Christmas Newsletter

OK. I didn't get Christmas cards out last year and I have been feeling kind of bad about it. I did write one of those Christmas Newsletters that pastors always seem to send out. I swear it is not something they teach at seminary. There is no such thing as "Christmas Newsletters 101" .   I decided to post the newsletter here on my blog and then send out an email to those I would have sent a card to. So here it is. Our Christmas Newsletter. 

Happy New Year from the Amlin Family

MAY YOU HAVE PEACE AND JOY NOW AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

P is in the midst of his internship year for seminary. He commutes daily to a 2 point parish in rural Iowa. A 2 point parish is where one pastor serves two separate congregations. The churches are located in L N and OJ, Iowa. Small town living at it’s best. It is a very different life and landscape than what we are use to. P has been discovering his preaching style and learning to lead worship. This year P initiated an attempt at a larger garden. We tilled the earth and planted the seeds and much to our surprise we had great success. You can look at the ground and grow things here. We grew tomatoes, green beans, peppers and carrots. Not one rabbit got in our garden!

I have learned more about country living, corn and livestock then I thought I ever would. Did you know that the color of a chicken’s egg is determined by the color of their ears? Who knew they had colored ears!? I have learned how to make a great blueberry pie, knit (You would be proud of me Mrs. Mathre), and hope to try my hand at quilting. Hey, the winter’s are long here. The people of L N and OJ are very kind and patient. They are eager to share with us their way of life with us. It has been a great experience being immersed in rural life.

T graduates from High School this coming year and plans to attend college in the South. He wants to pursue a degree in the filmmaking and is still interested in aviation. His dream job would be working for National Geographic while traveling the world.  This fall he started working as a “Petcare Specialist”. A fancy title for the guy who cleans out the cages. He enjoys working with the animals and so far he hasn’t brought any work home with him.

Uncle S is doing great. He has a very busy schedule. Monday he heads to school to sharpen his skills at reading and math. He works two mornings a week and the other two days are spent making friends and working on “life skills” with his caseworker. This past summer he attended a week long camp. He came home exhausted!

Big News

Maquoketa (pronounced muh-COKE-it-uh), Iowa is a larger town (pop. 6,000) near Lost Nation & Oxford Junction. Most people go there to grocery shop, see a dentist and they even have a small hospital there.  Here is the link to the city.  Well, there is big news in Maquoketa. There was a huge fire. I mean HUGE!!

As the firemen were trying to put out the fire, the water froze before it hit the fire because it was TEN BELOW ZERO!!! Then the CITY RAN OUT OF WATER!!!! Crazy I'm telling you! Thank goodness no one was hurt. 

Here is the story reported by KCRG in Cedar Rapids:

Maquoketa Fire
Josh Hinkle, Anchor/Reporter

As many as five businesses in downtown Maquoketa are now gone, and four families living in the apartments above are now homeless. Firefighters from nearly 20 departments battled the blaze early Saturday morning that stretched nearly a half block.

A thick plume of smoke visible from miles away drew dozens to downtown Maquoketa. An early morning fire gutted an entire city block. A once historic setting is now burned beyond recognition.

Every department in Jackson County showed up, along with several others from outside the area, even as far away as Illinois.

Temperatures dropped to ten below zero causing plenty of problems for firefighters and their equipment. The water used to douse the flames quickly turned into icicles.

Firefighters used up the town's water supply, and soon had to truck in water from the Maquoketa River.

The fire destroyed Jackson County Home Furnishings, Breitbach Floor Coverings, Sue's Hallmark, Pickle Barrel Subs, Smiles on Main, Ameriprise Financial and ASAC.


I couldn't help myself and had to stop on the way home from church to see it for myself. It will be interesting to see how the community comes together. The folks in the Midwest know how to take care of each other. Check out this link  to see more photos.

Midwest Living Lesson # 49

Uff da

Uff da is a Midwest saying I have heard from time to time. It always surprises me to hear someone say it. The first time I heard someone say “Uff da” I thought they had gas.

Wikpedia defines “Uff da” as an exclamation of Scandinavian origin that is relatively common in the Upper Midwestern states of the United States as a term for sensory overload. It can be used as an expression of surprise, astonishment, exhaustion, relief and sometimes dismay.

Here are some examples a friend gave me. He happens to be Scandinavian and from the Midwest so I consider him to be a good authority. Let me point out that some of these examples take place on a farm.
Why Not!

Trying to dance the polka to rock and roll music

Losing your wad of gum in the chicken yard

Arriving late at a lutefisk supper and getting served minced ham instead

Looking in the mirror and discovering you're not getting better, just older

Trying to pour two buckets of manure into one bucket

Having a mouse crawl up your leg when you're on a hayload

Eating hot soup when you've got a runny nose

Getting out of bed in the morning with a backache

Getting swished in the face with a cow's wet tail

Waking yourself up in church with your own snoring

Forgetting your mother-in-law's first name

Things I have learned about snow:

1. Don’t take your car to the car wash when the temperature is below freezing. Your doors will freeze shut. (Know this from experience)

2. Don’t roll your window down in an attempt to wipe the snow off. The snow always falls inside of the car. (Also know from experience)

3. If snow lands on the seat of your car while getting in, don’t sit on it. Your body heat will melt it making your bottom cold and wet. (Yup, this one too)

4. If it looks slippery that’s because it is slippery.

5. Long underwear is your new best friend.

How to yank a pastor's chain

Conversation at the breakfast table:

Me: Easter is March 23rd this year!

17 yr old son: What's Easter?

Me: That's when the Easter Bunny comes!

Paul: Sighs and shakes his head no.