In recent years, I have become acquainted with more and more young women - whether they have chosen to pursue a college education or not - who have wished to stay in the home of their parents and serve their family and church until marriage. Some have desired to start a cottage industry from their home, while others have wanted to spend all of their time helping to homeschool their siblings and/or learn the skills of being a keeper at home. I have also met many fathers and mothers who have these wishes for their daughters. However, there seems to be one big obstacle that has stood in the way of making this a reality for as long as it is desired: insurance.
When young adults reach a certain age (depending on the particular policy), they are usually no longer eligible to remain on a father's health insurance plan. When a child is in college, that age for being excluded from the plan is usually extended. But, if a young adult chooses to become an apprentice outside of a university setting or wants to remain home to learn the skills of the home, many feel pressured to enter the workforce to pay for insurance even when none of the family members want this to occur. The fear of unknown injuries and illnesses and the debt they will cause is too great to allow many families to endure the risk of going without insurance.
I went on a mission to find out how some families deal with this issue, and each one I contacted directed me to Samaritan Ministries. This is a network of Christian families and individuals who work together to cover the medical expenses of those in need. The basics are these:
1. Members share their needs with Samaritan Ministries after medical procedures are completed.
2. Samaritan Ministries then publish the needs after they are processed.
3. Members pay a set membership fee per year plus a standard rate per month ("shares") based on their particular membership status as individuals, couples, or families.
4. Samaritan Ministries assigns members to other members with needs, and members send their shares directly to the individuals who have bills that are due.
Established in 1991 and operating in this format since 1994, Samaritan Ministries is present in almost 12,000 families. I set out to ask a few friends how their families handle their medical costs, but I had no idea how many were members of this organization. I'm pretty sure there are some Primitive Baptist elders whose families participate in this ministry or one similar. In fact, in the past two weeks, I found out that a few of my friends from high school and college that are now in the ministry for other denominations are members. They not only appreciate the ideals and mission of the organization, but they also appreciate lower costs and full control over their preferred choices in healthcare. Every one of them said they have never had a medical expense that has gone unmet. And, there was the extra blessing of receiving notes of encouragement and prayer from around the country.
I have tried to research this as much as possible, and I am not endorsing the organization without reservation. But, I do think it is an interesting concept. One must take time and diligently study to determine if this is the correct plan of action for his family. If you have questions, please refer to the Commonly Asked Questions page, or you may contact Samaritan Ministries at 1888-2OTHERS (1-888-268-4377) to receive references to others in your area who have had needs covered through the ministry.
When I read through the site, a few items piqued my curiosity and sent me back to my bible to study. Do you have any thoughts on this concept?
Friday, May 18, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Back By Demand
OK, OK. I am sorry I took down the blog for a few days. I didn't mean to scare anyone. I had set it to private so that I wouldn't lose my information - as I didn't know how long my pause in posting would last.
However, some of you wrote to express your displeasure. Not only in not being able to read new posts (as random and uninteresting as they may be)... but also about not being able to access old posts with not-so-important information. You wanted it back immediately. You emailed. You called. Two of you even begged. (We need to help you get out more often or maybe buy you a subscription to a magazine or two!) :) Despite the lack of comments by most, it seems that the readership is into double digits. Dare I say, dozens!?!? I had no idea.
So, back by demand, Stremmed Out is once again here... for your enjoyment (hopefully)... after an ever-so-brief period of being "out of circulation." (I realize it was down less days than some have between their regular posts. But, the PRIVATE warning worried some folks, and I was asked to notify several that it was back up.) I can't make any promises about the posting - both in frequency and subject matter. But, I will do my best while juggling other balls in the air.
Thanks for stopping every once in a while to check in. Consider leaving a comment from time to time to let me know how you are doing. And, thanks goes out to the loved ones who have consistently done so, kept in touch, and/or keep a blog of their own.
However, some of you wrote to express your displeasure. Not only in not being able to read new posts (as random and uninteresting as they may be)... but also about not being able to access old posts with not-so-important information. You wanted it back immediately. You emailed. You called. Two of you even begged. (We need to help you get out more often or maybe buy you a subscription to a magazine or two!) :) Despite the lack of comments by most, it seems that the readership is into double digits. Dare I say, dozens!?!? I had no idea.
