Merry Christmas from Doug, Diane, Brent and Mo!

It’s December and it feels like we just finished harvest– wait, WE DID! A long wet fall delayed harvesting just as a long wet spring delayed planting. Yields were spotty but good ole Iowa soil still produced 50 bushels per acre of beans and 160 corn. We care for a herd of 160 cows with calves, and finish out last years calves to sell– all of which makes an unbelievable amount of manure. We really like the new cattle floor Doug designed at the home place. Sorting and loading out fat cattle is so much easier with a good set-up. We even have a flood light to complete our work on those early dark nights of winter!

Brenneman Boast

December 2008

It’s been a year since formal employment for me, and I’m really enjoying the freedom of choosing what I do. Some of the things I’ve been up to include:

·             Led bivocational workshop in Dallas, Texas in January

·             Led worship for national Mennonite teachers convention

·             Preached renewal services for Pinegrove and Lockport in Ohio

·             Taught faith and polity 2 week course at Eastern Mennonite

        Seminary in May

·             Editing an anthology of worship materials by Mennonites

·             Work with Central Plains Mennonite Conference

       as assistant moderator

·             Church consultant

·             Interfaith peace event representing Mennonites

·             Supply preaching

·             Substitute teaching

·             Hauling manure– oops! That’s not ministry is it?

Tractor Day

Mo joined FFA in high school, and one day in the fall was Drive your tractor to School Day! Doug arranged delivery of our latest tractor in time to shine it up for her! JD 4650. She is so tiny and the tractor is SOOO big. Of course, I have the same feeling when she drives the big white pickup to school. (14 year olds have school permits in Iowa) Doug was going to send her in Grandpa Malm’s 1982 pickup with the door that flies open around corners until I put my foot down! She actually thought a rattle-trap vehicle sounded fun but she drives her mom’s nice safe truck instead.

Mo on “opposite gender” day at school. All the girls dressed like their dads!

School dramas: Fruitcakes                             Fiddler on the Roof

With elementary alumni              Mo with Aunt Rachel

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