YOUR PROFESSION
rhe Perkins Journal Thursday, January 5, 198~ -- PAGE 7
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Cro
ma
Lyne
NAL VISITS
S •
Janet Reeder
I'm really used to a
II town. That s why I
ary, will find the Sens forward to living in a large
family relocating to Okla- city. 'Tm excited.
homa City. There'll be a lot more to do
Although Debbie has there," she said. "It'll
enjoyed making Perkins just be another adven-
she is looking ture."
Perkins so well,"
native Debbie
said• Debbie was home,
in Blytheville
Her father
Cain, wife Hattie
grandparents, Mr
Mrs. Jim England ar~
heville residents. Deb
mother, Mrs. Ror
makes her home ir
City, Florida. ARe]
to her mother b)
le recently, Debbi~
"h's freezing dowr
too, and was in the
m Christmas Day."
is married to an
)rd, Ohio native she
through friends while
was stationed in
leville with the Air
Ken Sens is s
nician with" Xerox
He works
:ly in the Stillwater
• The family came to
ins a year and a half
frt)m North Little
An expected trans-
the first of the
possibly in Febru-
Local homemaker, Debbie Sens, devotes her time
and energy to her home and the Sens' son, Christopher,
2.
God's Gifts are abundant
are the bless-
of the redeemed.
gifts are abundant
children. It would
~ar impossible to
with any accuracy,
teasings that befall
9he follower during
of a year. Let
try to fathom the
of a loving God
one entire family
~'.
will be, for the
searcher, no lack
to praise the
in reviewing the
four seasons of
you had abundant
as one of
and as an
promise of
scripture. "according to His riches in
And how about abun- glory," (Ph 4:19) is an
dant life? In the tenth integral part of the
chapter of John, Jesus spiritual abundance God
explains it as the reason offers.
for His coming. It should And, perhaps most
be yours to be cherished, valuable and most cher-
Abundant grace that ished, by all believers, is
allows you to always be that abundant entrance
sufficient, abounding in Peter speaks of. An
good works, particularly, entrance that will be
is a great blessing from ministered abundantly
above. "' into the everlasting
An abundant power, kingdom of our Lord and
"that worketh in us," Savior Jesus Christ." {2
allowing us to do far more Peter 1:11).
than "we ask or think,"
(Epes. 3:20) is a gift from THE VERSE:
God. And one we have Return unto thy rest, O
cause to thank Him for my soul; for the Lord hath
extending to us. dealt bountifully with
That abundant supply thee. Psalm 116:7.
that meets all your needs -o-
Rack is
Half of Half
125 S. Main - Perkins
The Sens have one
child, Christopher, who is
two years old. "The one
and only," his mother
calls him. A robust fellow,
Chris enjoys outdoor play
particularly if it involves
his dad and football. The
family also enjoys fishing.
"My husband likes bass,"
Debbie said. "I just try to
catch anything I can get."
Family unity for the
Sens comes from, "keep-
ing the lines open," Deb-
bie says. "Communication
is about the only thing you
can do," she adds, to en-
courage togetherness. She
feels that the economy has
created a shared problem
area for today's families.
"The economic situation
of today is hard on all
families," Debbie said.
She cites the continuation
of high interest rates as a
factor that encourages
today's family to "try to
live more within their
means. ' '
Describing her family as
close, the local homema-
ker said, "Just being
together as a family unit
keeps us strong." As for
being a homemaker, Deb-
bie said, "I love it." She
thinks that traditional
ideas about homemaking
have changed consider-
ably. "I don't think people
look at it like they did. It's
work--you have to work to
keep a home and take care
of a family.
I really consider myself
fortunate that I can stay
home. Before Chris was
born, I always worked,"
Debbie said. "Now, I have
the opportunity to stay
home and I really like it."
Debbie has experience
as a nurse's aide in
nursing homes in Arkan-
sas. She comments that if
she should ever want to
return to work, she would
want to return to that
work. "It's depressing
some times--but it's
rewarding," she said.
"I've always felt that my
goal in life was to help
other people that couldn't
help themselves. And, I
get a lot of satisfaction
from that work."
