January 2010

Grand Magazine

Posted by Char on January 23, 2010 1 Comment

Have you heard of Grand Magazine?  With a huge list of featured topics, articles, forums, and more, the online version of Grand Magazine is a website worth bookmarking and visiting regularly.

From the desk of Christine Crosby, Founder and Publisher:

“…Becoming a grandparent has transformed my life beyond measure.  So, from the beginning, we at GRAND Media have made it our mission to provide grandparents of all ages and in all stages of life both information and inspiration.  Through GRAND Magazine and now, through GRANDmagazine.com, we’ve created a world that celebrates the joys and tackles the challenges of one of life’s sweetest experiences - having grandchildren.”

We here at NanaHood.com are excited to share with you an offer from Grand Magazine for a FREE subscription and access to the online version of Grand Magazine.  Click the link below to check it out!

grand

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Random Acts of Kindness…the links edition

Posted by Char on January 22, 2010 1 Comment

Are you enjoying “Less of Me” month here at Nanahood?  I sure am!

I did a little research this week, and if you are wondering who you can encourage today, or how you might help someone… here are a few fun links to get your motivated and inspired:

And don’t forget, you can send e-cards through our website.  We have several in the “encouragement” section.  Click HERE to send a card to someone.

Have a fabulous Friday!

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Becoming a Pink Lady

Posted by teresak on January 21, 2010 1 Comment

Some of you may remember my post about becoming a Pink Lady. For those of you who don’t have the time or inclination to read the other post and find out what a Pink Lady is, let me assure you it has nothing to do with Pepto Bismol.

peptoA Pink Lady is a volunteer at the local hospital. They deliver magazines, read to patients, help out at fund raising events, etc.

For the last several years I have thought about volunteering (key word-thought). Last year I took the first step. I went in and asked what I needed to do to sign up. Jan, the lady in charge of the program, couldn’t have been sweeter. “First,” she said, “You have to take a test about the hospital. It’s not hard and you can take it online if you want.”  That sounded great. I’m on the computer a lot and I could do it at my convenience. Only problem was, it took a long time before I found it convenient. After several months of “thinking” about it, I finally got it done. I’m happy to say I passed.

I went back to Jan. “Now what?” I asked.

“Now you get a TB skin test,” she said. “You have to do it before 3:30 in the afternoon because the lady who gives the test leaves then.”

“No problem,” I said.

Months passed. The holidays were just around the bend and I was too busy. Then my aunt fell off a ladder while decorating her Christmas tree and ended up in the hospital. I went to visit with her and remembered my skin test. Because of my aunt, I got the test. Thankfully I passed that one too. I went back to Jan.

“Now what?” I asked.

“Now you get your badge made, you get your lovely pink jacket and I take you around and show you the ropes. But you have to get your badge made when Laurie’s in the office and she’s not here today.”

Uh-oh.

My aunt got out of the hospital. Christmas came and went, then New Years. Today is January 21 and I am proud to report that yesterday I got my jacket, my name tag and today is my first official day as a Pink Lady.

I have a confession to make, if it wasn’t for Less of Me Month here at NanaHood I’m not sure I would have made the extra effort yesterday to get my jacket and badge. It was pouring rain. I didn’t have a lick of makeup on (not even mascara) and it was almost time for me to pick up my granddaughter. I looked at the clock and weighed my options.  Did it really matter if I got wet, looked like death warmed over on my name badge and was a few minutes late to pick up Abby? I thought about how long the simple process has taken me and felt a wave of guilt wash over me (or maybe that was the monsoon that managed to hit right as I pulled in the hospital parking lot).

Focusing on the needs of others and going out of our way to do good takes time (sometimes a long time) and effort, but it’s worth it. I look so cute in my pink jacket. Pink is sooo my color. Just don’t look too closely at the picture on my name badge! Yesterday was a really bad hair day!

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One Million Random Acts of Kindness

Posted by teresak on January 20, 2010 Leave a Comment

Last week I retrieved my AARP magazine from my mailbox and when I saw the cover I couldn’t help but grin. I found it slightly ironic that during Less of Me Month at NanaHood there was a story about a man who is crisscrossing the country doing random acts of kindness. Why is he doing this? His mission is to remind people to be kind to one another.

Bob and his dog, Bogart (gotta love a dog with that name) are traveling around the country in a bus painted with slogans. It sort of reminds me of the busses hippies used to decorate and travel around in during the 60s. Bob says he was inspired by the September 11th attacks. He really committed himself to his project. He sold his house and got rid of his business. Now he travels and talks about his goal of achieving one million acts. If you do the math (which I can’t add 2 plus 2 on a good day) that is fifty acts a day for fifty five years. Wow.

