{"id":2617,"date":"2026-01-13T15:47:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T21:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/?p=2617"},"modified":"2026-01-20T20:36:34","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T02:36:34","slug":"a-new-years-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/livingyourbestlife60plus.com\/blog\/2026\/01\/13\/a-new-years-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"A New Year’s Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

My mother, Florence Littauer<\/a>, was hospitalized months before her 90th<\/sup> birthday. We had a big party planned. Ultimately, after several weeks in the hospital, she did recover enough to go home. With round-the-clock care, she grew stronger every day but never came back to her former baseline. We had the birthday party. My sister and I got her dressed, did her hair and make-up, got her to the venue, and seated her on a small stage at the front of the room. Friends and family came from around the country to honor her. She was happy, but ready for bed by 8 o\u2019clock.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Florence with the family members who came from all over for her 90th birthday party<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Later that evening, after the party, my siblings and spouses gathered for a family meeting. My brother, who managed her finances, told us that we could continue with the care she\u2019d been receiving for a couple more months before we had to start selling things. It was unlikely that she\u2019d ever be able to live on her own again. When my husband and I were alone, he said: \u201cI hate to say this, but I think your mother needs to move in with us.\u201d God bless him! That comment started the wheels turning.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Ron Chapman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As soon as my mother was well enough to travel, we planned that she\u2019d move to Lubbock with me and Chuck. It was just a matter of weeks because of the kindness of her brother Ron Chapman<\/a>\u2014a well-known radio personality in the Dallas area. At this point in my mother\u2019s life, her little brother had done very well for himself and was retired. He offered to provide a private jet to transport my mother from her home in Palm Springs, California to Texas. She was accompanied by a caregiver for the trip. I picked them up at the airport. As I was assisting her out of my husband\u2019s truck, she fainted in my arms. She couldn\u2019t have made a commercial airline trip. But due to her brother\u2019s ability to provide for her, she made it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I thanked her brother for his generosity, he simply shrugged and said: \u201cIt\u2019s something I can do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since that time, I have embraced the it\u2019s-something-I-can-do attitude. I watch for those who need something for which my unique skill set can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I loved that idea. I don\u2019t have the financial resources he had. But I do have a wealth of skills, talents, and abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Florence
Florence with daughters Marita and Lauren at her 92nd birthday party<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Mom had two really good years in Lubbock. My friends became her friends and we had a lovely 92nd<\/sup> birthday party for her in my home\u2014for which my sister came from California. She died<\/a> a few months later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having spent the past decade of my life as a remodeling contractor<\/a>, I know that there are solutions to problems that others don\u2019t even know exists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are two recent examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lubbock Women’s Club<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I am active in the Lubbock Women\u2019s Club<\/a>. The club president for this year is petite. When she stands at the lectern, she can barely see over the top. I have a cabinetmaker who I work with. I reached out to him and asked him if he could make a built-in step for the lectern\u2014something that would fold out and be secure and stable. Yes, he\u2019d done something similar for a pastor in the area. He gave me a price. I reached out to my LWC friends and asked each to donate $10 toward the creation of the step. We got it done and installed. When the Club manager thanked me for such a thoughtful gesture, I shrugged and said: \u201cIt\u2019s something I can do.\u201d I don\u2019t know how many times it will actually get used, but I saw a need, and I had the resources to make it happen, so I did. It\u2019s something, that with my unique library of experiences, that I could do that most others would never have thought of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Live Oak Community Church<\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"door<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I go to a growing church<\/a>. The restrooms were built before we had the size congregation we have now. The ladies room has two toilet spaces that are full rooms with walls and the door going to the ground. This means that you can\u2019t tell if someone is in there or not. Recently, I was using the bathroom, and someone tried to enter only to discover the door was locked. She felt awkward and offered apologies. This was a problem that I could do something about. I went to Amazon and searched for door locks<\/a> that would show if the room was vacant or occupied. I found them and bought two\u2014one for each door. I brought them to the church and offered to install them\u2014it\u2019s something I can do. The facilities manager was there, and he took care of it. The next Sunday, he told me his wife was thrilled with that small upgrade. I am sure other women were too\u2014though they might not even notice it, it makes everyone more comfortable, less awkward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I share these two recent examples with you, not so that you think I am anything special, but to give you an idea of watching for a situation where your unique skills, talents, and abilities can be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sister Lauren<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My sister, despite being older than I am, is far more technologically savvy. She is often called upon to solve computer issues for her friends. It is something she can do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friend Dawn<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My friend Dawn and her husband have invested wisely over the years. Now retired, they have sold their rental properties\u2014which have given them assets they can use to help others. Dawn\u2019s husband is foreign-born. As a result, they have a heart to help international students at Texas Tech. Having no children of their own, they welcome these students as their own. They help with housing, food, cars, and even musical instruments. It is something they can do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cousin Laurie<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My cousin Laurie, a Best-Life contributor, wrote her own tribute<\/a> to Uncle Ron\u2019s It-is-something-I-can do concept. In it, she shares how her sister has used this idea to bless her: \u201cMy husband and I just returned from a week in Florida. We stayed in my sister and brother-in-law\u2019s condominium in Cocoa Beach. As a gift for my retirement from church ministry, they invited us to choose a week to spend in their paradise. We chose a week in early March. Knowing we would be on sandy beaches with warm temperatures got us through our long, gray, Michigan winter. In thanking them profusely for their generosity, their answer, in essence, was: ‘it is something I can do.’ Our joy gave them joy. They used their personal resources for our sake. It is something they didn\u2019t have to do that gave them pleasure.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What skills, talents, abilities, and\/or assets do you have that can help others around you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My pastor recently taught through 1 John. When addressing 1 John 3:17, he challenged us to ask: \u201cHas my material wealth blessed anyone else?\u201d I believe the verse can be extended beyond material wealth to include our skills, talents, and abilities. As we move into a new year, I challenge you to watch for those who have a need you can fill. Use your resources to bless someone else. It is something you can do.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New to The Best-Life Project?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Please read these foundational posts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Life Dream Story<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best-Life Definition<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read More from This Author:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Marita Littauer Tedder<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more on this topic:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

It is Something I Can Do<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marita Littauer Tedder<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Marita Littauer Tedder has spent the majority of her adult life working with women\u2014helping them improve relationships, achieve their speaking and writing dreams, and being the best version of themselves they can possibly be. The author of 20 books, this Living Our Best Life Project is her newest effort\u2014through which she hopes to challenge women to be fulfilled where they are.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My pastor recently taught through 1 John. When addressing 1 John 3:17, he challenged us to ask: \u201cHas my material wealth blessed anyone else?\u201d I believe the verse can be extended beyond material wealth to include our skills, talents, and abilities. As we move into a new year, I challenge you to watch for those who have a need you can fill. Use your resources to bless someone else. It is something you can do.
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