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I turned off my computer and said good evening to my coworkers. Outside, the brisk winter air chilled my face. Crossing the street and entering the parking lot I thought about what I wanted to do that evening. I got in my car and sighed.

The sky was already turning a dark gray, the sun coursing toward the horizon. I never much liked the way that worked out in the winter months. Seemed all the good, daytime hours, were sucked up in the void of work and sunlight was a rare commodity.

A week ago I looked at a litter of Golden Retriever pups. They’d been rescued and were placed in a foster home. I chose the runt, and named her Clarity. I decided I’d go home, gather up Clarity, then drive over to Duncan’s store. He’d been wanting to meet her.

As I pulled into the parking lot a pearly fog was swirling low to the ground. Through the mist the tiny white lights framing the windows and eaves of the bookstore twinkled warmly. I gathered Clarity and headed for the door.

As I neared, treasures of cloth, leather, and paper lay just beyond the long window, beckoning readers to come have a look. I opened the door and walked in. Warmth from the portable heater wrapped around me, as did the fragrance of Duncan’s subtle cologne.

Duncan was rearranging books his customers had pulled out to peruse. As he heard me enter, he turned around and a big smile lit his face. He was a tall, bear of a man and ruggedly handsome. I walked over to him and we embraced. Clarity pressed between us barked in her puppy voice.

Duncan stepped back, reached out for the pup, “Maurine! What a cutie you have here!” He held her at arm’s length and chuckled as her paws pumped rapidly in the air. “She’s adorable.”

He waved me over, and behind the counter. From a small refrigerator he pulled out a piece of deli meat and offered it to Clarity.

“How are you doing, Duncan?”

His face grew ashen, and he placed Clarity in my arms . . .

`*`

His father had passed away on New Year’s Day. Duncan had taken his father to a nursing home, against his father’s wishes, but his dad’s dementia had made it a necessity. The decision had left Duncan filled with remorse, and he was growing restless and edgy. His color looked bad and I worried about him.

More than friends, Duncan and I shared a bond filled with love, respect, and gratitude. Thankful to have a soul mate in each other, there was nothing we could not share. Our relationship never progressed to a physical joining, as lovers, but our connection was just as deep.

`*`

Duncan sat down in one of the two chairs he kept behind the counter. Clarity and I took the other. Mindlessly, he ran his fingers through his hair, shook his head. “I can’t rid myself of the guilt, Maurine. I keep seeing his face and frightened demeanor, when he begged me to never put him in a facility.”

“I know, Duncan. I know . . .”

It was something we had talked about — the fate of our parents. How we felt we couldn’t deal with it when they passed on. My parents were in their 80s and though healthy, there was always that fear of the unexpected. Duncan’s mother died from Parkinson’s in the autumn, and a part of Duncan’s spirit atrophied with her passing.

His parents had seen him through a tough patch in his life. Soon after a bitter divorce his only child had lost his life in a snow boarding accident. Likewise, my folks had pulled me through a near death injury I suffered in a car accident. Consequently, the attachments we had to our parents went deep, and unlike many people, we had learned to value our familial relationship with them and to value them, also, as friends.

We talked until a customer entered the store. As I readied to leave, Duncan handed me a book from the countertop. “For you. The newest from your favorite author.” He gave me a quick hug. “Why don’t you come over this Friday night. We can celebrate my birthday.”

I nodded and hugged him back. “It’s a date. You take care . . . Love ya.” I started for my car and heard him reply, “I will, Maurine. I love you, too.”

`*`

I stood at his front door, a neatly wrapped gift with a card in hand. Duncan shunned many modern conveniences. His home was filled with 1950s memorabilia. The gift I had for him was an answering machine. I doubted he would use it, but I had hopes.

He greeted me at the door and quick on his heels was the patter of paws. I looked past Duncan and saw a pup. A black, Flat-coated Retriever, gawky and panting.

I gaped up at Duncan. Grinning like a kid he gripped me affectionately and ushered me in. “His name is Piper. A birthday gift to myself. He’s cute, don’t you think?”

“Oh, yes. When did you get him?”

“Day before yesterday. I don’t know what compelled me, but I felt led to find a furry companion. There was an ad in the paper. I went to have a look and he was irresistible.”

