​     Often genealogy searches lead me to a dead end because of my inability to verify a person’s name. In a large family several off-spring might name their children after a parent or grandparent, leaving me no precise answers.
     This frustration led to my investing in another online program,  Newspapers.com. It not only helps me find wedding announcements and obituaries, with family names and dates, but I can also look up pioneer newspapers. 
     In researching old newspapers with news of Grain Valley, one can begin with The Kansas City Times and Star, circa 1880,  The Buckner Star, circa 1890s, The Buckner Tribune, circa 1897, The Jackson County Examiner, circa 1898, or The Examiner, circa 1898, which became The Independence Examiner in 1905.
     I find the articles to be most informative and fascinating like this news item that appeared in “Missouri Notes” in The Kansas City Star on January 17, 1905.  It read “Grain Valley people must get noisy very easily. The Grain Valley correspondent of The Sni-A-Bar Voice says: Everybody is loud in their praise of the new gasoline lamp which the ladies bought for the church.” 
     Okay, so it is not the most earthshattering news.
     When I put The Sni-A-Bar Voice into the search line, I came up with the following information. The first issue of The Voice (serving Sni-A-Bar Township) was published by David C. Herrington (my great, great uncle) in Blue Springs, MO, in July, 1901. 
      It also gave me 1,283 hits with the word Sni-A-Bar. While I have only gotten through about half of them, I want to share one I found to be quite amusing. It appeared in December, 1914.
 
Missouri Man Tells of the Most Remarkable Results of His Printing
It pays to advertise.
      “We are doing a superfine line of advertising in our office just now,” says the Sni-A-Bar Voice, “and our sale bills are the talk of the county. Week before last we got out an order of bills for a farmer north of town and they were so attractive and nifty that he couldn’t begin to take care of the crowds that flocked to the sale.
     After getting top price for every animal, implement and article on the bill the auctioneer simply couldn’t stop. The people just clamored for more.
The farmer, in the hopes of driving them away, put up his mother-in-law. She brought $160 on the hoof. Then he offered his mortgage for sale.
     A lifelong friendship between two old neighbors was shattered as each tried to outbid the other. It was finally knocked down to the richest man, who was promptly knocked down by the poorer.
     He sold the weeds along the roadside. He sold a gold brick that he bought in Chicago at the World’s Fair. He sold the ruts in the road in front of his place and then offered to sell the secret of where he had the sale bills printed. We cannot give the results as the returns are not all in. They are bidding yet. That’s the kind of sale bills we print.” – Sni-A-Bar Voice.
 
     This “advertisement” drew the attention of newspapers throughout the Midwest.  As I stated, I’ve only perused about half of the over twelve hundred hits for Sni-A-Bar, but I found the story reprinted in The Kansas City Times, The Sedan Times Star (Sedan, Kansas), The Shreveport Times (Shreveport, Louisiana), The Overbrook Citizen (Overbrook, Kansas), The New Era (Davenport, Oklahoma), Indiana Gazette (Indiana, Pennsylvania), and The Sun (Glasco, Kansas) to name a few.  I don’t know how much business they received from their ad, but they certainly got attention.
 
     Over the new few weeks, I hope to find more stories to share from the newspapers that have served Grain Valley over the past century.
 
Visit the Grain Valley Historical Society at 506 S. Main on Wednesdays or visit us online at ww.grainvalleyhistory.com and Facebook (@grainvalleyhistory).
 

     Let's face it, 2020 was tough. A fresh start is what many of you are looking for in 2021, so when you resolve to make positive changes to your personal life, take a moment to make some resolutions for your digital life as well. 
     Just like good personal habits help you live a longer and fuller life, good tech habits help your technology last longer and prevents you from falling victim to many of the scams out there that threaten your tech devices and your personal data.  There are so many habits you should pick up when it comes to using your technology.  Here are the 6 important ones you need to use in the coming year.

1. Configure Your Devices to Automatically Backup to a Cloud Storage Service. 
     You can easily replace your computers, smartphones, and tablets. Your data such as baby's first photos, wedding pictures, holiday videos, can't be replaced when lost.  Even if there was a chance to reclaim those old files can cost thousands if you let us at Integral attempt to retrieve them from you.
     External hard drives can be used for backup, but most of you won't remember to plug them in your devices to have them backup. Resolve this year to have your devices automatically backup that information to the cloud.  Unfortunately, there are no free services that allow you to do this, but most backup services average around $70 a year which is a small price to pay for the peace of mind knowing your files are safe and secure.  Not sure what to use?  

