West Valley - December 2022

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas!

I’d admit, this is one of my favorite times of the year! There’s something about the decorations, the music and the memories that make me smile. While many people dream of a white Christmas, I personally prefer the warm glow of a cacti dressed up in holiday lights.

For many, the holidays are celebrated with football, food, friends, family and faith. For many other’s, this season is a difficult reminder of loss and loneliness. My hope this Christmas is that as you’re preparing for your holiday gatherings, you won’t forget to keep an eye out for those who might need an extra dose of encouragement, or an invitation to celebrate with your family and friends.

I hope you have a magical Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Melissa Whitton Associate Publisher

STRONG BONDS

Marriage is an incredible journey—it’s often filled with enough highs and lows to help us cultivate a strong relationship with our spouse. However, do you ever wonder if your relationship is built on a solid foundation? Experts say the following are signs of a happy, healthy relationship:

1. You Speak Your Mind

Relationships thrive when couples can express themselves

freely and honestly. That means no topic is off-limits, and you both feel heard. Consistent communication is vital to building a lasting life together.

2. You Have Your Own Space

Just because you’re in love doesn’t mean you have to spend every moment together. Taking time to pursue your own interests and friendships keeps your relationship fresh and gives you both

the opportunity to grow as individuals—even while you’re growing as a couple.

3. You Fight

Disagreements are normal, so if you aren’t fighting, chances are you’re holding back. But when people in healthy relationships fight, they fight productively and fairly. That means avoiding name-calling or put-downs. It also means striving to understand your partner instead of trying to score points. And when you’re wrong? You apologize.

4. You Make Decisions Jointly

You don’t call all the shots—neither does your partner. From what movie to see to where you’re going on vacation, you make decisions together and listen to each other’s concerns and desires.

5. You Find Joy

Healthy relationships are full of laughter and fun. This doesn’t mean you’re giddy every hour of the day—or that your partner doesn’t drive you up the wall sometimes—but it does mean that your life together is mostly happy in sometimes simple ways.

6. You Talk to Your Partner, Not to Other People

When you have issues and concerns, you share them with your partner, not your neighbors. You’ll always have your friends as a sounding board, of course, but not as a crutch to avoid hard conversations with your significant other.

1. In pop music, what does NKOTB stand for?

2. Which venerated artist wrote and released “Moondance”?

3. Who released the classic radio hit, “Little Deuce Coupe”?

4. Who wrote and released “Say Goodbye to Hollywood”?

5. Name the late ‘60s song that contains these lyrics:

“Pardon the way that I stare. There’s nothing else to compare.

The sight of you leaves me weak. There are no words left to speak.”

1. Is the book of Obadiah in the Old or New Testament? Or neither?

2. How many churches did Jesus address in Revelation, also known as the Churches of the Apocalypse? Was 2, 7, 21 or 30? 3. Upon which mountain did Deborah defeat the forces of Sisera? Was it Tabor, Zeus, Sinai or Olives? 4. From James 3, what part of the body is like a fire? Is it eyes, legs, tongue or nose? 5. In John 13, who denied Jesus three times? Was it John, James, Luke or Peter?

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES: Solve the crossword puzzle and mail it in to win. The answers to all crossword clues will contain all or part of a company name found in this month’s Grand Season ads. Must be 21 or older to enter the contest. Employees of the Grand Season or its advertisers are ineligible. When entering an advertisers’ name, there are no spaces, no LLC, or Corporations. Example: C & R Plus II would be entered into the spaces as: C&RPLUSII Entries must be postmarked no later than December 22nd. A drawing will be held from all correct entries. One winner will receive a $50.00 Gift Card and 4 movie tickets, with a photo in our magazine. 8 winners will receive a consolation prize of a 2 movie tickets. Winners will be notified by phone, and prizes will be sent by mail. Winners will be announced in the January issue of the Grand Season.

INSPIRE BELIEVE

Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. A. A. Milne

Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. Saint Augustine

Don’t let fear or insecurity stop you from trying new things. Believe in yourself. Do what you love. And most importantly, be kind to others, even if you don’t like them. Stacy London

I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you. Joyce Meyer

Believe in yourself, and the rest will fall into place. Have faith in your own abilities, work hard, and there is nothing you cannot accomplish.

Brad Henry

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Eleanor Roosevelt

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. Norman Vincent Peale

Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.

Gail Devers

Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.

Misty Copeland

I believe if you keep your faith, you keep your trust, you keep the right attitude, if you’re grateful, you’ll see God open up new doors.

Joel Osteen

Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe. Voltaire

A Message from Sue Royer

“I was born and raised in inner city Chicago, the sixth of eighteen children with fifteen brothers. Being the oldest daughter, I was always a caregiver which I believe influenced me to pursue work in the healthcare industry. Today, I have three daughters and five grandchildren.

Years ago, I volunteered for hospice and knew immediately that helping seniors was my calling. I was soon employed by hospice but I felt something was missing. I realized it was the limited time I was able to spend with my clients. Having my own business allows me to provide the intimate hands on service needed in our community. I am committed to our seniors throughout their lives and I thank the community for the opportunity to serve.” Sue RoyerDirector

About Us

Since 2002, AAA Senior Placement AZ has been offering FREE services helping seniors find safe, affordable and loving assisted living.

When it becomes too difficult for you or your loved ones to safely manage daily living and/or manage medical needs, call Sue Royer for help navigating the many options available.

