PLEASE WELCOME
CLEO LAMPOS
TO
HAVING THE PRIME OF MY LIFE
“My cup is not half-full. It is not half-empty. My cup is overflowing with blessings.” – Anonymous
Who could have known? Who could have planned this? Only a Heavenly Father who has directed my steps through the difficulties of learning to speak.
A quiet child who enjoyed playing alone, my mother reports that I kicked out the few neighborhood waifs who ventured through the gate to my favorite mudpie production spot in our Colorado home. Always labeled as “shy”, my classroom participation mirrored that of an elective mute. But my sophomore speech teacher let me stand for a long time at the front of the class sobbing my heart out and then listened to my garbled two-minute speech. Later, Mr. Schubert signed me up for forensics, and I won on the local level.
Now, my greatest joy in life is speaking. Since retiring from 26 years of teaching regular fourth grade as well as behavior disordered boys, a satisfying round of presentations gets me up in the morning and out the door. There are three aspects of facilitating knowledge that are life-giving.
My heart is that of a researcher. With a library science minor and years of working part-time in libraries, it is a challenge to fetter out nuggets of information or to unearth a long-forgotten person. My favorite topics are: orphan train riders, the 1930’s, and child rescuers. All of those subjects lend themselves to quilts, but that is another story. Once a biography is explored, a presentation is in the works. Several grandchildren help to produce Power Points to supplement the verbal material. They are able to pull together some technological successes.
Most of my presentations are a series of talks that are given at colleges with classes for seniors. These audiences are a teacher’s dream. No discipline problems. Lots of responses. Appreciation of a speaker’s preparation. What is there not to love?
Getting to know the individuals who faithfully attend is part of the joy. Hearing their stories during class, and after the sessions, is inspiring and encouraging. Sometimes it is just heart-wrenching. But the shared pain brings the participants of these classes even closer. There is a ministry element to my interaction with class participants that brings my faith and theirs to the surface. This is the best reason for speaking: touching the lives of those close to eternity.
My husband is the techie at these presentations. Working together has allowed us to have so many shared experiences with memorable people at interesting venues. Our faith and marriage are strengthened as he helps set up and runs the lights and music. Yes, music. Scattered throughout the one hour speeches, there is carefully chosen music that coordinates with the power points. “Brother Won’t You Lend Me a Dime?” tears the heart out as photographs of homeless men by documentarian Dorthea Lange flick onto the screen. Or, the strains of “Shenandoah” moan as the pack horse librarians hit the hollers of Kentucky with saddlebags filled with books. Sharing these stories of ordinary people leading extraordinary lives always leaves me tired but thrilled to pass on the inspiration of finishing well. Because that is what I want to do: finish well.
God has a sense of humor. He led a little girl who loved solitude into a social being who enjoys small crowds of people. He saved the best for the last, and this cup overflows with blessings.
ABOUT CLEO LAMPOS
With a Master’s degree in special education from St. Xavier University in Chicago, Cleo Lampos is a retired school teacher. She has written dozens of magazine articles over the years. Lampos is the author of teacher-oriented books; Teaching Diamonds in the Tough, and a series of contemporary novels depicting the Teachers of Diamond Project School. Rescuing Children tells the stories of people who spent their lives helping to save their era’s youngest generation. Two books on the Dust Bowl and a family-friendly story of a family dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease round out her publications. Living on the south side of Chicago, Lampos is a quilter, speaker at community groups, and canner for her urban gardener husband. As a couple, they work in the community garden for the local food pantries. Church activities and 11 grandchildren take up a lot of their time.
ABOUT RIDING THE RAILS TO HOME
Stephen Reily finds relief from living on the streets. He gets a job as a newsie, selling newspapers during the day and living at the Newsboys' Boarding House. Sleeping on a cot, eating a hot meal, and attending classes at night help Stephen to survive. But his heart longs for a home, a place to belong. But who would adopt a street kid from Five Points, New York City in the late 1800's?
Selected to ride the orphan train, Stephen encounters difficult circumstances until he is chosen to live on a farm in Nebraska. Through the patience of the couple who foster Stephen, he faces his fears. He struggles with forgiveness and faith in a God who he cannot see. Only a quilt square reminds Stephen of his dying mother and sister, who was sent to an orphanage. How will the women of the town use this scrap of fabric to comfort Stephen? Can a cast-off child find a home? A place to belong?
(BUY LINK) https://www.amazon.com/Riding-Rails-Home-Newsie-Orphan/dp/168314922X/
THE YEARS THE LOCUSTS ATE
JUNE FOSTER
12/28/2020
CATHEDRAL STATE PARK, WEST VIRGINIA
JOHN BARRINGER
12/21/2020
PRIME OF MY LIFE
GAIL KITTLESON
12/14/2020
FULL CIRCLE
JAYME H MANSFIELD
12/7/2020
GREEN STUFF AND HUBS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/2/2020
NOEL: THE CAT WHO CAME FOR CHRISTMAS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/30/2020
GREEN STUFF MAGIC
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/23/2020
WHEN GRANDMA FORGETS
CRYSTAL BOWMAN
11/2/2020
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF BLUE ZONES?
SALLY JO PITTS
10/26/2020
FIVE WAYS SENIORS CAN BOOST THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEMS
GINNY DENT BRANT
10/19/2020
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM JOIN 'EM
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
9/28/2020
WALKING IN A WRITER'S WONDERLAND
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
9/7/2020
CREAMING
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
8/31/2020
LIFE IS THE ADVENTURE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
8/24/2020
QUITTING MY DAY JOB
DEBRA COLEMAN JETER
8/17/2020
ADAPT OR DIE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
7/27/2020
SAY THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS IN BLUE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
7/20/2020
THE SWEET COUPLE HOLDING HANDS
MELISSA HENDERSON
7/13/2020
SURPRISE! SURPRISE! SURPRISE!
