Behind Every Good President is a Good Mother

At least I hope that's true...I mention this because Mother's Day has come and gone, and I was so busy enjoying it that I haven't taken a moment to write about it.  During our church service, Abraham Lincoln was mentioned as a President who knew that it was his mother's prayers that stayed with him during the difficult years of his Presidency and after.

Long ago, on another blog that I kept that is no longer online, a friend named Bea Kunz wrote the following about Abraham Lincoln...I thought I'd share it here, it may seem out of place...but it's not...it's written by a working grandmother who loves history, her links can be found at the end of her writing.

I just thought this needed to be looked at and thought about today. Abraham Lincoln warned the South in his Inaugural Address: "In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail you.... You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to preserve, protect and defend it."

Lincoln thought secession illegal, and was willing to use force to defend Federal law and the Union. When Confederate batteries fired on Fort Sumter and forced its surrender, he called on the states for 75,000 volunteers. Four more slave states joined the Confederacy but four remained within the Union. The Civil War had begun.

The son of a Kentucky frontiersman, Lincoln had to struggle for a living and for learning. Five months before receiving his party's nomination for President, he sketched his life:

"I was born Feb. 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. My parents were both born in Virginia, of undistinguished families--second families, perhaps I should say. My mother, who died in my tenth year, was of a family of the name of Hanks.... My father ... removed from Kentucky to ... Indiana, in my eighth year.... It was a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods. There I grew up.... Of course when I came of age I did not know much. Still somehow, I could read, write, and cipher ... but that was all."

Lincoln made extraordinary efforts to attain knowledge while working on a farm, splitting rails for fences, and keeping store at New Salem, Illinois. He was a captain in the Black Hawk War, spent eight years in the Illinois legislature, and rode the circuit of courts for many years. His law partner said of him, "His ambition was a little engine that knew no rest."

He married Mary Todd, and they had four boys, only one of whom lived to maturity. In 1858 Lincoln ran against Stephen A. Douglas for Senator. He lost the election, but in debating with Douglas he gained a national reputation that won him the Republican nomination for President in 1860.

As President, he built the Republican Party into a strong national organization. Further, he rallied most of the northern Democrats to the Union cause. On January 1, 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation that declared forever free those slaves within the Confederacy.

Lincoln never let the world forget that the Civil War involved an even larger issue. This he stated most movingly in dedicating the military cemetery at Gettysburg: "that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Lincoln won re-election in 1864, as Union military triumphs heralded an end to the war. In his planning for peace, the President was flexible and generous, encouraging Southerners to lay down their arms and join speedily in reunion.

The spirit that guided him was clearly that of his Second Inaugural Address, now inscribed on one wall of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D. C.: "With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds.... "

On Good Friday, April 14, 1865, Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theater in Washington by John Wilkes Booth, an actor, who somehow thought he was helping the South. The opposite was the result, for with Lincoln's death, the possibility of peace with magnanimity died.

Sixteenth President 1861-1865

Born: February 12, 1809, in Hodgenville, Hardin County, Kentucky

Died: April 15, 1865. Lincoln died the morning after being shot at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. by John Wilkes Booth, an actor.

Are we there yet? What do you think?

Do share.

Bea Kunz

http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com

[Taken in part from the whitehouse.gov history site]

Updated 11/27/18

Making Beautiful Jewelry, Grandmother's Home Business

It's a pleasure to introduce you to Angie Baker, a "crafty" grandmother.  When you read her story, you will see how a creative gift can become a business. Enjoy!

--------------

I am a mother of eight children-four grown boys, four grown girls.  All of whom I am proud of. I have seven grandchildren, three girls, four boys.  Six of my grandchildren are living.  I lost my Maxwell Shelby Ray Haworth at one year of age, but he is still mine. He was born with a heart deformity, half a heart. It was not found out until he was six weeks old, then they said he  was an old baby and his chances of survival were slim. Max was a gift for a year.

I got into my jewelry design business quite by chance.  I had purchased a beading kit from Costco at Christmas 2006 for my oldest granddaughter Brittney.  She didn't come that Christmas, I didn't get around to mailing it. So here sits this perfectly good craft item. I have been a crafter since birth, I am 56 years old now, so that will give you some idea.

Back to the beading kit. I decided to start playing with the beads, in February 2007, they were not top quality glass beads, but they were still pretty and interesting.  I created a few bracelets and decided to post them on a social site called Made Big Nation.  There you post items for sale and get made big coins in return, so that you can purchase other items posted there.

