Christmas memories

I have been ask to share my childhood memories for the children at church tonight . So I have been thinking about it this past week. What was Christmas like for my family in the 1950's?
Our family did not go to Grandpa's house for Christmas like Marvin's family did. By the time I was five years old, my paternal grandparents had passed away. About that time, my maternal aunts had grandchildren of their own and had their own family Christmas. Since my mother was much younger than her siblings, we spent almost every Christmas at home. But we did not feel sorry for ourselves! As long as I can remember, it was impressed on us "This is Jesus' birthday!" For weeks the excitement would build to a cresendo level! My mother would order a decorated cake from the baker. The words on top of the cake said "Happy Birthday Jesus". "How old is Jesus?" I often wondered. Our parents did not have a lot of money to buy presents. Some of the " really big" gifts were my first doll with hair, my first and only bike and my first wrist watch. I still have all three of them today. Some of our family activities reflect the interest of my two parents. Daddy usually led us in singing one Christmas carol after another. Mom often had a special "Christmas story" to read to us.
One year my parents bought a cardboard fireplace. It looked like a red brick fireplace with a cardboard log and red light bulb. When we plugged in the light, we felt like we had a real cozy fireplace...just like they do in story books.
As Christmas approached, the excitement steadily increased. When we shopped in Ephrata, we begged to go up to the second floor to see Toy Land. We did not expect our parents to buy any of the toys for us. It was just fun to look at all of them. I can still see all the pretty dolls on the shelves! My brothers looked at the toy trains and cars. One of the most fun things at that store was to ride the 1912 elevator, one of the first elevators in PA. It was built like an open black iron cage big enough to hold about 4-5 people - if they were not too big. You could actually see the supporting cables outside the cage...and hoped they did not break when you were part way up to the next floor.
When we shopped in Lancaster we could watch the animated displays at Watt & Shand. The one display had two little kid goats in a pillow fight with feathers flying in every direction. When the door to their room slowly opened, and their mother peeked in the room, she would see two little goats "pretend sleeping" in their bed. As soon as Mama goat closed the door, the pillow fight would resume.
Our family attended a small mission church in another county. My Dad rented a bus to take most of the church people Christmas caroling. We went to many homes tucked in the hills of Berks Co. I loved to stand beside the Weaver sisters and hear them sing the beautiful carols of Christmas...and even teach us some new ones. Enroute from one home to another we had a breath taking view of the gaily decorated Christmas Village...while adults commented on the enormous electric bill those folks must pay in December.
A week or so before Christmas the ladies from church came to our house to bake Christmas cookies. Even some older town ladies came to help. We baked cookies to distribute to some needy families and divide among ourselves.
About that time my Dad would set up the train on the dining room table. He started with an engine and a few cars with a small track. Every year he added something new like more cars, trees, and small buildings. If we had permission, we could put a little white pill in the smoke stack of the engine. Then while the engine went around the track, it would give of little white puffs of smoke, just like the real train that went though town. We thought that was the grandest thing you can imagine!

This poem came in an early Christmas card. I love it!

Memories are a special house
We build inside ourselves
Where love and laughter linger
Where all our past life dwells.
On holidays like Christmas
We can draw upon the store
Reliving happy times
And feeling all that warmth once more.
Wherever we may travel
The house is always there
To help to blend the old and new
To build on, grow and share.
This house can never get too full
Just grow from floor to floor,
Because the joy of making memories
Is always making more.

Make some memories for you and yours this Christmas. May they focus on the real reason for the celebration..the birth of Jesus...God's unspeakable Gift to us!