Windows and Macintosh Computers:  Carbonite (www.carbonite.com) Will automatically backup your items to the cloud and keep older files for up to 30 days.

iPhones and iPad:  iCloud. (www.icloud.com) Apple starts you off with a small amount of storage for your tech devices, but for a small monthly fee, you can increase that storage to backup all of your important files on your iPhone, iPad, and even your iMac and Macbook.

Android Phones and Tablets: Google Drive. (www.google.com) Google follows the same model as Apple by giving you a free amount of storage space, but for a small monthly fee you can have all of your Android devices and your Windows and Apple computers backed up to the cloud.

2.  Use a Password Manager to Store Those Passwords.
     Hopefully, you're using different passwords for all of your online accounts. If you're not, you're risking identity theft and having your personal online accounts compromised. Cybercriminals are using a method called Credential Stuffing to get access to your information.
     With all of the data breaches that have occurred over the years, the is a good chance your user information is sitting on the dark web.  Once your information is obtained, a criminal just needs to use your credentials to log in.  Making sure you have a different password for each of your online accounts is a great deterrent. 
     Keeping track of all of those passwords is the challenge, which is why a password manager is a good tool for you to use.  Not the most secure method, but storing those passwords in your favorite browser is better than using the same passwords for your accounts. 
     Edge, Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Opera all offer an option to store your passwords.  If you want a little more security, use LastPass (www.lastpass.com) or DashLane (www.dashlane) to store those passwords.

3. Have a Good Balance between Screen Time and Real Life.
     Technology has been a great tool during the pandemic allowing us to stay in contact with family and friends, but if you've seen "The Social Dilemma" on Netflix, you know technology is designed to keep you addicted and plugged. It's even worse for younger members of your family with social media creating a host of mental and physical ailments.  
     iPhone users can take advantage of Apple's Screen Time to track and control your smartphone use. Android users can use Digital Wellbeing to set limits on the time you spend on your devices.  It helps if you block or unfriend negative people on your social media accounts. Also, set certain areas in your home as 'no tech' zones to help curb the amount of time you spend staring at your devices.

4. Get Rid of those old Tech Devices. 
     Doesn't matter if you give them to family members, charity, or recycle them, make 2021 the year you get rid of those old technology toys. I'm talking old gaming systems, computers, laptops, phones, headphones, and cords.  Someone can use that old tech. 
     Before you give away those devices, wipe them clean. The easiest way to wipe these devices clean is to do a full reset. Before you do, make sure you back up all your information like documents, pictures, and videos to an external hard drive or to a cloud storage service.

5. Add a Little 'Green' to Your Tech. 
    One of the great things about technology is all of the environmentally friendly tech that is available. Focusing on 'green' tech can help your home and office finances. The first thing you should do is to replace your standard light bulbs with LED bulbs. LED bulbs can save you up to $6 a year.  A small amount when you think of one bulb, but think about how many bulbs you have in your home or office. 
     If you haven't already, you should also invest in a smart thermostat to help with your energy savings.  Some utility companies will provide them to you, but once you have one in your home or office, you can program a schedule to make sure there is no waste when it comes to your utilities.  You can also take it a step further by setting up a smart home with your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices.  

6. Reevaluate Your Tech  
     Subscriptions.  Many products are going to a subscription service.
 The upside is these products keep you up to date with the latest versions of your software products. The downside is these subscriptions are designed to keep taking money out of your pocket as most companies sign you up for ongoing subscriptions rather than monthly or yearly subscriptions.
     Check your banking and credit card statements to make sure you aren't being charged for products you are no longer using.  While you're at it, contact your cable and Internet providers to make sure you're getting the best package that offers faster internet services. Sometimes companies will modify their TV or Internet package for a lower rate and not inform their current customers.

     Yes, 2020 was not an easy year and we all could use a clean slate. Think of 2021 as a reset for yourself and your tech devices.  In this digital age we live in, take the time to reevaluate your relationship with your gadgets, and make technology a healthier component of your life.

Looking for More Useful Tech Tips?
     Our Tuesday Tech Tips Blog is released every Tuesday. If you like video tips, we LIVE STREAM new episodes of 'Computer and Tech Tips for Non-Tech People'  every Wednesday at 6:00 pm CST on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Technology product reviews are posted every Thursday. You can view previous episodes on our YouTube channel.  
 
Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone.

     Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral.
     Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have.  Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829.
 