Along comes a person by the name of Donna Young.  She sees my chunky bracelet in orange and blues and asks me to create a bracelet for Valentines Day.  I agree, I also tell her I am new at this designing of jewelry but I will do my best.  I created the jewelry, sent it to her and she was pleased. She then contacted me to create another piece for a friend, which I did. Needless to say, she purchased a total of 16 bracelets, and my business was born.  There is more to the story, but I shortened it.

As to my interests, I love people, animals, anything creative, art, knitting, crocheting, candle making, soap making, leather work, rock tumbling, etc.  I have done it all.  You should see my craft room. It looks like a store!

Updated 11/27/18

Home Business Plus Many Grandchildren = Fun

After receiving a legal secretarial degree from Bryant and Stratton and working at GE for engineers for six years, I quit to raise our two boys, born exactly one year and three weeks apart. (My husband said, “We’re not going to have your mom watch TWO, are we? Mind you, I was sobbing at the time as he went out the door with our oldest.)

Seven years later a third son arrived on the scene and I worked at a quaint little local restaurant an evening or two a week to bring in a little extra cash. (And, admittedly, to remind myself that I still could “process thoughts” – Oh, the stories I can tell!!)

I’m thankful to have been able to work around our family, but where does a closing-in-on-40 year old woman go to find a job? For me it was an Oral Surgery satellite office 20 minutes away which I managed for two doctors. They kindly allowed me the opportunity to work while updating my computer/office skills. Six years later, with one son in college, another a senior in high school and the third closing in on high school, I needed a full-time job to help with college expenses and high school extra-curricular activity bills. And that is how I ended up at a local business as a sales coordinator for nine years.vI know – trained for lawyers and worked for engineers, doctors and salesmen – nothing “relates”, does it?  Plus, nobody needs “secretaries” anymore – everyone does their own thing on computers! And, NOW I’m closing in on SIXTY!!

After we were blessed with 6 (yes, six!) grandchildren, with two more on the way, I left that job two years ago. In hindsight I am even more thankful because my father went to be with the Lord (and mom) this past Dec. 26.  These past two years were filled with many medical appointments for him that I am SO thankful I could do.  (I was thankful at the time, but even more so now!) I LOVE being with my grandchildren, but I’d also like to help my husband financially. Plus, they say our brains “go to mush” if we don’t use them.

Ameriplan®, USA, offers the chance for me to do it all. Yes, it’s network marketing and I’m learning, learning, learning – which is FUN! It’s VERY affordable to begin your own business. Plus, this company provides things I NEED in addition to a paycheck – discounts for dental, vision, prescription and chiropractic needs, as well as help with child ID, legal fees, medical expenses, identity theft (the fastest growing crime in America) and much more.

[As I update this post, I am not sure whether Debbie is still in business, but am leaving this information just in case!] If interested, I’d love to hear from you via e-mail at DJohnson70 at ameriplan.net or by phone at 716-355-4223.
We women need to STICK TOGETHER!! And we aren’t getting older, we’re GETTING BETTER!!
God Bless you all!
Debbie Johnson

Updated 11/27/18

Bonding Between Grandchildren and Grandmothers

This article was formerly on my old "Selling with Articles" site. The site no longer exists, but the article is a good one and worth sharing. I hope you enjoy.

Building A Bond Between Grandparents And Grandchildren

By: Scarlett Capelli

Grandchildren are one of the special joys you receive as you get older. While raising your own children, you may not have had the time or the energy to spend as much time with them as you wished to. Now you can build a special bond with your grandchild.

If you have more than one grandchild, you should try to spend quality time with each one individually. If both their parents are working, these children may not get much attention separately. Plan a unique activity for each one, a memory that only the two of you will have. These activities can be as simple as a nature walk in the woods or playing a board game. You can also teach your grandchild a skill, such as how to play the piano or how to cook. When he grows up and uses these skills as an adult, your grandchild will fondly remember who it was that taught to him.

Another way to get close to your grandchild is just to talk to him and then to listen to what he has to say. Again, with both his parents being busy, the child may not have anyone who really listens to him. Establishing open and close communication when the child is young may lead your grandchild to maintain that communication when he is older and you may pleased to find that he seeks your advice when making important decisions about his future.