Berlin Walls of Today

World War II ended just weeks after my birth. The Cold War was in full swing during my childhood and youth. Swarms of returning soldiers were landing in their homeland during those years. Warily, my sister and I checked the porch roof for soldiers before we tucked ourselves into bed at night. When the shrill air raid siren from our local town screamed loud and long on a school day, we students clambered to hide under the school desk until the "threat of danger" had passed. The Russians and Communism were a real world threat. US Army planes overhead and the words "Maybe the Russians are coming" would send shivers of fear through my whole body. Krushav, the Russian leader's threat "we will bury you" was a familiar line known by everyone...from children to the hoary head. . We never dreamed we'd live to see the day when the powers of communism woud lie in ruin. The Berlin Wall separated family members and friends in that German city for so many years. It was a wonderful testimony of God's prevailing power when communism fell in 1989 and the Berlin Wall came down piece by piece.
But as long as humanity exists and the prince of darkness has a measure of liberty, people will hate and destroy each other.
Recently I came to this website www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/11/05/todays-berlin-walls and pondered.
The article states there are five walls existing today.
#1- The Israel/Palestine "Separation barrier". The Israeli's proposed a physical barrier in 2002 to prevent terrorists from entering Israeli territory. When we visited Israel in 2008, we observed first hand some of the severe hardships this barrier creates for ordinary, non-violent citizens of the West Bank.
#2- US/Mexico border fence. In 2006 a 700 mile long fence on the US/Mexico was approved by the US government. A majority of Americans support building a fence along the entire border. We have been eyewitnesses of this "wall" and some of the ramifications involved.
#3- The Korean Demilitarized Zone- This heavily militarized zone divides North and South Korea since WWII.
#4- The Wagah Border Crossing (India-Pakistan) The border between these two countries has been relatively peaceful for the past six decades. But in Wagah, a divided town hosts the only road link between India and Pakistan, their rivalry is displayed every night. During a ritual ceremony the India and Pakistan soldiers pass within six inches of each other every night with the "legal line" between them before shutting down the road and lowering their flags. Their animosity is waning as evidenced by the ceremony that now ends with a brief handshake between the rival soldiers.
#5- The Great Firewall of China- China's Ministry of Information Industry has manned the world's largest Internet censorship and filtering system. About 40,000 cyber police monitor the country's Internet users. While it may not be a physical wall, the users are not permitted to access the complete World Wide Web which limits their interaction with the outside world.
These boundaries and walls between nations and peoples are a sad commentary on humanity. And I think of a familiar hymn by Kirk & Deby Dearman based on a prayer by St Francis of Assisi (13th century)
Lord, make me an instrument of you peace,
Where there is hatred let Your love increase,
Lord, make us instruments of Your peace,
Walls of pride and prejudice shall cease
When we are Your instruments of peace.

Where there is hatred, let me show love
Where there is injury, we will never judge,
Where there is striving, we will speak His peace
To the people crying for release
We will be Your instruments of peace.

Where there is blindness, we will pray for sight,
Where there is darkness, we will shine His light.
Where there is sadness, we will bear their grief,
To the millions crying for release
We will be Your instruments of peace.



Let the walls of pride and prejudice come down.......for His glory!

Shipping Out

Over the years, our place has become somewhat of a mini- distribution center for various causes. It is not a job that was officially assigned to us but it is one we enjoy.
Today I dragged this pile of bags down from the attic where they have been waiting . Tomorrow we plan to attend the Christian Aid Ministries (CAM) open house near Ephrata. So they will begin the journey to who-knows-where. Included in the stash is outgrown clothing, sewing supplies, several comforters from our sewing circle group, used Sunday School material and empty pill bottles. Neighbors, friends and church people have all made their contribution to the collection.
For many years we collected used Sunday School books to send to Nigeria where they were used at a youth camp. But the duty fees for them to receive the boxes became too costly for their budget. So now we send them to CAM for distribution instead.




Another project of the day was to prepare this stack of boxes to be sent to Northern Youth Programs (NYP) . Many of the contents are donations from our congregation. The ladies sewing circle is sending a box with six baby comforters for a missionary to distribute to native mothers. Our church's annual kitchen linen project for NYP yielded almost 100 tea towels, 42 dish cloths, a dozen hot pads, plus some hand towels, a bath towel and a few wash cloths. One dear older sister canned 15 qt of green beans out of the summer abundance. A young woman went on a shopping spree and hopes to bless her friends in the North with several boxes of personal items. Of course, we added some things to send to my brother and his family who live at Sioux Lookout where they serve the Lord and the church. An older couple in our church plans to pick up the boxes next week. They graciously offered to collect the boxes at several locations north of Harrisburg and take them to Lebanon where they will be loaded on a truck to take their long journey up the north road.
Next month our church plans to assemble Christmas bundles for the Shining Light Children's Home in Tijuana. Last year we had the special privilege of personally distributing them to the children when we visited the Shining Light Home. How blessed we are to be part of the whole chain of those who "distribute to the necessity of the saints" around the world!
The next thing I'd like to ship out is the mice that are invading our domain this week! We do not feel blessed by their presence!
But who would want them? So the question remains...where do we ship them? Russia, China, Haiti, Mexico, Canada , Timbuktu...or Mifflinburg? Maybe on the back porch to the CAT.

Landis Valley post #2

Next post on Landis Valley Museum.. how do you like the rules for teachers in 1872?
This cupboard in Henry & George's family was one of their family heirlooms. Marvin remembers the 20 cats that inhabited this room with Henry & George. He says the cats would climb the window shades and play with the pull strings.

The outside of Henry & George Landis' house. Good they were bachelors...what woman would have put up with the 80,000 to 100,000 items they had stored in a few buildings before the state took over and made a real museum out of their collection.

This group almost made you look over your shoulder to see the Alps on the horizon.

