Answers in Faith ~~ "A Grandmother's Double Delight"

To my delight and unspeakable joy, I became a grandmother several years ago.  When the first was born, the miracle of birth, of two people becoming three, amazed me even more than when it happened to me.  As I held that tiny boy, my heart swelled with so much love that tears leaked out of my eyes.  It happened again when the second boy was born.

We live in another state from our grandsons, so our trips to see them are far between. I send cards, but preschool kids don’t appreciate them like they will when they learn to read. When we visit, I always take gifts for both boys so now they expect it. I usually take them books, but from the looks of their two full bookcases, it may be time to expand my selection of gifts.

Watching these boys grow up and learn new things is rejuvenating for me. Seeing the world through the eyes of a child makes me feel young, although it’s exhausting to keep up with them. They can play and run for hours, but I cannot. I do the best I can before resting and telling them to continue their play.

We spent two weeks helping our son with our two grandsons while our daughter-in-law was on an overseas business trip. During those two weeks, we played on the floor, read books, drew pictures, ran races, played outside, went to the park, went to stores, went to McDonalds, and in general, did everything they wanted to do. We even did a few things they didn’t want to do, like picking up toys and being quiet while their dad worked in his office. We ate together, watched TV together, played games together, and lived together for two weeks.

At the end of our time there, I was packing my bag when the oldest grandson came in to watch. “I’m going home tomorrow,” I told him.

He gave me a very puzzled look and said, “But I was just beginning to like you.”

I hope someday my grandsons will appreciate the time I spent with them. I hope they never forget me. I hope they pass on my songs and lessons I’ve tried to teach them. I hope they grow up into responsible, caring, Christian men. It’s my prayer.

II Timothy 1:5 “…when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is also in you.” I hope I’m like the grandmother Lois, and I will establish the faith of Christ in my grandsons so that they know it from childhood (II Tim. 3:15).

“But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them” (Psalms 103:17-18 NKJV).

I want to thank my guest blogger and fellow author, Carol Kjar, for this uplifting and instructive writing.  My favorite line from the blog is when her grandson looked at her and said, "But I was just beginning to like you."  I'm confident that's a precious memory that will stay in the Kjar family for quite some time. 

As Carol mentioned in her blog, long-distance grandparenting can be a challenge. The Lord will give us wisdom how to accomplish this in a memorable way as our legacies continue.

Carol C.S. Kjar, (pronounced "care") lives with her long-time first husband in their empty nest in Boise. She spent her life doing many different things. She’s been a stay-at-home mom, a teacher, a secretary, a statistician, a literacy tutor, a newsletter editor, a timber sale accountant, an archeological technician, and best and longest of all, a technical writer/editor.  

After retiring, Carol focused on writing fiction. Her novels are sweet and wholesome, suspenseful with a touch of romance. She has also written children's, middle age books, and one non-fiction book about quilting. When not writing or traveling with her husband, she loves to quilt, sew, read, draw, paint, and read to her grandsons.

Here's Carol's contact information where you can read her blogs, take a look at the books she's published, etc.

My blog is found at www.cskjar.com/blog

I’m on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cskjar/

I’m on Twitter at @cskjar

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For those of you who are already grandparents or about to become ones, celebrate and enjoy your gifts from God as your legacies live on!  

Happy grandparenting!

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5th Generation Guest Blogger, Hannah Richardson ~~ "Tilting The Basin"

"TiltingThe Basin" was originally posted on Nevada Today, the official news and information site of the University of Nevada, Reno, and was authored by none other than my granddaughter, Hannah Morgan Richardson, a fourth year marketing student in the College of Business with a minor in journalism in the Reynolds School of Journalism. 

The original article was posted on August 29, 2016:

Tilting the Basin: University artists partake in a rising culture of art  --  Artists from northern and southern Nevada participate in an art show through Oct. 23 at the Nevada Museum of Art  
Richardson, H. (Photographer). 2016.

RENO, Nevada - The rising tide of culture in Nevada has brought together artists from the northern and southern regions of the Silver State to display their talent and hard work in an exhibition titled "Tilting the Basin." The show opened Aug. 5 and runs until Oct. 23 at the Nevada Museum of Art in downtown Reno, and will move to Las Vegas in spring 2017.

According to the "Tilting the Basin" fact sheet, the exhibition is named after the water that once filled the Great Basin in Nevada. Although the ancient bodies of water are long gone, a tide of culture is now arising in Nevada. The tilt of the basin will allow the tide to be examined for the quantity and quality of its artistic and cultural contents.