I’m working hard to do my one good deed a day for the month of January and this guy is shooting for one million. Maybe I need to ramp it up a notch. Of course there is the question of what constitutes a random act of kindness. One of the things he mentioned was giving someone a smile. I agree that a smile is a wonderful thing to give but that wasn’t exactly what I think of when I’m focusing on the needs of others, but maybe I should.

Sometimes a smile really can make the difference in what kind of day we have. Think about it. The last time you were having a really rotten day and someone made you laugh, didn’t it turn your day around? Laughter really is the best medicine.

So go ahead and make someone’s day. Give them a smile.

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Giving Thanks For Grandparents Who Are Raising Their Grandchildren

Posted by teresak on January 19, 2010 2 Comments

Last month I wrote a post about grandparents who were raising grandchildren. One of the reasons I did so was because of an article I ran across that said, “….in the last 10 years, the number of children living with their grandparents has increased by 50 percent.”  Another article said, “According to the U.S. Census Bureau six million kids are being raised by grandparents.”

Wow, I thought to myself, I wonder why such high numbers and how are these folks managing? Being the nosy, writer person that I am I decided to ask. I posted questions on several different websites and blogs and asked friends to put me in touch with people they knew who were raising their grandchildren. I sent ten questions to the grandparents who responded and I’ll share those questions with you in just a minute, but first I want to say “Thank You!” to all who responded and to tell you)  that today is Gratituesday (giving thanks on Tuesday) and I’m giving thanks for each of you and for the thousands of other grandparents out there who are stepping up to the plate for their grandchildren.

gratituesdaynov094Here are the ten questions I sent the grandparents who responded to my request.

1. How old is your grandchild now and when did they come to live with you?
2. What are the circumstances that caused you to raise your grandchild?
3. How did other family members feel about the grandchild coming to live with you? Do they feel differently now? if so, why?
4. Describe your relationship with your grandchild.
5. Has this relationship affected your relationship with your other grandchildren?
6. What have been the biggest challenges in raising your grandchild?
7. What have been the biggest rewards?
8. What advice would you have for other men or women who are taking in grandchildren?
9. Who has helped you the most when it comes to raising your grandchild? (church family, your own family, neighbors, etc.)
10. What if anything did you do differently with your grandchild than you did with your children and why?

Answers to all the questions varied but there were some similarities. The main thing I noticed was that all these folks were happy with their decision, and even though there were challenges (finding the energy to keep up was at the top of the list) all of them felt blessed to be able to care for their grandchildren.

Here are some comments they made when asked about advice to other grandparents who may find themselves in a similar situation.

“Guide them without smothering and always remember to take time for a bubble bath or a cup of tea for yourself. If you are refreshed they will feel it.”

“Be sure you the legal authority to do what is necessary for the care and welfare of the child or children. We hired an attorney. We were first awarded “ex-parte” emergency guardianship. Later that was changed to custody. Laws in various sates vary, but we felt it was worth every penny to have an attorney who is experienced in family law.”

“My advice is:  Pray, ask the Lord daily for patience, strength and wisdom; get plenty of vitamins, especially B-12 it really does make a difference.  Teach them respect for themselves and for others.  Today’s world is vastly different than when I grew up.  You have to make sure that your grandchild feels loved and is grounded enough to stand tough against the temptations he will encounter in school and on the playground.  Tough love is necessary sometimes, don’t be afraid to use it.  Don’t be afraid to discipline your grandchildren.  I know some people feel sorry for their grandchilds circumstances and then let them get away with everything under the sun.”

“It took me a while before I really understood I was now in a parenting role. That meant not just food and clothing and a roof, but protecting her even from people who may have been well-meaning but were damaging her emotional growth.”

I am still hoping to hear from more grandparents who are raising grandchildren. If you know of someone in this situation please ask them to contact me at NanaHood. From time to time I will be adding posts specifically for them.

Blessings to you friends! Have a great Gratituesday!

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Helping An Amish Boy Adjust To A New Way Of Life

Posted by teresak on January 18, 2010 6 Comments

Today’s Less of Me story is a guest post written by a friend of mine. If you are unfamiliar with the Amish way of life you may want to read about it to help you understand the tremendous amount of courage it takes for young men and women to leave the Amish way of life. I hope you enjoy reading Brenda’s story as much as I did. Blessings to you Brenda, and to Mosie!

