stayed at her house in the summer/fall of 1981 when I went to Missoula for my Grandpa Gallwas' funeral.  What a treat it was to see her again and catch up through the years and reminisce. 

Heidi and I - Feb 2014

Heidi Gasser and I met at church camp either the summer before or the summer after 4th grade.  Camp was held in the mountains of western Montana near Big Timber.  Heidi was from Sand Springs, a remote tiny dot in the bare, desolate ranch land somewhere about 150 miles northwest of Terry.  I don't remember what led us to become such soul mates back then, but we did.

Heidi at church camp - 4th grade (?)

Heidi and I remained pen pal friends through all these years.  We continued to meet at church camp in the same location through 8th grade.  Throughout high school we maybe got to see ech other once a year.  I remember visiting her at her ranch home.  And I remember her coming to Terry a couple times to visit.

Heidi and I at our house in Terry - 1966 or 67 (?)

We would write letters faithfully almost weekly.  Since her last name was Gasser and my last name was Corneliusen,  I would  "buy" gas from her and she would "buy" corn from me in our snail mail correspondence.  It was so silly.  It was so funny. 



Heidi's wedding

We were "maid of honor" in each other's wedding.  She was also the wedding singer at my wedding.  Heidi always wanted to be a writer, journalism was her major, and today she has authored three books based on the life of her "cowboy-rodeoing" Grandmother.

Having a long-time friend is really something special.  Long-time friends enrich one's life, and Heidi has certainly enriched my life.  Friends are a blessing, but long-time friends like Heidi are extra special. It was an eventful time to renew our childhood ties.  Hopefully, we will see each other again and not wait so long!      

NOTE ADDED JULY 2014:  Heidi's husband Dave died July 30 due from reoccurring cancer and other health-related issues.  My heartfelt prayers and sympathy extended to Heidi during this time.

The Event ~ Through the Bible in a Year

Pastor Wayne Mundell has challenged the congregation to read through the entire Bible this year.  Like so many others, I have in the past attempted to do that -- start in Genesis 1:1 and proceed daily through all the books and chapters.  By the time I get to middle of Genesis, I have been completely lost in the ability to understand it all.  That routine has been started and abruptly halted several times in my lifetime.   

But Tim and I have both been so encouraged by this challenge, and we have both read through the entire New Testament in a paperback "New Testament in a Year".  Tim actually read through the same New Testament book again in 2013, so he was ready to take on this challenge.  I was somewhat hesitant, knowing my failures in the past to achieve.   So when he asked me if I wanted to go to the Bible Book Store with him to get a new "Bible in a Year" book,  I tagged along.  I didn't need a new Bible because I liked the one I had that I used with daily devotions. 

However, at the store as we were both browsing through choices available, I came across the book called "The Daily Bible in Chronological Order -- With Devotional Insights to Guide You Through God's Word."  

I liked what I saw because it had explanatory paragraphs simply describing what one was going to be reading next.  And nearly every paragraph has a three-four word phrase describing the paragraph subject matter.  The entire Bible was laid out in daily readings, but in a chronological order. I thought this would help me understand better.  So I bought the book.  Tim bought a book that gives him daily readings of old testament, new testament, Psalms, and Proverbs.  We have both been very diligent in our daily readings at the breakfast table.  The best way to start out each new day.

To my surprise, I have been deeply absorbed into the pages of this book.  I am about 20 days ahead in my daily readings.  It is much more understandable.  So much of what I have read I have gleaned through bits and pieces throughout a lifetime of Sunday School stories and lessons, Bible studies,  and sermons.  The stories and events are all there, but it's all the descriptive events that tie it all together that has become so interesting and amazing.  I am currently in the fifth book, Deuteronomy, and the Jewish people are just getting ready to finally enter into the land of Canan - the promised land  - and Moses is turning over leadership to Joshua as Moses is preparing to die.

When Moses dies, so ends the life of the greatest man of God since Abraham.  As Abraham had taught his family and people about faith, Moses had taght a nation about law.   And in centuries to come, One greater than them both will teach the whole world about love and grace ~ Jesus. 
I am amazed at how the exodus and the lives of the Jewish people so parrallel our world, society and personal lives today.  Sometimes I think not much has changed.  Except that Jesus sacrificed his life for us, and we are no longer under all the sacrificial laws of the old testament.  Those 12 tribes must have had thousands or millions of  livestock because they were always having to present blood sacrifices for one thing or another.  Today, we are covered by the blood sacrifice of Jesus himself to redeem us.

So far its all been about God's chosen people, the Jews - the Israelites - the descendents of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob - all stories I have learned in the past, but reading in this context is enlightening, interesting, educational, informative, inspiring, and certainly eventful.  I eagerly anticipate the sequence of the rest of the stories, like Samson, Goliath, the Judges,  Daniel, Ruth, and many more old testament stories, and gain a better spiritual understanding of everything that leads up to the New Testament.