"Tilting the Basin" is attempting to bridge the divide between Northern and Southern Nevada by bringing together the artwork in one place. Many of the participants in the show are University of Nevada, Reno alumni of the School of the Arts' Department of Art, who are given the opportunity for their name and artwork to become recognized. These alumni include Nick Larsen, Chris Bauder, Nate Clark, Jen Graham, Jeffrey Erickson, and Ahren Hertel. Other participants in the show include University professors, faculty and other artists from around Nevada.  

The show will display approximately 90 paintings, displays, objects, sculpture, and many other forms of art created by artists throughout Nevada. The geography of Nevada is an inspiration to many of these artists, as it provides a feeling of freedom brought on by the large open spaces the state offers. Although all of the pieces differ, they all share the same western culture with themes such as the body, food, space, repetition, nature and many more.

One talented participant in the show is Jeffrey Erickson, assistant director of the John Ben Snow Sculpture Center and assistant chair of the Department of Art at the University. He has previously worked at the Nevada Museum of Art as the Chief Preparator and exhibit designer, but his passion for creating art brought him to the University where he now teaches sculpture courses.  

  

As a native Nevadan, Erickson has developed an interest in the space between Lovelock and Fallon, also known as the 40-mile desert, because of the migration of immigrants and pioneers to the West. "I find that the difficulty and the struggle that happened in that space was pretty profound," Erickson said. "When you see it now there is nothing there, but I still think that something remains - there is a phantom quality about it."

Erickson's piece references a photograph that western photographer, Timothy O'Sullivan took in 1867 of a wagon train at Sand Mountain, which Erickson assumes is possibly the first photograph of the mountain just outside of Fallon.

Erickson photographed an ATV carcass that he had stripped and sculpted at Sand Mountain. He posed and placed the ATV in almost the exact area where O'Sullivan's wagon train was photographed in the 1860s. Erickson planned the photo at night to coincide with fireworks, and later did a color inversion to rid the darkness of the night sky. He printed the photo on a piece of metal and then sandwiched the metal between two pieces of acrylic. His goal was to create a piece that was more sculptural than just a photograph with a frame.  

"I believe "Tilting the Basin" is taking the geography of Nevada and then adding a conceptual shift to it," Erickson said. "Hopefully that is what my work does, where you take what is there, then add another several layers of concept, context and meaning to make it resonate on multiple levels, resulting in a tilt or twist of geography." 

To experience Erickson's piece and other artworks on display, visit the Nevada Museum of Art before Oct. 23. Profiles on each of the artists, including the University's professors and faculty members, Megan Berner, Rebekah Bogard, Joseph DeLappe, Ahren Hertel and Erickson are available to read in the Tilting the Basin fact sheet, and general information on the show is available on the Nevada Museum of Art website. 

[End of Nevada Today article]

Here's another fascinating bit of Nevada history  ~~  The Effie Mona Mack Social Sciences Building located on the University of Nevada, Reno campus was dedicated July 8, 1967.  Dr. Mack was my paternal great aunt who co-authored the book titled Our State: Nevada.  She authored several other books as well.  

University of Nevada, Reno alumni include my father, sister, and niece. Future graduates will be Hannah and her brother, Aaron.

My generational blessings continue as I observe my Great Aunt Effie's legacy flourishing through my granddaughter, Hannah, who is the fifth female writer on both sides of our family.

While attending the second grade at Grass Valley Elementary School Hannah authored a poem titled Cloudy With A Chance of Art.  It encourages my heart beyond measure to see how she has progressed from that day forward.

Happy Reading, and if you get the opportunity, please plan to take Hannah's suggestion and visit the Tilting The Basin Exhibit at the Nevada Museum of Art in downtown Reno, Nevada.  

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Poetry & Prose ~~~ "Generations"

When my first generation began
           I have no clue,

Dwelling upon it now and then

            I certainly wish I knew.

Who married who

            and how did they become acquainted?

Was it love at first sight

            or a romance quite belated?

Where did they live

            and how did they get to the states?

Was it by air, land, or sea

            as they awaited their fates?

Were their life spans

            lengthy or short?

How many of their dreams

            did they have to abort?

Occupations, interests, and hobbies

            were probably quite varied.

If they were listed on a wall

            it probably couldn’t be carried.

God ultimately decided

            in which clan to place me.

My children and I would become

            part of my family tree.

Since He makes no mistakes,

            I’m exactly where I need to be.


~~ Excerpted from my newest book titled Poetry Time which is available on Amazon.com or in my Etsy shop.  Here is the Amazon link:

https://www.amazon.com/Poetry-Time-Inspirational-Collection-Traditional-ebook/dp/B01G7J4SSC/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8#nav-subnav

Do you like the black and white bead work ensemble featured at the top of this blog post?  I certainly do!  It was handcrafted by my fellow author, Carol M. Green, who is also a spectacular social media coach.  Speaking of Carol, she designed my fabulous blog page.  In terms of giftings and talents working their way down through the generations, here's a glimpse of Carol's siblings and what they do in their spare time ~~

Kaye is a seamstress and painter.

Bonnie fashions fused glass necklaces, stained glass windows, and lamps.

Barbara crafts crafts.

Ted was a portrait photographer.

Claire is a seamstress.

Carol's daughter, Marie, is also a seamstress and makes the cutest bags.

Carol's granddaughter, Maggie, is an artist who has illustrated two children's books titled Gary Learns to Skate and Gary Learns to Fish both of which can be found on Amazon.
Carol's sister, Judy, makes gorgeous items from leather such as this handcrafted checkbook cover.

Are you a runner in real life?  Please check out Carol's blog page http://runninggrannygreen.blogspot.com/.  She also completes custom orders for her beadwork, designs websites, and writes books!

I would be remiss if I did not mention my youngest granddaughter, Ali, who has started authoring the first book in her children's mystery series titled The Cupcake Thief.  Imagine this if you will ~~ Ali sits to my left in my little office and dictates as I type on my keyboard!  She will be the fourth published author on both sides of my family.  It all started with my paternal great aunt, Dr. Effie Mona Mack, who wrote the state history for the Nevada public schools. Maternal aunt, Fern Hunt, penned beautiful poetry. Yours truly is just about ready to release her tenth book, and Miss Ali Faith is hot on the mystery trail. My oldest daughter, Cathie Richardson, is a freelance artist and graphic designer whose work is featured in such books as The Christmas Tin. This wonderfully illustrated book encourages young children to prepare a small gift for someone who is not expecting it in order to bless them.  It reinforces the timeless message of love is the greatest gift of all.  Cathie's designs are featured in Fine Art America  http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/cathie-richardson.html

As you look back in your family tree what do you see?  There just might be some very pleasant surprises waiting there for you!  Inheritances are not always bank accounts, buildings, businesses or land.  Sometimes they manifest in the most amazing ways.  So, prepare to be amazed!

Happy Reading & Creating!

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Poetry & Prose ~~ "Dad, This One Is For You"

As I reminisce about the many cherished memories

I have of my dad when I was just a child,

Like sitting on his lap listening to his funny stories

Or his silly songs causing me to laugh and smile.

My dad was a kind-hearted and humble person

Who always seemed to understand,

When I would need a hug to enfold me

Or feel the strength of his caring hands.

Even though he was a man of very few words,

He would know the right things to say.

When doubts and fears assailed my mind,

He would say,"Don’t worry, everything will be okay."

When life would bring about turbulent times,

He faced them with calm assurance and laughter in his eyes.

He reminded me that each day held promises of hope

And would point to the double rainbow in the sky.

He had an ability to discern when it was time to share

His words of wisdom and offer ways to help.

He knew when the time had come for him to step aside

And let me stand on my own and do things myself.

With heartfelt thanks and gratitude,

And without a doubt, I want my family to know,

I am grateful for lessons of life he taught me,

And he will always be my hero.

For it was only when I started my own family

That I began to ponder and reflect,

What it meant to be a loving parent

Wanting to nurture, provide and protect.

Thank you, Dad, for showing me what it means

To live my life with honor and integrity.

Thank you for being an awesome father

And being the best dad one could possibly be.

Dad, This One Is For You.

Ephesians 6:2-3

Contributed by Lesta of Heartsong Treasures. 

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Real Women - Real Answers ~~ Be A Memory Builder

Something a bit ironic happened to me this morning.   I was thinking of a topic that I could write for this blog post.  As I was getting a grandbaby ready for church, I thought of the other children in my life. Most of my own children are grown, with only two teenagers left at home.   However, I have had lots of interaction with the kids of our church.   We have had various youth groups through the ten years that we have been here including Vacation Bible Schools, Awana, and Sunday Schools. 

I realized the importance of this interaction one night at our Awana youth club when one of the 4 year olds in the class was examining a picture on the wall.   Softly, she asked me, “Who is that man on the cross?” I told her it was a picture of Jesus. She had such a somber look on her face.   “Why is he bleeding?”   We put aside any plans I had for that night’s class as I gathered the children around this picture that I was now holding in my lap, and we talked about the “man on the cross”.  I had always taught older children in a church setting. I realized now that I was with the younger children I was introducing Christ to some of them for the very first time!

The kids at the church run to me, hug me, and tell me about their weeks. “Miss Jo! I lost a tooth this week!”  “Miss Jo, I have been good for Mommy this week!” The kids in my Kindergarten to sixth grade class  visit with me about their personal interests which allow us to relate that to the gifts God has knit into them and how they can use it for His glory. I love observing as they discover the things they are good at and wonder how those passions will fit into their future.  

Let’s not forget the teenagers. Many of them are in our Civil War re-enacting group.  We can get into some deep conversations ranging from  the Word of God to real-life struggles.  We spend so much time with these kids, introducing them to their Creator, teaching them how to pray, and how to trust God.

Last week, I drove to the airport with one of the young moms in our congregation. Her five year old is in one of my classes.   He said, “Miss Jo, are we going to your house now because I sure would like to spend some time at your house?” His mom told him that we had better wait for the next week when his brother was out of school because it would not go over well if one got to come but not the other.   So I was able to share my day with these special kids in my life. 

I wonder sometimes if we are really making a difference.   I mentioned that something ironic happened this morning.   It wasn’t so much ironic as it was a confirmation. I heard a knock on my door. This is highly unusual at our country home and on a Sunday morning. I opened the door and I heard, “Are you not having services on Easter Sunday morning?” It was a boy (now almost a man) who was in one of our first youth groups when we came to the church. I am still in contact with his mom, but had not seen him for six or seven years! We visited for a few minutes while catching up on the happenings in our lives and walked down to church together.  After the service, this young man came up to me, hugged me, and said, “Thank you, Mama Jo. It was good to see you again.” My heart melted.

It made me realize that we have been handed such an awesome opportunity to impact the children around us. We are in a position that we can minister to these kids on a personal and spiritual level.  We are building memories for them that they will never forget.

Be a memory builder!

Follow JoEllen Claypool on her blog at http://joellen-love2write.blogspot.com/

Happy Memory Building & Reading!

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Real Women ~ Real Answers: Celebrating the BIG SIX-ZERO!

           This year will be a really big one for me.  I turn 60.  The big six-zero.  The decade of Social Security and Medicare.  The age of new aches and pains.  I’m not depressed or upset about turning 60. I’ve accepted the fact that I’m now an older woman.  I feel blessed to have lived so long and so well. 

At 60, I can see life’s cycle more clearly.  I was once a girl who watched my mother and grandmother.  Then I was a mother who watched my daughter and my mother.  Now I’m a grandmother who watches my daughter and my grandchildren.  It’s a beautiful system that been going on since the beginning of time.

        

          Although the calendar says I’m 60, it’s not how I feel.  In my mind’s eye, I’m the age my mother should be and my daughter is the age I should be.  Somewhere across the last decade or so, I’ve become an older woman—on the outside at least.  I still feel young on the inside, like I always have.

           In Titus 2, Paul says the “aged women” should teach the younger women to be good wives and mothers.  I know I’m an older woman, but am I already an aged one?  My how time flies!  So I’ll do as I’m expected and pass on wisdom to young women. 

 Since the wisdom of the Preacher is greater than mine, I encourage all young women to read Proverbs 31:10-31 and consider those words. Be a virtuous woman.  Be a woman who puts in the work and effort to make a good life for yourself and your family.  Be a woman who values inward beauty. Let your works and love for your family reveal your inward beauty.  Outward beauty is passing, but inward beauty lasts a lifetime, and I’m glad of that.  My “pretty days” are behind me, but I continue to try to grow more beautiful on the inside.  The real me is living inside this aging shell, unseen by eyes, but seen in my works. The next time you see an elderly woman, remember she’s only old on the outside.  Inside is a beautiful young girl wondering where time went.

          Contributed by Author C.S. Kjar who lives with her long-time first husband in their empty nest. Since retiring from her technical writer/editor job, she and her husband travel quite a bit which gives her time to dream and imagine new stories and worlds.  Her novels fall somewhere between the women's fiction and Christian fiction genres.  Written without obscenities or detailed sex scenes, her stories weave romance, mystery, and suspense in different places and times.  She also writes an occasional children's book. When not writing or daydreaming, she loves to quilt, sew, and read to her grandsons.

          Check out her books The Treasure of Adonis and The Five Grannies Go To The Ball which are available on Amazon.com, and drop in and read her blog at http://cskjar.com/blog.

Happy Reading, and Happy Birthday, Carol!

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