So, back by demand, Stremmed Out is once again here... for your enjoyment (hopefully)... after an ever-so-brief period of being "out of circulation." (I realize it was down less days than some have between their regular posts. But, the PRIVATE warning worried some folks, and I was asked to notify several that it was back up.) I can't make any promises about the posting - both in frequency and subject matter. But, I will do my best while juggling other balls in the air.
Thanks for stopping every once in a while to check in. Consider leaving a comment from time to time to let me know how you are doing. And, thanks goes out to the loved ones who have consistently done so, kept in touch, and/or keep a blog of their own.
What A Difference A WEEK Makes...
In late spring and early summer, the yard is ever changing. Some flowers settle into their summer-long status after early blooms, and still others are just coming to life. Just a week after I posted the last group of pictures, I took photos of the following ...and am still enjoying their beauty.
The bright wild roses have come to life, and each morning, the rose bush looks completely different than the night before. Such fragrant blooms. Here are some new contributions to my backyard: Lavender irises that Sister Tracy donated to the yard last fall. This picture doesn't do them justice, but the contrast of the purple and yellow is gorgeous.
The peonies are popping out in the very back portion of my yard... and all over the neighborhood. It's fun to see the different varieties - in both colors and components. My pink varieties are in full bloom, but I'm considering asking my new neighbor if she would be willing to share a few small portions of hers. She has bright hot pink and deep wine/berry colored peonies that have now been transplanted in her sunny front yard. I need to move mine too, as they don't receive enough sun. And, Mr. Ant and all of his friends are working hard so that my white peonies will open soon.
I didn't purchase too many Impatiens this year. Just a few to plant in a few pots under the shade tree. And, as I had hoped, they are beginning to grow and fill in the pots nicely. My later-developing sage plants (two of the $1 bargains from last year) are now being enjoyed by the bees, and I'm excited to see how they look next to bright yellow lilies (also bargains) which are waiting to burst.
Even though the package promised quick results, I never expected the liatris bulbs to produce shoots so early. Here they are, emerging through the mulch. Same goes for most of the annual flower seeds that I planted...all showing growth in only a week. Just amazing. And with so much rain, I've had to water them only once. Hope to provide pictures of the seed results soon. Thankfully, after the false start, the Japanese Maple tree is well on its way to a full recovery, and the yard is accented nicely by its fiery red hue.
Each walk through the grass reminds me of the vastness of God's creativity and the blessings I've experienced because of it. To a discouraged heart, these are reminders of all that is possible through our loving Father... providing possibilities we cannot even begin to imagine. To a joyful heart, they are fireworks in the celebration of all that has been provided and all that is continually renewed. In the simplest creations, ones that are so often overlooked, we are given the gift to be able to sit quietly and reflect that indeed, 'My God, How Great Thou Art!'
The bright wild roses have come to life, and each morning, the rose bush looks completely different than the night before. Such fragrant blooms. Here are some new contributions to my backyard: Lavender irises that Sister Tracy donated to the yard last fall. This picture doesn't do them justice, but the contrast of the purple and yellow is gorgeous.
The peonies are popping out in the very back portion of my yard... and all over the neighborhood. It's fun to see the different varieties - in both colors and components. My pink varieties are in full bloom, but I'm considering asking my new neighbor if she would be willing to share a few small portions of hers. She has bright hot pink and deep wine/berry colored peonies that have now been transplanted in her sunny front yard. I need to move mine too, as they don't receive enough sun. And, Mr. Ant and all of his friends are working hard so that my white peonies will open soon.
I didn't purchase too many Impatiens this year. Just a few to plant in a few pots under the shade tree. And, as I had hoped, they are beginning to grow and fill in the pots nicely. My later-developing sage plants (two of the $1 bargains from last year) are now being enjoyed by the bees, and I'm excited to see how they look next to bright yellow lilies (also bargains) which are waiting to burst.
Even though the package promised quick results, I never expected the liatris bulbs to produce shoots so early. Here they are, emerging through the mulch. Same goes for most of the annual flower seeds that I planted...all showing growth in only a week. Just amazing. And with so much rain, I've had to water them only once. Hope to provide pictures of the seed results soon. Thankfully, after the false start, the Japanese Maple tree is well on its way to a full recovery, and the yard is accented nicely by its fiery red hue.
