The Sandwich Generation issues of caring for elderly parents while raising children and/or helping with our grandchildren can sometimes seem overwhelming. There are days when we may feel we are surrounded on all sides by tidal waves! Those are the days we need to draw even closer to God through His Word.

In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed;

In Your righteousness deliver me. Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly!

Be to me a Rock of Strength. A stronghold to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress.

For Your name's sake You will lead me and guide me.

Psalm 31:1-3

Aren't those wonderfully encouraging and uplifting Bible verses! When I am struggling, I try to focus on these, reading them, speaking them out loud, and using them for "praying Scripture." I can testify that it definitely makes a difference. God is AWESOME!

For more inspiring Bible verses and pictures to encourage all of us in the Sandwich Generation caring for elderly parents while staying busy as Granny Nannies and Pappies, be sure to visit this week's Word-Filled Wednesday hostess, Christy, at Critty Joy.

How are you feeling? Healthy? OK? Sick? Groan, moan, cough, hack! Yup! I am still sick. Although, I think I'm coughing a bit less. I'm not sure. I know I still don't feel great. I have to admit, I was feeling rather mopey about it. It's hard enough to be sick, but even more so for those of us in the Sandwich Generation juggling caring for elderly parents, helping with grandkids, and dealing with our own health issues. I did manage to drag myself up, got dressed, and plopped myself down in front of the computer to do some work. I'm moving slower, but it's more than if I didn't move.

I even thought to turn on my iTunes music. The praise and worship songs I've been listening to have been a big encouragement to me, in spite of myself. Especially the last one.  It was the "Take My Life and Let It Be" hymn sung by Chris Tomlin on the Passion Worship Band CD, Hymns Ancient and Modern. 

What a good reminder to myself that I have, repeatedly, told God that I fully surrender myself into His hands. That means in good times AND in bad times. That means when senior parents are doing well or when they are not doing so great. That means when juggling the various Sandwich Generation issues goes well and when it doesn't. And yes, it even means when I feel good AND when I don't feel so good! And yes, it is so wonderfully worth while! I needed that reminder today! How about you?

Whether you are doing fine or, like me, are under the weather, I hope and pray this praise and worship music is also an encouragement for you today. Have a blessed Sandwich Generation day!  :) 

For more wonderful words of encouragement for a sweet Sunday, please visit Spiritual Sunday. It's a delightful new-to-me meme. You'll find plenty there to encourage you and lift your spirits no matter where you are in the Sandwich Generation issues of caring for elderly parents and helping with grandchildren. 

Do you ever have days when someone you know is going through a dark period and there's nothing you can do but pray? Of course, you do. We all do. That's one of the "joys" of the Sandwich Generation. Then again, one of the true joys of the Sandwich Generation is the fact that, even though we may be too tied down to get out to help, or live too far away, we can always "come along side" a hurting friend or relative through prayer, even if it's a very short one.

Recently, a dear friend of mine was dealing with something very difficult. I wanted to be like David and Goliath and go out swinging slingshots at all the "enemies" involved. Instead, much more like David, God had me turn my heart inwards to Him, and outwards to some of the wonderful promises of God in the Bible, and HE did the miracles instead.

As I spent a morning in prayer and fasting for this dear person, I opened my Bible to an old familiar favorite, Psalm 118. Oh my, God used that verse so wonderfully for ME first, and then for my friend. Isn't it encouraging when He blesses us as He also uses us to minister to others! As a matter of fact, after spending two days just soaking in Psalm 118, reading it every time I needed to pray again; reading it when I would start to worry; reading it to be blessed by it, I ended up sending it to three other friends who were also going through trials! And now I get to share it with you as well! This encouraging Scripture is definitely a treasure for all of us.

Here are just some of the inspirational and encouraging verses He blessed me with through this process. But when you get a chance, do take some time and read it all. And put your name, or a friend's name in. Praying Scripture is such a blessing to the pray-er and the pray-ee!

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever…

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and He answered by setting me free.

The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

The LORD is with me; He is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man…

I was pushed back and about to fall,  but the LORD helped me.

The LORD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.

 Shouts of joy and victory  resound in the tents of the righteous:  "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!

 The LORD's right hand is lifted high; the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"

 I will not die but live,  and will proclaim what the LORD has done…

 Open for me the gates of righteousness;   I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.

This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter.

I will give you thanks, for you answered me;  you have become my salvation.