     January 19 is National Rid the World of Fad Diets and Gimmicks Day. Yes, there really is an official day for it and it is the third Tuesday in January each year.
     If you are like most Americans, at one time or another you have tried a diet fad or gimmick that promised quick and easy weight loss only to find that the weight you lost was gained back in less time than it took to take it off. But how can you spot a fad diet? 
     A red flag should go up if it promises that a large amount of weight can be lost quickly, if fewer than 1,000 calories per day are to be eaten, if special foods need to be purchased, if no risks are provided or if large advance payments or long-term contracts are required.    
     Although not nearly as enticing as flashy diets or celebrity endorsed supplements, the best way to lose weight and keep it off is a balanced diet and regular exercise. Not only will you lose weight with this approach, you will improve your health as well. 
     So how do you get started implementing a well-balanced diet and exercise plan without following a pre-made meal plan, supplements or exercise gimmicks? Follow these three steps and you will be on your way.
 
Step 1: Create a Vision
     What would you like your life to look like in 1, 5 or 10 years? This isn’t a number on the scale. This is the big picture of your well-being. Describe your ideal state of physical and emotional health. What does that look and feel like? Create a vision board by using pictures of your vision if it helps.
 
Step 2: Determine Your Goals
     Goals get you to your vision. These can be reevaluated and changed along the way. Long-term goals are goals you want to reach in 6-12 months. Short-term goals are goals you want to reach in 3-6 months. Examples of long-term goals are to complete in a 5K race or to lose 50 pounds or to increase your strength and muscle mass.
     Short-term goals may be to run 2 miles or to lose 20 pounds or to bench press 200 pounds. Whatever your goals, make them SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-based. An example of a SMART goal is:  I will run 2 miles per day on 3 days of the week (M.W,F)
 
Step 3: Write Down Weekly Habits
     Habits are what you do daily/weekly that get you to reach your goals. These are the important things that create a lifestyle change if done consistently.
Examples of habits are eating 3 servings of vegetables each day or walking for 30 minutes daily outside. 
     Small habits help you reach your goals and can add up to BIG changes in your health, fitness, and well-being.
By following these three steps you will be on your way to a healthy new lifestyle.
     And remember, consistency, not perfection, is the key to a permanent lifestyle change. Slow and steady always wins the race
     Need a healthy dinner idea to meet your vegetable goals? Try this veggie-packed Minestrone on a cold evening:
 
 
 

     The Voice, circa 2017, is an on-line newsletter I have been producing to promote the Grain Valley Historical Society. Like these articles for Valley News, I sometimes struggle to come up with a “feature” for each edition. 
     For January, 2021, I wanted to write about a New Year’s Eve from the past. I remembered some old photographs and newspaper articles sent to me several years ago by a cousin in Oklahoma. I remembered that one of the articles mentioned a New Year’s Eve Watch Party that had been attended by my parents. 
     What I did not remember was that the article appeared in a newspaper entitled The Free Press, and just below the title, the words “GRAIN VALLEY, MO. THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1932”.
     Needless to say, I became curious about this paper. Since it is Volume 1, was this the first edition? My research has revealed very little about the paper. I have only learned that this paper was “a weekly newspaper, published every Thursday by the Free Press Publishers.” J. C. Simpson was the editor and manager and R. K. Jones was the advertising and circulation manager. The paper provided the following information: For insertion of late news items phone Victor 2518, Kansas City, Mo. KANSAS CITY OFFICE 734 Cherry Street.
     Further investigation revealed that as early as 1925, the Pruitt Publishing Co. was operating from the same location on Cherry Street in Kansas City and they were placing advertisements in Popular Mechanics Magazine and another publication called American Fox and Fur Farmer. Yes, one hundred years ago there really was a magazine by that name.          
     Since becoming a town in 1878, Grain Valley has been served by a number of newspapers.  The Kansas City Evening Star, co-founded September 18, 1880, by William Rockhill Nelson and Samuel E. Morss has provided us with national and world news. However, it is from the small, local papers from the Oak Grove Banner established in 1890, or the Sni-A-Bar Voice established in 1901, through the Jackson County Democrat, established in 1952, The Pointe,  established in 1998 and finally our current Valley News that citizens of our town have received the local news.  Over the next few weeks, I hope to give you a history of all of the papers and a glimpse at the “big stories.”
 