We talked late into the night. Sipping wine and staring into the flames of his fireplace.

`*`

Saturday afternoon I received a call from Duncan’s housekeeper. Sometime that morning Duncan had died from an aneurysm. She’d found him on his kitchen floor, unresponsive. An ambulance was called out but it was too late.

I dropped the phone, rushed out to my car and drove over to Duncan’s house. My mind refused to believe it. The front door was ajar. I entered to find the house eerily quiet and dark. Sitting on the back porch the black pup had been looking in and saw me. At once he began whimpering. I ran over to the French-door and let him in. He came over, stood up and pawed at my legs.

I bent down, scooped him up and gazed around. The house seemed like a tomb and I felt I was suffocating. I took Piper and left.

`*`

Three months later as I sat in my backyard, tears spilled unbidden to my lap. I ached for Duncan’s company. Never had I thought to not have him around. It was unbearable–this business of missing him.

The days were longer and the two pups had grown gangly. The sun was setting and the air was thick with gold motes. Glittering specks danced around Piper and Clarity as the two romped playfully in the grass.

Something in the garden had captured their attention. They circled round, listening, looking. I walked over to where they stood in the garden. Warmth radiated from the far-reaching sunbeams that wove the daylight and twilight.

The air was alive and the sky a moving painting of colors. It was a sight Duncan would have watched with wonder, and I would have been at his side, filled with awe and joy. It is part of what bound us close, our reverence for the beauty of the Creator.

I turned toward to the house, unable to summon that feeling. It was not the same as when it was shared.

“But it is shared, Maurine. I will never leave you. You were so much a part of my life, it only makes sense that you would be a part of my new life. You cannot see me, but you can sense me . . . in the warmth of the sun. In the gold motes at twilight.”

Numb at first, I turned around. Clarity and Piper sat studying me. Their tongues lolled out and they were clearly grinning. Then, together, they raised their heads and closed their eyes in pure pleasure, as dogs will do when lovingly caressed by their human companions.

There was a twinkling in the air, the last specks lit briefly by the setting sun. “Duncan?”

“Yes.” The word came with the scent of his cologne; ethereal and light. “Thank you for taking Piper.”

I nodded, unable to formulate a thought.

“You are my heart mate. When you desire me near, I shall be there for you. Our connection transcends our human, physical life on Earth. That is how it is with soul mates. So do not miss me.”

I lifted my chin and swallowed back tears.

“I have also left a part of me with Piper.” Duncan chuckled. “That is how it is with our fur kin. They have a connection in both worlds — yours and mine. And that’s why he so readily expresses his love, and mine, to you.”

“I don’t know what to say. I cannot even see you.”

“Don’t worry about what to say. And, you don’t need to see me, it is what is inside that counts — inside of you. That place where you keep me close.”

I was speechless. Soon, the dogs were begging to go inside. I followed after them, closed the door, and shut the aching, lonely past away at the same time.

“`*`*“`
I wrote this because life can be filled with magical moments and those we care about, humans and animals, are often a part of that enchantment. Such times as described in the story are what make life a special gift and I thank God for the gift.

I live in the Central Valley of California with my husband and fur family. I have four books in print, with a fifth on the way. Through my writing I hope to touch hearts receptive to hope.

Copyright © 2006 Kathy Pippig

In the quiet of the arctic night
In its deep northern skies,
Dim are the lights, in its cold

Evening frost…!
Even the stars of the arctic
Seem silently stone frozen!

Here, here is where you find
Peace and the beast within!
Remote, no ears or words

To clutter the mind
To entrench the throat;
Here, here is where you die…

(for a moment).