The stone the builders rejected  has become the capstone;

The LORD has done this,   and it is marvelous in our eyes…

You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; His love endures forever.

I have to tell you, the third time I prayed through this Psalm that morning, I was praying it out loud and getting louder and louder, exulting in our mighty God! And, after a morning of prayer, I was blessed with an afternoon of answered prayers – several of them. The next day, though, more problems cropped up. I grabbed my Bible and started praying these inspirational Bible verses again. Immediately I was flooded with such a sense of His peace and His presence. 

Periodically, He will have me just soak myself in a certain passage for several days or even weeks. I'm not good at memorizing but this process does a wonderful job of implanting His Word in my heart. I'll print the encouraging Bible verses out and carry them with me everywhere. And when the enemy tries to hit me with the "fiery darts" of fear and worry, I grab my "dagger" – inspiring Bible verses – and start reading them to myself and it's always a wonderful blessing.

I hope and pray that if you or any of your loved ones – from the elderly parents you are caring for to the very youngest of your grandchildren – are having any needs, that these verses will be a blessing to them and to you.  

Love covers all transgressions.

Valentine's Day is a great time to remind all of us caring for the elderly parents in our lives along with our grandkids, as part of the Sandwich Generation, of the truth in Proverbs 10:12.

Whether it's a senior parent snapping, due to dementia symptoms;

or a grandchild having a bit of a melt down in the grocery store;

or even ourselves being cranky after too little sleep.

God's love forgives all our transgressions and

enables us to forgive others and love them no matter what.

And that's the best Valentine gift of all!

Be sure to check out All You Have To Get for more inspirational Bible verses to encourage the Sandwich Generation.

Thursday I told you about the big Toyota recall. It is definitely a headache for them. It's also a headache for those of us in the Sandwich Generation if we have to add elderly parents' car and/or our car repairs' to our To Do list. As I'm sure you'll agree, a Sandwich Generation To Do list is rarely short!

Today, though, I want to write about Toyota again, from a happier perspective. A hearty THANK YOU to my local dealership, which provides car washes and useful waiting rooms to their service customers.

One of the new things I've learned since moving to Kentucky is that rock salt, salt brine, and ice melt are wonderful and necessary things for our roads after a big snow. They provide us with a safer road to travel on when we have to head out to take a grandchild to school or an elderly parent to the doctor's office.

They are not great for our cars, however. Within three days of the last storm, my minivan had a dirty white layer all over it! A friend warned me that it needed to be washed off quickly or it would be damaging to my car. Before I had a chance to do so, I discovered I had a dead parking light bulb on the same car. With Bible study class, babysitting, and doctor appointments all filling my calendar to overflowing, I called my Toyota dealer, explained the situation, and asked if they could squeeze me in AND if it could be done in an hour or less.  I was so happy to be told, "Sure, bring it in. We can have it done for you in plenty of time." They did too!

I sat in their waiting room with my iPhone plugged in, checking my email as they fixed the small but vital light. They brought my car around, sparkling from their car wash! What a wonderful gift to this Sandwich Generation senior home care giver! What a smart move on the part of the dealership. Not all service departments do this, I can assure you. And what a great time saver for me.

You know I"m always looking for great ways to save money, but ways to save time can be just as vital – sometimes even more so. I definitely look for good time saving options whenever I have to do anything, including getting my car repaired. I will definitely be calling this Toyota dealership again when I have another problem. And bragging about them to others!

How about you? What ways to you save time when it comes to car repairs? Do you have favorite companies who help you as you deal with all your Sandwich Generation duties? Be sure to let us know in the comments below! And don't forget to sign up for the FREE SandwichINK email to stay caught up on other great ways to help the Sandwich Generation save money and time.

A week from Sunday is Valentine's Day. Will you be doing anything special with your grandchildren on or before that date? Some years we do a lot. Others, not so much. I'm not sure what we're up to this year but if a good opportunity arises to have some HEART-y Valentine fun, I've found some great resources with terrific ideas for us all.

1. Living On A Dime has several Valentine fun ideas for decorating and celebrating with plenty of ways to save money.
2. Disney's FamilyFun Crafts has cute Valentine Ideas for cards, games, and recipes.
3. Kaboose is always another favorite of mine and they have lots of fun Valentine craft ideas. I especially like their Valentine Idea for a Heart Wreath.
4. DLTK offers such Valentine fun as coloring pages, word games and recipes.
5. ChildParenting offers several cute Valentine game ideas.
6. Martha Stewart has some delightful Valentine ideas, including some really adorable handmade heart doilies. 
7. Christian Preschool Printables has some delightful Christian Valentine Ideas.

