Chaplain’s Corner

“Be patient and understanding. Life is too short to be vengeful or malicious.” – Phillips Brooks

“Do we not realize that self-respect comes from self-reliance?” – A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – Dalai Lama

Sacred Six Focus: Integrity
“So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom” Psalm 90:12.
I just celebrated a birthday. My Facebook timeline became inundated with myriad well wishes from family, friends and acquaintances from various stops on my journey. What a precious gift to read a name, visualize a face and recall wonderful memories of shared experiences!
I began to think about time and what we do with this commodity. We MARK and MEASURE time; we calculate seconds, minutes, hours, days… It is hard for me to believe I am into my 7th decade on earth – until I look in the mirror! We MISUSE time by focusing on the trivial and frivolous. We MANAGE time in an attempt to MAXIMIZE our effectiveness as we strive toward some goal we’ve chosen. We MAKE time, as in “I really made good time driving to Gatlinburg.”
What we cannot do is MANUFACTURE time. Once it slips through our fingers we cannot retrieve or replace it. If Cher couldn’t turn back time, what hope do I have to do so – at least until I am able to travel at, and beyond, the speed of light.
The last several weeks I am more convinced that we do not know how many more opportunities remain in this life: to make that contact, to express how we feel and what we mean to one another, to give that affirmation, to offer that apology and ask for forgiveness, to forgive another freely, to lift that burden, and to offer our ears, shoulder and heart to one in need.
I did mention we cannot retrieve or replace time. However, we can REDEEM it.
“The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.” – Rabindranath Tagore

Read more »

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever.” – Hebrews 13:8.

This means:
Anything God has ever done, He can do NOW!
Anything God has ever done anywhere, He can do HERE!
Anything God has ever done for anyone, He can do for YOU!

Read more »

The Israelites struggled as a fledgling people. The Tribes often were disjointed and sought parochial interests. As a result, the Philistines oppressed them. 1 Samuel 7 opens with Samuel calling for a solemn assembly of the people to worship, confess their selfishness and failure, and return to the LORD. When the Philistines heard of this gathering, they decided to launch a surprise attack. The LORD intervened and led the Israelites to a resounding victory. 1 Samuel 7:12, “Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the LORD has helped us’.”

Read more »

Some of you remember Art Linkletter as a staple of daytime television. “House Party” ran on radio and television for over 20 years. Art was a master at employing audience participation. One of his favorite bits was to place an object under a miniature house. He then would have a member of the audience try to guess the object while he gave out clues. Sometimes the clues were designed to fool the participant. Art Linkletter got a great deal of mileage, and many laughs, out of having people guess what was beneath the house.

One time, King Hezekiah allowed representatives from Babylon to see the treasures of the Kingdom of Judah. God’s Prophet Isaiah asked the King, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house: there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them” (2 Kings 20:15).

Read more »

“Through insolence comes nothing but strife, but wisdom is with those who receive counsel.” -Proverbs 13:10

Learning from our mistakes is one of the most difficult lessons in life. A corresponding life lesson is to learn from the mistakes of others. It is easy to feel like we are always on top of things. Frankly, it is too easy, and is part of our natural inclination apart from God’s gracious activity.

I arrived at Signature having a steep learning curve regarding long-term care. Rare is the day I fail to learn something new–practices, funding, sharing life with elders and stakeholders, and a myriad of other issues. Assumptions have been challenged and growth has occurred.

Read more »

What a joy it is to serve as Chaplain at Signature HealthCARE of Chillicothe! I am amazed a for-profit company has the foresight and boldness to intentionally place spirituality as a pillar of their mission.

This is what I have found with Signature, and what first attracted me to this wonderful family. Each day I am learning more about how spirituality permeates each aspect of what we do at Signature HealthCARE of Chillicothe.

Also, I am getting to know residents, families, visitors, volunteers and stakeholders. I am working to make a visit in every room in the next several weeks. I ask for your patience as I try to connect names and faces.

Read more »