Here, the sky has eternal eyes
Eyes with cosmic tides
Tides that never rest: they war

With the Universe
Likened to a dark deep abyss;
Endless and never resting…

Here my eyes seek and search
In countless hours, ebbing and
Sweeping the heavens above

Numbing, changeless
Are the cosmos, the heavens?
Here resides a strange peace…

Here, resides a strange peace
With an army of stars to defeat
Shinning, silently in the dark

The ebbing, eldritch dark;
Time has no relevance here,
Here, resides a strange, peace…

Cold and oddly numb are my feet,
As I look up, upon the many bridges
One star bridging the nextas if,

If Kings and Queens were
Guarding themthe Hosts
OYes! A strange, strange peace…

Ah! Praise, praise be to thee, to thee
Flaming, blazing firmamentsye,
Ye, remind me not, of the wars I left,

Of the foes, divine immortals…

The enemies that never rest
Ah! Praise, praise be to thee, to thee

I hear music, harmony from afar (there)
There are storms hidden in a storehouse,
For tomorrowwar beyond, beyond

Orion’s dust…perpetual dust;
There, there the sun is dim to bleak.
Here, here our sacred books are on fire…

Aw! Ye, our sacred books are all on fire;
With the hostile holy firmaments…!
Nobodies listeningto the tidings

Tiding from heaven.
The night is my peace, my saga
But even the firmaments reject this…

I see the flames; crimson flames;
Whence I cry: when will this night die?
The sun will rise, it always has

And the mindless will play some more?
We’ve put it all into human hands, now
My peace, stillness, our hours…

Off in the darkness, somewhere…!
I see no sign of tears, no tears;
A blood-red moon stirs the floor of the

Sea; with fainting breath, silently;
Thus, void of death, they both protest.

I do not want to see the annuals,
The annuals of warfare anymore,
The devils seed, wherein, He stirs

…stirs the cosmos: with His spectral.
I just want quiet, stillnesspeace;
Strange as it may seem, it is all I seek…

Eh! yes! Oh yes, the midnight sky has eyes
Has a barbaric eye, deep barbaric eyes.
My night will soon divide, expire:

Hence, soon to recur the inviolate
The inviolate flames of humankind;
This is my testimony to the night!…

Notes by the author: “…this is a deep, and restless poem with many images; the secret of the poem (to me) is the sun, as it has always rose, so it shall again, tomorrow, and again another tomorrow, and so shall peace not exist, as long as it is in the hands of mankind.” The author has spent time in the Arctic, l996. 7/7/05 #752

This is part one of three parts; part two, to this poem is called: “House of the Goblin”…

∆

Spanish Version

Testimonio a la Noche
Translated by Nancy Pealoza
Edited by Rosa Pealoza

En la quietud de la noche rtica-
En sus cielos profundos del norte,
Débiles son las luces, en sus fras
Noches heladas!….
An las estrellas del rtico
Parecen silenciosamente congeladas!…..

Aqu, aqu es donde Ud. encuentra
La Paz y la bestia dentro!-
Distante ni odos o palabras
Para confundir la mente
Para atrincherar la garganta;
Aqu, aqu es donde Ud. muere—

Aqu, el cielo tiene ojos eternos
Ojos con mareas csmicas
Mareas que nunca descansan: ellos guerrean
Con el universo-
Comparado a un profundo abismo oscuro;
Infinito y jams dormido-

Aqu mis ojos investigan y buscan
En horas incontables, bajando y
Barriendo bajo los cielos
Insensible, invariable-
Son los cosmos, el paraso?
Aqu reside, una extraa paz…

Aqu, reside una paz extraa
Con un ejército de estrellas para derrotar
Brillando, silenciosamente en la oscuridad
El descenso, macabro oscuro;
El tiempo no tiene importancia aqu,
Aqu, reside, una extraa paz

Fro y entumecido de una manera extraa estn mis pies,
Mientras miro alto, sobre muchos puentes
Una estrella acorta el siguiente, como si,
Si reyes y reinas estuvieran
Guardndolos-los anfitriones-
OH, si! Una extraa paz…

AH! Alabanza, alabanza sea para ti, a ti
Firmamentos que queman y arden- verdad?
Recordndome las guerras que deje, por favor
Los adversarios e inmortales divinos
Los enemigos que no quieren la paz
Ah! Alabanza, alabanza sea para ti, a ti

Oigo la msica armoniosa, desde lejos (all)
Hay bombardeo oculto en un almacén,
Para la guerra del maana- ms lejana, incontrolable
El polvo de Orin. Polvo perpetuo;
All, all el sol es silenciosamente negro.
All, all, el sol nacer maana…

