Working on my Bible study this morning, I was thoroughly enjoying learning more about the very beginnings of John the Baptist and Jesus. I am currently working through Beth Moore’s Bible study book, Jesus – The One and Only. I really appreciate and enjoy her ministry of Bible teaching. Both in listening to her and reading what she’s written, I have learned so much. She always digs down and discovers the most interesting little details I would never think of. And they always interest and intrigue me!

Even more, I appreciate how God can take passages I’ve read dozens, if not hundreds, of times, and make them fresh and new to me each time I read them. Today He did that several times and it was so encouraging!

Today I enjoyed reading passages from 1 Samuel 1, where I read Hannah’s prayer of praise. Some of the verses that especially touched this caregiver’s heart included:

My heart exults in the Lord.

I rejoice in Your salvation.

There is no one holy like the Lord. Indeed, there is no one besides You. Nor is there any rock like our God.

The Lord is a God of knowledge and with Him actions are weighed.

The feeble gird on strength!

Not by might shall a man prevail.

As a Sandwich Generation senior home care giver and grandma, those last two were especially nourishing to my spirit. Too often I try to do everything myself. Then God has to remind me that I am trying to take over HIS job. I don’t know about you, but I often feel pretty feeble. How encouraging to know that our God, our ROCK, will gird us with His strength.

I hope this will encourage you as it did me. I pray that your week will be blessed by God, by His hope, by His strength, and by His power. And to help in that, I wanted to share this lovely video from Beth Moore’s Living Proof Blog. Enjoy

Living Proof Live – Springfield IL from Rich Kalonick on Vimeo.

One of my goals for SandwichINK is to provide encouragement for all you wonderful Sandwich Generation Senior Home Care Givers and Grandparents, as well as myself. When I spotted the Word-Filled Wednesday meme, I thought, “What an encouragement for all of us.” After spending the last few evenings reading the various sites’ entries, I have to say, “WHAT A BLESSED ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ALL OF US!”

Each night I would spend a few minutes enjoying the various photos and reading the verses and devotionals and God would lift my spirits, give rest to my soul, and a couple of times He even used them to point out some weak areas that needed fine-tuning. My favorite was the adorable picture of the ostrich with the Bible verse Ephesians 4:29:

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

or as the Good News Translation puts it,

Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you.

I’m using it to remind me to speak helpful words to others, even when life is throwing me one frustration headache after another!!!

I’m going to print out my favorites each Wednesday to make some Words of Encouragement booklets using these wonderful inspirational Bible verses for my grandkids and I to enjoy reading together.

What a great way to put into practice Deut. 6:7:

“You shall teach [God’s Words"] diligently to your [grandkids] and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”

What were your favorite photos and Bible verses? We’d love to hear. Also, be sure to sign up for the SandwichINK free email for more info, grandkid craft ideas, and encouragement!

Cold and flu season was in full swing. After a particularly difficult and exhausting week of senior home care giving and grandparenting, I was sitting in church listening to the pastor read a passage from the Bible, Matthew 14:22-33.

He told of the time after Jesus miraculously fed a multitude of people. He had sent the crowds away, sent his disciples off on a boat, and gone off on His own to pray. Later that night, the disciples were still on the boat, when it was caught in a major storm, with the waves pounding against it. All of a sudden they saw Jesus coming towards them on the water and they were terrified, thinking He was a ghost.

…they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!” Matthew 14:26b-33

Did you notice something in that passage? Jesus immediately spoke words of comfort to them when they were in the midst of being buffeted by the waves, and He immediately reached out to grab Peter when he became afraid and started to sink in the water. BUT the storm kept going on! It did stop when He got on the boat, but not sooner.

God is ALWAYS with us in the middle of our trials, whether they be from caregiving or from other situations we may be dealing with. He is always ready to speak words of comfort and encouragement to us through His Word, through hymns and praise songs, and through sermons. But the trials do NOT always stop immediately. Sometimes they go on for a few minutes or hours, like here. Sometimes they go on for days, as happened for Lazarus’ sisters when he died. And sometimes, as Paul discovered, trials, such as prison, beatings, illness, and thorns in the flesh can go on for months or even years!

It’s vital for us to cling tight to Him no matter how long our trials endure, trusting Him and praising Him. As Paul tells us in Philippians 4:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I pray that you will each be blessed this week with the comfort of His presence and the encouragement of His Word as you go about your Sandwich Generation senior home care giving and grandparenting!

My grandkids and I are well into Autumn and Awanas so this week we’ve been busy memorizing “The Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world” and “Great is our Lord and mighty in power,” among other verses.

