I have a theory that our problems of self-esteem, lack of confidence, anxiety, and probably a lot of other internal conflicts are caused by not dying to self. What I mean is, I think the more we allow our minds to think upon ourselves, internally thinking about what we lack or what’s troubling us or what’s wrong with us or why can’t I fit in or feel a sense of peace or belonging, the more … Continue reading →
Working in a hospital as a chaplain means that I am often present when a death is about to occur or has occurred. There are areas in the hospital, like the Emergency Room, where nurses will comment upon seeing me and exclaim, “Oh no, what’s happening.” For me being present when death occurs is not a difficult assignment because it is an opportunity to support the family with spiritual care at what will always be … Continue reading →
I recently watched a documentary that showed a potential link between COVID vaccines and sudden deaths. Several morticians talked about the rise of odd blood clots that appear long and rubbery. Stats on birthing decline and an increase of cancer deaths were also shared. If one simply considers the information given in this documentary, it would seem understandable for a viewer to walk away succumbing to fear. After all, it’s not just this documentary that … Continue reading →
Facing the end-of-life of a loved one or a family member tends to raise the stress level of the would-be survivors. There are decisions that must be made in cooperation with the medical team and there is the weight of knowing that decisions will need to be made post-medical care. Healing has decisions that must be made and dying has its own set of decisions that must be made. It is easier for the family … Continue reading →
During the height of the COVID pandemic I got a text message from a patient who was dying. She was about 30 days into an isolation stay and the medical team had given up hope of being able to do anything to help. The patient was a nurse and we texted during her hospitalization, most recently her texts were an honest reflection on dying. On this one particular day, her text was simply, How should … Continue reading →
You may not be familiar with the term “spiritual self-care” so I am going to give you some definition and explain why I starting this new category in my blog. First, “spiritual” means that element that is non-material in the holistic understanding of man as body, mind, and spirit. The spiritual aspect of our being that is most recognized with the religious that reaches beyond ourselves to a higher existence and to others with a … Continue reading →
Here in America, we have close to 50,000 people a year who die by suicide. The majority of whom were struggling with a mental illness, either a diagnosed condition or acknowledged depression. Think of this, a person has to be in a very low state of mind to actually take their own life. So whether a person is on mental health medication or not, we would be hard pressed to argue that one was in … Continue reading →