End of Life Planning 1 of 3

This will be a 3 part series exploring End of Life Planning.  I asked a few of my friends what they thought end of life planning is.  Most all said something like, prepaying and choosing what casket you want and where you want it at.  So then I asked a few people whom I do not know, the same question.  And viola, they gave similar answers.

End of Life Planning can certainly include prepaying a funeral home for your burial expenses and that can be beneficial and important for many families.  I would like to focus on a more personal component of End of Life Planning, you!

If you friends and family have a hard time guessing what you want for your birthday, just think of the time they will have guessing what your end of life wishes were…  Something to think about isn’t it?  In the moment your life ends your love one, family and friends are going to be grasping at straws, most of the time, scrabbling to get things in order.  In the very same moment they are going to be grieving the loss of your life, your love and you being there.  There are many questions that need to be asked today, so that no one is guessing when that day comes.

How comfortable do you want to be? 

How do you want the medical staff to respond to critical situations of your health? 

If you are unable to make decisions, who do you appoint to make them for you? 

DNR.  Three letters that mean a lot and can stir a lot of controversy in a family when a loved one or family member enters their final days or moments.  Do not resuscitate (DNR) is a legal order written either in the hospital or on a legal form to respect the wishes of a patient to not undergo CPR or advanced cardiac life support if their heart were to stop or they were to stop breathing.  What are your wishes? 

Do you want the medical staff to let nature take its course or do you want the medical staff to do everything in their power to sustain life?

If you are in pain or discomfort how comfortable do you want to be? 

Is being in a vegetative state ok with you? 

Again, these are very important questions to think about.  Your faith, your education, your family, your life all affect how you will answer these questions.  And how you feel about them in this moment may change after you have given it careful thought. 

Inclusive Life offers End of Life Planning.  We will co-author your decisions and wishes into a legal format recognized by the Nebraska , Iowa and 40 other states.  Tomorrow we will explore other aspects of End of Life Planning in part 2.

Royal D. Bush serves as Interfaith Chaplain.  He has studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. He is available for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching, and pastoral care in the Nebraska and Iowa area.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!  Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, and Pastoral Care. To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone 402-575-7006. Omaha Weddings, Omaha Counseling, Omaha Funerals

Compassion

It is said that compassion is a virtue.  One in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy, for the suffering of others, are regarded as a part of love itself.  Perhaps a cornerstone of greater social interconnection and humanism, foundational to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood.

If you listen to sounds bites of politicians, some news reporters you get a feel that compassion is a crime or at least in some cases the word compassion has been substituted for the word entitlement.  Many make out having compassion for others, regardless of circumstances is “too much” charity and that “those people” are engaging in acts of entitlement.  One person running for office is quoted in Time by saying “Don’t blame Wall Street .  Don’t blame big banks.  If you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, blame yourself.”  Somewhere along the road, in the last several years, we have lost our virtue of compassion, perhaps not only for others but for ourselves as well. 

The Dalai Lama says “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”  This does not mean that we all have to be equal in terms of monetary worth.  There is something to be said for caring for the needs of others and understanding that maybe, just maybe you are a bit uncomfortable know that there may never be “peace” for yourself until there is peace others too.  If you know that there is someone or a group of people that you could help, you have a choice, to help or not to help.  It may not be about throwing money at people.  It may be they need training, a mentor, guidance, a hand up (not a hand out), or simply shirt or a coat. 

Is giving up what you would spend on a $4 coffee, a $15-$20 lunch asking too much?  Is giving up an hour or two a week to mentor someone too much to ask, in the scope of the number of hours you will live in your life, is 104 hours a year asking that much?  Is making some phone calls and encouraging others  through personal invitation something you could do.  Would do.  Will do?

In my 44 years of life, I have met a lot of people.  I have not met one person who lived a life that didn’t include something that they wish they had done better in the course of their life, maybe a redo moment in time.  We are the sum of our choices and the paths that we walk.  You have the ability to make decisions that will affect yourself and others immediately.  Will you choose to make those decisions based just on your needs and wants or will you consider the impact of others and that you can be the change that you seek in yourself and in this world.  One person.  One day.  One journey.  One act of kindness.  And sharing compassion.

Royal D. Bush serves as Interfaith Chaplain.  He has studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. He is available for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching, and pastoral care in the Nebraska and Iowa area.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!  Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, and Pastoral Care. To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone 402-575-7006. Omaha Weddings, Omaha Counseling, Omaha Funerals

Inclusive Life State of the Union

Inclusive Life State of the Union

As we enter the final months of 2011 and greet 2012 it is time to share with everyone where Inclusive Life has been, where it is now and where it will be in 2012.

