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National Compliment Day
By Lorie Ham
We all know that 2020 was a rough year, not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. As we start a new year, everyone could use more positive things in their life to help lift their spirits. One way to help yourself and others would be to celebrate National Compliment Day on January 24.
According to TimeandDate.com, this unofficial day was started in 1998 by Debby Hoffman and Kathy Chamberlin as a way to tell people in their lives how much they appreciated them, and now people celebrate all over the world.
A compliment is a polite expression of praise or admiration. But what is a ‘good’ compliment? For a compliment to be good, it must be sincere. No one really wants to hear false praise, but almost everyone blossoms under a sincere compliment. It can be helpful though to keep in mind the personality of the person you are complimenting. Some people just find it embarrassing, and many people have a hard time accepting that it is sincere. So be sure to give careful thought to what and how to best compliment those around you.
If you are complimenting a friend, family member, or long time coworker, you probably have a pretty good idea of what type of compliment they will receive well. Unless you are also close friends, it is probably best not to compliment a coworker on their appearance just to be certain that it won’t be misunderstood. However, you can definitely compliment them on doing a good job at work. On the other hand, your sibling or your spouse might love to hear you tell them how nice they look today. In complimenting strangers, often you can once again use a compliment that refers to their job. Thank a clerk at the store for being helpful in checking out your items. Thank a deliveryman for wearing a mask when they drop off your package. Thank your local librarian for being so good at finding you just the right book. Thank your insurance agent for being helpful in finding you just the right coverage.
The website National Today has a lot of helpful tips and thoughts on giving compliments on National Compliment Day, and some very interesting statistics about different ways that people react to compliments. You can also find some great tips on Pinterest, and Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt has some great suggestions on her website.
Even if we aren’t able to give compliments in person, most of us are on social media and can easily find opportunities there to compliment others. You could also send an email, or make a phone call. You may just brighten someone’s very difficult day by doing so. We would love it if you would share with us on our Facebook page some of your ideas about giving compliments on National Compliment Day, and every day!
Things We Missed in 2020
By Lorie Ham
This past year has been difficult for everyone, and our hope is that 2021 will be much better. As we look toward the future, we all have things we have really missed doing and can’t wait to be able to do again. Our staff and board wanted to share with you some of the things they can’t wait to do again, and we hope you will share with us some of the things you miss most.
Mennonite Insurance staff member Michelle Heinrichs can’t wait to have a family gathering where it is okay to hug again. “We are a hugging family and have been really struggling to not even gather since March. Cannot wait!!”
“We’ve been giving air hugs, fist bumps, and some hip bumps (gently),” shares staff member Stephanie Heier. “I have missed hugging and being together without worry. But after all the emotional stuff, we’re going to Disneyland!!”
Being able to get together with family seems to be at the top of almost everyone’s list. “When things get back to ‘normal’ I would immediately make plans for our entire family– kids, grandkids, and great grandkids, from Reedley, Madera, Fresno, Spokane, N. Carolina–[to get] together,” shares Jim Enns, who is a board member from Reedley.
John Hochstetler is a board member from Salem, OR and he can’t wait to travel together with family. Normally on New Year’s several members of his family get together and take a trip to the coast. He looks forward to being able to reschedule that hopefully later this year. “Also, we enjoy going to eat out at our favorite restaurants.”
Dennis Langhofer, a board member in Spokane, also can’t wait to eat in restaurants, as well as go to church and sing in the choir again. And pastor and board member Alan Whaley in Phoenix is looking forward to being able to have a real communal meal at church again, where they can share both food and fellowship, “and even give and receive hugs. It’s been a long time. “
“Aside from being grateful for getting through such a pandemic, I would like to take a nice vacation,” shares staff member Yolanda Hernández.
Traveling is also on board member Larry E. Miller’s list as he hopes to travel and see more of the country when this is over. “This year has been the first full year of my retirement and we only managed one overnight trip to Sacramento in February. Time to head out as soon as we have the vaccine!”
Like all of us, staff member Dalia Jimenez will just be thankful when this is finally under control. What is it that you miss most? What will be the first thing you do once it is safe? I can imagine many of you are like us and miss family gatherings, eating out, and traveling. We would love for you to share some of the things you have missed with us on our Facebook page. Here’s wishing us all a much happier new year and the chance to finally be able to do all the things we’ve missed!
Vic Alemania Explains the Three Main Coverages in an Auto Insurance Policy
Vic briefly explains the 3 primary coverage protections of personal auto insurance and the differences between those coverage.
What is Your Favorite Christmas Carol?
By Lorie Ham
Christmas season is upon us again! While this one will be a bit different due to the pandemic, there are still many things we can enjoy on our own, and virtually together. This time of year, many enjoy listening to and singing Christmas carols, and while there may not be caroling in person this year, you can always carol via Zoom!
According to Wikipedia, the first known Christmas hymns can be traced to 4th-century Rome. The publication of Christmas music books in the 19th century helped to widen the popular appeal of carols. I think we all have our favorites!