Aw! Nuestros libros sagrados estn todos sobre el fuego;
Hostil santo firmamento!…
Nadie escuchando. A las noticias
Noticias desde el cielo-
La noche es mi paz, mi epopeya
Pero aun los cielos desechan esto…

Veo, las llamas sobre los caminos de batalla
En donde yo grito: Cundo se acabar esta noche?
El sol saldr, siempre lo hace-
Y la estupidez jugara algo ms?
Hemos puesto todo esto dentro de manos humanas
Mi paz, calma, nuestras horas…

Fuera de la oscuridad, en algn lugar!…
Puedo ver las estrellas, pero no las lagrimas.
Una luna roja sangrienta, moviéndose en el mar
Con aliento desmayado, silenciosamente
Desprovisto de muerte mientras ella se hunde…

Yo, no quiero ver las anuales
Las anuales tarifas de guerra nunca ms,
La semilla del diablo, donde se mueve
Los océanos con su movimiento espectral
Yo solo quiero aislamiento y paz
Extrao como es, esto es todo lo que busco…

Pero, aun el cielo nocturno tiene ojos
Tiene ojos brbaros, ojos brbaros,
Mi noche pronto se dividir, expirara
Mas, pronto se repetir, las llamas inviolables
Las inviolables llamas de la humanidad-;
Esto es mi testimonio para esta noche!….

Notas del autor: “este es un profundo, impaciente profundo poema
Con mucha imaginacin, el secreto del poema (para mi) es el sol, Como este siempre sale, as este saldr, otra vez, maana, y otra vez Otro maana, y as la paz no existir, mientras esto este en las manos De la humanidad.” El autor, ha permanecido un tiempo en el rtico, 1996. 7/7/05 #752

Dennis Siluk new book of poetry, “Spell of the Andes,” see http://www.abe.com or http://www.alibris.com

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The old World Wide Web had shut out a vast majority not only from the opportunity to make money fast online but also from making available valuable information to others for free. And also from accessing similar information from others.

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It is the beginning of a new year and I can’t help remembering it as a time of angst when I worked in Corporate America. This was the time that people were spending hours writing up their accomplishments for the previous year. Managers it seemed only remembered what happened in the last month or two. Evaluations were done on a year’s worth of work. If you wanted your manager to remember the many good things you did earlier in the year, he/she needed to be reminded!

Appraisal time is dreaded by both managers and employees. In the 15 years that I worked in the sales and marketing division I think I actually saw my evaluation 3 or 4 times. Yes, I was supposed to sign it every year but I rarely had the opportunity. I’d usually ask my manager for a copy in February or March. Most of the time he would say it wasn’t finished yet. I’d persist for 3 or 4 months and then give up.

When I became a manager myself I wrote my share of evaluations. I did deliver feedback to many people who resisted anything negative and often got angry about it. I began to understand why managers hate appraisal time and why my appraisals were rarely shared with me!

As an employee I learned to write down my accomplishments during the year so I wouldn’t forget any. I also saw the need to underscore them with my manager at the time that they happened. As a manager I found it more beneficial to give feedback all through the year so the appraisal process became less contentious.

Caring firms learn to do the appraisal process year round. Giving feedback on both good and poor performance helps the firm and the employee grow. Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson in their book The One Minute Manager talk about catching someone doing something right and praising them for it. When was the last time you congratulated an employee for doing a great job?

A manager needs help an employee by explaining to the person what isn’t working. Recently I was told about an associate attorney who had worked for a partner on a project. When the project was completed the associate assumed the partner liked her work since the partner took it and never made any comments on it. The associate was terribly upset when several months later the partner told her that she (the partner) was disappointed in the associate’s work. To be effective feedback has to be given at the time that job is done not 3 months later. It also needs to be specific (I am disappointed that you didn’t proof read this document.) and not personal (Your work is sloppy.). The feedback gives the employee guidance on how to improve.

We want employees to be able to do a variety of tasks. If we penalize them when they make mistakes they will be reluctant to try anything new. The best way to learn is by doing. Managers need to make allowances when the person lacks experience. The work isn’t going to be perfect the first few times.

