Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, December 23, 2017

MVNews this week:  Page A:10

WHAT TO DO WITH CREMATED ASHES? 
Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 23, 2017 10 THE GOOD LIFE THE GOOD LIFE 
HOW TO DIVVY UP YOUR FAMILY BELONGINGS 
PEACEFULLY AND SENSIBLY 


Dear Savvy Senior,
What’s the best way to distribute my personalpossessions to my kids after I’m gone without causinghard feelings or conflict? I have a lot of jewelry, art,
family heirlooms and antique furniture, and threegrown kids that don’t always see eye-to-eye on things.
Planning Ahead 

Dear Planning,
Divvying up personal possessions among adult 
children or other loved ones can often be a difficult 
task. Deciding who should get what without showingfavoritism, hurting someone’s feeling or causing afeud can be difficult, even for close-knit families who 
enter the process with the best of intentions. Here area few tips to consider that can help you divide yourstuff with minimal conflict. 

Problem Areas 
For starters, you need to be aware that it’s usuallythe small, simple items of little monetary value thatcause the most conflicts. This is because the value we 
attach to the small personal possessions is usuallysentimental or emotional, and because the simpleitems are the things that most families fail to talkabout. 

Family battles can also escalate over whether 
things are being divided fairly by monetary value. Sofor items of higher value like your jewelry, antiquesand art, consider getting an appraisal to assure fairdistribution. To locate an appraiser, see Appraisers.
org or AppraisersAssociation.org. 

Ways to DivvyThe best solution for passing along your personalpossessions is for you to go through your housewith your kids or other heirs either separately or allat once. Open up cabinets, drawers and closets, andgo through boxes in the attic and/or basement tofind out which items they would like to inherit andwhy. They may have some emotional attachment tosomething you’re not aware of. If more than one childwants the same thing, you will have the ultimate say.

Then you need to sit down and make a list of whogets what on paper, signed, dated and referenced in 

your will. You can revise it anytime you want. Youmay also want to consider writing an additional letteror create an audio or video recording that furtherexplains your intentions.

You can also specify a strategy for divvying up therest of your property. Here are some methods that arefair and reasonable: 
• • Take turns choosing: Use a round-robin processwhere your kids take turns choosing the items theywould like to have. If who goes first becomes an issue,
they can always flip a coin, draw straws or roll dice.
Also, to help simplify things, break down the dividingprocess room-by-room, versus tackling the entirehouse. To keep track of who gets what, either make alist or use adhesive dots with a color assigned to eachperson to tag the item.
• • Have a family auction: Give each person involvedthe same amount of play money, or use virtual pointsor poker chips to bid on the items they want.

For more ideas, see “Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow 
Pie Plate?” at YellowPiePlate.umn.edu. This is a 
resource created by the University of MinnesotaExtension Service that offers a detailed workbook or 
interactive CD for $12.50, and DVD for $30 that givespointers to help families discuss property distributionand lists important factors to keep in mind that canhelp avoid conflict.

It’s also very important that you discuss yourplans in advance with your kids so they can knowahead what to expect. Or, you may even want to startdistributing some of your items now, while you canstill alive. 

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O.
Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.
org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today showand author of “The Savvy Senior” book. 


Merry Christmas! I’ve been 

very guilty lately of recycling old

articles, or not even submitting

anything at all. But I wanted to 

make sure that I sent something

in for Christmas. Usually I savemy evangelistic article for New Year, because I thinknothing puts people in a mood to consider their ownmortality like the passage of another year. This time, 
however, I wanted to share Jesus at Christmas time, 
because He is the reason we celebrate Christmas.

 After eight years of writing for this paper, it’s hard tofind new ways of presenting the Gospel message. But 
maybe that’s a good thing, because many of my favoritepastors have pointed out that the Gospel needs noembellishment. It stands by itself.

 What can be more appealing than the thought ofGod intervening in human history for the sake of apeople who largely deny Him? “But God demonstrates 
His own love toward us, in that while we were still 
sinners, Christ died for us.” Why did He need to die 
for us? “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift ofGod is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” But what if 
you do not believe you are a sinner in need of salvation?
“For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” 
The key is in the second half of the sentence --even ifyou think you’re a better person than the drunk downthe street, you must admit that you fall short whencompared with a perfect, righteous, sinless God.

 Why would God come to earth and die in our place?
“For God so LOVED the world, that He gave His onlybegotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shouldnot perish, but have everlasting life.” Who is this God, 
and what is He like? It is hard to imagine having arelationship with a spiritual person outside the realm oftime and space in which we humans exist. Jesus is the 
“express image of God,” God in the flesh. How would 
God describe Himself? “I am GENTLE, and LOWLY 
in heart.” “I am the Good Shepherd. I lay down My life 
for the sheep.” “But when [the prodigal son] was a greatway off, the Father saw him, and had compassion, and 

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 


ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.”