An easy going woman
who sees herself as
"compassionate," and
she says, laughing,
"friendly," Debbie defin-
itely doesn't feel that she
is sacrificing a career. "I
really don't. Some wo-
men," she said, "they
have to have their career.
I'm pretty content being a
homemaker, staying home
with Chris. I enjoyed
working when I worked."
When Debbie can relax
for awhile during her
homemaking routine, she
enjoys reading. "Just
about anything," will hold
her interest, though mys-
teries, science fiction and
"books about the medical
profession" are of particu-
lar interest Debbie says.
As a hobby, Debbie
pursues ceramics. She
enjoys doing projects in
her own home and clalm~
to have several greenware
items awaiting her atten-
tion.
ONE CUP SALAD
1 cup raisins
I cup chopped apples
I cup chopped pecans
I cup marshmallows
I cup coconut
i cup sour cream
I cup crushed pineapple
{drained)
Combine all ingredients
and store in refrigerator
overnight.
$$**
TACO SALAD
1 V2 lbs. hamburger meat
2 pkgs. taco seasoning
1 can kidney beans
1 V~ lbs. Velveeta cheese
1 V2 cans Rotel
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 large head of lettuce
1 large pkg. Dorito Nacho
Cheese chips
Brown and drain ham-
burger meat; add taco
seasoning according to
pkg., add kidney beans
and simmer 30 minutes or
until desired thickness is
obtained.
In large pot melt
velveeta cheese, add rotel
and cheddar cheese soup.
Chop lettuce.
In plates put layer of
chips, hamburger mix-
ture, salad then cover with
cheese.
*Note leftover cheese
mixture makes a good chip
dip.
CUBE STEAK DELIGHT
2 lbs. cube steak
2 cans cream of mushroom
soup
1 ~/2 cans of water
Flour and brown cube
steak. Add water and
mushroom soup. Simmer
1 Vz to 2 hours.
LIGHT BAI"rER
3~ cup corn starch
~/~ cup flour
I t. baking powder
~A t. salt
% t. pepper
~/~ cup water
1 egg, slightly beaten
In bowl stir together
first five ingredients. Add
water and egg. Stir until
smooth.
Pour oil into large skillet
to depth of ~h inch. Heat
over reed. heat to 375°.
Dip {4 cups) cut up
vegetables--carrots, on-
ion, zucchini or mush-
rooms. Or lb. boneless
skinless chicken breast,
cut into 1" cubes. Add few
at a time to oil. Fry 2 to 3
minutes. Turning only
once, until golden brown
and crisp. Drain on paper
towel. Serves 4 to 6.
SUGAR CREAM PIE
~A cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 stick of butter or
margarine
Heat to boiling, then
add % cup of water and ~/~
cup corn starch. Mix, cool,
and put into cooked pie
crust.
-O-
medications account for
TOOTH TRUTHS this.
By Your dentist wants to
Dr. John A. work with you to help
Thompsen, Jr. D.M.D. maintain your beautiful
Remember, most dental smile for a lifetime.
problems can be avoided -o-
and prevented by your TO OBSERVEGoLDEN
good home care and WEDDING
regular dental checkups. ANNIVERSARY
Brush your teeth afterMr. and Mrs. Paul
each meal, floss once a Weems will be celebrating
day. their Golden Wedding
Use a toothpaste with Anniversary, January 13,
fluoride in it. 1984.
Eat nutritious foods; The couple was married
keep junk foods to at Stillwater by Rev. V. A.
minimum; gooey goodiesDoty and have lived in the
are baddies. Perkins area since then.
Baby teeth are very Their children, John
important; they should be Weems of Tryon and
cared for just as adult YvonneSalsman, Glencoe,
teeth are. and their families want to
Gum disease, not toothtake this means to publicly
decay, is the major cause thank them for their love,
of adult tooth loss. encouragement and un-
Nowadays, badly decay-derstanding.
ed teeth can often be Due to Mrs. Weems'
saved by performing root health there will not be a
canal treatment, reception but friends are
Dentistry is virtuallyinvited to send their good
painless these days; wishes in the form of cards
space-age equipment and and letters.
