by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart - 2014
Normally
I don't share this much about myself at one time in Heart to Heart, and
some of these details have never been shared at all, but for the sake
of "keeping it real," here it goes. Numbers 24 and 25 are matters for
prayer, please.
1.
At the age of six I invited Jesus into my life as my Lord and Savior. I
still remember the exact moment, where I was, and how I felt, as I
cried over the fact that my sin caused Jesus to die on the cross.
2.
My mother had a great influence on my life in every way, and it was
terribly hard for me when she died of cancer at the young age of 63. My
dear father joined her one week before 9/11. I thank the Lord for them
and have so many wonderful memories of them both. In fact, I married a
man very much like my dad. I look forward to joining both of my dear
parents in our Heavenly Home someday.
3.
I credit the Lord as well as my mother for any creativity I have. I
love to do many crafts including handmade cards, jewelry, and enjoy
trying to make new things. Sewing, machine embroidery, quilting, and
photography are probably at the top of my list right now, and I enjoy
making gifts for my family and others.
4.
I loved going to our wonderful church camp in the woodlands of
Pennsylvania by a lake. But I was so homesick that first year (age 8),
and remember how soaked my pillow got one night from crying myself to
sleep, although I stayed the whole week, and even learned how to swim in
the lake that year. Then I went every year after that, and some years I
earned a free week by learning lots of Bible verses.
5.
For the first 5 1/2 years of school (didn't go to kindergarten), I
walked a mile each way to a one room schoolhouse in the country. After
graduating from college in home economics and education, I taught
elementary and high school home economics for a brief time before
marrying the love of my life. Then I worked as an assistant food service
supervisor at Penn State for three years, but I have especially loved
being a stay-at-home-mom ever since our first child was born, and did
sewing alterations, custom sewing, made cut-up cakes for others, did
child care, and other small jobs at home.
6.
I have always found it fun and rewarding to organize spaces in our
home, but now I find I'm running out of energy to get everything done.
7.
I loved playing with dolls so much as a child. When I was 12 and my
parents wouldn't buy me the doll I really wanted for Christmas, I bought
her with my babysitting money. I still love dolls and have several
sitting around in my home.
8.
I used to play an accordion, but now I enjoy playing a keyboard at
home, with the appropriate keys lighting up for the notes to 100
different songs. It also plays the background music. It's so enjoyable
and relaxing. Now I wish I had continued taking piano lessons. Maybe I
didn't because my older sister played so well by ear, and I knew I'd
never be as good as her, but we are the best of friends.
9. John and I have been happily married for more than 45 years. 
He was born 9 months before me. Interesting numbers: My birthday is on
the 10th, John's is on the 6th, and we were married on the 16th of
different months (10+6=16). A blind friend pointed out that math
equation to me just recently!
10.
As a child I drove a tractor on our farm, rode on the back of an old
hay rake and lifted the lever every time my dad yelled, "Dump," jumped
out the barn door onto a big pile of straw, helped to butcher cattle,
rode a goat and promptly fell off, milked a cow, helped to thrash wheat
the old-fashioned way, caught lots of frogs in our pond, helped our
family to plant a thousand strawberry plants (and pick them), learned to
work hard, and loved to go ice skating on our pond.
11. When each child of ours was expecting
their own first baby, I gave them a notebook including the kids' quotes
from our three children, as well as all the baby book information from
each one. Then when their first baby was born, I made them
each a cloth quiet book of thirty-two pages to use with their children.
Now I am making a large heirloom quilt for each of our five grandchild
in their own color choices, and am almost finished with the second
quilt.
12.
My husband is my best friend and we pray together. Many evenings we
love watching Hallmark or other good movies together that we've taped on
the DVR, so we can save time (and boredom) by skipping the commercials. John made
dinner for us both last night (his idea) so I could continue working on
the newsletter, and he brought me a waffle this morning! What a guy!
Yes, I always knew how very blessed I am to have John as my husband! He
has built so many things for me around the house - an entertainment
center, lamps, three bridges, rose arbor, hanging suet feeders, to name a
few, and he fixes everything.