     I have a friend who always finds the best videos of people dancing and she posts them to her Facebook profile with regularity.  She usually just writes, “Let’s hear it for dancing!” or a similar sentiment.  And they are the best videos. With admiration in their voices, mutual friends say things like, “Oh my gosh, did you see the tap dancing video she posted?” It’s her thing.
     My dad polished his shoes each Sunday night, readying them for work the next week. Sitting in his comfy family room chair, with newspaper spread out below him so as not to make a mess, he burnished the leather to a beautiful shine with an old rag and tin cans of polish.  Sure, it was a little bit of habit and an old school pride in being well-groomed, but it was his thing.
    We know a couple who are so good at trivia, that it frightens us. They are not the folks who answer Wayne Gretzky for every hockey question because there is a good chance it was him who broke a record.  Instead, they are the folks that know it was Gordie Howe, and they know the year it happened.  It’s their thing.
     My daughter can untangle any necklace, ball of yarn, or Christmas ribbon almost instantly. She can divine the beginning and the end of the snarl with a single look. It’s a scary thing, but it’s her thing.
    Some things are a little quirkier. My brother-in-law can be counted on to play a high numbered domino in the wrong place very nonchalantly in some of our wee hours of the morning games, just to see if any of us are still watching. He is not truly a cheater, but he loves to see if he can pull one over on us.  It’s his thing.
     And along the lines of quirky, a dear friend is the best Haiku writer I have ever known, and as a retired English teacher, yes, I have known a few poets. A much underappreciated artform, her Haikus capture the moment in the allowed 17 syllables. It’s her thing.
    The same friend writes her message and signs her greeting cards only on the left when you open it, so the right remains unscathed. People used to frame beautiful greeting cards, and I always figured she wanted me to know what I was framing, with her signature on the back.  She has two things, which hardly seems fair.
   My young realtor friend literally has the best GIF game I have ever seen.  If we are texting, she will answer me with a GIF that has me laughing hysterically. I cannot believe she can do that without practice.  How does she know what I am going to write?  It must just be her thing.
     If you have not guessed by now, I don’t have a thing.  I mean I do a lot of things, many of them annoying to family and friends, but I don’t have a thing that is just my thing. And trust me, I have attempted to find my thing.
     At first I thought my thing might be a signature look, so I picked red lipstick. “Oh my gosh, look how pretty her lips are in that picture.  I love that she always wears red lipstick!” they would say about me.
    I took it pretty seriously, researching everything from Chanel to MAC reds, snatching up samples and even enlisting the help of a former student turned makeup artist.
   “Look,” she said. “I need to tell you up front that not everybody can wear a red lip.  You have to take into account skin tones, how white your teeth are, colors reflecting up from your clothes.  White shirts and black shirts give red a chance to shine.”
     When she launched into cool and warm tone discussions and the base I would need to keep that red lip at maximum capacity all through the day, I lost interest.  Just wasn’t my thing.
     I thought always wearing a hat might also be my thing, and some of the frivolous evidence of that still exists in my coat closet.  But my ‘the higher the hair the closer to God’ mantra didn’t leave much room in a hat for my hair masterpieces.  Another thing set aside.
    On the short list of things I have tried out to be my thing are: making last minute unplanned meals from just pantry essentials, pancakes with broccoli and cheese as an example; executing a weekly cleaning routine, where each room of the house gets a swipe on a certain day of the week, which has not worked during COVID, where I am often uncertain of the day of the week and one time even the month; and organizing greeting cards by date to send to family members and friends, surely not my thing when I sent a ‘congrats on your retirement ‘card to someone who had been summarily sacked for misconduct.
    Desperate to have a thing, I polled my family. They gave me many answers, the bulk of which I cannot share with you here. But they pretty firmly landed on me turning down the volume on the TV or on the car radio when I am looking for something (likely trying to find my phone, which they also shared was my thing) or belting out mistaken song lyrics. Ugly. Just ugly.
    I am going to keep searching—for my phone, of course--- and for my thing.
     Cathy is a retired public school English teacher and Public Information Officer.       
 

     The holiday shopping season is in full swing. If you're like me, your moving away from shopping for your favorite computers and electronic devices in brick and mortar stores and doing your Christmas shopping at online stores. 
     Why wouldn't you? It's convenient and it's quick, with online stores delivering your gadgets in a matter of days. With more and more people buying high ticket electronics online, there has been a rise of packages being stolen by porch pirates. They're riding in your neighborhoods, snatching your packages up, trying to take them so you need to do something to protect those packages.
     Want to make sure your gadgets make it under the tree this year? Here's what you can do to stop porch pirates from running off with your stuff and what to do if they are hijacked by a porch pirate.
 