 I think one reason people have a hard time relatingto God as our Heavenly Father is because they mighthave a bad relationship with their earthly father. I 
am blessed to have a wonderful dad, but I could 
imagine that having a poor father figure might makeit hard to appreciate God’s role as father. One of the 
most touching father stories that I think is a goodrepresentation of what God is like is actually about mymom’s father, who I never met because he passed awaybefore I was born. 

My mom was in college at the time. They lived inMichigan, and the story takes place during winter in the1960’s. My mom was upset about something, probablycrying. Her college was a long distance from home, butmy grandpa drove the 30 miles through the darknessof a Michigan winter night and met her at her dormto take her out for coffee. She tells the story often, andalways mentions that she will never forget the image ofher dad standing in the lobby. He didn’t tell her over 
the phone to buck up and get over whatever she wasupset about. He didn’t send someone else to battle the 
dark, snowy road because he couldn’t be bothered. He 
didn’t even complain about the inconvenience when hegot there. No, he was happy to come! Why? Because 
she was his daughter and he loved her!

 If this story is even a faint reflection of the immenselove God has for us, His children, how great must thatlove be! “How great is the love the Father has lavishedon us, that we should be called children of God --and 
that is what we are!” And that, is the message of 
Christmas.

 If you choose to accept Jesus as your Savior you canpray this prayer and He will come into your heart andgive you peace with God --today and forever!

 “Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and 
I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for mysins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins andinvite You to come into my heart and life. I want to 
trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your 
Name. Amen.” 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ….December Birthdays* 

Pat Karamitros, Joan Hufnagel, Mary Alice Cervera, Carol Horejsi, Shirley Anhalt, 
Mignon Grijalva, Helen Reese, Levon Yapoujian, Toni Buckner, Lottie Bugl, Pat 
McGuire, Sheila Wohler, Nan Murphy, Eleanor Hensel, Sylvia Curl, Elizabeth Levie, 
Gayle Licher, Cindy Barran, and Melissa Stute. 

* To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. 
YEAR of birth not required but you must be over 60. 
ACTIVITIES: Unless listed differently, all activities are at the Hart 
Park House (Senior Center) 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre 

Hawaiian & Polynesian Dance Class: Every Tuesday morning from 10a.m. to 
11a.m. Join instructor Barbara Dempsey as she leads you in the art of Hula. 
Bingo Time: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00p.m. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome 
to join. Activity may be canceled if less than five people. 


Free Blood Pressure Testing: 2nd Tuesdays of the month from 11a.m. to 12p.m. No appt. is necessary. 
Brain Games - *New Activity*: Join us on Thursday November 16th, at 10:30a.m. to 11:30a.m for 


Scattergories. A creative thinking game by naming objects within a set of categories. Everyone is 
welcome, and no experience is needed. What a great way to strengthen your brain and make new friends.
Activities are facilitated by Senior Volunteers. 
Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, November 15th from 10:30a.m. to Noon. Attorney Lem Makupson is
available for legal consultation. Specializing in Family Law, Wills, Trusts, Estates, and Injury. Appointments
are required by calling 626-355-7394. 


Senior Club: Meets every Saturday at the Hart Park House Senior Center. Brown Bag Lunch at 11:30a.m. 
Chair Yoga: Mondays & Wednesdays from 11:00a.m. to 11:45a.m. with Paul Hagen. Classes 


include yoga and balance exercises. All ability levels are encouraged and welcomed!* A voluntary
donation of $5.00 per week is suggested but not required. 
Birthday Celebrations: Every 2nd Thursday monthly at the Hart Park House, share some free birthday cake
provided by the Sierra Madre Civic Club. 


Game Day: Every Thursday starting at 12:00p.m. Come join this group of Seniors in their poker game.
Other games are offered to all. 


Free Strength Training Class: Fridays from 12:45p.m. to 1:30p.m. with Lisa Brandley. This energetic class
utilizes light weights, low impact resistance and training conditioning. Class equipment is provided. 


UPCOMING EXCURSIONS: 

THE MISSION INN & FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

(Riverside)

 Date: Friday, December 15, 2017 
Time: 2:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 
Meeting Location: Hart Park House Senior Center 
Cost: $20 (Does not include dinner) 

The day begins with a 75-minute late afternoon guided tour on the art, architecture,
and history of the Mission Inn. Guests will have time for dinner, shopping, and the annual 
Festival of Lights with the nice Christmas Tree decor in the hotel lobby.
Due to the historic nature and character of the Mission Inn, tours involve significant
amounts of walking and standing; you may encounter areas of uneven ground, sidewalks 
and flooring; stairways, steps and slopes. You will be asked to sign a waiver and
release of liability by the Mission Inn. Dinner will be on your own and there are many
dining options along Main Street or at the Mission Inn Hotel.
Participants should bring money for dinner and souvenirs. Level of Walking: High.
Please call the Hart Park House 626-355-7394. 



Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com