Author Charlene Baumbich & Don't Miss Your Life!

My guest today is Charlene Baumbich, a new writing friend who is from one of my home states, Illinois. Poor girl decided that getting food poisoning might be interesting. So she wrote this while suffering. Which tells me that her books are worth reading! If her writing it this good when she's feeling so miserable. Here's Charlene:

"I remember my mom sharing her memories of the way my grandmother cranked the engine on the front of their old car. Although I never witnessed such an event, I sure don't doubt it. Grandma was Strong in body and Strong in determination. I can picture her carrot red hair flying up and down with every turn, her freckles a blur.

Grandma could plant crops; milk cows; guide us through the process, hands-buttery-slick, of making homemade popcorn balls; ring a chicken's neck; bake bread; and sing Casey Jones with her own unique gusto as grandchildren sat on her lap, all of us rocking in her front porch rocker to the beat.

Mother to two daughters, grandma suffered the trial of one daughter's mental illness, and the death of her "baby," my mom, at only age 56. (I miss you, Mom.) To this day, I cannot see a row of colorful Hollyhocks without thinking of Grandma's old farm and the vigorous way she loved. (I miss you, Grandma.)

My mom weathered at least four miscarriages. Her five-year diaries serve as cryptic shorthand to denote the actual days of possible conception ("X"), the good news when she "saw the doctor today. Baby!" and a scarcity of words to express her once again breaking heart. "Lost another one."

She shot a fox in our basement to spare him from further damage to himself, dumped a punch bowl on the head of a women she deemed dancing a little too close and friendly with my dad, and drove the delivery truck for his new business when she was nine months pregnant with my brother.

I come from a line of women made of true grit and bountiful grace. Their strength to deal with life as it came, and to keep on keepin' on—through the drama, the trauma and the tears—flows through my veins. This is a good thing to remember when I set in whining about how irritating it is they again forgot the hot sauce in our carry-out dinner, or moaning when I feel hopelessly behind in my word count. Sissy troubles. Charlene, STOP the whining, CROP the negativity, and ROLL with the punches. You are made of better stuff than this!

They were not perfect women. They messed up, lost their temper and fell short, just like the rest of us. But the strongest thing these women modeled was how to laugh at life, even when life dealt them the no-goods. What they dwelt on was Jesus' excellent advise: concentrate on what is good. In the end, they always found the strength and paradigm-shifting wisdom to throw back their head and laugh.

Wallowing in self pity is not strength; it is life robbing.
So thank you, Grandma, Mom. Thank you for daring to be no more or less than who you really were: your own, true, loving and laughing selves. My new book, Don't Miss Your Life!: An Uncommon Guide to Living with Freedom, Laughter and Grace, would not be what it is without your witness.


Peace and grins in the midst of food poisoning. I'm sure I'll laugh about this--one day. ;>)"--Charlene

I don't know about the rest of you but I think the punch bowl story is the best I've heard in a while! Whoa! That would have been something to witness.

Drop by Charlene's website and see all the many books she has written. And it's a FUN website. You'll enjoy it. Trust me.--Lyn

My great-grandmother Sadie Scott

Today, I'm going to tell you one of the stories about my mother's grandmother. At 16, she married a Great Lakes captain, Matthew Baker. He was twice her age and something of a playboy. Her parents disowned her for disgracing the family. (Not too much of that now-days, but a lot before "reality and tell-all talk shows.)

She bore him 4 children: 3 sons and a daughter. He piloted primarily the pleasure crafts of the rich on Lake Michigan and he kept moving his family from the WI, IL shore to the western MI shore over and over.

Finally, when my grandfather was around 4th grade, Matthew decided once again that he would move his family from Kenosha WI to Michigan again. Sadie said, "No." But invited him to stop by whenever he was in town. (Not much divorce in those days, but people did separate.) It was in late summer that this took place. This was before child support and welfare of any kind so she and her children were on their own to prepare for the coming winter.

She began sewing for the ladies of the town and her boys scrounged around and picked berries and nuts. The walnuts they picked proved to be the staple of their diet through that first long winter. And my grandfather never went back to school. He went to work to help support the family.

This all happened over 100 years ago and it's painful to recall how hard life could be. And still, this harshness didn't blunt Sadie's sense of humor or zest for life. More about that another time!

Do you have any memorable stories about women in your family? If you'd like to share them, email me on my website http://www.LynCote.net Click the Meet Lyn page for contact info.
I'd love to tell your family's stories!