     1. Have Your Packages Delivered to Your Work Place, a P.O. Box, or Use Ship To Store.
     Probably one of the best ways to stop porch pirates in their tracks is to avoid shipping to your home. Even if you work from home or you are at home the majority of the time, porch pirates can still get your stuff.
     These crafty individuals will follow FedEx and UPS trucks so they can pounce immediately after your package has been delivered. Having your packages shipped to a location other than your porch is a smart move, especially during the holiday season.
 
     2. Install a Smart Doorbell or Home Camera Security System.
     Yes, I know there are a ton of videos of people caught on camera stealing packages even in the presence of a smart door bell such as a Ring (www.ring.com), but they really do work as a way keeping people off your property.
     If installed and used properly, smart home monitoring systems like Ring, Nest (www.nest.com), or Belkin (www.belkin) can keep your alerted when someone is near your door and allow you to capture on video any activity that occurs. With video, you have a means to retrieve your stolen gadgets.
 
     3. Sign up for delivery alerts and have Your Neighbors Help.
     Most online retailers offer alerts to let you know when your electronics leave the shipping center and more importantly when they arrive at your door. Alerts can help you take action to make sure your get your gadgets. If you're not able to be home for package delivery, ask a trusted neighbor to get it for you. Also, If possible, require a signature for all deliveries.
 
     4. Help Out Your Neighbors.
     If you work from home, or are home during the day, make a post on Nextdoor (www.nextdoor.com) or in your neighborhood Facebook group (www.facebook.com) and offer to allow your neighbors to ship their packages and electronics to your house.
     Also, keep an eye out for suspicious things in your neighborhood. If you notice something that doesn't seem right, check with your neighbors or contact the authorities for help.
 
     5. Use free secure delivery lockers offered by Amazon. Amazon offers self service lockers that allow you to ship your gadgets to a locker. You have 3 days to get your items out of the locker. For more details, check out Amazon's website (www.amazon.com).
 
If you have been a victim of a porch pirate do the following things:
1. File a Police Report
2. Contact the shipper.
     If your gadgets were delivered via US Postal Service, fill out a Missing Mail Search Request.
     If it was delivered by UPS, you need to contact the shipper.
     If it was delivered by FedEx, you can go to their web site and fill out their online form for missing packages.
 
     Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. 

     Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have.  Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. 

