Tag Archives: love

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    The Gift

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    What are some things you can name on one hand that in your lifetime, are the most precious gifts that have been given to you? It may be a fine piece of jewelry that has been handed down from generation to generation. Or could it be the family bible that is on the coffee table? How about the family photo album? One of the single most important gifts that were ever given to me was the opportunity to become a mother.

    As some of my very close friends know, in my early working years I wanted a husband, house, career, and to go fishing. And you know children, “they cost too much”, “your life will never be the same again”, you will “never sleep again the rest of your life,”, and best yet “this world is too awful to raise a child in now days.” No children were ever a part of my “plan.” My selfish way of thinking that children would just interrupt what life had to offer, would soon come to an end. God had better plans. As time went along-my female hormones telling me my “time’s ticking”, “you don’t have much time”, and “you’re only getting older” started nagging me. God prodding me and my husband had a way of changing our mind on the concept of bearing children. Continue reading →

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      Celebrating Memories

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      This past weekend, Solaris celebrated with families in our annual Memorial to honor their loved ones. It is a time of remembrance for the families and for our staff. Dr. Kelley Tibbels was our guest speaker for the event and he talked about memories and legacy, about the importance of passing down from generation to generation the simple things like a firm handshake, and how your word was your word and that it meant you were going to do what you said.

      He said that growing up, he was not a “hugger” and that he learned to hug from his mother in law, who has since passed away. Some of the families that were there shared legacies of their mother and how she had unconditional love for their family. Another talked about how cooking to their mother was very important and anyone that came over would never leave hungry.

      During the memorial, we blended two different colors of sand signifying that as the sand can no longer be separated neither can the memories of our loved ones.  As much as our families shared stories about their loved ones, they were also deeply appreciative of our staff for their knowledge in getting their loved one out of pain, the comforting visits to pray for them, or the volunteer to allow them to rest. Continue reading →

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        The Cancer Intervention

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        When asked, the majority of people in this country will tell you they want to be able to die at home, surrounded by loved ones.  Only 10% of the population will die suddenly from something like a car accident or severe heart attack.  The rest of us want to have a say in the way we spend our last days. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans will still die in a way that does not align with their wishes.

        Chances are you don’t watch Breaking Bad, a TV show about a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with lung cancer who turns to producing meth as a way to secure his family’s financial future. Chances are that very description sounds really strange and even absurd to you. It’s not often that a TV show truly makes you think about really tough moments in life, but that is exactly the case with this particular scene.

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          The Business of Love

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          Valentine’s Day is upon us. For some it is a day of dread and for others it is a day of wonderful, giggly bliss. Valentine hearts and roses are red, but retailers see green that comes with celebrating this holiday. It’s not surprising that the number one candy sales are for chocolate. About 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year. We as consumers spend an average of $102.50 on gifts. In general, men spend twice as much as women do in celebration of Valentine’s Day.

          But what is love? It is the intense affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties. Have you ever had that kind of love for anyone? Or been loved by someone like a spouse, your parents, sibling, or a friend? We all want to be loved unconditionally with no strings attached. It means acceptance and contentment in our relationships with others. Continue reading →