Clients frequently tell me that they may as well do everything themselves rather than spend the time to instruct their employee. If the job is going to be done only once and never again than perhaps my clients are right but if the job is repetitive it is worth the investment of time to teach another employee to do it. Training and feedback are both a big investment of time but the effort is worth it and both manager and employee will be happierespecially at appraisal time.

Take Action

1. Begin to keep a list of accomplishments for this year. You’ll be amazed at how much you achieve in a year and the list itself may inspire you to do more!

2. Begin to notice how many people you interact with during a day. Remember to give them feedback when they do a good job for you. How many people can you “catch doing something right”?

3. If you manage someone who is starting a new project, include feedback sessions into the project schedule and develop a way to honestly critique the work.

About Alvah Parker

Alvah Parker is a Business and Career Coach as well as publisher of Parker’s Points, an email tip list and Road to Success, an ezine. To subscribe send an email to join-roadtosuccess@go.netatlantic.com.

Parker’s Value Program© enables clients to find a way to work that is more fulfilling and profitable. She is both a Practice Advisor and Coach to attorneys, managers, business owners, sole practioners, and people in transition. Alvah is found on the web at http://www.asparker.com She may also be reached at 781-598-0388

American Holly Trees Hollies are very diverse. Holly plants can be successfully grown in all fifty states of the United States. There are hundreds of species of holly trees and shrubs. Holly plants come in all sizes, ranging from spreading dwarf holly shrubs to tall holly trees. Their shapes vary from rounded to pyramidal to columnar. There are many uses of hollies in the landscape. Holly are attractive in foundation plantings or as borders for garden areas. Holly trees and the taller holly shrubs have long been used as privacy screen hedges to screen out traffic or neighbors, or as accent plants on a lawn. In Solebury Pa., hollies tend to be eaten by deer. This is a major problem. Some Varieties such as Dragon Lady have sharp spines that repell deer.

Most hollies are evergreen, with deep green color making them attractive in the landscape. On our nursery we usually have 20 plus varieties available. You can see our web site at http://www.seedlingsrus.com or http://www.zone5trees.com

Who doesn’t go through problems in life? From the worry of bills to be paid, traffic, work, taking care of our families. Gosh…the demands of modern-day life seem so overwhelming. It’s no wonder several people are left dealing with depression in a quest to cope with these burdens.

Sometimes, these demands of life may aggravate strong emotions within us such as worry, fear, rage, hopelessness. Coincidentally, these are all symptoms of depression and as a consequence, dealing with depression remains a task that most of us have to undertake on a daily basis.

However, one very overlooked method of depression help and coping with its symptoms is quite simply a fast. It’s as old as the mountains and perhaps nothing comes close to restoring one’s emotional balance when dealing with depression as this powerful tool.

An observance of nature will show us that when animals are frightened or angered, they abstain from eating until after the passage of some time. Moreover, it is true that under stressful circumstances many civilized people refrain from eating and find in truth that they lack the desire for food, but it is also too often that most of us will eat large meals under these circumstances, which will be mostly disease forming foods to start with, that as a consequence, complicates or altogether halts an already retarded ongoing digestion.

This considered, perhaps the last thing you may want to do while dealing with depression-be it its causes or symptoms is to eat excessively, I may go as far as to say to even eat at all.

Worry, fear, anxiety, excitement, hurry, heated arguments at meals: all prevent the secretion of the digestive enzymes of the body and hinder not only digestion, but the whole nutrition process.

Perhaps, this is why according to the Bible, when most people were in grief or needed to be atoned with the Creator, they fasted. When used as a tool for dealing with depression, if combined with a powerful and faith driven prayer, fasting, my friends really unleashes the mental powers within us to solve our problems. It makes us come closer to our potential as true images of the Most High, and we can as a result see and think clearer as a step for a powerful and effective depression control method.

Fasting as a means of dealing with depression also greatly benefits one’s overall health as during its use, the digestive organs are given a rest. Moreover, the mind clears allowing for a disappearance of all moroseness. We re-discover peace of mind and tranquility and life’s difficulties are not as overwhelming.

So when problems seem to weigh in on us, when dealing with depression becomes an almost daily struggle for us, perhaps from all the indications above, the best thing to do will be to undertake a fast. It definitely won’t hurt and can help immensely.

