FRONT PORCH NEWS DECEMBER 2019

“From our quick fall to early snow.” Photos by Nancy Bitikofer

SEASONS CHANGE IN JUST ONE NIGHT

When was the last time you were amazed? When was the last time

you stood back and said, "Wow!"

Hopefully, it has not been very long. But if it has been a long time,

shouldn’t that change?

I cannot remember how old I was, but I remember being handed a long cylinder about six or eight inches in length. I was told to hold one end up to my eye the other end you pointed to a source of light. While holding the kaleidoscope, I turned one end while considering

the other end. Wow! Amazing!

The shapes and formation that the light brought - unfolding delight to

the eyes. Whoever would have thought that a simple toy can

bring so much joy.

Maybe for you it is not a toy that brings delight, but it is thumbing your way through the family photo album and memories of yesteryear flood your soul. Oh, the stories that start to unfold in your mind as you recall those special mo-

ments illustrated on page after page.

Or maybe a conversation? We faced a crisis in our house. My wife was baking Christmas goodies and ran out of vanilla. She asked me to go to the store ASAP. I took our three-year-old son with me. As we were walking into the store, he paused in front of the Christmas trees and smelled them. I thought, “What an odd thing to do.” We finally made it into the store, found the vanilla and returned home. As soon as we entered the house he ran to our tree and smelled it. Then as only a three-year-old can do, he asked a question. “Why

doesn’t our tree smell like the ones at the supermarket?”

How would you answer the question? What other questions might your answer raise in a three-year-old? It’s just some-

thing to think about.

As the years go along, the toys break, photo albums dull, people pass away, and with them, the amazement we once

had also fades.

Can I encourage you to take a new look at an old, old story? You will find the story in Luke 2:1-20 and printed in the next

column.

Can you imagine what it would be like to hear the angels speaking and singing? After they were done, you’d say to yourself, we must go and see! Then after you saw, you’d go

and tell. And all who hear would be amazed.

Allow the wonder, allow the amazement of the Christmas story to not only stir your mind, but also move your heart. As

it stirs you share the story with others.

HAS IT BEEN AWHILE SINCE YOU WERE LAST AMAZED?

Pastor Ken Neighoff

Chaplain

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, be-cause he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields near-by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a man-ger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host ap-peared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethle-hem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE

Be sure to mark your calendars for Green Hills’ Christ-mas Open House on December 14th from 1:00 pm—

4:00 pm in the Community Center.

There will be hors d’oeuvres, sweet treats, family photos with Santa (2:00 pm-4:00 pm), a Nativity scene, Christ-

mas window displays and live music!

Enjoy performances by the Green Hills Choir (1:30 pm), Valley Folk Players Quartet (2:30 pm) and Mad River

Dulcimer Society (3:15 pm) in Foundation Hall.

Residents are welcome to invite family members to join in the festivities. To see our other exciting December events see the “upcoming events” area on the back

page of this issue of the Front Porch News.

Please RSVP by December 6th by calling 937-465-0700

or email info@greenhillscommunity.org.

Keep yourself safe while scouting for deals online: 1. Shop with a credit card, not a debit card. If your debit

card is hacked, your bank account could be cleaned out. Credit cards provide fraud protections that most

debit cards do not.

2. Use the same card for all online shopping. That way,

only one card is put at risk.

3. Don’t click on pop-ups or emails offering special deals. Instead, go to the seller’s website. If the deal is legiti-

mate, it will be offered there as well.

4. Do not re-use passwords. Once a cyber-criminal has your password, they may use a robot to automatically

try that password at thousands of other sites.

5. Do not use public WiFi for shopping or banking. These networks are easily hacked, and your personal infor-mation could be stolen. Instead, do your shopping

from home on your own secure WiFi connection.

Online shopping is a great way to avoid the crowds, traffic, or hunting for a parking space while shopping. By follow-ing a few rules, you can enjoy the deals without fear of a Grinch ruining your holiday!

TIPS FOR CYBER SHOPPING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

FRONT PORCH NEWS DECEMBER 2019

EVERY TUESDAY– GREEN HILLS IS HIRING

Green Hills Community is hiring those who are willing to give, respect, engage, encourage, and

nurture those in their care. Open interviews are conducted every Tuesday from 2:00-5:00PM.

For a complete list of full-time and part-time positions available, go to www.greenhillscareers.org.

BOOK CLUB

Book Club meets at 1:30PM on the third Friday of the month in the Chapel.

All readers (paper copy, e-readers, audio books) are welcome to discuss the story.

Need help getting the book? Call Rebecca at (937)650-7117.

Friday, December 20th: “How to be a Family” by Dan Kois

CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

Meets from 2:00 to 3:00PM the third Tuesday each month in the Green Hills Chapel.