One thing I did not know was that Jesus did not come from the lineage of Rachael, but rather from the lineage of Leah.

I have alot to get through yet in the next ten months.  I hope I can stay on track.  I know I will complete this challenge,  even if it takes me longer than a year.  I am so glad I found this particular Bible. 

My new son-in-law, Val, is of Jewish descent, and this is all about his Jewish history and heritage.  My prayer is for him to know and accept the Jesus that is truly the King of the Jews, through the lineage that started with Abraham, through the God that led these people to become the nation of Israel, still God's chosen people. 

The Event ~ College Ministry

Sunday, February 16, Tim and I hosted 12 young college students in our home for lunch.  College students who attend our church, Monument Bible Church.  The church has a ministry to feed college students after church on Sundays.  Whoever wants to feed the students, either in their home or in the church fellowship hall just signs up for a Sunday on the sign-up sheet at church.  This is the second time we have done this.

We didn't know how many to expect, because every Sunday is different as to number of students who come.  It could be as few as three or as many as fifteen.  This time we had twelve.  What a delightful group of young people.  These students actually all go to Frontier Bible College in Lagrange, WY.  Sometimes, there are some present from WNCC as well. 

They said this was a good Sunday for them because the homework was light this weekend.  So they were able to linger longer after lunch.  They enjoyed exploring the farm yard and buildings and playing with Merle.  We enjoyed visiting with them until about 3:15 in the afternoon.  It's interesting that they come from all over the country to attend this little Bible College in this little tiny village of 150 people.  I always think it must be quite a culture shock for them, but they all know what they are coming to before they get here.  When school is in session, the village population explodes to 300 people.  The students we had the pleasure of feeding were from Montana, Michigan, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Washington, eastern Nebraska, and I forget where else. 

We served chili and chicken noodle soup, cinnamin rolls and chocolate pie, coconut/banana cream pie, and lemon merange pie.  It was a good fellowship event.  In church we at the last minute invited our new friends and neighbors from church, Elsie and Bill Gregory, to join us.  I knew we had plenty of food regardless of how many showed up.  Bill is the carpenter who rebuilt my round oak table, and I have been wanting to have them over to share a meal with us around our new table.  It was a fun time. 

I remember when Cash was in Indiana serving as youth director in a church there after graduation from college, he was always invited to someone's house for dinner after church.  I thought that was so awesome that church members would invite young people into their home for a meal.  A ministry event that is so appreciated by young students who are so far away from home.  God is good!

The Event ~ The Beatles Change Music History

On February 7, 1964 The Beatles arrived in New York greeted by scores of screaming, swooning fans who rushed the gate to catch a glimpse of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr ~ the famous group of talented young singers from England that was turning the music world upside down.  Two nites later on Sunday, February 9, 1964 millions of tv viewers  in the United States watched The Beatles perform on the "Ed Sullivan Show".  The event has been recorded in music history as the nite the Beatles changed America! 

I remember it so well.  In my memory lane, it is right there with the John F. Kennedy assassination, as famous events that changed history!

The Beatles were an icon of my youth.  I was 14 in 1964.  I had many of their records and still have one today.  I don't understand how my single 45 "Yellow Submarine" Beatle record managed to survive the exit of all my other childhood possessions. 

I also recently came across a newspaper article I clipped from our local newspaper when the Beatles arrived in America.  Again, I have no idea how this clipping has followed me through the last 50 years.  But it was among some other items in a box with all my school yearbooks. 

To this day I still really like their music.  I so much enjoyed watching the 50 year tribute on CBS last nite and seeing Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr perform together again, even though they are 70+.   What an eventful step down memory lane.   Can't believe it's been 50 years!



As The Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964



Top:  John Lennon, Paul McCartney.  Bottom:  George Harrison, Ringo Starr

Those who didn't grow up with The Beatles just won't get it!  This is my own tribute to an icon of my youth!  Eventful memories!

The Event ~ Beef and Basketball

Our trips to Linclon are far and few between.  We probably make three – four trips a year to Lincoln, which is not very many considering we have seven grandkids living there.  One would think we would get there more often.  But we are still unretired working class grandparents, which doesn’t allow us to travel far on a whim.

We made a Saturday-Monday trip to Lincoln January 25 because we had to deliver 3 ¼ processed beef to Janel & Tim and seven of their friends.  That’s about 2500 pounds of beef cuts on the back of our pickup.  It wasn’t the coldest of days, but temperatures remained in the 40’s and 50’s for most of the six-hour road trip, so the beef stayed frozen on the bed of the pickup.  We laid it on insulation board and then covered it with five heavy blankets.    We anticipate taking more next year, as they are repeat customers and each year we get another new customer in Lincoln.

