October Activity: The Sky Is Falling

                                   This is my mother's casket piece--she loved crosses.

There are two important "life conversations" that we often dread and try to avoid.  One is "the talk" with our children--you know the one about the birds and the bees.  The other talk we avoid is less commonly known but also very important, the "funeral arrangements" talk.  Let's talk about the latter.  At our recent Relief Society Activity, The Sky is Falling, Jennifer Tingey taught about the financial, legal, emotional and spiritual aspects of loss.

I admit, I am going to have to cheat a little here because I missed the activity due to play rehearsal.  Sherri Rosengren mentioned on Facebook that afterwards she went home and asked her husband some deep questions.  When I asked her what she meant, she said questions about funeral arrangements.  Have you had this discussion with your loved ones?

My mother passed away over the summer.  She had always said that when she died she wanted, As We Gather at the River played at her funeral, and she wanted to be buried with her boots on.  She got both of her wishes.  Are there things that are important to you about your death and funeral?

I'll go first.  I would really like to donate my body to science.  (My husband won't have it though.)  I still think it both a service, and dare I say it?  Frugal?  Personally, I dread the idea of a lot of money being spent on my death.  My sister feels very differently and for her son, and my mother's funerals she "went all out".  I don't think either way is right or wrong.  The important thing is that you communicate your wishes to the people that will be making those difficult decisions when you are gone.

I know we all hope to live to be 80 or 90.  My mother was 70 when she died, and my aunt, who is close in age, said that 70 is too young to die.  Still we do not know how many years we are appointed on the earth, so it's best to have "the talk" early.  Do you want to be an organ donor?  To whom would you like your most treasured belongings to go to?  Where do you want to be buried?

If you missed the meeting, there are some handouts available through the RS Presidency.  If you are in exile, one of the other organizations and don't see them on Sunday, feel free to leave a note here in the comments and I will pass your name along.

Now, go on have "the talk" with the people you are closest to.  You will be glad you did.

P.S. On a related note: at my mother's funeral, my sister taught me something beautiful about care-giving.  You can read about it here:  Monday Mitzvahs: What My Sister Taught Me About Caregiving

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Notes, announcements and what not--

And we're back!  Sisters, I apologize about the blog vacation--lapse? sabbatical?  whatever--we're back up and running that's the important thing.

Our next Relief Society activity will be a dinner, November 14.  More details to come . . .

The annual ward Trunk or Treat is Oct 25th at the Kentwood building.  There will be a chili cook-off before the candy.  Back your cars in with the trunk to the sidewalk and then all the kiddos can walk on the sidewalk (rather than through the parking lot) to gather their loot!

Ensign Chorus and Symphony Oct 21st--Amy Jackson and Jenni Warner are both involved.  :)

Fiddler on the Roof--the stake musical is quickly approaching, Oct 24, 25, and 26.  Admission is free (you can't beat that) but keep in mind there are a couple elements that could be frightening for children, i.e. there is a ghost, and a little violence.  Several members of our ward are involved.  Melanie Broadbent and Ammon Nelson have lead roles (and they are both fantastic).

And finally the RS lesson this week will be Lesson 20!

If you have a blog that you would like me to list on the column on the right, or announcements you'd like included here, please let me know.  You can leave a comment or email me at gmail, it's lesliesillusions.