Update on Grandpa

Grandpa broke his hip on June 26th, and I’ve shared brief updates of his recovery with you on this blog. Grandpa was transferred to a rehabilitation facility several days after his fall and surgery, and should be returning to his home this weekend!

I’ve talked with him on the phone several times and he sounds just like grandpa! Sometimes I can tell he's a little tired, and depressed . . . but he usually cheers up during our conversation. I think he is anxious to get back into his own home. He lives less than 100 yards from my mom and dad, so they’ll be able to check in on him easily as he continues to recover.

Thank you so much for your prayers and well-wishes for grandpa!

(the picture above was taken on Thanksgiving, 2007; grandpa is in the center of the front row)

Paper Delivery and Mailing

Today was paper delivery and mailing day, in Norfolk. Lori and I were able to do it together again, after several months of conflicting plans. Rain was falling when I picked Lori up at her house, and as we made the first few deliveries, but after we took a break at the Norfolk Coffee Company, the skies cleared. It was nice to see Lori and have the day to talk.

Enjoy the paper! If you receive your issue at your church, doctor’s office, or other business, thank them for sponsoring the paper so you can enjoy it!

FREE Trial Subscription! FREE Book!

I’ve owned and managed the Nebraska Family Times newspaper for almost a year now. I’ve gotten fairly comfortable finding and writing articles and features for the paper, and my next goal is to increase the circulation of the paper.

Have you seen the Nebraska Family Times? The mission of the newspaper is to Inspire, encourage, and motivate you in your Christian walk. Would you like a FREE trial subscription? E-mail me with your name and address and I’ll send you the August and September issues immediately, and the October issue, when it is published, FREE!

After the October issue you’ll be billed just $20 for the November 2009-November 2010 issues (the paper is printed monthly). If you do not want to continue receiving the paper, just write “cancel” on the bill and send it back to me.

Do you have friends or family members who would enjoy the paper? While Nebraska issues are covered in the paper, out-of-state readers will find many articles to enjoy also! Send me the names and addresses of five people, and they will receive three issues FREE, and then be billed as above. By sending me five names, you will receive a FREE copy of my book, Home is Where the Mom Is; A Christian Mom’s Guide to Caring for Herself, Her Family, and Her Home!

The paper is also distributed in churches, doctor, dentist, and chiropractor offices, auto dealership and insurance company waiting rooms, grocery stores, and other businesses. Would your business like to sponsor the Nebraska Family Times? Do you know a business in which you’d like to see the paper offered? E-mail me the name and address, and they will receive a FREE three-month sponsorship of 10 papers every month.

After three months, they will be billed just $30 for the next three months, receiving 10 papers/month. Sponsors may cancel at any time also.

Thanks for your help in spreading the word about the Nebraska Family Times!

State Fair Champion!

Morgan showed her heifer, Amber, at the State Fair today. She received the honor of winning Grand Champion Open Class Heifer! Many, many people were involved in making it a successful day, and some of them are pictured here.

September Issue

The September issue of the Nebraska Family Times will appear in your mailbox, or favorite sponsor’s waiting room or reading area, by September 5th.

Check out the thought-provoking article on the front page; Time Peace; A New Perspective on Time. The article about how our society seems to be ruled by our watches, and reminds us of Jesus’ perspective on time.

The article “PINK Kids Make Trip to Canada” is near and dear to my heart, as the kids who went to Canada are members of “my” church. It was interesting to interview several leaders and kids who went on the trip. I think you’ll enjoy reading about what they accomplished teaching VBS in Cormorant, Canada, in July.

Bible Challenge is a fairly new feature in the paper. I hope people will take up the challenge every month and learn more about the Bible.

What features would you like to see in the paper? Would you like to see articles on a certain issue or topic? Please let me know! You can e-mail me at shelly@shellyburke.net or call me at (402) 750-3496.

First Day of School

The first day of school this year is bittersweet for me . . . it’s Cody’s last, first day of school! Yes, he is a senior this year and next year will be heading off to college . . . and I probably won’t be there on that first day. (I joke that I’m going to buy an RV and camp out in the parking lot outside his dorm or fraternity house . . . and although there are some days I’d like to do that, I’m not going to . . .{well, I’m probably not going to!} )

Morgan is a sophomore this year! She is looking forward to seeing her friends and getting started in new classes. She has some challenging ones, including geometry, biology, and speech. She’s considering being part of the speech or mock trial teams, but will have to see how that will fit in with everything else.

Cody and Morgan didn’t have to be to school until 11:00 this morning. Morgan had an appointment in the morning, so Cody drove by himself and I took Morgan to her appointment and then to school. After I dropped Morgan off I drove through the parking lot and saw Cody’s truck . . . and unexpectedly burst into tears! Of course I know that it’s part of life for our kids to grow up and leave home . . . but it’s going to be a huge change for our family. I talked to several moms who said the same thing happened to them—tears at unexpected times during that senior year.

I know that this year will just fly by, and I plan to spend as much time with Cody and Morgan as I can (without annoying them too much!). Years ago, in our MOPS (Mothers Of Pre-Schoolers) group, our mentor said, “With children, the days may sometimes seem slow, but the years will go fast.” She was absolutely right!

Newspaper Ponderings

I am so blessed to have this opportunity to be the owner, editor, and publisher of the Nebraska Family Times!

The job does, however, have its ups and downs! As the person “in charge” of, well, everything, I can do everything how I want to do it . . . but I’m also responsible for absolutely everything. I’m also blessed to be working with people who know more than I do in the areas of websites, layout, and so on, and I’m so blessed to have several very trusted friends who I can ask questions of and can count on getting honest answers from. I appreciate the thoughts, comments, and advice I get from others! It’s easy to see everything having to do with the paper from “my” perspective, but I need to also consider what readers want to see.

Sometimes it all gets overwhelming! When checks are slow in coming in, or I can’t seem to find the articles I want to find, or people are upset about something that has to do with the paper, I wonder if I really AM cut out to do this!

But then I receive a positive comment or two, or a note enclosed with a payment, or someone tells me about an article that really touched him or her, and I know I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. When I get discouraged, I remember how I prayed before making the decision to buy the paper. I very clearly heard from God, that this is what I’m supposed to be doing.

I have so many ideas of things to do with the paper—my ideas and those that have been given to me by others. I want to touch people throughout Nebraska and beyond! I want to show God’s great love for us, His plan for each of us, and how He can guide us through life. I want to do what He wants me to do, with the paper. Many days I wish I could stay up all night, just working on the paper! (I guess I could—I was able to during nursing school!—but at this age staying awake for one night wipes me out for about three days!)

I recently heard Joyce Meyer, one of my favorite Christian authors and speakers, say something that really hit home with me: “I may not be where I should be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be.” And that’s how I feel about the paper. I don’t have everything exactly as I want it to be, but I thank God for what I’ve learned not just since I’ve owned the paper, but all through my writing career.

I thank you, my readers, for all of the thoughts, comments, and suggestions you’ve shared with me! The paper is for YOU, so please let me know what you like, and don’t like, and want to see in it. I also ask for your prayers, that God will guide me in the direction that He wants the paper to go.