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November 2009 |
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Greetings!
Welcome to the second edition of the Savvy Grandmother! I can't thank you enough for your overwhelming response to my first attempt at global communication. I have loved your thoughts, comments, and suggestions. Your encouragement and support have meant more than you know.
Now there's more. Will wonders never cease? I have just discovered that with the click of a button you can forward this newsletter to a friend. Hopefully, I have successfully added the forward button at the end of this email. Scroll down, click on "forward email", add the address, and presto, off it goes. Please feel free to forward to anyone who might be interested. They, of course, will need to sign up to be a regular subscriber by clicking the join our mailing list button to the left of this column. My philosphy:the more the merrier.
You will also notice some changes. Since I'm just getting my feet wet, I'm experimenting with what works and doesn't work. I had no idea design and layout could be so much fun. Right now I'm struggling to resize the pictures. You might notice some of them are crunchy looking!
Welcome to my new friends in New England. I'm glad you've joined us. Thanks for attending my workshop at the Iron Sharpens Iron Conference. Just in case you didn't notice, I forgot to pass around a sign-up sheet for the newsletter, so please feel free to forward this to your buddies with an invitation to join, in case they didn't get by my table to sign up.
New England in the fall is awesome. The leaves are beautiful at this time of year,God's reminder and signature of his presence. I'm encouraged that we, as grandmothers, are moving in the fall of life, that our God-given internal and natural beauty, like the leaves, can't be surpassed. We are blessed.
As we approach Thanksgiving, let's not forget to thank God for our many blessings. The Pilgrims knew how to do it right as they filled their tables with the cornucopia of blessing. Let us also, give thanks for this wonderful country in which we live, a place of beauty and freedom not to be surpassed.
May your thanksgiving holiday be filled with laughter. May you be surrounded by family and loved ones as you pour out your cornucopia of love and blessing. May we all share with the less fortunate, serve the underprivileged, and remember from whence we gain our strength.
God willing we will meet again in December.
Marty |
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GENERATION G NEWS
Iron Sharpens Iron Update
After attending the Iron Sharpens Iron Conference in Hartford, Connecticut, the words from Proverbs 27:17 ring more true than ever. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." That was my expeience at the conference. Women from all over New England, 3300 strong, came to worship, pray, and encourage one another. Just by rubbing shoulders with these women, I have felt myself sharpened in my faith. So many amazing stories. I was blessed beyond measure just to be in your presence.
The conference was a huge success. Sold out weeks before, a last minute Friday night session for the 500 who were on the waiting list was added. Over 300 came. A special thanks to all who attended my workshop. With so many strong Christian speakers, I was honored by your presence. I especially appreciated your smiling faces and warm welcome. To those who were unable to attend, you were missed. My apologies if you did not receive a handout. I had not anticipated such a large number. If you are interested I have posted a copy of the questions on my website. Check it out at www.martynorman.com. You can also find a number pictures there from the conference.
What an encouragement to be surrounded by such a sea of amazing women. From my first encounter to my last I recieved a multitude of blessings.
My biggest surprise...
... occured just five minutes after I stepped into the Cathedral. A precious girl in her 20's ran up and gave me a big hug. Appearing startled, she exclaimed." Welcome Marty Norman to Connecticut." She was on the prayer team and had been praying for me for weeks. I was blown away! From then on it was a love fest.
My biggest "coincidence"...
...Sally and Clay Clarkson who had the table next to mine in the hallway. Sally is pictured above as we shared breakfast before going our separate ways, she to Colorado, me to Texas. I'll write more about her in future newsletters but she and Clay's presence in our lives are a witness to the fact that there are no accidents. We discovered that Clay had grown up in my hometown and was in my brother's Cub Scout group? Now what are the chances? A divine encounter?
My most touching moment...
... when some of the particpants shared their hearts regarding their grandchildren. I can attest that grandmothers are truly making a difference in the lives of families!
My most humorous moment...
...when the conference committee pinned a nametag on Jim that said Mr. Norman. You'll not see that very often!
I am encouraged and uplifted by my experience. Meeting so many like minded, loving, and open women has increased my hope and faith in the future. As grandmothers and women, as we share our lives and our faith, nothing is impossible.
PRIME TIMERS
Don't foget November 10 when I will be speaking at the United Methodist Church in Arlington to the Prime Timers. Can't wait to report back on who God puts in my path there!
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 A ROOM WITH A VIEW
(The home is a reflection of a woman's heart. The heart is the center of her spiritual home. Since we can't always visit a woman's home, the next best thing is to visit her website. Join me in a room with a view, a glimpse into the spiritual heart of someone I would like you to know.
Welcome Vonda Skelton this month to The Savvy Grandmother. Author, speaker, freelance writer,former RN, actress, lyricist, wife, mother, grandmother of four, workshop leader and inspirational speaker, she is a dynamo woman for the Lord. A petite brunette from South Carolina, Vonda is a spiritual giant. Having her as a guest speaker would bless the socks off any ladies group. Witty, knowledgeable, articulate, and clever, she yields a soft-spoken feather while delivering the word of God with a punch.