A Perkins area woman
has been given an
appropriate nickname at
St. Francis Hospital in
Tulsa. "Little walking
miracle," is how Diana
Brakhage is referred to by
doctors and staff when she
goes to St. Francis Ior her
once-a-month check up.
Thirteen weeks ago, on
October 7, Diana Brak-
hage was involved in an
automobile accident on the
way to her job as an
assembly line supervisor
with Mercury Marine in
Stillwater. At the scene of
the wreck, an unidentified
man told others who had
stopped that there was no
pulse, that the victim was
dead.
Diana's nickname stems
from her recovery at an
unexpected rate from
severe injuries that in-
cluded a broken neck in
two places, two broken
ribs, shoulder damage,
internal bleeding, a col-
lapsed lung, a broken jaw,
and a six inch cut at the
temple which severed an
artery.
"I feel like the Glory of
God is right here," Diana
said, making a thumping
noise against her chest,
"this cast, this halo."
Diana moves toward the
coffee pot, somewhat stiff
and acknowledging light-
heartedly that the appara-
tus does lend an air of a
space age robot to her
activities. When her hus-
band Rod makes an
attempt to relieve her of
being a hostess, she
becomes sufficiently insis-
tant to allow him the ease
of returning to a project in
another room.
"They gave me less
than a five percent chance
of living--and less than
that of walking and
talking," Diana says,
discussing the initial diag-
nosis. 'Tm really com-
fortable. It looks worse
than it is," the vivacious
woman offers sympathetic
onlookers. Diana feels that
she has been spared a
great deal of pain. The"
halo and body cast, as a
rule, involve critical ad
justments that are painful.
Diana has perfect align-
ment of the vertibrae in
her neck and no adjust-
ments have b@en required.
She is hopeful of having
the body cast removed
sOOn.
"God has just been in
control in just so many
little things," Diana said.
She e-plains that after
having a team of thirty
doctors "trying to put me
together," she now has
THINKING IT OVER
"These are my fellows," Diana lJrsk~mffe says of
Danny, II, and Wade, 7. "They were pretty scared
tittle rascals at first," she said. "When I started getting
up and fixing their breakfast, it kind of showed them I
was going to be all right."
been released by all but
her neurosurgeon and oral
surgeon. Actually Diana's
dental condition was help-
ed by the accident, she
says. She was being
treated prior to the wreck,
but having to have her jaw
set gave her a "perfect
bite."
"It's made me terribly
gabby," Diana says of the
ordeal. "I was not a
talkative person--all I've
done is talk. Even when I
had my jaws wired shut, I
was talking before people
and giving my story."
Diana has visited many
area churches and organi-
zations relating her testi-
mony. "It feels wonder-
ful," she says. "I just feel
so good, so strong, so
eager and enthusiastic.
I'm not shy speaking. It's
very hard to sit down, and
to not overwhelm people.
Washed anew is how I
feel."
Part. of the reason for
Diana's increased person-
al faith has come through
an experience she had
immediately following the
wreck which she was to
tell her husband about
when she came to in the
hospital a week to the day
later. By her account,
Diana recalled information"
she could not have been
aware of concerning the
accident. And then she
described to her husband,
Rod, a wonderful walk
across Heaven with Jesus
that took place while her
distorted body lay lifeless
and pinned in the wreck-
age. She talked with
Jesus, she says, and she
was taken to a spacious
kitchen where her hus-
band's mother sat basking
in light praying.
"I cannot believe how
my wreck has touched so
many lives," Diana said.
"The Lord has really put a
boldness in my life and a
joy." The young woman
feels "a new ministry of
witnessing has been open-
ed up" for her. She recalls
how seriously she took life
growing up. "Laughter
just did not come easily for
me," she said. "I haven't
had any depression. 1 have
never laughed so much in
my life,': Diana said.
"It hasn't affected my
goals in life at all," Diana
said. She plans to return to
her work at Mercury
Marine within six months
of the October accident.
