A not-so-empty EMPTY NEST can be chaotic, overwhelming and depressing. What do we do with a lifetime accumulation of possessions that are no longer needed? Host a garage sale? Create a man cave or a craft room? Move? Where does one begin? Is there a recommended system? I offer you 3 ways to declutter the [...]
Uncle Jerry: PBY Pilot YOUR FAMILY HISTORY is a gift only you can give. One generation may mock another for keeping money under the mattress or saving cottage cheese cartons . . . until they hear how their great-grandparents survived bank closures and the shortages of the Great Depression. Nieces and nephews, children, and [...]
WE MOURN FOLLOWING A DEATH. Even the peace of those who have released their loved ones in faith is marked by the pain of loss. Thankfully, this grief is recognized and expected. This expectation helps us extend grace to folks who are struggling to function at all and to children who typically act out. Sadly, [...]
Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10b). When we are pumped up from delightful worship, it is easy to experience this strength. If we feel grieved, overwhelmed, or angry . . . not so much! Is it necessary to see resolution before we are able to rejoice? [...]
“THE BUCKET LIST” is a comedy-drama about two terminally ill men who meet while sharing a hospital room. Morgan Freeman plays a family man who typically put his own desires on the back burner. In contrast, Jack Nicholson’s role is that of a self-centered, wealthy health-care tycoon. As they come to terms with the end [...]
HERITAGE OF HOPE has long been encouraged by Libby Boatwright--the author of a recently released and informative book—THE LAST THINGS WE TALK ABOUT: Your Guide to End of Life Transitions. Libby’s professional experience as a Certified Financial Planner, a Pastor, and a Chaplain uniquely qualifies her to address end of life transitions with extensive knowledge [...]
A DAY OF CELEBRATION: Yesterday was such a good day. Why? My husband and I attended the funeral of his 97-year-old aunt. Again, Why was that such a good day? Aunt Niva finished this life well. Her funeral was the joyful celebration of a long life lived well. When I commented to one of her [...]
You may know how uncomfortable it is to try and carry both sides of a conversation. Such was the dilemma I faced with my maternal grandmother, Mimi. As she lost more and more of her vision, her world was shrinking. Although she was receiving excellent care in a small group home, her health was declining [...]
HERITAGE OF HOPE is a preventative ministry designed to make your fourth quarter and your departure from this world as trouble free and God-honoring as possible. More and more, however, we receive inquiries from alumni who wish to support someone who is now facing the end of this life—unprepared. Typically, the alumni’s friend is in [...]
GET RID OF FALSE BELIEFS: Have you ever been startled to realize you held a false belief? When the pediatrician told me my precious daughter had Scarlet Fever , I erupted into a rapid fire accounting of all the prescribed parenting practices I followed that would preclude such a terrifying diagnosis. Terrifying? Scarlet Fever was [...]