Mosie by Brenda Nixon

He walked out the door of his farm house and for two miles debated his decision to leave. Eighteen-year-old Mosie, born into an Amish family in upstate New York, one of 12 children, turned from his family and culture because he “knew there had to be more.” With only his clothes and $50, he walked along the country road until another former Amish picked him up in a car and brought him to Ohio where, last summer, our lives intersected.

Moses Shetler (AKA Mosie Nixon)

Our initial meeting was the summer day he and other “X-Men” were invited to our home; they were working for donation toward a March 2010 mission trip. My daughters attended church with them, told us about their background, and sacrifice to start over. We wanted to help so my husband and I asked the strong, eager lads who spoke with Dutch accent to trim our trees. Quiet, reserved, hardworking Mosie blended in so that I hardly noticed him.

Dan Mosie Uria

In October, our paths crossed again when my daughter invited the “X-Men” to her Halloween party. There we learned that Mosie’s parents shunned him for leaving the Amish. Because they believed he was going to hell for leaving the Amish, they told him he wasn’t welcome – even if there were a funeral or wedding. Nineteen and alone, Mosie was naïve to our “English” culture of electronics, social security, taxes, rent, cars, insurance and “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

By November, God moved us with a passion to take Mosie under our wing; an adoption of the heart. We couldn’t grasp all God intended but said yes to His urge.

“Mosie, I hear that your parents don’t welcome you because you left. Would you like us to be your English parents?” I asked one morning. We felt we could come alongside Mosie with prayer, encouragement, invitations for dinner and the occasional greeting card.

With a nod and boyish grin he quietly answered, “I’d like that.”

Joe Keim, founder of www.mapministry.org, supported, encouraged and answered our questions. He told us about an adoption certificate he offers to show our mutual commitment. Mosie wanted November 24 – his birthday – as the day we signed our adoption certificates.

Our family embraced Mosie. Thanksgiving, my birthday, and Christmas with Mosie and our relatives were joy-filled. We grew closer to him, learning about his childhood, Amish rules and structure, church services in High German, his parents and siblings, not remembering being hugged, his decision to leave, first-year out, and becoming a Christian. He began to open up as we saturated him with our love, laughter, attention, and hugs.

By December, the Heavenly Father nurtured a parental love in our hearts for Mosie as if he was our natural born child. I counted the days ‘til he’d come see us; couldn’t wait to hug him, talk to him, hear his voice, about his day . . . and his Dutch accent. Our two adult daughters dropped in more often to see their brother and my mom and mother-in-law both called to check on their new grandson. Christmas Eve our hearts broken when we learned he was laid off work. Immediately we began praying for God to open a new door of employment.

Two days after Christmas Mosie’s car slid on ice; it was totaled and he suffered a concussion. My husband and I brought him home from the ER. We wanted him to recuperate in our home rather than the cold trailer where he lived, with three other former-Amish boys, and slept on a pull-out sofa. As he recovered, he looked for another job and car. Within a week, God provided Mosie with a used car and a new job – his “dream job” on a horse boarding farm. We soon reasoned that since he was enrolled for January GED classes near our home and his job was close by, it was logical that he live with us.

The first of January, Mosie moved his meager belonging to our home. We’re seeing his boyish grins and boundless energy. But I’m not used to cowboy boots, country music, and a growing son’s appetite!

boot

With the help of God and his many servants, including Joe Keim, we’re assisting Mosie with urgently-needed dental care, an education to further his confidence and success in life, and to mature in his new-found salvation. He’s awed by the fact that salvation is by God’s grace and not man’s works.

My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will nudge other Christian parents to open their hearts and home to former Amish. They are incredibly courageous to leave their familiar family and heritage and start a new life in a culture they were taught to shun. They need love, kindness and guidance.

Sunday, January 10, 2010, Mosie stood on the church platform in his plain, blue Amish clothes. He read his written testimony, “I started reading the Bible and discovered things I never knew when I was Amish. I learned that just living by strict rules is not the way to heaven,” and then received Christian baptism. Afterward he put on his English clothes and celebrated the God of second chances and new beginnings.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Brenda Nixon, M.A., Building stronger families through parent empowerment
Speaker / Author of the Award-Winning The Birth to Five Book (Revell)
http://www.BrendaNixon.com
Host, The Parent’s Plate www.toginet.com/shows/theparentsplate
My life & work in 140 characters or less http://twitter.com/BrendaNixon

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