Having worked the past
eleven years without
taking off, except briefly
for the birth of her two
boys, Diana misses work-
ing. "All the time I was in
the emergency room, I
was'insisting that they call
Mercury," she said,
laughing.
"I take a lot of pride in
my work," Diana said,
adding that she would be
with Mercury eight years
in January. "They have
been super. They have
just been so so terrific,"
she said of the people at
Mercury. Eager to get
back, Diana said, "I miss
the noise and excitement
that goes with that place
daily." By spring, bets are
a "little walking miracle"
will be reassuming her
supervising duties with a
new fervor she has
acquired for everything
she says and does.
-Oo
learn to
-- I hope
By Zola Sample
DECEMBER 1983 was a
record breaking month in
Oklahoma. Winter blew in
before December 22 with a
windchill below freezing.
The entire area fell into a
deepfreeze. Weather con-
ditions have caused two
hundred eighty deaths
already. Road conditions
are bad, and accidents
reported all across coun-
try. We, in this area, were
not prepared for such
severe weather. Gas bills
soared, as did electricity.
Water lines froze causing
problems teo numerous
too mention. We still have
two more months of
winter.
You've heard the say-
ing, "never throw away
anything you might need
later," or "you'll need it
the next day?" Such was
the case at this time. I
made use of a kerosene
heating stove I used in our
hunting tent. I could never
have the heart to get rid of
it. It held too many
memories. It always came
in handy and performed
perfectly. I have used it
several times here in
winter when pipes in close
quarters froze. I was sure
glad I still had it this
winter. I, with help, have
managed to keep the
water flowing blind as I
am with tears of anguish..
•..ha. ha.
Brenda, my dog, has
brought in two half grown
rabbits for me to thaw•
She is a kind, sympathetic
creature, a great watch
seeing-eye helpmate.
Sometime I will write an
article about her. Brenda
and I went for a walk this
morning. We were having
sort of a heat wave• The
temperature was 28°. The
cool, crisp air lifted our
spirits. Mr. Crow called
from the top of his angel
tree, "Where have you
been keeping yourself?" I
had heard him several
times close to the house.
He was lonesome. He
probably wondered what
had happened to me and
Brenda. One blue jay is
still with us. He sounds at
times like he is complain-
ing about the weather• He
probably wishes he had
gone south with his
classmates. You see no
stray dogs these days.
This windchill is hard on
domestic as well as wild
animals. Could be a
blessing in some ways
when you consider the
ticks, fleas and other
insects.
It will be a hardship on
folk with fixed incomes to
pay their utilities. Surely
someway will be provided.
The after Christmas sea-
son will be hard enough to
combat with taxes and
food prices. But they say
there is always a way but
some ways have got folk
guessing.
Food prices are bound
to soar for freezing
temperatures have dipped
deep into the southland.
We will all have to learn to
cope with all difficulties.
Governor Nigh is begin-
things, it seems. Try not to
worry. I learned lately that
stress is the number one
killer, Then heart trouble,
Cancer, and so on. Try to
float on the windchill till
the heatwave drifts by.
We are a strong people,
courageous and brave.
I recollect riding horse-
back across the very sight
where Mannford is located
in my teen years when I
thought it was freezing
cold. ha, ha. But never did
I think it got this cold. We
had never heard of
windchill. This December
has made history. It has
never been this cold since
they started recording in
1890. How about that?
Have a Happy, Pros-
perous New Year.
-O-
NOTICE
Prepared Childbirth
classes open to the public
begin Tues. Jan. 10.
Classes start at 7:30 p.m.
Cost is $10 for entire 6
week series. Classes will
be held each Tuesday at
Cushing Regional Hospi-
tal. Emphasis is placed on
the Lamaze method of
childbirth. For more infor-
mation call 918-225-2915
ext 204 or 352-4100,
-O-
ZULA SPENT
CHRISTMAS IN OKC
Zula Henderson visited
the family of her daughter,
Margaret Coate in Okla-
homa City for Christmas.
It was good to see grand-
daughter Patricia and her
husband.