Foras Aje is an independent researcher and author of Fitness: Inside and out, a book on improving physical and mental health naturally. For additional information on depression treatment go to www.bodyhealthsoul.com/depression.htm

Skiing in South America? What type of strange destination is that? Is not Argentina mostly about lakes than about skiing? In truth not. S. America is a continent which stretches from the equator south to Patagonia near the northernmost of Antarctica. Along the ridge of South America are the Andes Mountains. They’re amongst the most grand chains of mountains in the cosmos and when chain passes through the tropical zone, the mountains are always covered in snow.

S. America’s top skiing mountains are in Argentina and Chile with fantastic skiing deals. In the center of both of these countries you will be able to locate many snowboarding resorts. The most notable skiing resort in S.America is named by some Little Schweiz and whenever one pay a visit you’ll suppose that you’re in the Swiss alps with the charming Suisse chalets. The snowboarding mountain has apartments, a restaurant, pubs, and everything else to make a great skiing trip. The greatest ski area in S America is in Chile. Set barely 35 kilometres from the airport you will be able to arrive there with a swift ride having flown in non stop from a lot of cities not forgetting Dallas, Lyon, Frankfurt, LA and Manchester.

Remember the Eulogy projects we had to write back in High School? Death is a tough subject to broach, and many would rather deny death then embrace it. Someone once said, “…There are only two guarantees in life: Death and Taxes.” How true is this phrase? It is normally when we are faced with the imminence of dying or death that we only begin making plans or arrangements for our transition.

Having firsthand knowledge, it is very difficult to experience the physical death or passing of a loved one. It is even more taxing when you are subjected to last-minute funeral arrangements when physical death does occur.

To gain better insight in dealing with death, and to establish a better understanding of death altogether, I present the following:

I personally don’t like the word “death” myself; so I prefer to call it “transition.” While it is vital to focus on our living it is equally important to focus on our physical departure as well. We often view this passing as a permanent end to life. And, in all actuality, physical death after physical life is imminent. Like everything in nature, the cycle of physical life begins with physical birth and ends with physical death. Our earthly bodies are merely shells that provide housing to our living energy. Because energy is neither created, nor destroyed, it can only transform. So, in retrospect, physical death is the death of the physical being, but never the inner being, or soul. This is what I refer to as the “transition.”

That being said, we now redirect our attention to our transition plans. I never quite realized the meticulous details that surround death’s event. Funerals just don’t “happen.” They take planning, organization and a great deal of in-depth research and modus operandi. Just as painstakingly, we pre-arrange parties, receptions, births, and weddings. Of course, the aforementioned are much easier with which to deal. They are “living” and “vital” events, so we don’t mind contending with them. But mention the word, “death,” and suddenly, we shy away from it. We shelter ourselves from the reality of death as long as we can because we fear it.

Through my own experience, I’ve learned that the best way to deal with physical death is to embrace it. After all, it is a natural occurrence in human life. We cannot choose “Option C,” when we only have options A and B. Below our some common excuses people use with regard to funerals:

• “But I’m not dying - why should I plan for death?”
• “I’m too young to worry about that kind of stuff…”
• “It won’t be a big deal, I’m getting cremated anyway…”
• “I’ve got my whole life to live. Who cares about funerals now?”
• “Why should I worry about planning a funeral now? I need to focus on living instead…”
• “How can you even ask such a thing?”

Really, the above answers are an all-too-common means of running away from death. It is much easier to remain in denial. The truth is that anyone can die at any given moment - death is not picky. And remember, when - not if– our physical death does happen, we leave behind our legacies, our coworkers, families, friends and even our pets. Have we thought about them? Of course we have. We love the people and living creatures that are part of our lives. And the thought of being without them can be heartbreaking. The imprints we leave with them create a lasting and loving impression. The last thing we want our friends and family to do during our transition is to plan our individual funerals for us. Preplanning our funerals eases the financial and emotional burden on our family members and is one of life’s greatest virtues we can bestow (upon our families).

Funeral Arrangements are an Individual Choice

Ask yourself the following Questions:

• What will you wear?