We’ve also continued reviewing our Fruit of the Spirit songs and verses during the occasional bath times I participate in. That is such a great time to sing verse songs about the Lord combined with plenty of laughter, hugs, and joy!

They got to spend the night last night so this morning we were busy having our shower and song-fest. As I sang to them and with them, I was amazed at how God used their little verses to encourage me and lift my spirits over some of the Sandwich Generation issues I’ve been grappling with!

It has always been a blessing through the years as I taught God’s love and Word, first to my kids and now to my grandkids. He has so richly blessed me with the fruit I see in each of their lives. I love how He also uses my teaching of His Word to nourish and strengthen me as well!

This truly is a gift that keeps on giving – even into the Sandwich Generation and Senior years.

How about you? What ways does God use you to teach your grandkids and yourself? We’d love you to share them!

It’s an oldie AND a goldie idea that I know well, yet often forget. When my grandson and I came up with it together today, I thought I’d share it with you as well.

Story writing and story telling have an excellent track record for helping our grandkids of all ages. It takes work and time but both are usually quite enjoyable.

Sit down with one grandkid at a time, along with some pencils, colored pencils, markers, and/or crayons. You’ll also need some paper, lined or unlined or both.You can start with the picture they draw, a story they tell you, or even a story starter you give them.

Our first project consisted of my grandson drawing pictures of his favorite superhero. Then he told me about the picture and I printed out what he said. We put together a four-page story, along with a title page, dedication page to his secretary – yours truly, and the date. This not only gives us a fun memory together and a great project for homeschooling programs; it also gives us a baseline each year of the changes in his writing, drawing, and creativity skills.

For our second project, we reversed the process. This time my grandson told me his story. I wrote it out and he decorated it with pictures. When done, we numbered the pages, stapled it all together and sat down to enjoy it as we read it.

All three grandsons enjoyed both books for their nap time story time, along with their daily Bible story. As “editor,” I did make an occasional suggestion. Some they loved, some they turned thumbs down on. I was very pleased they liked my ideas of adding a spiritual component to their superhero tale. By talking about their hero loving God and drawing on His strength in their quest to help others, they realize that God is even BIGGER than any superhero ever could be and it becomes a springboard to a wide variety of important discussions.

All in all, this project was great educational fun for all my grandkids and myself and helped us accomplish some of Deuteronomy 6:7, “You shall teach [God’s Word] diligently to your [grand]sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”

The great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.

“And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.

Rev. 12:7-11

As a Sandwich Generation senior home care giver and grandmother, doing a sit down Bible study daily is both a vital necessity and a luxury. Many times I opt instead for a great sermon or two on my ipod as I drive on various errands.

Today I was blessed to spend solid time reading through Revelation as I continue to work on Kaye Arthur’s Revelation Precepts course. As I read the passage above, I realized my lamp was shining right into my eyes. At first it was more of a subconscious thought that led to a feeling of irritation. Then I focused on the issue and realized that all I needed to do was turn my chair a bit. Problem solved.

Another example was a game my grandkids and I enjoyed. They loved it, but it was a bit too frustrating for them at their age. We brainstormed and adjusted the rules. Problem solved and positive new lessons are now being worked on as we play it.

Then again, some things can NOT be changed. When an aging parent is placed in the Hospice program or has developed dementia, you can change many of the circumstances, but some things are difficult and even downright unchangeable.

When nothing else can be changed, we have to choose to submit it all to God and rest in His promises. Not that I shouldn’t have submitted the first two issues as well. I’ve learned I need to submit everything and all of me to Him.

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:7

When I’ve hit those solid walls of a one-way situation and feel like I am wedged in tight – no way in or out and the walls are getting closer and closer – that’s when my submission takes on even deeper meaning. When we can’t look anywhere else it makes us look at Him. If we are already looking at Him, it makes us look deeper into His eyes.

Sometimes these occasions will be huge, like hospice. Sometimes tiny, like a room arrangement we can’t change that is driving us nuts. Regardless of size, we will be blessed when we hold it out to God and let it go to Him. I’ve even done that physically and dramatically to help myself. I’ll hold out my hands and tell the Lord, “Here is my situation. I give it to You. Please make sure I leave it with You!”

As John points out in Revelation, we in the Sandwich Generation will be blessed when we choose to submit everything to God even when faced with unchangeable circumstances including death.