Well, there you have it. Lots of interesting Valentine craft and game ideas to keep us all plenty busy during this season of love. And, of course, there's always the very simple, quite inexpensive, yet very cute little boxes of  Valentine cards. Some years my grandchildren and I have just enjoyed getting those, signing our names on them, and exchanging them with each other.

How about you? Have you got some fun Valentine ideas to share? We'd love to hear them. Also, be sure to sign up the FREE SandwichINK email for more holiday resources to inform and encourage Sandwich Generation grandparents. 

Can you believe it's already FEBRUARY! Wasn't Christmas last Thursday? Hmmm, actually I guess it was two snowstorms, a cold, a flu, a few doctor's visits, and a trip back. WOW! Time does fly when you are staying busy in the Sandwich Generation! Well, if this is February 1, that means Valentine's Day is, gulp, right around the corner! Two weeks away. You should be very proud of me, though! For once in my life, I'm actually ahead of the game! Thanks to the warnings of a mega ice storm and the memories of last year's two weeks without power, I planned my Valentines ideas, did my shopping and even mailed the surprises early. And then relaxed and enjoyed the four inches of snow we actually got.

I have to admit, I don't do a huge amount for Valentine's Day. It's mostly just having fun with unique Valentine gift ideas – like favorite character toothbrushes or tiny stuffed animals, always accompanied by the cute little kids' Valentine cards that I still enjoy buying. A couple of times I gave "hugs" by giving towels I had purchased for a GREAT price at Costco! Valentine books are always fun Valentine ideas as well. My senior mom discovered some great ones this year. I thought I'd share some of them with you:

• Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse is my new favorite. It's by the same writer famous for the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" series that my grandchildren absolutely love! The story is sweet, there are some great lessons in it, and it's just plain fun to read!
• Fancy Nancy, Heart to Heart. I have seen this series before, but never looked at any of them. This past week I read through this one and really enjoyed it. It's primarily for little girls, but I suspect a brother might enjoy it as well.
• Olive You!: And Other Valentine Knock-Knock Jokes You'll A-Door. This is one we already had and I LOVE it. I'm definitely the "Knock Knock" grandma! My grandchildren know I'll "knock knock" joke with them for the longest time and we have such a good time laughing over each one. This little book is full of fun "knock knock" jokes you and your grandchildren will truly "a-door!"

It's probably too late to send any Valentine books by media mail if your grandkids live a long distance away. The next best thing might be to take advantage of the Post Office's flat-rate priority option. I try to save up a bunch of things I might be sending for the next holiday or special occasion. Then I pack in as many things as I can possibly squish into the box and usually end up saving money based on the weight. It's a great help to Sandwich Generation grandparents, that's for sure!

What are some of your favorite Valentine's Day gift ideas or books to read? We'd love to read about them in the comments section. And don't forget to sign up for the FREE SandwichINK email newsletter so you don't miss out on any fun holiday ideas for you and your grandchildren.

As Sandwich Generation senior home care givers and grandparents, we can have up days and we can have down days, can't we? For that matter, so can our elderly parents, our adult kids, and even our grandchildren. But God is always there to lift us up, encourage us, and enable us to deal with whatever life throws our way.

Today I watched a video featuring a young man with an infectious smile who reminded me of this very fact. I knew I had to share it with you. Nick Vujicic is an Australian who was born to parents who were strong Christians. He was born without arms and legs. In spite of what seemed to be an overwhelming obstacle, he has grown up to love God tremendously and now has a wonderful Christian ministry to encourage others to fully surrender to and depend on God.

The two encouraging quotes that blessed me the most, as a senior home care giver and grandmother, were:

God does not seek out our capabilities to serve Him. He seeks our availability.

The greatest lie we are believing today is that you need to do this life alone!

 

As the Bible reminds us:

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

No matter how hard the senior home care can be, no matter how sad going through hospice is, no matter how difficult it is to deal with problems involving grandchildren, we need to cling to the fact that GOD IS IN CONTROL, GOD LOVES US, GOD HAS PROMISED TO NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US!!!!  I hope and pray this video will encourage each each of you in the Sandwich Generation to know that you can hold on to God and His promises and He will lead and guide you!