• Cemetary or Mausoleum?
• Cremation?


• If you choose to be cremated, would you like your ashes placed in an urn or scattered?


• Embalmment?


• Church Services or Funeral Home Services?


• Do you wish to donate your body to those in need medically; scientific research, etc?


• Do you know what type of vault and casket you’d like?


• Do you prefer a viewing and/or funeral motorcade procession?


• Would you like someone to sing at your funeral?


• If you’re an Armed Forces Veteran, do you wish to be buried in a National or local cemetery? Would you like full Veteran burial?

These are just a few, detailed questions you will need to ask yourself when planning your funeral. Next items to research are cost. Remember that funerals can be as simple or elaborate as you wish - but do you have adequate life insurance to cover the cost? According to the National Funeral Directors Association (www.nfda.org/NFDA), 98% of American funeral homes offer preplanning options to families; and three ways individuals can prepay a funeral are:

1. A licensed funeral director can establish a regulated trust.


2. A life-insurance policy can be purchased, equal to the value of the funeral.


3. Individuals can establish a savings or certificate of deposit account earmarked for funeral expenses. The account can be designated as “payable on death” (POD) to the funeral home.

In addition to prepayment, the NFDA offers invaluable insight with their “Bill of Rights for Funeral Preplanning.” See their guidelines below:

“An ethical and reputable NFDA funeral home will ensure the following rights and protections:

Provide you with detailed price lists of goods and services before you make your selections.

Provide to you, at the conclusion of the funeral arrangement conference, a written statement listing all of the goods and services you have purchased and the price.

Give you a written preneed funeral contract explaining, in plain language, your rights and obligations.

Guarantee in the contract, that if any of the goods or services you have selected are not available at the time of need, goods and services of equal or greater value will be substituted at no extra cost.

Explain in the contract the geographical boundaries of the funeral home’s service area and under what circumstances you can transfer the preneed contract to another funeral home if you were to relocate, or if the death were to occur outside of the service area.

State in the contract where and how much of the funds you pay will be deposited until the funeral is provided.

Explain in the contract who will be responsible for paying taxes on any income or interest generated by the preneed funds that are invested.

Inform you in the contract whether, and to what extent, the funeral home will guarantee the price of goods and services you are purchasing. If the prices are not guaranteed, the contract will explain who is responsible for any additional amounts that may be due at the time of the funeral.

Explain in the contract whether and under what circumstances you may cancel your preneed contract and how much of the funds you paid will be refunded.

Because death, or transition, is inevitable it is our responsibility to make arrangements for our funerals before they occur. Though sometimes, a daunting task, preplanning our transition can be an enlightening experience that enables us to appreciate life that much more. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

For more information on options and preplanning funerals, please visit the National Funeral Directors Association at www.nfda.org. If you would like to share your story or experience, we always welcome your insights.

An insightful prose, titled Fly Away on “transition” can be read here: http://www.holisticjunction.com/displaypoem.cfm?ID=294

© 2005 - All Rights Reserved
Dying? Not Me! Why you should plan for Transition
By C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot

About the Author:

C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations Director & Staff Writer for Holistic Junction — Your source of information for Massage Therapy Schools, and Reflexology Schools; Alternative Healthcare; Insightful Literature and so much more!

NOTICE: Article may be republished free of charge as long as Author Resource Box is included, and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN in tact and active.

At present you can look into rates of interest quickly and image if there are possible traps you should know about. A merchant bank in Euless Texas or so may have a total completely different actual interest rate for a 15000 dollar bank loan then a bank in Arcadia California and that makes a huge clear gap in your monthly pay offs. This is the reason why now you really need to investigate and stick out if you can have a money loan at a effective percent rate. to see if the moneylender who you a loan is ok. Be wise today to check out if you have a nice special offer or if you don’t with the bank that offers you a bank loan. It doesn’t matter if you live in Jacksonville Florida or in Lancaster Pennsylvania a solid online examination will save you often lots of inconvenience. 10.3 percent rate of interest may come out so bonny but will it stay ceaseless after you have to pay back your money loan.