Being a Sandwich Generation senior home care giver and grandparent can often mean taking the plans you love to make and tossing them out the window. When that happens, God often uses the situation to nudge me back to one of my favorite verses:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

And do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Today, as we were finishing up the work involved in yet another change, I was encouraged when I met a new neighbor who had moved in due to problems discovered in her brand new home. As we compared notes, I discovered another who also loved this passage. It was like a special “Hug from God!”

Aren’t roses wonderful! So many of them have such a rich, wonderful scent. Their beauty has been recorded over and over by words, photos and famous paintings. And, of course, roses are great to encourage all our beloveds, from senior parents down to sweet grandkids. Famous sayings about roses are popular as well. My favorite is, “A rose by any other name is still a rose.”

I guess my love affair with roses comes honestly. My grandma had the most gorgeous rose gardens at both her houses. When my girls were older and I had more free time, I was able to follow her delightful example a bit with 35 rose bushes at one house and 40 at another.

One intriguing thing I learned with each of my gardens was that they flourished when I pruned them each winter. I still remember the reaction of my sweet hubby the first time we had to “whack back” his favorite Iceberg rosebush. He was convinced it would never grow back, but we decided we needed to follow the rose book’s directions. We gave it a major pruning and guess what? In just a few short months it was bigger and bushier than ever. He never worried about pruning again and, in fact, often cut it back even further than I might have.

All of that pruning experience helped me better understand the words Jesus spoke in John 15:1-5:

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches, he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

The year my dad’s Parkinson’s Disease progressed and he was put on hospice, I spent almost no time with my roses. They got no pruning and very little trimming through those long months. They were still pretty but there was a decided difference in the amount of blooms and the health of the plants. I could see that, if I continued to ignore them year after year, they’d be looking pretty sad in just a few short years.

The same is true for our spiritual growth. Just as we need God to feed and water us through His Word, prayer and regular fellowship and teaching, we also need Him to prune away bad habits and pesky little sins that love to creep into our hearts and lives. Without that pruning, our spiritual lives will start to fade away.

It’s not easy to stay up with all this when caregiving duties are hot and heavy. But when we tell God we surrender ourselves and our all to Him, He will give us the strength to do so. And while the pruning may seem difficult when we are going through it, when we look back at it, we will see that both our rose bushes and our spiritual lives are more beautiful as a result.

Don’t you find that, as a Sandwich Generation senior home care giver and grandparent, you generally find it easy to obey Paul’s charge in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray without ceasing,” since there are so many needs to pray for? Do you ever find yourself so stressed, worried, upset, frazzled, drained, or just plain exhausted that you can’t find the words to pray, but you NEED to pray? I’ve been there many a time. Illness, emotions, death… And those are just some of the reasons. I do have a great solution for that, though, and it’s easy. I pray Scripture.

I often carry a list of favorite verses in my purse as well as having a Bible tucked into my car. I even have the whole Bible in my cell phone along with an audio version (including the great free one from Christian Audio this month) in my mp3 player. That makes it easy for me, no matter what my situation, to latch on to a favorite verse or five and pray them to God over whatever my heart is troubled by.

Many of my favorite passages are in the Psalms and most of my Bibles have several comforting passages underlined, and sometimes even re-underlined! Using Psalm 91 as an example, I would pray something like:

Father God, Thank You that You have led me to dwell in Your shelter. Help me to always abide in Your shadow, Lord, no matter what the trial. Oh Lord, thank You that You are, indeed, my refuge and my fortress, My God in Whom I trust! Please deliver me from the snare of fear and please deliver my loved ones and myself from the deadly pestilence. Please cover us with your pinions and help us each to seek refuge under Your wings. Thank You that Your faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. I rest in You, my precious Savior.

Please deliver me from the terror by night and the illness that stalks in darkness. Thank You for leading me to make You, Lord, my refuge and that You, the most High, are my dwelling place. Thank You that You are with me in trouble. I rest secure in You!

I don’t try to use every verse. I just scan through and use the ones that fill my heart with prayer or praise for my particular situation.

I have found that God uses this to calm me and focus me on Him, at least for a bit. Sometimes I’m afraid that I’ve been in such a dark valley, it’s definitely hard to even do this. Those are the times when all I can do is grab one verse and say it over and over and over. Even that has proven to be a blessing and a help.

Truly, I have seen Him walk by my side even closer as I walked “through the valley of the shadow of death.” I pray you, too, will find this to be a comfort and an encouragement in difficult times.

In honor of Grandparents Day,

I have for you a Smilebox card and song.

Have a blessed day and enjoy praying for your grandkids

and being a special and integral part of their spiritual heritage,

whether they live close or are far away!

Make a Smilebox greeting