You can also share the family history with your grandchild. A child can feel more secure knowing that he belongs to an extended family group. Tell the child about relatives that he may not know and share with him any information that you have about your ancestors. Most children are interested in knowing where their family came from. You can spend an afternoon going through old photo albums and scrapbooks, telling your grandchild small facts about each picture. Also share with him stories of your own youth and his parent’s childhood. Not only will this entertain your grandchild, it is a way to ensure that the family histories get passed on to the next generation.

A young child will become excited when he receives mail with his name on the envelope. In addition to birthday and Christmas cards, you can also send him cards for other holidays as well as short notes and letters. This can make your grandchild feel that he is special.

If you do not live close to your grandchild, you can still form a bond with him. In the age of cell phones and computers, pictures are easy to send back and forth between you and the child. You could also mail a video tape of yourself showing him activities that you like to do and in return you can ask the child what activities he likes to do. When there are family get togethers, you can still plan to spend quality time with your grandchildren, although you may have to plan a group activity as time may be an issue in trying to plan activities with each one of them separately.

Being a grandparent can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Building a strong and loving bond with your grandchildren can lead to a close relationship that will last you the rest of your life.

(The link provided by the author is no longer valid at this update...perhaps she will find us one day and give us a new one.)

Updated 11/27/18

The Hands of a Grandmother

Four Generations of Hands

A year or two I received an email with the following heart-warming story.  As I read it, I immediately thought of my own grandmother's hands.  I remember sitting next to her in church as a child when we would visit to vacation at her home in New England each year, looking at those hands as they held mine.  I look at my own hands now, and sometimes they remind me of hers. Read this simple but beautiful story, and do enjoy!

--------------

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands. When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. 'Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking,' she said in a clear strong voice.

'I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK,' I explained to her.

'Have you ever looked at your hands,' she asked. 'I mean really looked at your hands?'

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.

Grandma smiled and related this story:

'Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.

They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.

'They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.

'They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.

They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

'These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ.'

I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

Updated 11/27/18

Generations of Immigrants, a Personal Story

Hello all,

Thanks, Claudia, for creating a community of working grandmothers. What a neat idea!

This is my introductory post, and I'll make it about emigration and extended families. [Emigration is the act of leaving one's country to live in another, immigration is the process of becoming part of the new country].

I emigrated from Holland to Canada with my geologist husband in 1969 at the age of 25. I have never been sorry for a single moment, but only recently have we started to realize how much the next generation is deprived of extended family.

I come from a close, matriarchal family.

My mother had 4 sisters and her father died when Mom was 12. "Oma van Eijk" was definitely a presence in our childhood.

I was always a bit scared of her, and did not like the way us kids had to behave better than normal (we were really pretty good) when Oma came to stay with us. We did have some good times together when I went to stay with her in her home. But I did not start to fully appreciate her courageous and difficult life till long after she was gone.

My father's parents were more fun, especially since they lived in a downstairs flat with, oh joy! a backyard with an apple tree, a gap in the hedge that led to Opa's brother's backyard next door, and even a few chickens at the end of the yard.
Besides that Oma only 5 feet tall, if that, and was a lot of fun to measure yourself against.

When I met my husband his redoubtable and remarkable grandmother on mother's side was still alive. "Moele" lived in a huge home filled with antiques and souvenirs of her many years in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. She organized a lavishly catered family reunion every Christmas season where all the nieces and nephews gathered. She told us (in 1965) that she wanted to stay alive to see a man land on the Moon. She did. Quite a lady.

I can't say the extended family was a daily part of our lives, but there was definitely a network of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents that one took for granted and it was there in the background.

My parents used to visit here a lot, Mom almost once a year. But none of my siblings had kids, for various reasons. The family tree has shrunk instead of expanded. Four kids, two grandchildren, one great-grand, at least so far. There is still hope :).

This leaves my children in the world without cousins on that side of the family. My husband's sisters had 5 kids between them, but his family is less close than ours.

This was simply not a big deal when they were growing up. We were part of a rural "back-to-the-land" community, with friends taking the place of family. But the young have all scattered, as they must to find more opportunity than a small resource town can offer.

Fortunately our daughter married into a small but close family and her in-laws live in the same town as us. We are good friends, so we are creating an extended family in that way. It is great!

There really ought to be a word for sideways relations. What do you call people with whom you share a grandchild? Our grandson, who will remain un-named because my girl guards her privacy, has cousins on his father's side. The other grandparents of those cousins live here too, and have kindly included us in a sort of sideways extended family. We have even had Christmas at their place.