Translated in Dutch: Woon je in Haaksbergen of Oegstgeest en hebt u BKR codering. Lenen met en BKR codering is nog nooit zo eenvoudig geweest. Koop een andere auto met geld lenen met negatieve bkr registratie, 338982 euro is geen obstakel om te lenen. Van Schijndel tot Kapelle, financieren met zonder BKR is hier geen enkel probleem.

Lots of of the banks wil show you a loan rate that looks serious but doesn’t feel well or so after some time.

Recently, several suicides have occurred right here in my own hometown of about 16,000 people. The latest of these involved a friend of mine who was, among other things, the leader of a Christian Business Fellowship which I attend. He was a lawyer with a terrific wife, two young kids, very prominent in his church, coached little league baseball. As one can imagine, speculations abound - everything from possible chemical imbalances to unfair, unfounded comments which…well, small town gossip can be so mean-spirited.

These local suicides also have Christians from various camps wondering and discussing what happens after a Christian commits suicide. Some eMails I’ve received on this subject have included words like “unsettling”, “confused” and “disturbing.” Since we are the Body of Christ, “a body fitly joined,” as Scripture declares, when something happens here, it’s happening there. If it hasn’t hit your community square in the face just yet, chances are it will.

I’m reminded of the theme song from the TV series “M.A.S.H.” It was called “Suicide is painless.”

No, it’s not. It hurts a lot.

It’s hurting me.

Personally, I was raised believing that a Christian who killed themselves received a quick ticket to hell. The concept being that, since murderers would burn in hell, what was suicide but self-murder with absolutely no time for repentance?

Apparently, “Thou shalt not kill” referred even to the killing of oneself. This concept now strikes me as quite silly, for all sins…murder, suicide, gossip, slander, rage, infidelity…are all forgivable by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. By and large, that’s pretty standard Christian fare, right? To say otherwise is to imply that the crucifixion had no effect on some particular sins. As my own relationship with God has developed, I am now convinced that, as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, “Nothing can separate us from the love of God.” The Greek word for ‘nothing’ can best be defined as …well, NOTHING!

I found a half dozen cases of suicide in the Bible and the Good Book does not appear to condemn the act. The most notorious accounts were those of King Saul (1 Sam. 31:2-5) and Judas Iscariot (Matt. 27:3-5). Others are Abimelech (Judges 9:50-54), who ordered his armor-bearer to kill him, Samson (Judges 16:23-31), Ahithophel (2 Sam. 17:23), and Zimri (1 Kings 16:15-20). Even Elijah despaired of his own life (1 Kings 18:40; 19:4) and Job’s wife told him he’d be better off killing himself (Job 2:7-9).

Far as I can tell, none of these people who went through with it were explicitly condemned for taking his own life.

Most people who take their own lives are not usually cool and rational about it. I doubt many set out to flout the will of God. I’ve read that 500,000 Americans attempt suicide annually! I must believe that they are not so much choosing death as they are stumbling down into it from a steep slope of despair. Every 17 minutes someone in America commits suicide. This is the third-leading cause of death among people 15 to 25 years old, college students for the greater part. Even more tragically, among children between 5 and 14 years of age, suicide is the sixth most common cause of death.

Something’s VERY wrong.

People are hurting everywhere. we know this because, after all, hurting people are hurting people everywhere we turn. People need help. Maybe someone you know of, someone who puts up a pretty good front at work or even at Church, or even in your home, needs something more than a handshake or a pat on the back.

Love, after all, is spelled T-I-M-E.

So, give someone your attention today. Ask “How are you?” and pause, look them in the eye and await their response. Say their names in conversation and drop them an encouraging eMail. Every one of us is a potential lifesaver. As life guards are taught to handle drowning victims, let them kick and scream and thrash about, but let’s all try and be there when they decide they just can’t swim another stroke.

Please write team1min@aol.com and request Suicide parts 2 & 3

FORWARD the messages!

Pastor Michael has been broadcasting messages of Discipleship & Encouragement to the Body of Christ by email since 1999. Since then these messages have been published on numerous other sites, reprinted in paper newsletters belonging to other ministries, have been used as a source of teaching and preaching by ministers and Bible teachers worldwide, and have ministered to the Body of Christ of nearly every major denomination.