13.
Essential oils are a recent fascination for me, after my
daughter shared with me a year ago some of the many things they can do.
I have been learning which oils will help specific ailments, and love
it. We've made several healthier concoctions for everyday use, using
the oils, and enjoy sharing with each other what we have learned. Our
daughters-in-law are learning along with me, and we've made some
concoctions together as well.
14.
I have always enjoyed finding ways to be thrifty, maybe because my
parents lived through the depression. Making my own laundry soap is one
way I enjoy saving money (cost of only 3 cents per load and it works great with no harmful chemicals)!
15. It is my passion and prayer that every baby in the womb will have the opportunity for life and love.
16. John and I have lived in the same ranch style home for forty-one years, and he finished off the walk-out basement years ago. All three of our children were raised in this house.
17.
We have 3 awesome kids, 2 amazing daughters-in-law, a great son-in-law,
and 5 precious and adorable grandkids - so far (ages 1 to 11)! All of
our children and other family members live a distance away - one child's
family lives in state, but 2 hours away. We spend a week at the beach
together most summers, and they all come here for Thanksgiving. Now
that my husband has retired from engineering, we are able to visit each
of them more often, and we enjoy helping them with various projects while in
their home.
18. My husband and I each grew up on Pennsylvania farms and had lots of "pets." Now we are content to go without.
19.
We have never been on a cruise. Canada is the only other country we
have visited (4-5 times), but we'd love to go to Israel sometime to walk
where Jesus walked. There are thirteen states I haven't been in -
yet. John has been in a few more than I have, because of business.
Neither of us has been to Hawaii, but maybe someday. (Update: We went on our first cruise in January, 2016 with the Booth Brothers, Collingsworth Family, Legacy Five, and lots of other gospel singing groups - Wonderful!).
20.
I was so blessed to have grown up in a loving Christian family with a
older sister and two younger brothers, go to a great church and church
camp, where we heard the Word of God taught faithfully. I also loved
going to Youth for Christ every Saturday night, where John and I met,
and started dating at nineteen! His entire family came to YFC most Saturday nights.
21. I'm directionally challenged - I get lost easily, especially downtown. Thank goodness for the invention of the GPS!
22. My
husband and I used to ride together on short trips on his motorcycle,
but now we enjoy sailing together in our very old Hobie cat when the
wind and weather cooperate. In 2001 we were shocked to have come in
second place overall and in our division (multihull) in our one and only regatta,
and soon two tall trophies came in the mail! My husband does most of
the work in sailing. I just act as ballast and operate the jib. We
really enjoy sailing.
23.
My greatest times of intimacy with the Lord have been in the midst of
brokenness, pain, and suffering, but living daily in His Presence is a
wonderful blessing I wouldn't trade for the world.
24.
I see the value of eliminating certain foods (and substances most
people consider to be foods - like sugar ...) from my diet to help in
minimizing muscle and joint pain that I deal with constantly from head to toe. After being off
a very restrictive diet for almost a year, I know that I must get back
on it again. I know now that as difficult as it was to be on it, the
diet actually was helping to relieve some of the pain. I don't
normally take OTC pain relievers because of how they attack different
organs, nor am I on any prescriptions on a regular basis. Prayers are very much
appreciated, so I can continue doing as much as possible for as long as
possible.
25.
It has been my special joy and privilege to send the Heart to Heart
Newsletter to many women in 62 countries, including all 50 U.S. states
for more than 15 years. I thank the Lord for this ministry opportunity
to bless and encourage women in this way since February, 1999. You ALL
mean so much to me! I will continue as long as I am able, but recently I
do feel I might need to send it less often before long (will keep you
posted). If that happens, I would add to the Heart to Heart blog more
often, http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com
which was set up at the end of 2010, but contains contents from many past newsletters. (Update: I passed the baton on to another Editor to do most of the work, but I still have a hand in the newsletter).