     My first memory of Santa is having to wait in line to see the big guy at a makeshift workshop in my neighborhood in Miami, Florida. I don’t remember if I was frightened, but I do remember having to wait in line for what seemed like an eternity.
     I also remember a certain apprehension of being on the naughty list. I never knew what to ask for, but somehow, he always seemed to know.
On Christmas Eve, my parents, attempting to get me and my sister to go to bed, would say that they could hear the rumblings of Santa’s sleigh several blocks over.
     So, with a sense of excitement and an element of fear, we would rush off to bed listening ever so closely for Santa’s arrival on our rooftop, before helplessly drifting off to sleep. The fact that we did not have a chimney was irrelevant. I was told that, somehow, he was always able to get in. The statement made me curious and left me a little unsettled.
     I was never able to catch Santa in the act. But, on Christmas morn, I did see evidence of his handiwork. He always sampled my mother’s cookies and drank some of the milk. Why he just sampled several cookies and never ate the whole thing was puzzling. Did he not know there were starving people in China?
     No matter, Santa left glistening presents under the tree and I had a fear that questioning Santa’s ethics would have repercussions that would perpetually place me on the naughty list.
     I fully understood the naughty and nice list and, every mid-December, I did my best to rectify my fearful dilemma. To me, it appeared that the list was not binary, but more of a spectrum. Santa had favorites. One Christmas morn, I looked outside at the neighbors’ house and saw the family across the street playing with their new toys.
     As a creature of social comparison, I investigated further only to find that Santa had brought one of them a Power Wheel’s car. They were on the nice list—or maybe the “nicer” list. I thought about the inequity and wondered why I did not get one. Perhaps, Santa’s list had been compromised, there was a mix-up in delivery, or maybe I had been exceptionally naughty that year (the latter would be closer to the truth).
     I’ll never forget the Christmas season when my sister and I were jumping on our parent’s bed and I rolled off. I was not hurt but was now at eye level to look under the bed. I noticed boxes of toys tucked away. One of them was a really cool jet that I really wanted to play with. I knew that I had found gold, but I was on someone else’s land so had to simply cover it back up and let it play out.
     My sister and I were hush hush and went about our daily lives until Christmas morning when, to my joy, I got the jet! Interestingly, it did not come from my parents. It came from a higher authority. It was my passageway into adulthood. From that point on, Christmas lost some of its sparkle. Santa got run over by a Power Wheel’s car. The mystery and magic faded into materialism and empiricism.
     I did not really understand the power of Christmas until I was 19. That was the age that I became a Christian. That first Christmas was nothing short of spectacular. It was the first time I truly understood what Christmas was all about. A lightbulb went on and the sparkle returned.
     After getting married, and having children, my wife and I struggled with the whole present thing. Like every family, it was a personal decision we had to make. But, for us, it didn’t feel right to promote the north pole and the manger in the same breath—only to have them discover later that we had told them a partial truth.
     In addition, we wanted them to know that dad and mom worked really hard to try to provide something special for them at Christmas. We knew that one day they would realize that, in life, sometimes the neighbors get a Power Wheels car and you get a skateboard.
     In our family, we always wanted all the attention of Christmas to be upon Christ. We reached a workable compromise by focusing on Christ, being honest with our kids, and also creating an element of mystery and fun. The kids got presents from dad and mom, residents of the north pole, the dog, cat, and the parakeet. It was always fun and electric. The presents were always put out Christmas Eve and were not hidden under the bed. Been there.
     We warned our kids not to “spoil” the fun for any of their friends or classmates whose family chose to celebrate differently. I’ll never forget one of the kids coming home from school and saying defiantly, “My teacher says that Santa is real and he brings the presents.” This child’s face was serious and their hands were firmly on their hips demanding a response. I think I commented back by saying, “We love you and want to be honest with you. Dad and mom make Christmas a special time by getting the presents.”
     Our little one was not convinced. They folded their arms and blurted back, “Well, my teacher says he’s real.” I concluded by offering to do an experiment. I said, “Okay, let’s do this. Dad and mom will buy all the other kids presents except for you and we’ll see if Santa brings you anything.” After a few thoughtful moments, she changed her tune.
     As a pastor, I’ve done a great deal of research on the history of Christmas and could write extensively. In short, no one knows the exact day of Christ’s birth. We do know that in the fourth century AD, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth should be celebrated on December 25. The date merged Christmas with the pagan celebration of Saturnalia. It was an unholy compromise that began a slippery slope that led to Frosty the Snowman.
     If you look around at most Christmas celebrations nowadays, Christ is reduced to a small figure in a nativity set under the tree, hidden by the wise men, shepherds, and the little drummer boy, while Santa, reindeer, elves, snowmen, elf on a shelf, and a host of other holiday fixtures take prominence in the front yard and in the home. The true, historical celebration of the Messiah’s birth is easily lost, or worse veiled, through an endless array of holiday décor.
     But we don’t have to throw the baby out with the bathwater. It’s possible to have a Christ-centered, fun celebration. My wife and I love the lights, colors, and the celebration of Christmas, but we also try to keep Christ as the central focus of our celebration.
     We also like to make it fun. All of our four children are grown now and each of them say that they appreciated our honesty and plan on taking the same approach with their own families. None of them have needed counseling.
     So, here I am, on the ladder, attaching Christmas lights to the gutter of the house. My wife is inside trying to figure out where to put our six trees and the Christmas village. It’s best for me to stay out of the way. In the end, although under protest, my outdoor mission will be to try to rival the illumination of the Griswolds.
     I love Christmastime. If, for only a brief season, the world pauses to consider the whisper of the birth of Christ, I’m all for it. For me personally, Christmas is another day to celebrate what I know to be true all year long. Christ came into the world to seek and save the lost. Christmas is more than just a day or an event.
     The problem with viewing Christmas as an “event” is that in early January, the lights, tree, and Christmas village will all be put back in the garage on the shelf. The unfortunate thing is many people lose the Christmas joy because happiness that is found in a box is only temporary.
     The beautiful thing about seeing Christmas as a “season” which last all year is that even after the bling comes down, the joy remains.
     The difference is keeping Christ central—all year. Because of Christmas, I have no fear of being on the naughty list. That was settled at the cross. I have no fear of losing Christmas joy. I know that my Redeemer lives and that He is alive in me. Jesus is the best present ever and the gift that keeps on giving.
 
Dr. Wayne Geiger is the Pastor of First Baptist Church Grain Valley, an Adjunct Professor of Speech, and freelance writer.
 