As the ground work for Inclusive Life began in 2009, the one thing that was very clear is the focus on serving all without exception, by providing both nondenominational and nonreligious care and services.  Today that remains the cornerstone of our identity.

The elusive part as been defining what care and services we are able to offer.  Education, experience and certainly supply and demand will play a large role in shaping us.

Weddings.  We have competitive price points for three various ceremonies that begin at $175.00.  They offer various features and benefits that allow the couple to choose the experience they want.

End of Life Planning.  A program that legally offers individuals and couples peace of mind that their wishes and decisions are legally recorded and made known in the event that they are needed.

Coaching.  Couples, Premarital and Life coaching is now available with payment plans and a sliding scale.  Discounts for purchasing other service packages offer deep discounts for our coaching. 

Funerals.  We continue to expand and grow this part of our Inclusive Life services.  We work with funeral homes and venues in the heartland to make sure that they are aware that individuals, couples and families have a choice for help when the time comes.

Education.  Chaplain Royal attended a conference in Las Vegas this year.  It was wonderful to learn the aspects of SEO and social media that we need to improve on, the things we have done well and the items we need to change now.  That plan is in place and working well.

Offices.  Our main office at 105 S. 49^th Street at the Hilltop Offices as been the cornerstone of our operation.  With potential growth in Elopement Packages in Iowa, mostly from same sex couples as Council Bluffs is a destination location, we have decided to grow forward with a new location in Council Bluffs.  The negotiations are underway and we should have something firm this week for office space at the Park Building downtown Council Bluffs.  This will allow us to expand all of our services AND allow us to provide a no cost venue to those seeking a simple Elopement Package in a historic building. 

Chaplains.  Chaplain Beth continues to help “push” us in the direction to have the foundation laid to begin worship in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area.  The office in Council Bluffs will be set up in the round and with sofas and chairs to begin a small worship group, coaching groups and meetings. 

2012.  We will move forward on the promotion of all of our care and services including reaching out to provide some pro bono work within the communities we serve.

Thank you for your support, love and donations. 

Royal D. Bush serves as Interfaith Chaplain.  He has studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. He is available for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching, and pastoral care in the Nebraska and Iowa area.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!  Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, and Pastoral Care. To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone 402-575-7006. Omaha Weddings, Omaha Counseling, Omaha Funerals

Querencia

It can be said that life is a lot like bullfighting.  There are flags, danger, cheering, death, victory and skill.  For the bull, in the bullring there is a place where he can feel safe.  It is in that moment that he is able to muster all of his strength and mite and is no longer afraid of what faces him.  Querencia is that safe place; that place of wholeness, peace and perhaps of strength. 

There are times in each of our lives that we will need to experience querencia.  Life transitions, moments of new life, it times of death, and perhaps somewhere in between any of these moments.  Finding inner silence, inner peace, inner safety, inner “us” is a journey that does not come with a map or Microsoft Template, this is a path for you.  Getting there is often a very important part of this journey. 

Pastors Tom and Steve preached one morning about creating a home alter.  A place in our home where we would place items that are sacred to us, meaningful to us, and those items that were important in our life’s journey.  I thought the idea a little new for me, perhaps weird.  What would my guests think of this space?  The idea grew on me.  I went about collect my items.  The family bible that my family has had for over 100 years.  A palm leaf that a friend folded into a cross on an Easter service we all attended together.  An old nail that I had found as a kid, I remember where I found it too!  A rock or two, a crystal, a necklace, two other Bibles given to me under special circumstances, and a meditation bell.  Interesting how often I touch those items, ring the bell and “be” in that space.  I do so now with little regard or thought.  It is a ritual of sorts.  It brings me peace and helps me to find an inner sancturary when my mind, body and spirit are not centered.

Divorce, being a parent, living, caring for someone in their final years or days, living without freedom, discrimination, being ill, dying, relationships, work, worship, pets, family, the list continues on items that can create stress and hard times in our life.  When we have moments that upset our life, our rhythm, our peace it is important to realize that despite the bull that is looking at us, we matador’s simply must find OUR querencia.  And when you do you will find that you have courage, strength, peace and power beyond measure.         

We can be the change that we seek in this world.  One day.  One person.  One journey.  One prayer.  One act of kindness.  One moment of inner peace at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as Interfaith Chaplain.  He has studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. He is available for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching, and pastoral care in the Nebraska and Iowa area.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!  Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, and Pastoral Care. To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone 402-575-7006. Omaha Weddings, Omaha Counseling, Omaha Funerals