4 DOCUMENTS TO SAFEGUARD YOUR HEALTH CARE
The man pictured on the far right was my father. Because of criminal, abusive caregivers, I sought Guardianship and Conservatorship of Dad through the courts of Oregon. Even with the services of an attorney, the support of Adult Protective Services, and a court appointed visitor, the legal process took an entire year! By the time [...]
IS DYING IS A TEAM SPORT?
Can you recall a dramatic sports victory when the winning play was made just as the buzzer signaled the end of the game? Such stunning victories credit the coaching, the many practices, and the herculean individual efforts that created a team capable of such a win. To end our lives victoriously, we too will need [...]
THREE LIFE-OR-DEATH QUESTIONS
LIFE-OR-DEATH QUESTION #1: ARE YOU GOING TO HEAVEN? In answer to this, many folks humbly state that they hope that Heaven is their destination. They are honest in admitting that they are not without sin, yet they hope that their good deeds outweigh their foul-ups and sinful choices. What grieves me is that these folks [...]
HAVE YOU PREPARED TO FINISH WELL?
The end of this life is a finish line that most of us dread, but we can be thoughtfully and prayerfully prepared for our good-byes. The families of several HOH alumni report feeling loved and comforted in that vulnerable time by such preparations. One couple shared how they had successfully worked through the HERITAGE OF [...]
WHAT’S OUR RESPONSE TO THE GIFT OF LONG LIFE?
If God is giving us the gift of long life, how are we using it? Recently, I spent an entire afternoon in the ER awaiting medical help for my strong husband. Although quite painful, his issue was not life-threatening. Even so, it was a reminder of our physical frailties and even our mortality. Both of [...]
A PSALM OF THANKFULNESS
I treasure this Psalm of Thankfulness as it is a part of my faith heritage. These carefully chosen words express the heart of an artist, my paternal grandmother, Lucile Wilson Parsell. Since my grandfather was incapacitated with Parkinson's Disease when my dad was only thirteen, she supported their family thereafter. Thankfully, "Nana" was a graduate of [...]
PASS THE BATON OF FAITH
Long life is a tremendous gift of God, but the fourth quarter can be painful. Hebrews 12:1-2 offers encouragement in imagery that is quite symbolic of HERITAGE OF HOPE. HOH leadership sees this life as a race we are running to successfully pass the baton of faith to the next generation. THEREFORE WE ALSO, SINCE [...]
LET’S HONOR OUR VETS NOVEMBER 11th
INTERNATIONALLY . . . Almost a year after the attacks of 9/11, in the Czech Republic, in the city of Prague, a dear woman recognized me as an American and extended her condolences. I was stunned. She wanted me to know how much she and many others grieved with and for the United States. I [...]
SIX WAYS TO BECOME A FINISHER!
Become a FINISHER! Life is complicated and so is death. HERITAGE OF HOPE offers a thoughtful, loving way to help your people navigate the aftermath of your life as well as parts of the journey. We have prayerfully consulted experts, read books, and studied Scriptures to create the 6-part Checklist in a 6-part HERITAGE OF [...]
WHEN YOUR PARENT MOVES IN
WHEN YOUR PARENT MOVES IN is written to adult children, the sandwich generation, who may be contemplating multigenerational living. However, it is also a profitable read for the older parent considering such a change in their living circumstances or even those already in the midst of adjusting to their new life living with an adult [...]