I bought a new Christmas ornament this week. If you've been following my recent posts, especially the last one, you probably know why. A bell ... with soft, cheerful colors ... perfectly reflects the personality that was my mother-in-law. Does the hidden interior surprise you? The ornament was added ... in memory of our loved one ... to one of the many Christmas wreaths lining the hallways of the hospice facility where we spent the past ten days. For many families ... yours? ... grief is simply a part of this holiday season. The wonderful chaplains here at the Hospice of East Texas offer suggestions for getting through the holidays. Perhaps you ... or someone you know ... can benefit ... Keep Reading...
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Life’s Path: Final Steps
Outside these doors are brick paths. They're made up of memories and "final words" to loved ones who were served by the Hospice of East Texas. Yes. We're still here ... Husbands Wives Parents Grandparents Siblings Children I suspect there are stories being told to this day ... ... and personalities remembered. When it's my time to go, I already know my destination ... so I don't want to choose the path of most resistance. Instead, I want to be gracious and choose to move forward into my future. It's the way I've always tried to live ... and how I pray I'll die. Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to ... Keep Reading...
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PEACE: Behind the Scenes at Christmastime …
We're still here ... HomePlace at The Hospice of East Texas. I've never experienced anything quite like it ... On the outside, it's a 28-bed, red brick building, serenely set off the highway. On the inside, it's a haven for families waiting for a loved one to die. When I entered its doors for the first time a week ago, I quickly noticed how starkly different it was from the hospital I'd just departed. The warm-colored walls. The carpeted hallways. The beautiful wreaths lining the corridors; each bedecked with one-of-a-kind ornaments representing a wide variety of personalities. The primary concern at HomePlace is for the comfort of the dying ... and their families. The peacefulness of the chapel, ... Keep Reading...