Each walk through the grass reminds me of the vastness of God's creativity and the blessings I've experienced because of it. To a discouraged heart, these are reminders of all that is possible through our loving Father... providing possibilities we cannot even begin to imagine. To a joyful heart, they are fireworks in the celebration of all that has been provided and all that is continually renewed. In the simplest creations, ones that are so often overlooked, we are given the gift to be able to sit quietly and reflect that indeed, 'My God, How Great Thou Art!'
Friday, May 11, 2007
Hand-Me-Down Genes
I'm sorry for the lack of posts this week due to various Human Resources activities at work, but hopefully, things will come to a calm soon. It's been rush, rush, rush during the day... but, in most of my late, late evenings (by the time the majority of you are asleep), I've continued with my genealogical search before heading to bed.
Some of you have been in contact with me to ask me about my family research and how to start out on your own journey. So, I thought I'd include a few tips and links that have greatly helped me. I won't claim that these are the necessary tools - as I'm just starting this process myself and am no expert. But, maybe these can help you too!
First, start out and log the basic information in your family tree as far as you can go.... full names for siblings, parents, grandparents, great grandparents. (You may also choose to do what I've done and include siblings, siblings' spouses, nieces, nephews, etc. in each line of your research, but I would suggest working hard on the "skeleton" (direct ancestry) of your family tree first. Be prepared that you may find - as I have - that some individuals were married multiple times because of deaths at a young age - therefore, yielding many sets of half and step- siblings.)
Then, as suggested before, interview your oldest relatives and ask them to fill in any gaps and see if they can go further. Ask if they have any pictures you might borrow to scan, but ask if they might identify the individuals, locations, and approximate years of the pictures first! Approximate birthdates (years, at the very least), locations of births, deaths and residency, and maiden names are especially important to start filling in the family tree. Last, but not least, ask your relatives where individuals are buried. Not only may this help you solidify dates (for both birth and death), some markers document important information such as armed forces service and family member names (both parents and children).
Sidenote: This is my father's mother's father's parents, John Sanduskey Webb and Lucinda Ellen Osborn Webb. While at my grandfather's funeral in March, I was pointing out the grave stones for several of my family members in the Mt. Zion Church Cemetery. Brother Paul or Sister Lydia pointed to one for John and Lucinda Webb and asked how I was related to them, and I am ashamed to admit that I had no idea at the time. Little did I know, it was the marker for my great great grandparents. In just two months, I have been blessed to discover so much.
Tip: Practice writing out dates in the preferred method. Instead of 5/11/07, record 11 May 2007. Remember that writing out all four digits of the year is essential - especially if you are recording today's happenings for future generations.
Ancestry.com and Rootsweb.com : Both of these web sites serve to link various state and national databases recording marriage, birth and death certificates - in addition to census reports and immigration records for U.S. ports - to your ancestors. One may access rootsweb at any time. Currently, ancestry.com allows a first-time user to use its services free for 3 days (it allowed me to use it 6 days for free)... before asking the user to sign up as a member and pay fees for special services. I was able to find A TON of information by working hard in those 6 days before fees were required. Ancestry.com allows a user to start building a family tree and is wonderful because it actually starts searching its databases to link up documents with the information you've entered in your tree - providing a jumping-off-place to find other documents. You are then able to attach those records - and photos - to each applicable person. You may keep your information in the tree format....or later export it into GEDCOM (the language used by most genealogists in tracking the sources that support their findings.)
Most states have a few web sites that hold information specific to individual counties. These have been especially helpful to me when hitting road blocks. For instance, I could not clearly identify my great-great-great grandparents on one branch (my father's father's father's mother's parents). There had even been much speculation about it by some distant cousins (who were also searching) on some of the genealogy web sites. Some even agreed on the first name but differed on the middle initial. But, then, I found an old book (archived online) about the farmers and history of our home county.... and, then, POW!! There it was in front of me. A paragraph recorded about my great-great-great grandfather (with middle initial), his farm, and all of his children (which provided the link I needed). It even included the name of his father, his origins in Pennsylvania, his wife's maiden name, her father's name and their family's origins. That led me to use this detailed information to seek out census reports that supported the fact that this was the correct family line. An example of these kinds of web sites for Illinois is Illinois Ancestors (for specific counties) ... along with the U.S. Gen Web Project in which you can do searches specific to your area. Note: The web sites that fall into these categories are run by volunteers, and some county and state sites are not as professional and do not hold as much information as others. Maybe you will become so interested that you can contribute to the cause!