Don't forget to share this video with your grandchildren. You might also be interested to know that he has recorded a DVD entitled "Life Without Limbs,"  as well as a DVD for teens, No Arms, No Legs, No Worries: Youth Version,  and has a book, Life Without Limits, which came out in October of this year. That's one I know I bought.  With all the heroes our grandchildren look up to who have feet of clay, it's such a blessing to know there are Godly heroes, like Nick Vujicic, who can inspire them and encourage them to put their full trust in God! 

Kaye

Do you ever help your grandchildren with math homework such as learning their times tables? For some children, those facts come as easy as pie. For others it's more of a struggle. For those with learning disabilities, it can be worse than trying to push a wheelbarrow full of heavy bricks up a steep hill in the middle of a category 500 hurricane! I don't know a total solution to this but we have found a couple of activities for grandparents and grandchildren to make it a bit more fun and interesting, and that's a big part of the battle, isn't it? 

When my kids were young, they had a teacher who taught them a game he called Skittle math. I have no clue how he did it, but the name stuck in my brain and we've made our own version. You need:

• Flash cards - purchased or homemade on index cards. These can have whatever facts your granchildren are learning – addition, subtraction, division, and/or multiplication.
• A big bowl of Skittles, M & Ms, or other tiny candy (it will be touched a lot so make sure it won't be messy).
• OR
• For those with food allergies or grandparents who don't want to add more sugar to their grandkids' diets  (that's me ) – Use pennies.

TO PLAY:Hold up the flash cards for them to see the problem and give the answer. Every time they get it right, they get a candy/penny. Every time they miss, they give it back and I say the problem and correct answer three times. They usually like to repeat it once. That way they hear it, see it, AND speak it – great ways to help them learn. Depending on the child, you can work quickly or take it slow. I make sure there is a good mix of easy and hard problems, so they always have a winning pile, making them eager to play again.

My older grandkids and I are enjoying playing multiplication math games right now. My younger grandkids and I are having fun with these addition games (as well as some other, simple, kindergarten games). Hopefully once they have these basic facts learned, the subtraction and division will come naturally. If not, we'll just start including those as we keep playing these math games. One nice thing is that the younger ones often enjoy listening to their older siblings play these multiplication math games and the multiplication CD I keep in the car. I'm hoping that means they'll have an easier time learning multiplication when it's their turn! 

These aren't solutions. But they are fun ways to help both the kindergarten and elementary school grand-students. For Sandwich Generation Granny Nannies with lots of different aged grandkids, that's a BIG HELP.

What addition and/or multiplication math games, CDS and other ideas do you use to help your grandkids learn their times tables? We'd love to hear in the comments section.

Talk about trauma! Three of my grandkids were busy working on their Webkinz sites last week when they all got a notice that their one-year plan was up in two weeks! If they didn't add a new Webkinz pet code in the next couple of weeks, all the virtual pets they already had in Webkinz-land would disappear forever into the netherworld of the internet! 

Having found Target and Walgreens to be great ways to save money on cute Webkinz toys, I checked on their stock later in the week when running errands. I was disappointed to find that Target had sold out of most of their Webkinz during Christmas. Walgreens had a couple of the little Webkinz for $6.99 which isn't bad, but all the rest were the big ones and more expensive. I picked up those two to use as birthday gifts for the grand-twins and headed home. Spotting a second Walgreens as I got near my house, I popped in and was thrilled to discover they had a bunch of the bigger Webkinz left over from their Black Friday sale for only $5! WOW! Definitely a great way for this grandma to save money. 

I now have a huge bag of Webkinz in my "gift" closet, full of presents for everyone's birthday gifts for the year AND some extras for those unexpected needs that always seem to crop up at the worst times. And being the care-giving grandma I am, I've let all the parents know that if any of the grandkid's codes give out BEFORE their birthday, to let me know. We can always add the code in early, and save the actual stuffed animal to wrap up on the actual day. 

Webkinz is one of my favorite ways to save money, add a special treat to a birthday gift, and have fun with my grandchildren. In fact, this week found me playing a snow sled game with one grandkid, a great educational word game with a second grandchild, and even adding some Webkinz dollars along with some strawberry seeds to the account of a third grandchild who lives at a distance. How fun is that!  

I don't know if anyone else's Walgreens is offering this great deal but it's certainly worth checking out. And if you spot some great prices on Webkinz toys for grandkids in your neck of the woods, do give us a holler in the comments section.  :)