​     I love Christmas.  Singing Silent Night while we pass candle light to one another always moves me to tears.  When the pastor retells the story of Christ’s birth, I listen as though hearing it for the first time.  One chorus of Oh, Holy Night, and it is a joyous noel for me. 
     I don’t complain about shopping because I visualize the face of the person opening the gift I have carefully selected.  I don’t mind the inevitable paper cuts from wrapping gifts or the fact that my husband uses nearly a whole roll for a small package.  I stockpile tape throughout the year like toilet paper hoarders in 2020. I bake sweet treats and place them in tins for delivery to neighbors.
     This is my adult behavior around Christmas, and this is not to say I don’t get a little Grinchy once in a while. But I come by loving Christmas quite naturally, I think.
     My snapshots of Christmases past are so wonderful, that I cannot enter this time of year without a walk down memory lane.
 -a ham the size of a small town on the table each year, weirdly, served with spaghetti, a tradition we keep to this day.
 -a pre-requisite huge box of chocolates on the baby grand piano, and my Grandy helping us poke holes in the bottoms of candy until we found an edible caramel or creamy filling; none of that nougat for us.
 -a Rings and Things toy maker.  Metal plates that heated ridiculously high, into which we poured an Elmer’s glue-like substance of colorful plastic and waited for the beautiful rings and necklaces it produced.
-eating candy from our stockings on the sly then not being hungry for breakfast.
-heavy pajamas and bathrobes and bad haircuts with bangs, all captured in Polaroids.
- my dad’s response to every present, where he made it seem like you had delivered the original gold, frankincense, and myrrh right to his doorstep
 -peppermint ice cream, sometimes in the shape of a Christmas tree or Santa, to be consumed only at the kitchen table.
-noises on the rooftop that were surely Santa, and a Grammy who showed me footprints in the snow, verifying the reindeer had been there.
 -divinity and peanut butter candy stored on the back porch to keep it cold and butter horn rolls, fresh roasted turkey with dressing.
-begging anyone and everyone to play whatever new board game we had gotten that year.
-snuggling on bed pallets on the floor as all of us poured into my Nanny and Pa’s small farm house, listening to the adults’ late night conversation until I drifted to sleep.
-the squeaky sound of a Styrofoam vanity seat, one that opened for storage and pulled right up to the hard plastic vanity with the aluminum foil mirror.
-spray snow and stencils on December Saturdays, wiping the window with a cloth diaper to remove any dampness before we created our designs.
-finding a stray piece of tinsel in July, tying it into my hair around my ponytail, then rushing inside to count the days until Christmas.
-pulling out the beautiful pink and purple advent candles to place in the fresh pine wreath to start the season leading to Christ’s birth.
-unwrapping a baby doll with eyes that opened and closed, long eyelashes and beautifully painted lips, and promising to care for her forever.
-white opaque tights that never seemed to stretch quite long enough to tuck themselves in neatly below my Christmas dress that matched my sis, and black patent leather shoes, to which we often added Vaseline for an extra gleam.
- the anticipation of Rudolph and Frosty, without updated animation on the television.
-hard candy ribbons in a tin
-trying to stay awake for 11:00 p.m. church, which ended right as Christmas day began
- my mom’s Danish pastry and it’s buttery goodness.
- the organ at my Nanny’s house, with Christmas carols sung with extended family
-Pa sliding his finger under the tape of his package wrapping to get ready for his turn to open a gift.
-Lifesaver story books.
-kids’ table meals too numerous to mention and graduation to the big table
 
I hope 2020 finds you making some special snapshot memories with your family! Merry Christmas from Musings from the Middle.
   
Cathy is a retired public school English teacher and Public Information Officer.
 

     The Grain Valley Assistance Council (GVAC) is a community services organization which was founded in 1994 by a group of concerned citizens.  The original purpose of the GVAC was and continues to be to provide support and counsel to those families and individuals in the Grain Valley community who are less fortunate.
     Over 700 families and more than 1,200 children are helped by the GVAC every year.  The services provided to our clients are quite varied according to their need, but in this holiday and COVID season the food pantry is being stretched to the max. 
     With limited school attendance due to the pandemic, food drives through the schools are at a minimum of what they normally provide.
     That’s where you come in.  Below is a list of the most needed items for the pantry so that the GVAC can continue to make food one less thing for families to worry about:

