Nana (Edna) was born in 1888, and Grandpa (Edwin) was born in 1891. Their story starts back in 1861 in Dierdorf, Germany, with their grandparents. Their family generations lived through immigration to America, the Civil War, a new century, World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. They lived in the midst of major difficulties in their lives. Learning from their parents and grandparents, Edwin and Edna each developed a strong personal faith and a close-knit family and marriage. With God's wisdom, they passed down that legacy to their children and grandchildren and many future generations.

Many powerful voices are influencing our grandchildren, from those at home and in their schools to those in the world of entertainment and media. What can you as a grandparent do to speak wisdom and godliness into their lives? Biblical Grandparenting is a full-length leadership book that places grandparenting ministry on a firm scriptural foundation. It is ideal for pastors and church leaders as well as for use in the classroom at seminaries.

From Randazzo to Rutland...Francesco Paolo and Antonia Maria Delpopolo Scafidi met under a fig tree in the vineyards of Castiglione di Sicilia. In 1920, just five months after their wedding, the couple left their impoverished Mediterranean island and began a journey that would take them to the unlikely destination of Rutland, Vermont in northern New England. This is the immigrant's story, oft told, but with the rich and stirring details of one three-generation family in an Italian-American community that is quietly receding into history.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The perfect gift for new parents and grandparents this Mother’s Day: a bighearted book of wisdom, wit, and insight, celebrating the love and joy of being a grandmother, from the Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist and #1 bestselling author “This tender book should be required reading for grandparents everywhere.”—Booklist (starred review) “I am changing his diaper, he is kicking and complaining, his exhausted father has gone to the kitchen for a glass of water, his exhausted mother is prone on the couch. He weighs little more than a large sack of flour and yet he has laid waste to the living room: swaddles on the chair, a nursing pillow on the sofa, a car seat, a stroller. No one cares about order, he is our order, we revolve around him. And as I try to get in the creases of his thighs with a wipe, I look at his, let’s be honest, largely formless face and unfocused eyes and fall in love with him. Look at him and think, well, that’s taken care of, I will do anything for you as long as we both shall live, world without end, amen.” Before blogs even existed, Anna Quindlen became a go-to writer on the joys and challenges of family, motherhood, and modern life, in her nationally syndicated column. Now she’s taking the next step and going full nana in the pages of this lively, beautiful, and moving book about being a grandmother. Quindlen offers thoughtful and telling observations about her new role, no longer mother and decision-maker but secondary character and support to the parents of her grandson. She writes, “Where I once led, I have to learn to follow.” Eventually a close friend provides words to live by: “Did they ask you?” Candid, funny, frank, and illuminating, Quindlen’s singular voice has never been sharper or warmer. With the same insights she brought to motherhood in Living Out Loud and to growing older in Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, this new nana uses her own experiences to illuminate those of many others. Praise for Nanaville “Witty and thoughtful . . . Nanaville serves up enough vivid anecdotes and fresh insights—about childhood, about parenthood, about grandparenthood and about life—to make for a gratifying read.”—The New York Times “Classic, bittersweet Quindlen . . . [Her] wonder at seeing her eldest child grow into his new role is lovely and moving. . . . The best parts of Nanaville are the charming vignettes of Quindlen's solo time with her grandson.”—NPR

Many powerful voices are influencing our grandchildren, from those at home and in their schools to those in the world of entertainment and media. What can you as a grandparent do to speak wisdom and godliness into their lives? Grandparenting gives you a biblical foundation for investing spiritually in your grandkids, walking you through the principles of influencing them for Christ--from sharing with unbelieving grandkids to discipling them into a mature faith. This book is perfect for individual use, small groups, or Sunday school classes. A Grandparenting DVD is available that features eight family ministry experts with over five hours of video content. Two other resources are also available: Biblical Grandparenting is a full-length leadership book that places grandparenting ministry on a firm scriptural foundation. It is ideal for pastors and church leaders as well as for use in the classroom at seminaries. Equipping Grandparents is a brief book to teach pastors how to begin a grandparenting ministry in their church.

Contemporary trends such as increased one-parent families, high divorce rates, second marriages and homosexual partnerships have all contributed to variations in the traditional family structure. But to what degree has the function of the family changed and how have these changes affected family roles in cultures throughout the world? This book attempts to answer these questions through a psychological study of families in thirty nations, carefully selected to present a diverse cultural mix. The study utilises both cross-cultural and indigenous perspectives to analyse variables including family networks, family roles, emotional bonds, personality traits, self-construal, and 'family portraits' in which the authors address common core themes of the family as they apply to their native countries. From the introductory history of the study of the family to the concluding indigenous psychological analysis of the family, this book is a source for students and researchers in psychology, sociology and anthropology.

A guide to grandparenting with purpose and fun--in the age of smart phones and social media. Grandparenting may be different today, but it still can be meaningful and fun for both the kids and the adults. Today's grandparent needs to understand technology--how it mesmerizes grandchildren but also enhances the opportunities to connect and share life experiences. And while many of the roles grandparents play in the lives of grandchildren have changed, their most important role of influencing with wisdom, faith, and fun remains the same. The author addresses topics relevant to all grandparents and also looks at the challenges of grandchildren living in single parent or blended families. Also included are stories from the author's journey with her own grandchildren--including Duck Dynasty's Sadie Robertson.