The "Invention"

Necessity, the Mother of Invention

Creativity is not just for the artistic types. Take my husband for instance.
A huge chunk of ice had built up in the bottom of our supposedly frostless freezer. My husband and I decided it was time to defrost this sub-zero mass. I took all the frozen food out and put it in a large cooler chest and turned the switch to off. Then my husband set to work.

Later I went to see how things were progressing. I was surprised to see two blow dryers tied from strings hanging from a shelf in the freezer. Something we ordinarily use to dry our hair had been conscripted to help melt ice.

“Very creative!” I said. I was impressed with my husband’s ingenuity. Necessity had definitely become the mother of this invention.

It’s often true that until a need of some sort arises, our creativity and imagination often lie dormant. All types of problems and challenges can become the fertile soil for seeds of resourcefulness to flourish. We become willing to look at things in new ways. We are willing to ask questions and then listen. As we seek for answers, our desire for solutions propels us to try things we had never thought of before. In the process, we are stretched and also often surprised by what we can do when we truly need to.

While some circumstances call forth our best creative processes, other circumstances reveal our limitations and just how much we don’t know. In our humanity, we often come to acknowledge our need for resources beyond our own. We discover our need for God’s Divine creativity and imagination to take over where our efforts are limited or our resourcefulness fails. We seek God when we realize that we need a whole lot more than our own inventiveness.

Thus, when we are surprised by our own creativity or the creativity of others, may we thank Him. And when we are confounded by our inabilities, may we seek Him—the Ultimate Creator!


(c) 2005 Marlene Depler

Pink roses on my 35th wedding anniversary. 

Invitation to Love

My husband and I celebrated 35 years of marriage yesterday! We drove up to a quiet dinner at a great restaurant in the foothills just outside Boulder to celebrate.

I feel blessed! One day at a time, we have built a life together. And now I can’t imagine my life without my husband and friend.

Here is something I wrote for my youngest daughter’s wedding. It was fitting for her and her husband on their wedding day. It is also fitting for my husband and I after all these years.

Invitation to Love

By Marlene Depler

To love and be loved—this is one of our greatest human
needs.

The God who is defined by love is the God who invites us to
both.

He first invites us to open our hearts to his love.

From that fullness, he invites us to live in love.

When we express love, we reflect the love of our Creator.

Love is His imprint on our hearts.

Marriage is a lifetime commitment to God’s invitation of love.

In this sacred union, we choose to open our hearts to receive
the love that is offered and determine to give an unending love.

Love will not look the same today as it will tomorrow or next
year, yet a commitment is made to nurture that love and to fall in love with
each other over and over again.

Two lives joined in the context of love have greater potential
together than individually.

The constancy, comfort, and compassion of marriage provide a
nurturing environment allowing freedom to experience personal growth.

Love releases us to fully live life.

Love costs everything, and yet in the process we are not
diminished.

Love doesn’t give up in time of difficulty or
inconvenience.

Love allows for two to walk hand in hand even when they don’t
always see eye to eye.

Love allows us to share our hopes and dreams, joys and sorrows,
success and failure with another.

Love finds expression not just in words, but in consistent
actions and attitudes.

We are invited to love, not to possess.

We are invited to support and encourage, not to
control.

We are invited to care without smothering.

We are invited to comfort without minimizing each other’s
pain.

Love invites each heart to make its home beneath its wide
branches.

At the end of life’s journey, little else matters more than
those we have loved and those who have loved us.

(c)2004 Marlene Depler

Under My Skin

When things upset, irritate, or annoy us, we say that they “get under our skin.” I am not sure where this expression came from. Nevertheless, today I will share a few of my pet peeves! What little things annoy you?

Things That Get Under My Skin:

Pouring a bowl of cereal, only to discover there is no milk.

Stepping on someone’s carelessly discarded chewing gum.

Flies, mice, and spiders—if the dare come in my house, it’s war!

Raccoons that have the nerve to raid my corn patch the night before I plan to harvest the first roasting ears.

Finally remembering to use a coupon at the store, only to find out it’s expired.

Wanting to cook or bake something and discovering that I’m missing one ingredient.

Running out of thread just a couple inches before finishing a seam.

Very loud music.

Unreturned phone calls.

The maze of phone menus!

Prank phone calls.

People who don’t at least attempt to keep their word.

Indirect communicators—the ones who always leave others guessing as to the real meaning of what was said.

Rudeness, crudeness, and inconsiderate behavior of all kinds.

A fall centerpiece made with an inverted cake pedestal. Then the cover was also inverted to make a bowl for pomegranates and gords.

Autumn Harvest Cake

I love to make this cake in the fall. In fact, I plan to make one this weekend to take to a get-together. The combination of pumpkin, apples, and nuts is wonderful. With a cream cheese frosting, you can't beat it.

Autumn Harvest Cake:

1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup softened butter (l stick)
½ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon vanilla
1-16 ounce can of pumpkin
2 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 large apple, peeled and chopped
½ cup chopped English walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour either a bundt pan or a 9x13 cake pan.

Mix ingredients in order given. Pour into cake pan. Bake bundt cake for 70 minutes and then cool a few minutes before removing from pan. For 9x13, bake for 45-50 minutes. Cook cake, then spread with frosting. Store in refrigerator. (This cake freezes well!)

Frosting:
1 pound confectioner’s sugar
½ cup butter (1stick)
1-8 ounce package of cream cheese at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla