Looking back and looking ahead

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and were able to spend some time with your family! Our grown kids and grandkids came to our country home this year to celebrate Christmas ... on Christmas Eve. We had a wonderful time! On Friday night the kids decorated gingerbread houses; it's an annual tradition in our family. As our grands made roofs out of pretzels and Sweet Tarts and peppermints, I couldn't help but remember their dads doing the very same thing—a long, long time ago!

And as New Year's Day approaches I'm reminded that it's time for me to choose a Bible verse to focus on for the new year. I've decided on a portion of James 1:19: " ... Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak ... "  I want to really ponder what I will say, before saying it. I hope that I will listen to others' hearts before I jump in with my words. And I plan to share my verse for the new year with the older grandkids and encourage them to choose a verse for 2012 for themselves.

What about you? What were some of your favorite Christmas memories? 

And have you thought about focusing on a particular Bible verse in 2012?  If so, which one did you choose?

Have a wonderful week,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

 Photo © Mary May Larmoyeux

Making a bed for Baby Jesus

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Friday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

When our children were small, one of our favorite Christmas traditions was making a pine straw bed for baby Jesus (instead of pine straw, you could use pieces of hay, balls of cotton, etc.). We’d set up the Nativity with everything except the figure of Jesus. Near the Nativity we filled a small basket with straw.

Whenever family members did secret acts of kindness to honor Christ (such as making someone’s bed, taking out the trash, giving an elderly neighbor cookies, etc.), he/she would secretly place a piece of pine straw on the manger floor. Then, on Christmas Day, the figure of baby Jesus was placed on the bed that had been made as acts of worship.

Doing this helped us all remember the real reason for celebrating Christmas—the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Tomorrow night Pops and I will get out the Nativity set and decorate the Christmas tree. And, yes, we will have a small basket filled with pine straw. Several of our grandchildren are now old enough to understand secret acts of kindness. So, this year some new little hands will be helping to make baby Jesus’ bed.

(If your grandchildren live out of town, you may want to share this tradition with their parents and send a special basket for the straw.)

He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/
 hoto © Mary May Larmoyeux

Shhhh, please don't tell the grandkids.

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Many years ago I taught school ... and I loved it. One year the PTA purchased some wonderful hardback books for the children; that were blank inside. The kids had a great time designing their covers and writing their stories!

Like these students, one of our granddaughters loves to write "books." She's only seven years old and her "books" are really short stories filled with lots of hand drawn pictures. Her last story had an "author page" where she printed her name and then said that she "rote this book." I loved it!

Well, here's my secret! (And, if you know our grandkids, please don't tell them.) Pops and I are going to give each of our grandchildren a blank hardback book as one of their Christmas presents. I discovered them on the Internet and thought that you might want to check them out for yourself. They are called Bare Books.

Do your grandkids like to write? Do you?

Have a great week,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart


© 2011 by Mary May Larmoyeux.All rights reserved.


© Cienpies Design / Illustrations / Dreamstime.com

Thanksgiving Memories and Place Mats

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email


Friday's Grand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

I'd like to share something with you from Heloise's Helpful Hints newspaper column. A reader named Laraine R. wrote that she makes place mats to remember various trips. After using double-stick tape to put trip memorabilia in place on poster board, she covers it with plastic.

My imagination came up with a few more ways that we can use Laraine's fun idea with our grandkids. What about making special Thanksgiving place mats for the family that are filled with memories of people and events that we are grateful for? For example, if a new grandbaby was born this year, we could have a copy of the birth announcement, photographs of Mom and the baby coming home, etc.

Or, maybe a grandchild recently graduated from high school or college. That place mat could have graduation pictures, copies of the invitation, etc. And if there's a little slugger in the family, how about focusing on baseball games and sports celebrations?

Of course, we wouldn't need to use actual pictures in today's world. We could print digital copies of photographs on plain paper. And we might want to focus on lots of people or events that we are thankful for, rather than just one specific person.

Here's another idea: We could help the grands make their own gratitude place mats. They could select pictures, write words, copy Bible verses, etc. onto a piece of poster board. It could be covered with plastic or laminated at a local teacher supply store (Mardel Bookstores often do laminating, too). We could ask grandchildren to make a place mat honoring one of their siblings, parents, or teachers.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, you may want to read the article 10 Ways to Keep Thanks in Thanksgiving . It's in the new issue of Encouraging Women  With Hearts for Their Homes.

Have a great weekend,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

Order: The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

Photo and post © by Mary May Larmoyeux. All right reserved.

Simple Blessings of Life

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

“If the stars came out only once a year, everyone would stay up all night just to watch,” said poet Ralph Waldo Emerson.

René Haub referred to Emerson's quote in her article A Hundred-Dollar Word. "We tend to ignore the things that are always present or available to us (health, financial comfort, easy access to life’s 'necessities')," she said, "and take those things for granted, even if they are wonderful things."

I think René is right. What if we only felt the soft touch of a child's face ... or smelled chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven ... or saw a bird soar into the trees, once a year? What if we could only hear ... or see ... or taste, once a year?

Just thinking about this makes me very thankful!

How can we encourage thankfulness in our grandkids? We could play "what if" with them. Perhaps we could read them Emerson's quote about the stars and then recite or list together the simple, everyday blessings of life—ones we often take for granted. We could do this in person, on the phone, or even by e-mail.

If grandkids will be at our homes in the evening during Thanksgiving week, we could bundle up, go outside, and peer together into a star-filled night. We could recite not only Emerson's quote about stars, but also verses such as Psalm 147:4: "He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name."

May we be grandparents whose lives overflow with thankfulness ... every day.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Mary

co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart

www.marymaywrites.com/

© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux.
Photo © US National Ocean & Atmospheric Administration

He has done great things

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

I still remember when a friend and I ate lunch together and talked about passing down family stories. She referred to a passage in Psalms 78 that tells about the importance of sharing spiritual stories.

"We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord," says Psalm 78:4. "His power, and the wonders he has done.”

The Bible paraphrase The Message says it this way (verses 1-4): “ … I'll let you in on the sweet old truths, stories we heard from our fathers, counsel we learned at our mother's knee. We're not keeping this to ourselves, we're passing it along to the next generation—God's fame and fortune, the marvelous things he has done.”

It is up to us to pass on family stories—especially ones about God intervening in our lives and homes. We can share these stories with the grands while washing dishes together, taking a relaxing walk, or going on a drive. We can record our stories and burn them on a CD, or write them down in notebooks. … We can even do something very simple—jot them down in our Bibles.

For years I've jotted down things I want to remember in my Bible—births, weddings, deaths. Memories such as,“God protected a child on from a terrible wreck when he did a 360 degree turn on a wet freeway and ended up in a ditch,” “God protected my husband when a car burst into flames 3-4 feet from a propane tank by his office,” “God protected a son and his wife when they had a gas leak in their house,” and on, and on, and on.

Whenever I read in my Bible how God has protected and led our family, I remember that He has done great things ... marvelous things. I'm also reminded that I can trust God for today and tomorrow.

Stories of His past faithfulness engrave the hearts of our families with this message. And what a wonderful message to share with our families as Thanksgiving approaches. Nothing is impossible for God! (Luke 1:37)

Have a great week,

Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart

© by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

© Photographer: Noriko Cooper / Dreamstime.com

Thanksgiving traditions

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
—Psalm 107:1

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving will be here in a couple of weeks. We’re really looking forward to some good family time!

Sometimes I overestimate what I can do for the holidays—wanting to make them extra special for everyone. I’m really trying to do better at knowing my limits. Can you identify? I wanted to use pretty china for Thanksgiving this year, but the more Jim and I talked about it, the more impractical it seemed—with five grandkids from 1 – 6 years of age.

It will be great for young and old to share blessings with one another around our Thanksgiving table. The branches of our little Thanksgiving tree are filled with reminders of God’s goodness during this past year.

Although I’m very grateful to God for His many blessings, I’m also very aware that we’re not in heaven yet. Our society wants to breathe the fairy dust of perfection on the holidays, but there’s no perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas. And there’s sure no perfect Nana or Pops.

After our Thanksgiving feast and time of remembering, we’ll enjoy a family tradition—making gingerbread houses for Christmas. (I’ll share the recipe in one of the Friday's Fun columns.) We’ve done that since our sons were little boys. It seems unreal that their children are now making the gingerbread houses.

What are some of your Thanksgiving traditions?

He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

Order: The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart


© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All right reserved.

New Life

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Pops and I had our sixth grandchild on Saturday and I must say, she's beautiful!

Her big sister and brother stayed with us over the weekend, and they were so excited to be with their little sis today! Our four-year-old grandson was ready to play with her--right now. I tried to explain to him that she couldn't play quite yet, but he insisted that babies can play. Well, she didn't seem excited about the toy truck that he kept waving at her.

Big sis looked like a natural as she cradled the baby in her arms. With a grin on her face she seemed to say, "I have a real, live baby doll!"

New life. How precious! No matter what struggles there are in the world around us, new life just breathes hope.

I am reminded of Psalm 139:13-14a:  "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

What was it like when you held your grandchild for the first time?

Have a great week,

Mary
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

Treasure bags

Friday's Grand Connection Fun

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Pops and I moved into our new home a few weeks ago ... or should I say, we are moving into our new home. We are now going through the seemingly endless task of unpacking boxes. Sometimes we'll discover treasures that we have long forgotten—a picture of a loved one, a favorite vase, or even a book or two that we had intended to read.

Speaking of treasures. Can you identify the picture above? If you said, "plastic container that a new curtain comes in," you are right! Moving into a new house, we had to buy lots of new curtains, and I just couldn't throw away the nifty plastic containers that they come in. They are perfect for "treasure bags." I've already given a couple of them to two of the grandkids, and they loved them. When we went for a walk they filled their bags with acorns, rocks, and I think a few sticks.

The next time that you purchase curtains, you may want to retrieve some "treasure bags" for your grands. Of course, Ziploc bags could easily be used for the same purpose.

Is there a special place where your grandchildren place their "treasures" when they go on outings with you? What are some of your grandchildren's "treasures"?

Have a great weekend!
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
co-author of The Grand  Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

©  2011 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Photo Credit: © Mary May Larmoyeux

Handprint Wreaths

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Friday's Grand Connection Fun

by Mary May Larmoyeux

With a little help, the grandkids can have a one-of-a-kind autumn wreath. They are sooo easy to make! Here's how:

• Cut a wreath ring out of poster board or cardboard and set this aside.
• Trace each grandchild’s hands on colored construction paper (choose fall colors).
• Repeat this several times.  
• Help the grandkids write something they are thankful for on each leaf. (Of course, older grandchildren could do this by themselves.)
• Now, randomly layer/glue the hands around the wreath until it is covered. 
• Decorate the leaves with some pumpkin or turkey stickers as an added touch.

Here are a couple of examples of autumn handprint wreaths:

 Autumn Handprint Wreath “a”

  

Autumn Handprint Wreath “b”

I'd love to hear about your experience with your grandchildren making autumn wreaths. Please share any tips or ideas that you have for us!

Have a great weekend,
Mary

co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

© Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © Margaret Thompson. Used with permission.

Scavenger Hunt Fun

Friday's Grand Connection Fun

by Mary May Larmoyeux

In the August 2009 issue of Family Fun magazine, grandparents Patrica and Paul Slaga of North Carolina shared a unique idea. They have "Tricky Treasure Hunts" with their grands.

In either their house or yard, the Slagas hide several wrapped "inexpensive treasures" such as small toys, art supplies, gummy bears, stickers, etc. Their grandkids work together to solve brainteasers to locate each prize (the prizes could also be together at the end of several clues). 

The Slagas give creative clues using verses with missing rhymes, symbols or pictures taking the place of words, or numeric codes.

Here are some examples of possible clues:

Verse: "Jack and Jill went up the _________." Answer: hill. So the next clue or prize will be on whatever your grandchild will know is the "hill."

Picture: Have a picture of a refrigerator and either tape the next clue to your refrigerator door or put a small prize inside your refrigerator.

Numeric code clue: Assign each letter of the alphabet a number such as a = 1; b = 2; c = 3 ... z = 26. If your first clue is: The next clue will be by the 2 12 21 5 chair. Answer: blue. Then, the next clue will be by the blue chair.

Another idea is to send a grandchild on a magazine or newspaper scavenger hunt. Jot down some age-appropriate questions about various articles, words in headlines, photos, etc., and give them to the grands. After they find the answers to the questions, reward them with some type of wrapped prize or treat.

It would be pretty easy for us to prepare these types of scavenger hunts for out-of-town grands. We could send the clues to them in the mail with small wrapped prizes or extra money for an ice cream cone, etc.

Do you have any scavenger hunt ideas? Did you go on scavenger hunts as a child?

Have a great weekend,

Mary

Mary May Larmoyeux

http://www.marymaywrites.com/

http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

© Ilya Genkin / Dreamstime.com

Having quiet time ... together

 Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Tuesday's  Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you."     (Jeremiah 32:17)

The past two weekends I've watched grandkids overnight in their own homes. Shortly after I woke up last Saturday morning, I heard the pitter-patter of little feet coming down the stairs. And before I knew it, there were two young guests in my bed.

"I'll play with you when I finish my Bible study," I told the children.

Off the bed they slipped to return with their own Bible storybooks. Then we had a little "quiet time" ... together.

I've heard grown women say that they remember their grandmothers reading their Bibles and praying. I hope that my grandchildren will have that same memory. I hope they'll know that true power comes from God and that absolutely nothing is impossible for Him! I hope that they will all grow into men and women who realize that we are just passing through this life and that they will each become a follower of Jesus Christ.

A couple of years ago some friends and I went through the Sammy Tippet Bible study Praying for Your Family. It is wonderful! Sammy gives specific ways to pray and shares how God answered prayers for his entire family.

I also love using the book While they Were Sleeping as a prayer guide. In the margins of its daily readings, I jot down the dates that I pray specific prayers for specific grandkids.

Do you have any special ways that you pray for your legacy? How do you carve out time during the busy day to read your Bible?

Have a great week,

Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

© 2011 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © Lane Erickson / Dreamstime.com

Memories are like roses

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email
Tuesday's  Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

If you are a regular reader of The Grand Connection, you probably know that Pops and I have been building a house in the country. We spent our first night in the house about a week ago and are busy unpacking boxes and getting settled. Sometimes, it's overwhelming ... boxes seem to be everywhere!

I had not expected to be flooded with memories as I unpacked boxes of pictures, yearbooks, and mementos. But I have been. It just seems like yesterday when our children were small. And now they have children of their own!  Can you identify with this?

Jim and my old high school and college year books had been packed in our old attic for decades, and I really don't think our kids have ever seen them!  But they'll be able to in the new house. That's because we now have some special bookshelves for photo albums and old annuals.

I'm so glad that God allows us to remember and hope that you will enjoy the following quotes about memories. I read them on the website http://www.quotegarden.com/. 

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. ~From the television show The Wonder Years

God gave us memories that we might have roses in December. ~J.M. Barrie, Courage, 1922

We do not remember days; we remember moments. ~Cesare Pavese, The Burning Brand

Pleasure is the flower that passes; remembrance, the lasting perfume. ~Jean de Boufflers

Have a great week,
Mary

http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/.

© by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photro © Mary May Larmoyeux

Overnight Grandma

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Friday's Grand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

Have you ever spent several days watching your grandchildren while their parents were out of town? I had the privilege of doing this recently and it was a lot of fun!

I now really understand what Mom used to tell me, "Mary, God gave little ones to the young because they have the energy."

My daughter-in-love did something that was a huge help. She went to the dollar store before she and our son left town. She purchased little presents for each of the children for each day that she and our son would be gone. The items were wrapped individually and put into large gift bags (one large gift bag per day that had the individual presents in it).

Before the kids went to bed each night, we would open their special gifts. Of course, the children loved it. But the biggest help was not the presents, it was the tangible sight of four gift bags sitting on a bookshelf in the den. As each bag was removed, the kids seemed to understand how many days it would be until their parents came back home. That was a great help to them and to me!

Years ago when Jim and I went out of town and the kids stayed with grandparents, I remember leaving stickers for the children to put on a calendar (one sticker per day). When the stickers were gone, we would be back.

Do you have any tips for grandmothers who are asked to take care of their grands overnight for several days?

Have a great weekend,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

© Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © Budda / Dreamstime.com

Trusting God in Times of Darkness

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email


Friday's Grand Connection Fun
Mary May Larmoyeux

What were you doing on the morning of September 11, 2001? I was preparing to leave the house—a beloved foster child's mother had died and we were going to the funeral home. It was a tough morning ... that was going to get much tougher.

Lt. Col. Brian D. Birdwell will never forget September 11; nor will his family.

Birdwell was standing in the Pentagon, about 20 yards from where American Airlines Flight 77 slammed through its outer walls. Engulfed in flames, he was burned over 60% of his body—nearly half of those burns were third degree.

"One minute I'm standing in a very clear corridor and I know what direction I'm walking," he remembers, "and the next moment it's fire, and smoke, and darkness around me."

He spent three long months in the hospital and endured more than 30 excruciating surgeries. His life was changed forever. And not only his life, but also the lives of countless burn survivors and wounded servicemen and women.

You see, Mel and Brian Birdwell turned their tragedy into triumph and began Face the Fire, a ministry to help burn and combat victims. Today they are giving hope as ones who know firsthand what burn victims and their families are going through.

The Birdwells have experienced the meaning of Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (NIV).

The Bible paraphrase The Message says it this way. " ... we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."

GETTING PERSONAL

Sometimes it's really hard for me to look at a situation and believe in my mind that anything good could come out of it. I imagine that Brian and Mel Birdwell would not only agree, but would also recall times of suffocating doubt.

They may have felt like Job's despairing wife who watched her once honored husband become afflicted with painful sores, scraping himself with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes (Job 2:7).

"Curse God and be done with it!" she said.

"You are talking like a foolish woman." Job replied. "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"

Job chose to trust God in his heart when he could not humanly imagine anything good coming out of his seemingly dismal fate.

The Lord heard Job's cries of anguish. He heard the Birdwells' cries. And he hears ours.

Almighty God is walking with you, and me, and our grandchildren—even when darkness seems to blur our paths.

For me, the message of September 11 includes Romans 8:28. Yes, I can be sure that every single detail of my life, and my loved ones' lives, is eventually worked into something good when I place yesterday, today, and tomorrow into the hands of a loving God.

He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

(If you'd like to watch a video of the Birdwells, or read more information about their ministry, go to Remembering September 11, 2001, and Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell.)

© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
________________________________________

Photograph: Firefighters work to put out the flames moments after a hijacked jetliner crashed into the Pentagon at approximately 0930 on September 11, 2001. Photographer: CPL Jason Ingersoll, USMC

David and the Giant

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Tuesday's  Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

It seems like I’ve heard the story of David and Goliath a million times. Yet, no matter how many times I hear it, the faith of the small boy David facing the giant always amazes me. David knew God upfront and personal. He truly believed nothing is impossible with the Lord, and he acted on that belief.

I'll never forget sharing the story of David and Goliath at church to a group of 3-5 year olds. Our out-of-town grandson was visiting that weekend, and when I asked for a volunteer to be David, his hand shot high in the air. So, I chose him to play the part.

Who was Goliath? A high school student who was over 6 feet tall. Seeing my small grandson next to the seemingly huge Goliath gave me a new appreciation for the faith of David.

When Goliath roared, "Who will fight me?” my then four-year-old grandson jumped to his feet and shouted in his tiny voice, “I will.”

As I watched my grandchild standing next to Goliath. I thought If this were a real fight, you wouldn’t have a chance—in man’s eyes.

When we think of the future battles ahead for our grandkids, it's easy to get concerned. As they get older and experience more of life’s temptations and struggles, may they be like young David and rely on God's enabling strength. May they know that when the Lord is on their side, absolutely nothing is impossible.

Have a great week,
Mary

http://www.marymaywrites.com/
https://grandconnection.blogspot.com/


© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

lemonade

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

I was driving to the Post Office one Saturday morning when a sign with hand-printed letters caught my attention: FREE Lemonade—Donations Welcome.

A little boy and girl sat by a lemonade stand. Their hopeful grins said, "Please, please stop."

After passing a few more driveways, I turned the car around and headed back towards the children. While I parked the car, big brother was already pouring me a drink and little sis sat nearby.

"I'd like some of that free lemonade," I said, waving a one-dollar bill in my hand. "And here's a donation."

A big smile crossed the boy's face, "Nine dollars," he shouted to a woman I assumed was his mother, "We've already got $9!"

I gulped down the cool drink and headed back to the Post Office; it would close in ten minutes.

I smiled to myself. It seemed like yesterday when I was the mom watching a little boy selling lemonade. And that little boy now has children of his own.

So much has changed in today's world of technology with e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and i-pods.

But so much is still the same−strangers stopping to support young entrepreneurs ... wanting to encourage another generation. Remembering another time ... another place ... another little boy or girl.

Have a great week,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com

© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Precious Moments

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

Rita Goodgame shared a wonderful poem, Ready for Framing, in the new issue of Encouraging Women with Hearts for Their Homes. In it she ponders the special moments that grandparents share with their grandchildren. "The old and young," Rita says. "Another precious moment clipped together ready for framing."

Rita's words captured how I felt a couple of weeks ago when two of Pops' and my grandchildren enjoyed God's creation together in their backyard: Cicada shells, tomatoes in the garden, butterflies, birds, and even baby lizards—the first I had ever seen.

Special moments don't come with price tags. Instead, they come with heartstrings, and my grandkids definitely have their hearts strung to mine.

What special moments have you enjoyed with your grandchildren? How do you "clip them" for framing?

Have a great week,
Mary
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to  Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/


Photo and article © Mary Mary Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Enjoying the Simple Things in Life

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email


Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

Pops and I have recently moved. After living in the same house for 28 years, it was quite a job to pack up not only belongings, but also memories! We now live in the country where the sunsets and sunrises are spectacular.

Of course, gorgeous sunsets and sunrises are nothing new, but Pops and I are noticing them on a daily basis. And it's been fun to share God's handiwork with the grandkids as we've watched sunsets together.

Speaking of grandkids, recently I was "grandsitting" out-of-town grands for several days. A big activity was playing with a large rubber ball in the backyard. I think we made some fun memories as we took turns throwing and kicking it.

Watching sunsets and sunrises ... throwing a ball to the grands—simple things of life. They have no pricetag, but are priceless. And the older I get, the more I recognize their worth.

What are some of the simple things in life that you enjoy with your grandchildren?

He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

Photo and article © Mary Mary Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Paper dolls and felt kits

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Friday's Grand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite things to do was play with paper dolls at my grandmother’s house. She would roll out big sheets of brown paper and encourage me to design a special house for the dolls.

My Nana would give me a Sears Catalog and a pair of scissors. I would cut out furniture and decorations for the paper house, and would glue the items in place on the brown paper. I remember this as being so much fun!

Today, we can buy paper dolls at specialty toy stores or print off online patterns. If you google “paper dolls” you’ll be amazed at all of the available links such as this one: http://familycrafts.about.com/od/paperdolls/tp/paperdolls.htm

Even though they don’t print the huge Sears Catalog anymore, the Sunday papers are filled with furniture store inserts that could be transformed into a child’s imaginary house on large sheets of white or brown paper or cardboard.

Another idea is purchasing a felt kit for the grands. We can find some wonderful ones at http://www.thefeltsource.com/ (dollhouse flannel board scenes, flannel board dolls, and kits such as “Trucks, and Trains, and Planes”).

For our older grandchildren, we can help them show younger brothers and sisters (or younger neighbors, cousins, etc.) how to make a paper doll house or play with a felt kit.

Did you ever play with paper dolls or make them for your grandkids? Have you played with a grad using a flannel board kit?

Have a great weekend,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux

The Grand Connection
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

Article and photo © by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Stepping Stones to God

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email  

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

If you’re like me, you probably enjoy watching the Olympics. And I never tire of the stories about Olympic greats Eric Liddell and Vanderiei de Lima.

Liddell, who was portrayed in Chariots of Fire, was a committed Christian. He refused to run the 100 meter race on a Sunday in the 1924 Olympics. However, he later ran in the 400 meter event and surprised the world when he won. It is said that he was given a slip of paper before his 400 meter race with a quotation from 1 Samuel 2:30, “Those who honor me I will honor.”

Like Liddell, de Lima has become somewhat of a legend himself. In the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, Greece, he appeared to be on his way to becoming the first Brazilian to win an Olympic gold medal in the men’s marathon event. However, less than five miles before the finish line, a spectator intentionally pushed him into the crowd. Amazingly, de Lima did not give up. He continued the race and finished with a bronze medal.

De Lima said that he was “happy” to have won the bronze medal. From the videotape that I watched, it appeared that he didn't focus on what could have been. Instead he was grateful for what he had somehow accomplished. The 2004 International Olympic Committee awarded him the Pierre de Coubertine medal for sportsmanship. Although de Lima did not win the gold, his example made him an instant celebrity in Brazil.

If I had been Lindell, I wonder if I would have had his courage to refuse to race on Sunday. And if I had been de Lima, I probably would have spent a lot time complaining about what could have been.

What’s all of this have to do with grandchildren? Like de Lima, our grandkids are going to have disappointment in life. And, of course, we grandparents don't like that. When my grandkids' hearts are broken, I have to remember that God is always in control. The very disappointments that our grandkids experience, may be stepping stones to God's best for their lives.

I want to tell my grands the stories of overcomers like Liddell and de Lima … and Joshua and the apostle Paul. I want to not only help them memorize the words from 1 Samuel 2:30 "Those who honor me I will honor," but also help them apply these words to the unique race God has for each of their lives.

And I want to apply those words to my life, too.

How do you help your grandkids to trust God in the disappointments of their lives?

He is able,
Mary
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart
http://www.marymaywrites.com/


©  Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
© Byron Moore / Dreamstime.com

Swimming Lessons

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email  

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

Just the other day one of our sons told Pops and me about enrolling his children in swimming lessons. Since both Pops and I grew up in the same city, we both had thoughts of the huge municipal pool where our swimming days began. It had a tall diving board—my memory tells me that it was at least 12 stories high!

Well, when Pops was about five years old, his swimming instructor decided that he needed to literally take the plunge to be introduced to the water. He took Pops' small hand and together they jumped off the board. It seems like my instructor had me walk by myself up the seemingly massive ladder at the deep end of the pool. I remember chickening out at the edge of the diving board, and walking back down the ladder.

We all laughed as we thought of two little children, just like our grandchildren today, learning how to swim.

Ecclestiastes 1 tells us, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."

No matter how complicated life gets, there is a time for a child to learn to walk, and talk, and for most —swim. It's fun to reminiscence with our children and grandchildren and remind them that even grandparents were once children themselves.

How did you learn how to swim? Have you ever talked with our grandchild about this?

Have a great weekend,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

© 2011 Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
© Calyx22 / Dreamstime.com

More long-distance grandparenting ideas

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Although long-distance grandparenting is easier in today's electronic world, it's still hard when our legacy lives hundreds or thousands of miles away. E-mails and web cameras are great, but there's nothing like one-on-one visiting with those we love.

My friend Rita has 17 grandchildren and is busy all year long remembering birthdays and holidays. "Often, we’d send photos of them taken on our last visit," she says, "or a drawing with a made up story."

Thanks, Rita! Those are some great ideas! Now, let's have a little fun with them:

Take pictures with the grandkids when you visit them or when they visit you. Then mail (or e-mail) the grands the pictures. For an extra touch, you or I could send the pictures with a letter reminiscing about our time with the grands. Or, we could put the pictures in a magnetic frame (that can be displayed on the refrigerator) before dropping them in the mail. We may also want to have a matching photo displayed on our fridge.

Draw a picture of something you did with a grandchild when he/she visited. For the artistically challenged, like me, we could have fun with the drawing by asking our grandchild (over the phone) to answer questions about it until he/she correctly guesses what the picture represents.

It might be fun to ask our grands to also write stories about their visit and compare their stories to to ours.

Record a made-up story for our grandchild—using his/her name and places that you visited together. For very young children, we could ring a bell at the end of each page.

Here's another idea:

Pizza's on Pops Once Pops and I ordered pizza for our son and his kids who lived what seemed like millions of miles from us. We paid for the pizzas with a credit card and had them delivered to their house. Our children and grandkids thought that was a really special treat.

What are some things that you do to connect with your long-distance grandkids?

Have a great weekend,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo ©  Tasnadi Erika Dreamstime.com

Word and Story Fun

Friday’s Grand Connection Fun  
by Mary May Larmoyeux
 
I was looking at some online articles and read one by Doris Schuchard in the Home Education Magazine ; it had some great ideas. If you’d like to provide hours of fun for the grands with newspapers and magazines, read on. I’ll share a couple of Doris’ tips: 

ABCs—Give each child a page from a newspaper or magazine. Assign them an alphabet letter and see how many words they can circle starting with that letter within a minute. Variation: Can you find a word for each letter of the alphabet?

Pops and I can use this idea with our grands who are just 3 and 4. Although they really don’t know how to spell, they could circle individual letters or highlight each letter of the alphabet.

Okay, here’s one more of Doris’ ideas:

End It – Give your child a short newspaper or magazine story, but cut off the ending. Have her write her own ending and then compare it to the real one. Variations: Give her endings from three different stories; can she choose the correct one? Or, match headlines with the correct stories.

Although our small grandkids won’t be able to write endings to articles and stories, Pops or I could read them an article about something that would interest them (such as a story about an animal) and let them tell us the ending.

I don’t know about you, but I need to get a few newspapers and magazines out of the recycling bin—for the grandkids.

Do you have any other ideas about how we can help our grandkids of all ages not only tell creative stories, but also increase their vocabularies?

Have a great weekend,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
Co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux.

What will our grandchildren do with Jesus Christ?

Tuesday's  Grand Connection Thought 

by Mary May Larmoyeux

At church on Sunday, our pastor reminded us that God's presence makes our life powerful. He read 1 Thessalonians 1:8 and said that God wants to echo His life through us. Then he asked "How's your echo?"

Have you ever called into a canyon or cave and heard your voice reverberate—over and over and over again? As our pastor explained, an echo allows our voices to go farther and expands the reach of what we're saying.

As a grandparent, I'm very aware that I have only so many years of life left on this earth. I want my echo to draw my grandchildren to Jesus Christ. I want them to know that I'm a weak person who cannot love the unlovable, cannot serve the needy, cannot care more for others than myself. Yet, when I trust Christ to love through me, He can do those very things ... and more.

And I want my grandchildren to know that the most important decision they will make in their lives is: "What will I decide about Jesus Christ?" Ron Hutchcraft has a great video that explains why deciding this is so important. You may want to watch the short video with an older grandchild.

Also, Dennis and Barbara Rainey share a list of 40 ways that parents can focus on biblical priorities when raising children. I think that these ways apply to grandparents, too.

Have you discovered any online resources that can help children learn more about Christ?

Have a great week,

Mary

Mary May Larmoyeux

co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

© 2011 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © Darko Veselinovic / Dreamstime.com

Make a Blessing Book

 
 Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email  

Friday's Grand Connection Fun

by Mary May Larmoyeux

When our three-year-old granddaughter was attempting to go to sleep during a visit, she said that she was afraid. I remembered her words as I read Psalm 4:8 yesterday morning: “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD make me dwell in safety.”

When she came over for her weekly visit last night, I shared this verse with her. We did our best to memorize it together, and I could tell that the words gave her a sense of comfort. As I tucked her into bed, we talked about how God would give her peace and how He would watch over her.

Then she said that she couldn’t sleep (yep … she could have been stalling for more time). We started counting blessings. I left the room as she was remembering all of the ways that God has blessed her.

You know, I think I’m going to start a little blessing book with the grands with pictures of people and things they're grateful for. And I think it would be good to include some Scriptures—ones like Psalm 4:8 that remind them of God’s unending care.

Were your children or grandchildren ever afraid to go to sleep at night? How did you comfort them? Also, do you have any ideas about making a blessing book for older children?

Have a great weekend,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
© Dan Talson / Dreamstime.com

Four dimensional love

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email  

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

As I mentioned in last Tuesday's post, I recently sponsored a poetry contest in memory of my father. Entries were to include a reference to a grandparent or grandchild.

Catherine Moran's beautiful poem below won second place. I just love her poem! Does it bring back any memories for you?

Four dimensional love
by Catherine Moran

My grandchildren and I share
in every dimension of our lives.
As they grow up,
I realize how love crosses all boundaries
and secures all relationships.

I love the length of our visits that stretch
all the sharing to the limit.
Monopoly and Clue
keep them counting and figuring and conniving
to match my years of learning.
We pull out the whole length of train tracks
to construct the village
and whistle our way around the room.

I love the width of our encounters
that encompasses all stores in the mall.
We girls never hesitate to expand our shopping,
giving each one a chance to experiment with money.
Teaching values is one way
to show how much I care about their future.

I love the depth of our talks that touch
upon the real meaning of actions and their consequences.
Their insights give me a fresh angle
to consider.
How surprising that they eventually open up
with some deep thoughts
that can be shared by the young and old.

Time is the biggest dimension I love to share.
There is such a space between our years,
and I relish our minutes and hours
that cross all those lines with ease.
Somehow I feel the love for my grandchildren
flows through them back
to my own children once more
in all those various dimensions.

Thank God for grandchildren,
Mary

Mary May Larmoyeux

co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

Four Dimensional Love © 2011 by Catherine Moran. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Photo © by Designpicsub / Dreamstime.com

© 2011 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

We found diamonds!



The boys' "snake house"

 Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email  

Friday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Pops and I are building a house in the country, and we had our "kids" and grandkids over for a cookout last Saturday. We ate on the deck of what will soon be our new home.

After our five grandchildren left, Pops remarked that kids sure don't need much to be happy. That's because we had no toys for the children to enjoy, no books for them to read, and no balls for them to throw—but they had a blast!

The evening began with the smaller grandkids playing inside a huge cardboard box that's now sitting in what will be our family room. Then all of the girls made a "girls' club" and sat on some huge rocks.

The boys? Why they played with scraps of lumber and made a "snake house," certain that some unsuspecting snake would crawl up the stairs to the deck and enter their contraption.

While the kids were having fun, we adults sat on the deck and soaked in life until ...

"Diamonds, diamonds!" a granddaughter screamed as she dashed around the corner of the house. "Beautiful diamonds ... and there are lots of them!"

Her dad went to see what all of the excitement was about. He identified her discovery: broken glass.

I found a pad of paper, after everyone had left. Our oldest grandchild had apparently decided to make a list of the day's treasures:

• 3 crstals
• 2 strawberys
• 1 old coin
• 1 old string
• 1 dung beetle
• 1 plastic bag underground
• 2 pieces of old metle
• 2 hooks
• broken glass
• rock shaped like bager (I have no idea what this is)

Like Pops said, it doesn't take much to take kids happy!

Sometime when your grandkids come to visit, you may want to give them a pad of paper and ask them to jot down the treasurers they discover in your yard or house. Why, they might even find "diamonds"!

Have a great weekend,

Mary

Mary May Larmoyeux

co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

© 2011 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Photo ©  Mary Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.