“Feed the poor, help those in trouble.” Isaiah 58:20

Every week, I am eager to see what photo Chris Sorensen has taken to place on the front cover of the 138 year old Kiowa County Press. Two weeks ago, it was an early morning photo, when it was still dark, of the wonderful ten or more pine trees that Denise Nelson’s Future Business Leaders of America club of high school students had set up and decorated. What a delight it has been for Eads citizens and visitors who have driven by GN Bank on Maine Street to view it. They worked hard to organize and set up all those pines. One evening at a basketball game, I visited with some lovely girls and guys who were at table in the entry way. They said the FBLA lead officers are Colin Nelson and Case Nelson. I think the pretty girls were officers also, Kennedy Gyurman and Emma Wollert. They were assisted by Jayson Bletzacker at the time I was there. In fact they showed me the engraved bell I had ordered to be hung on one of the pine trees. I asked them, “How are you going to be sure the silver bells with the holly and ribbon will stay on in this Colorado wind?” The members quickly responded, “Oh, we will wire them on the trees.” I was glad that, as a member of the Eads Chamber of Commerce, I could thank them for advertising and then judging the homes that had been entered in the home Christmas decoration contest. They also judged the homes for our Treasurer Brandon Hoffman to award the Prizes. First place, with gorgeous lighting, was the home of J. D. and Lacy Van Campen. The second place was awarded to Jerry and Tina Adamson, and the third place was given to Trey and Alyssa Eder. These families and other people in town and the country made extra efforts to beautify their homes!

Image

I heard that there were pleasant Christmas Eve services at our local churches. I was so blessed to be in my favorite church to be in on Christmas Eve, and that was at the Haswell Community Church, to see many of my family members and friends, otherwise I would be with my church family in Kit Carson Trinity Lutheran. My friend, Liz Hulteen, was kind to drive me over to Haswell, and then to drive me up and down Maine Street and other streets to see the pretty homes. I love my home town.

The best memory of Christmas Day for me is that Pastor Barton came from Lamar to have lunch me at Weisbrod, and then he sang and played is guitar for us.

One day in December, the committee of the Weisbrod Auxiliary came up to judge the decorated doors. Not as many as usual staff signed up to decorate resident doors. Alyssa Hadley Eder felt badly that all the resident doors were not decorated, so she and her little grade school daughter, Atlee, decorated doors beautifully doors till late one night. So, I was pleased when the committee results were posted to read that Alyssa had won four placings. Wouldn’t her grandmother, Lougene Jacobs, have been proud of her creative talent? Yes! We were pleased to hear young Charlie Prince play some piano solos for us that he was going to play at Prairie Pines that afternoon when he went there with Alice Glover. 

The Prairie Pines residents and the Weisbrod residents were pleased to receive pretty plaid lap blankets in December from Colorado Resources of Lamar.

We were glad that Vera (Fell) Hammons went to the funeral in Lamar of our former table mate, DeAnne Tyner.

We are sad to hear of the death recently of Bob Ashmore who lived the last few years at Prairie Pines. He was an artistic man who liked to do wood engraving art and difficult diamond art projects. Then, after Christmas, we heard that our dear Mary Shafer of Haswell died. She often walked west to the church. Her funeral services were January 3.

It was nice to see Greg and Nancy Miller’s grandchildren (about 18, I think) and their parents to walk over to church Christmas Eve. We admire their blended family. Maybe I like the idea of walking to church because all my life, I have ridden 20 to 36 miles one way to go to church.

The lives of our family changed suddenly in the early morning of December 22 when my dear brother, Virgil Allen Lessenden, died suddenly. Although he had been in the emergency room for many hours Saturday, we thought he was better. That night, before he went to bed, Virgil kissed his wife, Wanda, and said, “I love you.” What a precious memory. I want to encourage you to tell people you like and love – often – “I love you.” We do thank all the hundreds of people who came to his funeral in Haswell, and those who called because they could not be with us. We are so thankful for all our family members who came from distances to be with us. Especially that the Army let Blake drive from Kentucky to be with us, and to deliver the obituary. Remember to speak and show “I love you.” And remember, friends, “there is always hope.”

A blessed new year to you!