Tip: Even though it takes time, begin documenting the full locations where an event occurred. Remember, these findings are not only for you to enjoy, but also for your descendents. This is especially critical as township borders change, when towns come into or go out of existence, or when communities straddle county borders. These details also help your searches yield more accurate results. So, instead of writing Canton, write the location in one of the preferred method for genealogy: City Name (Ward or Div Name if Known), County Name (County), Country
Examples:
Canton, Fulton, Illinois, USA
Canton, Fulton County, Illinois, United States
(I make my entries similar to the second line - as I like to cleary indicate which portion is the city and which is the county. Many cities, townships, and counties share names in particular states because they are often named after a local hero or early settler.)
The county by state site on epodunk has also greatly helped me to identify counties for known cities, understand changes in county lines as western states developed, and find locations for small towns and villages that no longer exist. As you find a particular community, genealogical resource links are provided at the bottom of each page.
No matter how much information you find on the internet, it will be valuable to someday schedule an appointment with the local county clerk or courthouse staff in the areas which your family lived. While it is great to see the on-line information, it is so much more wonderful to hold an authentic document in your hand or see it while a staff member holds it. Sometimes, you can flip through the books where the licenses and certificates were logged. Even in the cases where all documents have already been scanned into computers or are held on microfiche, I have enjoyed obtaining a copy of the original and seeing the signatures of family members from long ago. I cannot wait to obtain additional copies of these types of records. Be sure to call ahead or visit the web site of each courthouse to understand the fees, hours, and processes that are involved.
There are numerous other valuable resources out on the web, available right from your computer. If you need a little assistance with your search, don't hesitate to reach out, and I will do my best to help you with the little I know. I hope you receive as much joy from your search as I have from mine.
Some of you have been in contact with me to ask me about my family research and how to start out on your own journey. So, I thought I'd include a few tips and links that have greatly helped me. I won't claim that these are the necessary tools - as I'm just starting this process myself and am no expert. But, maybe these can help you too!
First, start out and log the basic information in your family tree as far as you can go.... full names for siblings, parents, grandparents, great grandparents. (You may also choose to do what I've done and include siblings, siblings' spouses, nieces, nephews, etc. in each line of your research, but I would suggest working hard on the "skeleton" (direct ancestry) of your family tree first. Be prepared that you may find - as I have - that some individuals were married multiple times because of deaths at a young age - therefore, yielding many sets of half and step- siblings.)
Then, as suggested before, interview your oldest relatives and ask them to fill in any gaps and see if they can go further. Ask if they have any pictures you might borrow to scan, but ask if they might identify the individuals, locations, and approximate years of the pictures first! Approximate birthdates (years, at the very least), locations of births, deaths and residency, and maiden names are especially important to start filling in the family tree. Last, but not least, ask your relatives where individuals are buried. Not only may this help you solidify dates (for both birth and death), some markers document important information such as armed forces service and family member names (both parents and children).
Sidenote: This is my father's mother's father's parents, John Sanduskey Webb and Lucinda Ellen Osborn Webb. While at my grandfather's funeral in March, I was pointing out the grave stones for several of my family members in the Mt. Zion Church Cemetery. Brother Paul or Sister Lydia pointed to one for John and Lucinda Webb and asked how I was related to them, and I am ashamed to admit that I had no idea at the time. Little did I know, it was the marker for my great great grandparents. In just two months, I have been blessed to discover so much.Tip: Practice writing out dates in the preferred method. Instead of 5/11/07, record 11 May 2007. Remember that writing out all four digits of the year is essential - especially if you are recording today's happenings for future generations.
Ancestry.com and Rootsweb.com : Both of these web sites serve to link various state and national databases recording marriage, birth and death certificates - in addition to census reports and immigration records for U.S. ports - to your ancestors. One may access rootsweb at any time. Currently, ancestry.com allows a first-time user to use its services free for 3 days (it allowed me to use it 6 days for free)... before asking the user to sign up as a member and pay fees for special services. I was able to find A TON of information by working hard in those 6 days before fees were required. Ancestry.com allows a user to start building a family tree and is wonderful because it actually starts searching its databases to link up documents with the information you've entered in your tree - providing a jumping-off-place to find other documents. You are then able to attach those records - and photos - to each applicable person. You may keep your information in the tree format....or later export it into GEDCOM (the language used by most genealogists in tracking the sources that support their findings.)
