PLAIN VIEW FARM AND STADEMS' SAGA

Dear Loved Ones of the Stadem and Holbeck Line: The following list of suggestions was presented to the Stadem relationship almost 12 years ago, and reading through it now I was utterly astonished that I did not have to change or add anything. Uff Dah! Twelve Uff Dahs, I can hear Grandma and Grandpa say! It is hard to believe we are the descendants of pioneers to let so many opportunities pass by for so long! As Aunt Bernice said in her wonderful poem, "Home At Plain View," "the foundation has never crumbled because it was built strong and firm on a basis of selfless devotion to God's love, and love to others," but have we built on it?

It still remains to be done, in part and whole. In time we will lose even the glorious foundation, if we do not build anew on it to keep it a living thing. Winter after winter after winter, and still no spring? The deepest rooted tree, with its roots full of life-giving sap, can't survive that! Twelve years have somehow slipped by--but the surrounding, unsaved, increasingly anti-Christian world certainly has not. It has moved that much closer to destruction, by jets and rockets too, without Christ. Has Plain View Farm moved to change that? Have we engaged the mainstream pagan/hedonistic/self-worshipping culture, or have we compromised and joined it? Have we? A fact of life is that if life does not progress, it is dying. An organism that does not progress is not just sliding backwards, it is expiring. We still have an opportunity for real change, not the kind offered by the presidential hopeful at Denver. In these projects, and others not listed here, there is progress, launching out in faith, challenge, excitement, new beginning, empowerment, and best of all, there is finally the means to share the golden heritage of our forebears with others, as well give the world a view of our greater legacy as heirs of Christ. Seeing what we have, maybe then others will want to join and take the free Gift of Grace in Christ too! That is the whole point, isn't it, of Plain View Farm, our reunions and fond remembrances, good food, and fellowship and games, memorials to loved ones, and music programs?

After twelve years, then, it was heartening and an answer of many prayers, to see our Cousin Stephen Stadem step forward with a project of his own to help raise funds for the building of a barnlike structure for meeting and sharing our Stadem heritage with ourselves and others. His motto is: "That His Light (Jesus) Shine Through Our Heritage--To God be the Glory!"

To bring in funds, he has done a beautiful watercolor picture that is for sale, with or without his framing. 150 watercolor prints were made, and they are $25 a print without framing. He suggests a donation above that cost to the Barn Center fund. You can't keep the Stadem pioneer spirit and the Spirit of Christ down forever! God bless Stephen for his stepping out in behalf of constructive, imaginative, loving, Christlike change! His sale of prints a and pictures went well at the reunion in June 2008. It must continue, however. We need to raise the needed money before Christmas this year. Dedication of the Heritage Center is this coming June 2009! Order your pictures now by contacting him. Contact information is given on the Home Page for this site.--Love and cheers, Ronald Ginther, Gr Gr Grandson of Sjur and Oline Stadheim, Gr Grandson of Peder Stadem, Grandson of Alfred and Bergit Stadem

The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and everything you pout your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving yoku.--Deuteronomy 28:8