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
7/6/2020
FROM FICTION TO NON-FICTION AND BACK AGAIN
GAIL KITTLESON
6/29/2020
WHO SAID GROWING OLD IS FUN?
MARTHA ROGERS
6/22/2020
AND NOT TO YIELD
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
6/15/2020
MY CULTURAL DISCONNECT
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
6/8/2020
WHAT IS RETIREMENT
JULIE COSGROVE
6/1/2020
LOOKING UP OR LOOKING AWAY
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
5/25/2020
SEEKING GOD
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
5/11/2020
HOW OLD ARE YOU
Rachel J. Good
5/4/2020
IT'S NOT OKAY
MARTIN WILES
4/27/2020
EMBRACING MY INNER BOOMER
BARBARA BRITTON
4/20/2020
THE RACE FOR LILY
SHERRI STEWART
4/13/2020
GRANNY ALICE
LYNNE BASHAM TAGAWA
4/6/2020
RESILIENCE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
3/29/2020
LIVING WITH CHANGE
MARTIN WILES
3/9/2020
WHEN THE GROCERY STORE CLERK HAS TO CHECK YOUR AGE
MELISSA HENDERSON
2/24/2020
THE IMPORTANCE OF CREAMING
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
2/17/2020
FRIENDS AT ANY AGE
ERIN UNGER
2/3/2020
IDENTITY CHECK
MARTIN WILES
1/27/2020
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM, JOIN 'EM
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
1/20/2020
MY POSSESSIONS MATURE ALONG WITH ME
MARIE WATTS
1/13/2020
EYES FRONT
TERRI MAIN
1/6/2020
THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING'
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/30/2019
SANTA'S RELUCTANT HELPER
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/23/2019
THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH
DEBRA COLEMAN JETER
12/16/2019
VANQUISHING THE CHRISTMAS BLUES
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/9/2019
GRANDMAS THEN VS GRANDMAS NOW
GAIL SATTLER
12/2/2019
TECHNO BLUES
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/25/2019
ADAPT OR DIE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/18/2019
CREAMING
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/11/2019
When our Get Up and Go Gets Up and Goes
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/4/2019
LIFE IS THE ADVENTURE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
10/28/2019
MY LIFE AS A BARCODE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
10/21/2019
THE QUEST FOR THIN
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
10/14/2019
THE AMERICAN DREAM
ANGELA BREIDENBACH
10/7/2019
FROM GOLDEN YEARS TO GOLDEN BELLS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
9/30/2019
THE CHORDS THAT BIND MY MEMORIES
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
9/23/2019
JUST BE STILL
MARTIN WILES
9/16/2019
PRINCE CHARMING, SPIDERS, AND CHEMO
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
9/2/2019
GRAY IS GRAND
LOREE PEERY
8/26/2019
A GOOD QUESTION
GEORGE CARGILL
8/19/2019
LOVING THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION
ERIN UNGER
8/12/2019
MAKING PRETTY THINGS
KATHY MCKINSEY
8/5/2019
ARE YOU TOO OLD TO BECOME AN AUTHOR
HARRY WEGLEY
7/29/2019
ENJOY THE MEAL
MARTIN WILES
7/22/2019
IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
7/15/2019
KEEPING IT FRESH
WANDA O. HOT
7/8/2019
OVERFLOWING WITH BLESSINGS
CLEO LAMPOS
7/1/2019
HAVING THE PRIME OF MY LIFE
JO MASSARO
6/24/2019
GOLDEN GIRL
PAT JEANNE DAVIS
6/17/2019
WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW
CLEO LAMPOS
6/10/2019
Food, Families, and Fond Memories
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
6/3/2019
FOR THOSE OVER FIFTY-FIVE
JUNE FOSTER
5/20/2019
NEXT GENERATION
KATHLEEN NEELY
5/13/2019
Mimi and Bop
Melissa Henderson
5/6/2019
NEVER TO OLD TO START OVER
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
4/29/2019
THE WRITER'S CALLING
SHERRI STEWART
4/15/2019
PLAYING THROUGH THE FOG
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
4/8/2019
SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED TO TURN OFF THE GPS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
4/1/2019
DON’T CALL HER MA’AM
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
3/25/2019
When Your Past Looms Longer than Your Future
Debra Coleman Jeter
3/18/2019
OUR MCDONALDS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
3/11/2019
BORN TOO LATE
DIANNE BARKER
3/4/2019
PERSPECTIVE
LISA LICKEL
2/25/2019
IS IT THE BEGINNING OR THE END
KATHLEEN NEELY
2/18/2019
MY TO-DO LIST
SHERRI STEWART
2/11/2019
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
2/3/2019
MAMA, I CAN'T TAKE A BATH THERE'S A FISH IN THE TUB
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
1/21/2019
EAT RIGHT NOW LIVE LONGER LATER
Jude Urbanski
1/14/2019
AM I STRESSED?
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
1/7/2019
SHOULD VS WANT
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/31/2018
I'LL BE ALONE FOR CHRISTMAS ... YOU CAN COUNT ON ME
Julie Cosgrove
12/24/2018
THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE
LINDA SHENTON MATCHETT
12/17/2018
LIVING WITHOUT REGRET
Grant Ferguson
12/10/2018
GROWING UP CAN BE FUN SO IS GETTING OLDER
ELLIE GUSTAFSON
12/3/2018
SOARING WITH BROKEN WINGS
Linda Wood Rondeau
11/19/2018
NEVER TOO LATE
DIANE TATUM
11/5/2018
The Not So Good Good Old Days
Linda Wood Rondeau
10/22/2018