Most states have a few web sites that hold information specific to individual counties. These have been especially helpful to me when hitting road blocks. For instance, I could not clearly identify my great-great-great grandparents on one branch (my father's father's father's mother's parents). There had even been much speculation about it by some distant cousins (who were also searching) on some of the genealogy web sites. Some even agreed on the first name but differed on the middle initial. But, then, I found an old book (archived online) about the farmers and history of our home county.... and, then, POW!! There it was in front of me. A paragraph recorded about my great-great-great grandfather (with middle initial), his farm, and all of his children (which provided the link I needed). It even included the name of his father, his origins in Pennsylvania, his wife's maiden name, her father's name and their family's origins. That led me to use this detailed information to seek out census reports that supported the fact that this was the correct family line. An example of these kinds of web sites for Illinois is Illinois Ancestors (for specific counties) ... along with the U.S. Gen Web Project in which you can do searches specific to your area. Note: The web sites that fall into these categories are run by volunteers, and some county and state sites are not as professional and do not hold as much information as others. Maybe you will become so interested that you can contribute to the cause!
Tip: Even though it takes time, begin documenting the full locations where an event occurred. Remember, these findings are not only for you to enjoy, but also for your descendents. This is especially critical as township borders change, when towns come into or go out of existence, or when communities straddle county borders. These details also help your searches yield more accurate results. So, instead of writing Canton, write the location in one of the preferred method for genealogy: City Name (Ward or Div Name if Known), County Name (County), Country
Examples:
Canton, Fulton, Illinois, USA
Canton, Fulton County, Illinois, United States
(I make my entries similar to the second line - as I like to cleary indicate which portion is the city and which is the county. Many cities, townships, and counties share names in particular states because they are often named after a local hero or early settler.)
The county by state site on epodunk has also greatly helped me to identify counties for known cities, understand changes in county lines as western states developed, and find locations for small towns and villages that no longer exist. As you find a particular community, genealogical resource links are provided at the bottom of each page.
No matter how much information you find on the internet, it will be valuable to someday schedule an appointment with the local county clerk or courthouse staff in the areas which your family lived. While it is great to see the on-line information, it is so much more wonderful to hold an authentic document in your hand or see it while a staff member holds it. Sometimes, you can flip through the books where the licenses and certificates were logged. Even in the cases where all documents have already been scanned into computers or are held on microfiche, I have enjoyed obtaining a copy of the original and seeing the signatures of family members from long ago. I cannot wait to obtain additional copies of these types of records. Be sure to call ahead or visit the web site of each courthouse to understand the fees, hours, and processes that are involved.
There are numerous other valuable resources out on the web, available right from your computer. If you need a little assistance with your search, don't hesitate to reach out, and I will do my best to help you with the little I know. I hope you receive as much joy from your search as I have from mine.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Phonetic Alphabet
A few weeks ago, a friend and I were joking around about sending secret messages to each other... complete with military passwords. (You know, the kind used in fighter pilot and submarine movies so that the home base can understand clearly what is being said since so many letters sound similar. There's no mixing up letters when one hears Alpha, Bravo, Charlie...) She was trying to think of the name for F. It took me a few moments, but I remembered it was "Foxtrot". She laughed at me, and she didn't believe me. But, I was pretty sure I had heard it in a movie sometime.
Somehow and in some way, when I was speaking to my friend mike3e last night, the subject came up again. So, once again, "Foxtrot" was introduced into the mix, and Mike was able to confirm its validity on his computer at the same time. We then had a short discussion about "L" which is "Lima" - think PERU, not BEAN! For a little enjoyment, I thought I'd include the Phonetic Alphabet Chart here. While there are numerous variations, many consider the NATO alphabet the "most correct." (This is also known as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) code.)
Signing off,
Sierra Tango Romeo Echo Mike
Somehow and in some way, when I was speaking to my friend mike3e last night, the subject came up again. So, once again, "Foxtrot" was introduced into the mix, and Mike was able to confirm its validity on his computer at the same time. We then had a short discussion about "L" which is "Lima" - think PERU, not BEAN! For a little enjoyment, I thought I'd include the Phonetic Alphabet Chart here. While there are numerous variations, many consider the NATO alphabet the "most correct." (This is also known as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) code.)
Signing off,
Sierra Tango Romeo Echo Mike
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