Call (937) 465-5065. This group is led by Jeff Vernon, LISW-S.

COFFEE CONNECTION

All are welcome to attend Coffee Connection on Tuesday mornings at 9:30AM.

Come for the coffee and the conversation. Techy teens will be coming on Tuesday,

November 12th.

FRONT PORCH NEWS

UPCOMING EVENTS Every Monday

at 6:30 PM Euchre

Call Dennis Greene to join 937-210-7858

Bakery

December 2nd at 6:30 PM

Random Acts of Christmas (from

First United Pres-byterian Church) Foundation Hall

December 5th

at 6:30 PM Gospel River Band Foundation Hall

December 6th at 6:30 PM

Grace Chapel Church Caroling

and Cookies Foundation Hall

December 12th

at 6:30 PM Majesty Quartet Foundation Hall

December 14th

at 1-4 PM Christmas

Open House Please RSVP

Community Center

December 16th at 5:30 PM Ben Logan

Christmas FFA Foundation Hall

December 17th at 9:30 AM

Techy Teens Bakery

December 17th

at 2:30 PM GH Kitchen Band Foundation Hall

December 17th

at 6:30 PM Tom Scheiderer Foundation Hall

December 19th

At 6:00 PM Counter Point

Foundation Hall

December 20th at 6:30 PM

Christmas Service Foundation Hall

BIRTHDAYS December

Suzanne Starbuck 2

Nikki Alloway 3

Eleanor Shumaker 3

Ann Nitzsche 4

Donald Hostetler 6

Iris Crowe-Mumaugh 7

Bob Gietzen 7

Joan King 10

Emerson Alspach 12

Leroy Dowden 12

Grace Brueshaber 16

Joann Doty 16

Janet Dete 18

Shirley O’Brien 18

Arlene Pond 18

Marilyn Guerard 19

Duane Davis 20

Carol Campbell 23

Ann Hess 28

Janet McIntosh 28

Edna Waldron 29

SIX WINTER WEATHER SAFETY TIPS

As the temperatures dip and snow falls in many areas of the country, winter weather is officially here. Outsmart the effects of Jack Frost with these winter safety tips that can help you stay warm and healthy: 1. Know the signs of hypothermia Hypothermia can happen to seniors when the body temperature dips below 95 degrees. It may be most often associated with shivering outside in the cold, but hypothermia can happen anywhere – even inside a cold house. Watch for:

Slurring words or slower than normal speech

Pale skin

Cold extremities (feet and hands)

Feeling or acting sleepy

Trouble moving

Slow, shallow breathing

Certain conditions and medications may make some seniors more susceptible to hypothermia. Make sure to discuss your own personal risk with your doctor and take precautions if this is the case. If you or a loved one are experiencing signs of hypothermia, it’s critical to seek medical attention as soon as possible. 2. Keep warm indoors and outdoors There are a few things you can do to make your home warm and safe in the winter. Start by keeping your heat set to a comfortable temperature for you. If you’re concerned about lowering your heating bill, you can close the vents in rooms you’re not using and keep interior doors shut to ensure the heat stays in your living area. Dress warmly during the day and overnight

when your body temperature can dip a degree or two. Long underwear and flannel sheets are cozy options to keep you insulated. When going outdoors to hang holi-day lights, stroll to the park, or play with your grand-kids, wear cold-weather clothing, including warm gloves and socks. 3. Wear high-traction shoes and boots When you’re venturing outdoors on walks or errands, one of the most important winter safety tips for seniors is to take precautions to help prevent falls in slippery and icy conditions. Shoes and boots with good traction and non-skid soles can mitigate your fall risk, as can walking only on cleared pathways. 4. Prepare for power outages In many parts of the country, winter storms can knock out power lines from time to time. To stay warm during an outage, consider having a backup generator to allow access to a heat source. Also keep plenty of blankets so you can bundle up, and stockpile nonperishable food so you’ll have supplies on-hand in case of an extended outage. 5. Fend off illness Viral infections like colds and flu take center stage in the winter months when the frigid temperatures and less sunlight can weaken the immune system. Precau-tions such as the flu shot, getting plenty of sleep, fre-quent hand washing, and eating immunity-boosting foods like fruits and vegetables can help give your body added protection. 6. Protect your hearing aids If you wear hearing aids or use another assistive listen-ing device, protecting them from extreme temperatures and moisture in the winter can help ensure they func-tion well for you all season long. Avoid leaving them near a window or in a cold car, wear earmuffs or a headband when outside, and use a dehumidifier if your home has excess moisture. Whether you embrace the cold weather or prefer to hibernate indoors until spring, these winter weather safety tips can help you enjoy the season without a hitch!