What do you call people whose grandchildren are cousins to your grandchild?

We need to enrich this language!

Anyway, that's enough for now....

Ien in the Kootenays, Mother of daughter, 33, who just got her PhD in microbiology, and son, 28, a geologist like Dad who is moiling for gold in the NorthWest Territories, one brilliant grandson, 9.

I market wild whole foods products for middle-aged women who are so exhausted and muddled that they can't even finish their own sentences anymore, like I used to be, and I have a special interest in keeping kids with ADD off drugs! Don't be afraid to ask, I don't believe in "selling" and will gladly share everything I have learned on ADD. (There was originally a link to a site, but it is no longer connected to the author at this update, and I cannot find her. Perhaps she will find us one day.)

Updated 11/27/18

Aging - Exercise Equals Biologically Younger You

Visit happynutritionist.com

Hello Grandmoms! It's the Happy Nutritionist here. I hope all of you are doing well, and really enjoy reading the different and varied posts from our contributors.

Today I went for my annual physical, thankfully all looks great, I am awaiting results of my blood-work, and do have to schedule my Mammogram, very important!

When I got home, in my inbox was yet another reminder about the importance of keeping our bodies moving...and I thought I'd pass it along.
-----------------
Health researchers from King’s College in London have just concluded a study that suggests people who are physically active in their free time may be biologically younger than their less active peers. The research was published several years back in the Journal of the American Medical Association, visit the link for more current articles on physical activity and health.

The researchers looked at the physical activity levels, smoking habits and socioeconomic status of 2,401 study participants. The researchers also collected DNA samples from participants and examined certain DNA characteristics that change as part of the aging process and therefore may serve as a marker of a person's biological age. Overall, the study participants had changes to the DNA characteristics that come with aging, but those who were more active in their leisure time showed less of a change.

"A sedentary lifestyle increases the propensity to aging-related diseases and premature death. Inactivity may diminish life expectancy not only by predisposing to aging-related diseases, but also because it may influence the aging process itself," study author Lynn F. Cherkas, of King's College London, said in a prepared statement.

"The U.S. guidelines recommend that 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity at least five days a week can have significant health benefits," the researchers wrote. "Our results underscore the vital importance of these guidelines. They show that adults who partake in regular physical activity are biologically younger than sedentary individuals. This conclusion provides a powerful message that could be used by clinicians to promote the potential anti-aging effect of regular exercise."

Walking for 30 minutes a day is the easiest way to add more physical activity to your life. If you’ve been inactive lately, start off slowly with 5 minutes a day, and then gradually build up to 10 minutes, 15 minutes and on to 30 minutes. You’ll have more energy, you’ll feel better, you’ll sleep better and you’ll live longer. Add 5 servings of fruits and vegetables to your new active lifestyle and you’ll feel better than you have in years - and there’s no easier way to get your 5 servings a day than with convenient, delicious Wholefood Farmacy foods.

Updated 11/27/18

Tips for Self-Employed Grandmothers

I used to love to visit the various article sites to see what I can find...after all, people are writing these wonderful articles to be read. At this update, article sites have become unpopular, as they lend to "duplicate content" on the internet, the same people posting the same articles at all article sites, with links to their business sites. It seems that this is frowned upon in recent years at this 2018 update, as many article sites have closed down, and the links within the articles are no longer active. 

Nevertheless, back in the day, the following article caught my eye, and does have some helpful information. I must say that I'm inclined to like the idea of working in my comfy sweats and slippers...but that's because of the kind of work I do at home. Read the following, the article was entitled "What to Know Before You Start Working from Home" by Jerry D. Wilson.

--------------

Working from home is not a trend, it is now considered a very cost effective and efficient way of doing business. A great number of companies today are hiring people specifically to work from their own homes. Some of these companies even financially supplement these home offices with office allowances, the paying of phone and high-speed Internet connections and office supplies.

If you find yourself in this seemingly enviable position here are some things you should think about to help keep yourself at the top of your game.

Dress for success even when working from home

Do not fall into the trap of going to work in your pajamas. While this may sound fun it is not. Your productivity will plunge, your attitude will suffer and your overall efficiency will be below acceptable levels.

How you dress effects the way you think. This may sound funny but it is totally true.

This is why Casual Day at the office may only be coming to work without a tie. In most cases Casual Day does not include shorts, a tee-shirt and no shoes. If you are working from home you should never consider yourself to be on permanent Casual Day.