We are specialists in all levels of assisted living care resources with referrals to Arizona’s best:

Group Homes

Assisted Living Communities

In-Home Primary Care Physicians

Home Health Care Therapy

Transportation

Private Duty In-Home Care

Respite Care

Alzheimer’s Care

Memory Care

Hospice

Support Groups

Private pay

Arizona Long Term Care-ALTCS

Medicaid

6 Reasons You Should Call AAA Senior Placement AZ

• We are well known and respected in the medical community.

• All clients are given a thorough assessment to determine proper placement needs.

• There is never a fee charged to the senior or their family for our service.

• We are NOT contractually bound to any outside business. This allows us to serve our clients with only their interests in mind.

• Years of knowledge and experience in the field of senior care.

• AAA Senior Placement AZ is family owned, allowing us to give you quality, personalized service.

From

1. New Kids on the Block, an American boy band from 1984 to 1994. They were originally called Nynuk until Columbia Records insisted they make a change.

2. Van Morrison. The song appeared on his album by the same name in 1970, but he didn’t release the single until 1977.

3. The Beach Boys, in 1963. The Deuce Coupe was a 1932 Ford. The reference to the “flathead mill” in the lyrics means it had a 65 HP V8 engine.

4. Billy Joel, in 1976.

5. “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” by Frankie Valli in 1967. The song was used by NASA during the Endeavour space shuttle mission as a wakeup song for a crew member who was having a wedding anniversary. There was a different song for each of the 17 days of the mission.

Our 50-star U.S. flag was designed by Robert Heft, a 17-year-old student in Lancaster, Ohio. He made it for a high school history project and received a B- from his teacher for lack of originality.

In some parts of the world, tarantulas have “pet” frogs, which they protect from predators.

The first known dental filling dates back to the Neolithic period and was made of beeswax.

Since the summer of 2020, so many orca whales have launched attacks on boats off the coast of Spain and Portugal that sailors have been advised to stay in port at night.

Actor Mike Meyers originally gave the character of Shrek a thick Canadian accent but decided, after animation had begun, that a Scottish one would better suit the character. The film had to be reanimated and cost over $4 million, or around 10% of its overall budget.

You’ve no doubt heard of shattering a glass with your voice, but how about singing at a pitch so low only an elephant can hear it? That feat belongs to Tim Storms, who possesses a 10-octave vocal range and holds the Guinness World Record for lowest note produced by a human and widest vocal range.

The holidays are the most demanding time of the year! Because of those demands, we often are overwhelmed and are short with those we love the most. This season, make it a point to choose your words with care— especially when you’re emotionally and physically exhausted. The greatest gift you can give to those you love this season is words of affirmation.

Viktor Frankl may have put it best when he said: “If we take man as he is, we make him worse. If we take man as he should be, we make him capable of what he can be.”

In her book called Balcony People, Joyce Landorf Heatherley differentiates between two types of people: balcony and basement.

Basement people evaluate others. With their critical judgments of people’s words and actions, they tear away at others’ souls.

Balcony people, on the other hand, affirm others. They cheer others on and energize them with their affirmations.

Here’s a tough question: Are you a balcony or basement person?

Never forget, you have the power to encourage someone to achieve greatness. There are people in your life that need you to believe in them—your children, spouse, grandchildren and even your neighbors. Below are a few suggestions you can do to help them build selfconfidence and summon the courage to overcome challenges:

1. Develop a genuine rapport with them by showing them that you are totally invested in their success.

2. Challenge their abilities while giving them the tools and support they need to succeed.

3. Offer sincere encouragement about their capabilities when you see them struggling or getting down on themselves. Never underestimate the impact of encouraging others. Mark Twain said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”

HOLIDAY BLUES

This time of year, it can be hard to be joyful if something is getting in the way? Conflict. Disappointment. Fear. Anger. These are emotions you have felt at one point or another in your relationships.

In healthy relationships, issues that cause these emotions are merely stepping-stones to a more fulfilling relationship. But for others, these feelings can block the growth of a relationship.

The difference in whether an issue will yield growth, or disease determines the ability of the person who has been hurt to forgive. While learning to forgive may not be easy, it is necessary.

If the Grinch has stolen your joy this holiday season, it might be time to look at how you can use forgiveness to move forward.

Forgiveness requires an apology Sure, we’d all like a heartfelt apology from the person who hurt us. Your

job is to ask for an apology, if you are comfortable doing so—just understand that your ability to forgive is not dependent on anyone else’s words or actions.

Forgiveness is not a one-time event

Particularly for deeprooted injuries, meaningful forgiveness can take years to achieve. But we can always begin the process of forgiveness and deal with the resurgences of anger as they arise.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean you have to like the person

Forgiveness demonstrates your character, it is not proof of another person’s. You don’t have to trust the person you forgive, or even like them.

Forgiveness is for your benefit

Often, it is best to confront the person who hurt you. This allows you to articulate how the person’s words or actions hurt you, which may provide a psychological release. However, if you do not feel safe approaching the person, do not put yourself in a dangerous situation.

Learning to forgive may be the single most important thing you can do to grow in your relationships.

Understanding the importance of forgiveness can allow you to enjoy healthy relationships, without letting the inevitable hurt that comes from loving others destroy you.

Dirk Rehbein