 

We also had the opportunity to watch Jon play two basketball games.  Jon is in sixth grade and plays Y basketball on a Catholic sponsored team.  Both games were close and the first went into overtime.  Jon’s team won  the first and lost the second.  I thought Jon did a great job and shows great potential to play high school basketball in a few years. 

It was a fun event to watch Jon play ball.  We don’t get the opportunity to watch our grandkids play the sporting events very often, but do try each year to get in a football game or a baseball game, and now a basketball game.  Eventful sporting events which we enjoy when we can!

Not everyone is into the game as much as Mom and Grandma!  It still is good family time, though!

The Event ~ Schloss Neuschwanstein

I saw this beautiful picture of the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, and it brought back so many memories of  our trip to Germany in October 2006.  I decided such a memorable trip deserves a blog post of its own.  Tim and I toured this awesome castle, as well as a couple other castles.  The picture below is what it looked like during our autumn tour. 

We also toured the Cologne Cathedral in Cologne with Daniel Meurer and his family.  What an awesome experience.  We even got to go down to the Cathedral Treasury in the basement which houses all the precious gold and jewels.  Below is a picture of the Cathedral from the river front.  Following is a post card picture of the Cathedral left standing after the bombing of the city during World War II in 1945.



following WW II bombing of the city.  Cathedral stays standing!

Other places we visisted:



A bird's eye view of Munich

This is where the Passion Play every ten years takes place.

We toured the city of Salzburg, Austria

Our exchange student Daniel took us to Brussels Belgium for a day.

The walled city of Zons on the Rhein River

In the little walled village of Zons



Many beautiful flowers in Oberammergau





Our grandkids even sent us a "send off"note that I still have!



Enjoying a scenic boat ride down the Rhein.  Beautiful scenery.

This was a wonderful trip filled with wonderful memories and I'm glad to be able to preserve some of these memories and pictures in my eventful blog book.  I would love to return to Germany again, but also have so many other eventful places I wish to visit.  

The Event ~ Back to the Future (Or Photo Makeover)

When all the family was home at Christmas someone had the brilliant idea that we should take some old photos from the albums and recreate the same photos today.  After quickly browsing through a couple photo albums I selected a few old gems to "recreate."   It was a fun and hilarious experiment, and one that brought many laughs, and good memories.  See the "then" and "now" pictures below:

That's a brite lite toy in the top picture, and an I-pad in the bottom picture.  They do look similar.  Notice the same yellow bat, the same bumble bee pull toy and the same rattle.  Cash is laying on the same baby quilt.

It's the same raggedy ann doll from the past!  How fun is that??

The little red wagon was not placed quite right, but that's ok!

 

We had alot of fun doing these.  An eventful recreation for sure!

HAPPY MEMORIES!

The Event ~ Christmas 2013!

  

It was nearly a repeat of Christmas 2011!  We hosted the Stricker family Christmas, and again there were 26 of us for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  The only difference was my Mom was not here, but our new son-in-law, Val, was.   Tim made prime rib again for Christmas day dinner.  Noodle soup and butterballs was on the menu for Christmas Eve after the church service.  Everybody brought food and goodies to share, and the food was plentiful.  The fellowship fun.  And the games and gifting enjoyable.

     

We again had a gift exchange among the adults that was suppose to be recycled or home made.  Those that recycled did an excellent job – from the full sewing basket from Great Grandma’s many years of use given to Alexandra from Great Grandpa; to the 14 pound sledge hammer from Tim’s shop given to Bobby.   Bobby did an excellent job making a table top cradle out of an old whiskey barrel for Cash. That was a big hit and I think we all want to put in an order for one!  For the most part, most of the exchange gifts were once again from the store.  But they were all a hit too!  Alexis received a spoon rest, and what was special about that was that she and Val both said they have been looking for one and needing one, but couldn’t find one.  Perfect! 

  

My goofy grandsons Jacob and Josh!

Christmas Day Janel, Alexis, Annie and I got in a morning walk.  In the afternoon, a group walked up the Scotts Bluff National Monument.  The day was beautiful with 60 degree weather.  The kids almost didn’t get in their traditional football game, but late in the afternoon, football did take place on the front lawn. 

The young cousins took advantage of the warmer weather to hike the Scotts Bluff National Monument on Christmas afternoon.  A fun way to work off that big dinner!

Another eventful family Christmas to be treasured.  The true treasure at Christmas  time is the gift of Jesus Christ, God's Son and the Savior of the world.  Jesus is why we celebrate Christmas.  Jesus is why there is a Christmas.  A blessed event to be sure!