Cereal
Canned Fruit
Canned Vegetables
Spaghetti and Noodles
Pancake Mix
Syrup
Jelly
Toilet Paper
Instant Potatoes
Corn Muffin Mix
Rice or Noodle Side Dishes
Pork and Beans
Dry Beans – Pinto or Navy
Chili Seasoning Packets
Tomato Sauce
Saltine Crackers
Spaghetti O’s
Canned Ravioli
Ramen Noodles
Instant Oatmeal
Mac and Cheese
​
     The best location to drop off food items would be the Grain Valley Community Center during their regular hours.  The GVAC has a barrel just inside the Community Center lobby, and pick-ups are done at least once a week.  An alternative would be to drop items at the GVAC directly, but with the current restrictions you cannot bring the items inside the building. 
     Our location is 513 Gregg St. in Grain Valley, just around the corner from the Post Office.  We are open on Wednesdays from 9 to 12 and 1 to 4, and our phone number is 816.355.0328.  Pull up to the curb and let them know you are there, so that someone can come out to receive your donations.
And monetary donations are always helpful.  Our mailing address is GVAC, PO Box 262, GVMO 64029.
     The GVAC is an affiliate of the Community Services League, which was founded in 1916 by former First Lady Bess Truman.  CSL is both the largest and longest-serving social service provider in the metro area, and serves all of eastern Jackson County through its 15 locations including Grain Valley. 
     Our affiliation with CSL gives the GVAC and our clients access to many more goods and services, while assuring our supporters that all funds and nearly all donated goods remain IN Grain Valley, FOR Grain Valley.
     Yours truly, Jerry Vaughan, GVAC Board Member

     Sadly, willpower doesn’t always win. Stress and life? Those get in the way, too. Therefore your attempt at eating healthy is usually the first to go. But Happy New Year, readers! January marks the start of resolution season, and weight loss typically tops the list. What are you going to do differently this year?
     There is an often forgotten weight management secret – a secret that doesn’t require detox dieting or cardboard meals. This secret is a simple, yet powerful, habit to develop.
 
     Preparation! That’s it! Without this, even the most dedicated healthy eaters can fall off track. Now that you know the secret, here’s how to put forth the effort. 
 
     Stop your Scroll and Make a Meal Plan: There’s no guessing how much time is spent on our phones these days, as a daily average report is sent at the end of each week (whether you were asking for one or not).
     Ever wonder how productive you’d be if you weren’t nose deep in your news feed? Take 20 minutes between social media sites, and sit down and plan a weekly menu. Heck, just worry about the dinner meal (bonus if those dinner ideas have leftovers = lunch the next day).
 
     Don’t Start from Scratch: Sure, the cookbook you received from your grandma has hundreds of wonderful recipes, but the last thing you need to worry about are new menu items while working on this new habit. Start with your go-to meals - tacos, spaghetti or soups, perhaps. Repeat these every few weeks.
     Then, when you’re up to it, add a new recipe – hy-vee.com has hundreds to choose from. Or, take advantage of your Hy-Vee dietitian’s new Healthy Habits program – a weekly meal plan made just for you.
 
     Lean on Frozen Veggies: Just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts, frozen produce should be a staple on your grocery list. First of all, many of us don’t eat the recommended five cups of fruits and veggies daily, and no meal is complete without a pop of color. 
     Brave the cold and take a peek behind the frozen doors. There are so many products that abandon the bland and scream flavor, making it an easy add to your meal plates.

     Ask for Help: Your solution for all your resolutions? Possibly some guidance from a Hy-Vee dietitian. Turn your health goals into action with some assistance from a nutrition expert, as consultations and a variety of programs are offered both in person and virtually.
 
     Life’s hectic, but remember meal planning and eating healthy doesn’t have to be. I dare you to do this year differently. Small steps lead to big wins, and a dietitian found within the walls of Hy-Vee can help you attain anything you want. During year 2021, be sure to make your health priority number one! 
 
The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.
The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.
 
     Megan Callahan is one of your Hy-Vee Corporate Dietitians. She is dedicated to helping people live healthier and happier lives. Megan received a bachelor’s degree in dietetics from Missouri State University. She completed her dietetic internship at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where she also received her Master of Science degree in dietetics and nutrition. Megan has been working with Hy-Vee full-time for 10 years. With a passion for nutrition and wellness, Megan is dedicated to educating customers and promoting healthy lifestyles to our Hy-Vee community. Megan lives in Lee’s Summit with her husband Matt, and their 2 children Kennedy (4) & Carsyn (2).