Dear siblings in Christ,

Recently, someone my husband and I have known for decades died after struggling with cancer for several years.  While we grieve her death, her family has been left with tremendous burdens that didn't have to be.  You see, she left no will, no instructions for what she wanted, and no easy access to her finances.  She was not young, she knew that she was dying, and yet, did not get her affairs in order.  In this month of February, when we celebrate love at Valentine's Day, I implore you to perform a great act of love for your loved ones.  PLEASE make sure that in the event of your death, you ease the burden of grief for them by making your wishes known and by having things easy to find.

I know this is a difficult topic.  None of us like to imagine our death, but it is the one reality that each and every one of us will have to face eventually.  Our loved ones will be grieving enough without the added pain and anxiety of having to search our belongings to look for papers, find and pay for legal help with whatever kind of estate we have, and having to plan a funeral from scratch because we told no one what our wishes were.

Make sure someone you trust knows where your banking information and a copy of your will are kept (and if you don't have a will yet PLEASE get one - basic wills are relatively inexpensive).  If you don't want to pre-plan a funeral, at least make sure your wishes for your service are known.  Some time ago, I made available a "Funeral Information Sheet" and copies are kept on the usher's desk in the Fellowship Hall.  Take one, fill it out and give a copy to a loved one or the church office so there's one less thing that your loved ones have to deal with.  It's not pleasant to think about, but in taking these pretty simple steps you will prevent a lot of unnecessary pain for those you leave behind.

In Christ,
Pastor Holliday