I met Vonda at the North Texas Christian Writers Conference in September 2007. We hit it off at our first meeting and have been friends ever since. An exhorter and encourger, Vonda has been a great influence in my own writing career. She was the first to step up and do an blog interview for me when my book "Generaton G" came out. As an encourger, she's the best. Check out her blog at www.vondaskelton.com. There's something for everyone, especially if you're a writer. Full of useful information and tips she will encourge you to persevere.
Author of numerous children's books, I also recogmmend her lastest adult book, "Unmasking the Lies" for your bedtime pleasure www.seeingthroughthelies.com/ Telling it like it is Vonda pulls no punches. An hilarious journey thorugh all things female she searches for truth in a counterfeit world. Using a lot of humor she offers practical steps to peeling away the layers of deceit as she disusses the serious message about the lies we believe. Experiencing Vonda's transparency is a great help in encouraging our own. The book can be read individually or as a group, and she'd love to visit with your group by speaker phone. (Now that's a technologically savvy grandmother!)
Vonda also has written a series of books called the Bitsy Burroughs Mysteries. A great gift for girls in grade school, they will love this 12-year-old tomboy whose curiosity and imagination repeatedly get her in trouble. So far her journeys have taken her to Tybee, Ameilia, and Hilton Head Islands, not too shabby for a 12-year-old!
A visit to Vonda's website and a read through her books reveal a picture of a very talented, creative woman who is using her god-given gifts to make a difference in the lives of others. As you get to know her you will love her as I do for she is one savvy grandmother!
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 SAVVY IS AS SAVVY DOES
A savvy grandmother is ... A savvy grandmother is not ....
Elinor Roosevelt - You make the call.
Recently my husband Jim and I toured the Hudson River Valley for the fall foliage. was blown away by the magnifcence of the colors. People kept telling me it wasn't the height of the season but to a grandmother from Texas, it looked pretty good. While there we visited the FDR home and libray as well as Val Kill, Eleanor Roosevelt's get away and home for the last years of her life. A student of history I had forgotten the impact that this unpretentious woman from Hyde Park made on women and on this nation.
Eleanor was no stranger in the accomplishment arena. Mother of six and grandmother of 22, she also had 13 great-grandchildren. She died at the age of 78. A writer, journalist, party leader, activist, diplomat, educator, and grandmother she had her finger in lots of pies. The author of a number of books, her newspaper column "My Day" ran from 1936-1962. A diary of her daily activities, it became a newsletter for women in politics. During her time in the White House Eleanor published over 60 articles in magazines with national circulation.
As a diplomat and edcucator Eleanor Roosevelt attempted to break the barriers of women and broaden their spectrum. An expert at harnassing the media she gave over 348 press conferences over the span of the 12 years of her husband's preidency. In the spring of 1933 she wrote a monthly column for a leading women's magazine which allowed her to discuss her social concerns. In 1945 President Harry Truman appointed her as a delgate to the United Nations where she assisted in drafting the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was one of her proudest accomplishements.
Eleanor Roosevelt is a woman to be admired and quoted. Two of my favorites include: "Courage is more exhilarating than fear in the long run and much easier" and ""if I can write interesting columns and do an article now and then, my voice would not be silent." Good sentiments on two fronts. But my all time favorite is her quote on grandmothers. "All of us need deep roots. We need to feel there is one place to which we can go back."
Hip, active, involved, a woman of all seasons, Eleanor Roosevelt clearly meets my definition of a savvy grandmother who has left a legacy. But the one and most important ingredient in my savvy grandmother definition book, is that of passing on a legacy of faith to children and grandchildren. And that is unknown. I could find nothing on her faith legacy. In the depth of my heart, I could not label her an unsavvy grandmother; there is so much to admire, but ... This one was hard. So I leave it to you to make the call. |
THE BEST OF THE REST
Sunlight - The Best Disinfectant
Recently I kept my three grandchildren in Austin while their parents were on vacation. Wouldn't you know it? First day out one fell and hurt his knee.
Lucky for me the Bactine was front and center in the medicine chest. A little soap and water, a few squirts, and a ton of hugs, he was back in action in no time. But it got me thinking. What is a disinfectant anyway and how does it work?
Webster's dictionary defines disinfectant as "an agent that frees from infection". Sounds good to me. By cleaning and putting this agent on the wound, any bacteria or organism that isn't supposed to be there is cleaned up. After a few days you can hardly tell an accident happened.
In the same way that Bactine works in the physical, God works in the spiritual...
TO READ MORE GO TO:
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 "GENERATION G" - FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE!
For all of you who are Polish, read Polish or have Polish friends, "Generation G" is now available in Polish bookstores. I'm not sure how you go about getting it -you may have to fly to Warsaw - but it's a great Christmas gift for anyone in Poland. Two things I noticed. I wish I looked like that, and I wish I knew what it says. Otherwise - I'm thrilled. Who would have thunk it?
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TO LEARN MORE
To read last month's newsletter click here:
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