Month: May 2019

Tidying Up (Again)

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Earlier this week, my husband suggested we watch Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix. Halfway through the first episode, he paused the show and said, “Are you ready?” My bewildered look was enough to let him know I was unsure for what I was supposed to be ready. He said, “We start with the clothes.” Looking at the clock and seeing it was 8:45pm on a work night, I wondered from where this burst of energy and excitement came. So, together we decided to modify the plan and begin some of the clothes that night as sleep is important. Now, after two nights of tidying all of the downstairs clothes have been sorted (we find ourselves in a complicated season of life with clothing upstairs and downstairs). Seven bags of clothing and shoes are ready to move on to new homes.

My long time readers may remember that this isn’t my first time time tidying. I reviewed the book and tidied up back in 2015. Keeping up with tidying is challenging. When I do this process (whether it is exactly as suggested or with my own variations), it is freeing. I smile when I see a piece of clothing that has been a part of important celebrations like the dress I wore to a wedding or the shirt I wore to my Grandma’s birthday party. And just because something played an important role in my life does not mean it still sparks joy, so I smile, remember, and thank the item for its time with me.

So despite all that must be done in the day, we are taking the time to take evaluate what we have and what we need. It is challenging and it is exciting too. If you are feeling overwhelmed with all the stuff living in your home, you might try this book or show and spend some time tidying up!

Gracious God, Why do we hold on to stuff we don’t need? Why do we let our stuff control us? Free us, Holy One, from the power our stuff has over us. Help us to surround ourselves with what sparks joy and to let the rest go. Amen.

A Rainy Day Prayer

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O Great Creator, Rain is one thing that is hard for us humans to understand. Why is there too much or too little of it? Why does it rain so hard it bounces right off the dry ground instead of soaking in to nourish the soil? Why does it rain when I want to be outside? Why do we complain so much about the rain?

Today, O Holy One, we pray for the rain to fall softly on the fields in need of moisture. We pray for the rain to not fall on the parts of the world that are flooding or near flooding. Keep safe all those near floodwaters. We pray for all who need better shelter from the rain. Help us to give thanks for the rain even when it disrupts our plans because this planet we call home needs regular rain to provide food for all your children. Amen.

O God, thank you for my awesome purple raincoat that keeps me dry. Amen.

Book Review- LGBTQ-Inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care: A Practical Guide to Transforming Professional Practice by Kimberly D. Acquaviva

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LGBTQ-Inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care: A Practical Guide to Transforming Professional Practice by Kimberly D. Acquaviva
This is a must read for anyone who works in palliative or hospice care. In an easy to read and understand style with time spent looking at nursing, social work, spiritual care, physicians, and aides, this book provides ideas and a framework for how to improve your work. Through reflections by professionals and examples of how well care can be provided, you will learn from this book. You may be challenged by this book as you are encouraged to change the way you do something or the way you think. Each chapter includes-chapter objectives, key terms, chapter summary, perspectives (the reflections by professionals), key points to remember, discussion questions and a chapter activity. The structure of the book makes it perfect for a book study at work or personal reading to enhance your work. I recently led a discussion at my work using the first chapter and focusing on our own bias and key terms. One activity that I shared in my recent presentation comes from page 17 of the book, “Over the years I’ve been asked many times why lesbians, gay and bisexual people feel the need to ‘tell people about their sex lives’ by coming out to others. Rather than answer the questions directly, I like to respond by asking the questioner to try the following exercise. If you are heterosexual and currently in a relationship with a person of another gender, keep track of how many times you make reference to this person (either by name or by such terms as boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife) in your conversations with colleagues, friends, neighbors, and family members this week. At the end of the week, reflect on why you felt the need to share your heterosexuality with so many people.

This exercise never fails to leave people surprised by how often heterosexuality is casually disclosed in everyday conversation. Mentioning your sexual orientation to others isn’t telling people about your sex life; it is sharing a part of who you are as a person”.

It is a good exercise for many of us to try. In fact in one presentation, I had just spoken about my husband and no one paid any attention until I read this piece and then people pointed it out to me. This is just one example of how the author will increase your awareness of what you are doing well and what you could be doing better to care for all the people you serve in hospice and palliative care. 

So if you or someone you know works in hospice or palliative care, please read this book and share it.  

Preaching and End of Life Article Published in Working Preacher

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I am grateful for the opportunity to combine two of my passions together in one article. I love great preaching, and I love supporting people as they approach the end of their lives. The piece I wrote for Working Preacher encourages preachers to talk about death and dying from the pulpit using Scriptures from the Revised Common Lectionary. It is meant to inspire more conversations about end of life in churches where people of all ages gather together in community.

So, I hope you’ll read the article. And if you attend a local church, share it with your pastor and say you would like to hear a sermon about dying and/or death. I don’t think that is a phrase most pastors hear often! If you need help starting conversations about death and dying in your faith community or local group, reach out to your local hospice. I’m sure they’ll be glad to support your efforts.