“My favorite Christmas carol is ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’,” says Mennonite Insurance Services employee Stephanie Heier. “When we are sitting in church, and everyone is singing the parts, it has such a beautiful tone. And the words talk about Jesus bringing peace and reconciling sinners, that’s the whole gospel wrapped up. And it’s just beautiful.”
Board Chair Jim Brandt’s favorite is “Silent Night.” “That’s how Jesus came. No big fanfare–other than angels shaking up the shepherds. Just a quiet birth in some obscure location.”
Staff member Michelle Heinrichs loves almost all Christmas carols, but her all-time favorite would be “Mary Did You Know?” “It is a rather new Christmas song. It tells a story of Jesus’ mother Mary and the profound idea that she is carrying and giving birth to the future King of the World, the Christ child. As a mother of a son, who is special, but far from perfect, I can only imagine the idea of being Mother to Jesus Christ, the King.”
Michelle’s family doesn’t normally go out caroling, but she has Christmas music on much of December and finds herself singing along. “We will sing in whatever church settings we will be given the blessing to safely meet in. But, we will be grateful for our health this year and look forward to gatherings next year. Singing on Zoom is a scary endeavor in my experience for those on the receiving end of the music, with the exception of organized choirs.”
General Manager Jerry Linscheid’s favorite carol to sing is “Angels We Have Heard On High,” because the bass part of the refrain is fun, though they have not had much luck singing together over Zoom. “What I have seen done well is for a person (or several) to sing the different parts of a song and then merge the recordings together, so one person is singing multiple parts. That takes time and can’t be done on the fly. The best compromise our church has come up with for singing during a virtual worship service is for one person to sing the melody and the rest of us sing along muted.”
Board member and Phoenix pastor Al Whaley says “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” is NOT his favorite Christmas song. He prefers “What Child Is This?” “Because it focuses on Jesus and demonstrates God’s love for the world.”
Please share with us on our Facebook page what your favorite Christmas carol is, and how you will be enjoying it this year. Have a very Merry Christmas!
Huntington Lake Volunteer Fire Department Loses Station in the Creek Fire
By Lorie Ham
This year’s Creek Fire near Shaver Lake, California has caused a lot of damage. As of November 23, the fire had burned 379,895 acres. One thing lost in this fire was one of the Huntington Lake Volunteer Fire Department’s fire stations. That fire department helped save many structures insured by Mennonite Insurance and we are very thankful to them for their assistance, and sorry for their loss.
Brother Christopher Donnelly has been the chief of that department for 16 years, and a volunteer with them for 22. According to Brother Donnelly, the Huntington Lake Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1993. “We currently have 13 members, all save one are EMT’s, have graduated from a fire academy, and are fully certified both in wild land and structural firefighting. During the summer, we staff our first-out station 24/7 and average one 911 call per day. Most of our calls are for medical assistance–most years that’s about 87% of our total call volume.”
While few people actually live at Huntington Lake, summers are very busy. “Fresno County estimated [that during] one regatta weekend (when the sailboat competitions are held) 14,000 people were visiting Huntington in the two church camps, three scout camps, two private camps, the multiple forest service camp grounds and private cabins and condos,” says Brother Donnelly. The Mennonite Camp Keola is at the western most end of the lake.
The Huntington Lake Fire Department was very involved in fighting the Creek fire and was instrumental in helping to save camp Keola. Their fire pre-planning for Keola included control lines, burn-outs and back fires, all of which worked together to save the camp. “We put out many spot fires that blew over the control lines in and around Keola that could have burned down the camp. Although I am extremely proud of the work our firefighters did, it should be clear that we were part of a much larger effort involving many brave and hard working women and men.”
While most of the buildings at Huntington did not burn, according to Brother Donnelly, 74 cabins were completely destroyed. Some of the lost cabins have been in the same family for over 100 years and many didn’t have insurance so they will not be able to rebuild. “One young mother told me as I was helping her to load her car, after ordering her to evacuate, ‘my great grandfather built the cabin in 1913 and I can remember my grandmother telling me that one of her earliest memories was collecting pine cones around that cabin … I wonder if my grandchildren will be able to do that?’ Her cabin burned to the ground 12 hours later!”
The fire station’s own loss happened while they were fighting fires in other parts of the lake. Sadly, the buildings were not insured. “Our ‘first out’ fire station was completely destroyed. We had accommodations for three, a two-bay apparatus building, a shop and storage.”
While waiting for the fire station to be rebuilt, they have a second firehouse on the east end of the lake that has become their main response station for the time being. The need to replace the buildings is urgent so they can continue to provide 911 services to the community when people begin to return to the area in the spring. “We of course need everything that goes into a building; furniture, appliances, water heaters, forced air furnaces … on and on … but first I need a building!”
If you would like to help the station rebuild, you can donate on their website. If you have concerns about your own fire insurance, Mennonite Insurance is ready to answer any questions you might have 559-638-2327.