When I conduct sales meetings I always stress that the participants should dress accordingly. In most cases I issue instructions with the meeting announcement that all attendees should dress Business Casual for my meetings. No ties, no blue jeans and no shorts. If someone wants to wear a suit, that is fine. I would rather see someone over dress than under dress.

For working from home, you should always get up, get showered, shaved and dressed appropriately for your day at work. Do not take shortcuts with your morning routine or your apparel for work. Keeping up appearances will make for a better attitude at work.

Keep your Office out of the Bedroom

It may sound like fun to have your desk in your bedroom but it will hurt you in the long run. If you are going to work from home find a different room to set up your desk. Having your desk in the bedroom will make for some very long days and nights.

The temptation to work after hours will always be there if your desk is in your bedroom. During the night, you might even hear the sound of an E-mail coming in and get up to check it out. (I speak from experience on this one.)

You also need the mental advantage of going to work. I like to tease my wife in front of other people when I joke that my wife makes me walk to work each morning. After a short chuckle and a weird look directed toward my wife I explain that I walk down the stairs and across the house to my home office.

I am able to walk into my home office and begin the day like I was walking into a corporate headquarters. I have a door to my office that I can close at the end of the day when it is time to go home. Having a door to my office gives me the physical border that I need to begin and end the day and help keep my work from invading my home life.

Take a Lunch Break

The tendency will be to cut yourself short with your lunch breaks. Do not do this. Take your breaks. Get out of your office. Go to the water cooler every once in a while.

I found that when I physically left the house for lunch that I was more productive in the afternoons. The break gave definition to the mid-day or halfway point of the work day. Getting out of the house also made it less restrictive to the space I found myself in.

Also, I was able to make friends with people so I could have the interaction that you will miss from working in solitude. Make some lunch appointments with friends, especially those in similar positions as you. Your productivity will flourish because of it.

Limit the Interruptions

Working from home provides temptations for others in the home to interrupt whenever they feel like. This kills productivity and should be limited whenever possible.

One of the best pieces of advice I give for this is to suggest that the person interrupting be asked what they would do if I were working from an office downtown:

• Would you ask me to help carry in the groceries if I were in an office downtown?
• Would you ask me to change a diaper if I were working in an office downtown?
• Would you ask me to watch the kids?
• Would you ask me to walk the dog?

[Claudia interjects again..I thought the nice thing about working at home was being able to squeeze little "at home" things in between working...that's what I do....a dog-walking break can be refreshing and clear the mind, but I kind of understand what the writer means...you don't want to lose focus...and I think this is a man who has a wife at home.]

Well, you get the idea. If they would not ask you to do whatever it is if you were working downtown then they should not ask you if you are working from home.

Another good visual explanation of how interruptions need to be limited is holding a pencil horizontal. Explain that this pencil represents the time it is going to take to complete the project you are working on. It is fixed, it is rigid and unable to be shortened. Now explain that the interruptions you get only shift the timeline further and further beyond quitting time. The project must be completed and the interruptions only delay the completion of the project.

The one exception I make for this hard and fast rule of limited interruptions is if you have children. You should allow for breaks from work to see them off for school and for when they come home from school. These should be happy times in your family and your children need to see you on both of these occasions. Do whatever you can to make your children feel special during these times and you will not be interrupted so much by them at other times.

A Home Office can be more Productive

• You have a quiet atmosphere where you are surrounded by things you love.
• You do not have to listen to the office gossip or office politics.
• You should never be late for work and you are going to love the commute.

Just be careful not to fall into the trap of dressing down, create an efficient work space that is not in your bedroom and limit the interruptions. Doing these things will help make you more productive than if you were in the corporate office and make you less stressed overall because you aren't fighting traffic twice a day.

Updated 11/27/18

Passing Down Christmas Traditions

My grandson had his first Christmas last year (2006), came over to my house, had lots of fun opening presents, watching the lights. This year will one that he'll remember, and my son and his wife decided it would be great to stay home and start their own family traditions. So I had a great talk with my daughter-in-law as she asked me about the traditions her husband remembered best.

I think his favorite was Christmas Eve. We'd have like a fiesta, enchiladas, taco's etc Some years we'd have a pinata. Then we'd gather around the Christmas tree and read the Christmas story from the Bible, have a song or two. Somehow they started the tradition of opening one present that night, and they haven't wanted to stop. Then they play games till we told them get some sleep!

Updated 11/27/18