Below: This is the house where my Uncle George and Aunt Emeline Felpel lived near Landis Valley. The barn, chicken houses and other out buildings are gone. The long lane is gone and you access the property by a new street. It is surrounded by new houses in a development. But the sun room to the left of the house makes it easy to identify. It appears to have the same old tin roof. When I was growing up in the 1950's this house seemed to me the epitome of elegance. There was glass french doors between the living and dining room, a sun room, the grand old piano in the living room, winding stairway to second floor...

My Grandma had a broken pelvis when she and Aunt Emeline were involved in an accident at Landis Valley not far from here. Aunt Emeline gave her excellent care while she recuperated in the sun room. ( I think that room must have shrunk..it had to be bigger than it appears now:-))The accident happened on the front lawn of the Henry H Landis home (Marvin's grandparents). We both remember going to view the damages to the black iron fence and lawn after the accident. But we did not meet there.

Another thing I admired about the Felpel place was Aunt Emeline had a bird bath in the middle of the lawn in front of the house. Bleeding heart plants circled the bird bath. The only photo we have of my sister Lucille (in my mother's arms) was taken in front of this house.

Landis Valley Museum

This is the house where my Uncle George and Aunt Emeline lived near Landis Valley. My Grandma had a broken pelvis after she and Aunt Emeline were involved in an accident on the front lawn of the Henry H Landis home. Marvin & I both remember going to the scene after the accident to view the damages....but we did not meet there. My Grandma recuperated in the sun room (attached to left of house) with Aunt Emeline's excellent care. I remember a bird bath surrounded bleeding heart plants in the middle of this lawn. The only picture of my baby sister Lucille with my mother was taken in this front yard. The barn, chicken houses and other outbuildings are gone...but the sun room still has the old tin roof! I thought the interior of this house was so grand with french doors between the living and dining room, a big, old piano in the living room, the sun room, the winding stairway to upstairs...it seemed like the epitome of elegance in the 1950's.

The Landis Valley Museum school house has a list of rules posted for teachers in 1872. How do you like this?

Engraving a tombstone with wooden mallet and chisel. Slow tedious work!

Ever since my mother died in 1993, my sisters and I plan an activity to celebrate one of our birthdays. Sometimes our brothers and their wives are included. This year my youngest sister Carol and I exchanged our birthdays. I chose to attend the Harvest Days at Landis Valley Farm Museum the week of Carol's (Oct 7) birthday. Lester had to work and Merle is in Thailand so it was just the three girls this time. Landis Valley Museum is a highlight for Marvin since his Grandpa Henry H. Landis farm has been swallowed up by the museum that Henry and George started years ago. The guide told us they collected between 80,000 to 100,000 items. Good they were both bachelors or they would not have gotten away with stashing so much in their few small buildings. The first time I attended the museum was on a class trip in 1956. George and Henry served as the tour guides if I remember correctly. The cupboard below was an original Landis family piece. Marvin remembers visiting this house that about 20 cats inhabited with Henry & George. They would climb the window shade in this room.

Last spring our oldest daughter and her homeschool children invited us to accompany them to the Homeschool event there. That's what drew us back in October for Harvest Days on Saturday. They had a lot of demonstrations like slaw making, candle making, butchering, weaving, spinning flax, and more.

We saw the school house, Marvin's Grandpa Landis' house, the country store, and more. At the store we learned that eggs would cost $6-9 dozen if they would be in proportion to today's income. Reason: Chickens did not live under electric lights nor have some of the newer feed improvements etc. so they only laid eggs seasonally..in the spring and summer. If you ever had a birthday cake, it was very special. Too bad if you had a winter birthday..eggs were out of season. At the end we enjoyed some German music. It almost felt like the Alps might be on the horizon.

I tried adding more pictures...but it did not work for me. Maybe I will post more pcitrues on a new post.

Taste of Swiss-German culture

Today we went to Landis Valley Museum Harvest Days. Ever since our mother passed away in 1993, my sisters and I do something special on our birthdays. The birthday girl plans the activity. One year Romaine & I exchanged birthdays so she could plan a summer activity and I could plan something for December. This year my youngest sister ,Carol and I agreed to exchange birthdays because my choice was at Landis Valley.

The museum is home stomping ground for Marvin. His grandparent's farm has become part of the museum's property. It was an interesting day! Do you know that the cost of eggs would be about $6-9 dozen in comparison to today's income? Why were they so expensive? Because chickens laid eggs seasonally before there was electric lights and other improvements. Chickens lived longer, but the eggs were almost nonexistent in winter. That means you did not get a birthday cake if you had a winter birthday. If you had a birthday cake any time of year, it was a very special treat.

The simple life of the settler's cabin would seem appealing but it was not an easy life! Consider raising your own flax to spin and weave your own homespun cloth, make your own candles, butcher and smoke your meat and much more. And we tend to think their lives were lived at a slower pace???

The last thing we did was watch this group do their thing....close your eyes and pretend you see the Alps somewhere on the horizon.