His Ways For the Surviving Spouse
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

His Ways For the Surviving Spouse

But while the pain of loss invades and disrupts the momentum we once treasured, we must remember that God knows the way. The good news is that HE is the Master Re-router! HE makes a way when there seems to be no way! And HE travels with us, never leaving us alone! His map is our guide as we continue toward the destination HE has prepared for us.

Exodus 13:21: “By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light,so that they could travel by day or night.” Reminders of God’s past provision adorn the highway, giving us courage to …..

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Reimagining Direction
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

Reimagining Direction

This blog is written by Carlton L Coon, Sr.

The destination is clear when an Airbus A321 departs Washington’s Dulles airport, bound for Chicago. During flight, a directional gyroscope is an instrument that helps keep the plane on course. Quietly and continuously, the gyroscope works to keep the plane headed to its destination.

The ongoing assessment and subtle reorienting are essential to a safe arrival. Having a clear destination on departure is wonderful, but the goal is to safely arrive at the destination. But magnetic fields, the curve of the earth, and wind affect flight. Thus, recalibration is constant, so subtly done that passengers are unaware.

What a great illustration of life. Those who arrive at their destination will have experienced ongoing recalibration. Remember the changes from adolescence to young adulthood? As Chris, our youngest son, said, “It was a lot more fun ……….

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Getting Your Affairs in Order
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

Getting Your Affairs in Order

IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE, put a beneficiary on all of your financial accounts like checking savings CDs, Life Insurance, investments etc. You don't need a will for them to get to your money, just a death certificate. And make a list, preferably by hand instead of your computer, either give it to your trusted person, spouse or put it in your security box at the bank. If the person doesn't know you have a savings account or a CD at XYZ Bank, they can never go get the money. Make sure you have a trusted person that is a signer on the security box at the bank.

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Sages as an Anchor on the Mountainside
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

Sages as an Anchor on the Mountainside

Anchor has multiple definitions. In some way, each definition fits those of the Sage age. An anchor:

  • Finishes a relay race.

  • Is used to secure a vessel against the wind and waves.

  • Is figuratively a mainstay.

  • Reads the news.

In mountaineering, an anchor is a fixed object, be it a tree or pinion, to which a climber secures his rope.

The Dependable Pinion

In two epistles, Simon Peter wrote to those scattered abroad. He was no longer young. For the most part, Peter’s readers were

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Navigating Final Wishes with Grace and Wisdom
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

Navigating Final Wishes with Grace and Wisdom

The following blog is by Mark Morris. #grandparents

The new year is well underway, and hopefully all of the things that we have started out to do we are still in the process of doing. I hope all of that rearranging and decluttering and re-organizing of everything is coming along at a good pace. One of my goals this year, as I stated earlier, was to organize my books. The problem I have is when I am sorting my books, I find one that looks really interesting and I stop and read it. This takes me several days to get back to my organizing, and then I end up liking that author, and I try to find some more books of his to purchase online. It looks like my book collection will continue to grow, but I will try to get it organized.

As most of you know, we started raising our grandchildren over 15 years ago when their dad who was our son was tragically

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Embracing the Role: Grandparents as Influencers and Blessings in the Lives of Their Grandchildren
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

Embracing the Role: Grandparents as Influencers and Blessings in the Lives of Their Grandchildren

Today there are over 2.6 million children in America who are being raised by their grandparents. If you’re not personally affected by this, then someone you know, undoubtedly is. Perhaps it is a relative or a neighbor, maybe even someone that you know in your church.

Often we see only the negative effects that this relationship can have on the children as well as the grandparents.

Today,I would like for us to realize that the situation…

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A Dispenser of Grace
grace Carlton Coon grace Carlton Coon

A Dispenser of Grace

The blog is written by Barbara Westberg

Part 2 in a series of 3

The apostles in Jerusalem were in turmoil.

He’s here? Saul of Tarsus? He’s here in Jerusalem? He wants fellowship? The man who

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Three Generational Families
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

Three Generational Families

The following blog is by Mark Morris. #grandparents

Grandparents raising their grandchildren is not a new phenomenon. Grandparents have always had a desire to do what was best for their children and their grandchildren. In America today

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Grace for Grace
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

Grace for Grace

“And of his fulness have we all received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16).

We were pastoring a small church in a small town when some disgruntled folks started spreading lies about the church and us.

Frustrated and not a little angry, I took….

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5 Great Things About St. Charles
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

5 Great Things About St. Charles

The following blog is by Ruth Fross.

Yes, there are stop signs in St. Charles, but that is not all to be observed in this Historical setting. Nestled on the Missouri River, this River Town has welcomed fur traders, Missionaries,

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Introducing the UPCI Sages 55+
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

Introducing the UPCI Sages 55+

 The following blog is a video transcription by David Bernard.

Sages is a new ministry of the UPCI for senior adults. Seniors are a growing demographic

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Keeping in Contact with the Parents
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

Keeping in Contact with the Parents

The last couple of weeks we have been looking at several pointers that will help us to be more successful as grandparents raising our grandchildren. Today I want to examine an area that may take a little more effort.

Point. #3 Keeping in contact

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The Paradox of Grandma Beulah
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

The Paradox of Grandma Beulah

Some years back, O.C. Marler stopped me after an event with this advice:

Never reach a point in life where you don’t have something meaningful to do.

Let’s leave that statement….

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Grandparenting with Honesty
Carlton Coon Carlton Coon

Grandparenting with Honesty

In our last article, we started a new group of pointers that will help us as we endeavor to be successful grandparents raising our grandchildren.

The last one we discussed was the need

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