Group is the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 PM in the Pastoral care conference room. Anyone is welcome to come, but do like an RSVP prior to meeting. If you have been coming, you need not call, unless you will not be able to make it. If you have any questions, just give us a call.
Faith Lodge opened the summer of 2008. It is opened to families who have a child with a serious illness, or have experienced the loss of a child within the last three years. You need to be referred by a member of a healthcare team or faith community, a mental health professional or an approved support organization such a The Ronald McDonald House, and I am sure they would accept you from our TLC Support group. You may stay Tuesday through Saturday for one to five nights once during each calendar year, depending on availability. Specific information can be found on the website—www.faithlodge.org----- or phone 715-866-8200. A suggested minimum donation of $25/night is requested, however, no one will ever be turned away for financial reasons. Many times organizations or church groups may sponsor a couple. This is a wonderful place for renewal and healing. Hope Lodge is located in Danbury WI. You may also contact me if you have questions that I can answer. Sherokee Ilse who wrote, Empty Arms will be a speaker at the Lodge in April/May next year and possibly in October. Some of the weekends will be free. Please let me know if this might interest you and we could refer you to the Lodge. (Lucy)
This letter will probably come during Christmas week, or even afterwards, and we talked about doing what is best for you during the Holidays or even starting new traditions. So now, we will talk about the New Year and what it can mean for you. We always have all these New Year’s resolutions. Many we don’t ever do. Others, we try our hardest to improve ourselves. I think resolutions for the families who have had a loss in the past year are very important. It is important to take time to reflect and see where you are in the grieving process. If you feel you are making little progress, you need to revamp and think of ways to get on with your life. Your child is not going to be forgotten. Your child is always in your heart and mind. Life does goes on. You have to start living life again. You might need to make only small changes at a time. Suggestions: The first week, ask God to help you understand the loss. The second week, ask yourself where you are in the grieving process. Do you spend a lot of time crying? Are you still very angry? Are you able to function in your job or in your family position? The third week, try one new thing you haven’t done for a long time since your loss, like going out to lunch with a friend. The fourth week, if you are still not coping very well, ask yourself if you need further help such as a visit with your OB doctor, a psychologist, a clergy person, or going to a support group. Taking medications on a temporary basis might be all you need to get back on track. One of our TLC moms said, she was having a very difficult time and she went on Birth Control pills that kind of put her hormones back into place, and she was able to cope a lot better. If a good friend or family member is giving you a hard time, then tell yourself it is okay to not have contact with that person for a while. There are so many more things you can do for yourself. Computers are wonderful for finding information on infant loss, as well as chat rooms with other moms who have had a loss. However, if you aren’t sure what is being said is truthful, then go to a reliable source to check out the information. You are the only one who can change your life. Use the New Year to make these changes. Have a wonderful new year with many Blessings and Hopes for a bright future. (Lucy)
Loving You by Chaplain Rebecca Belt
Love was born in our hearts;
In our union;
In the womb
Love grew to the dance of joy,
Sparkling with hope,
And dreams unfolding to the sky.
Love waited: full of anticipation;
Preparing for love’s arrival;
Expecting a starry future.
Then the day came--- the day of darkness;
The day that stole our stars and
Shattered our dreams.
Love’s deep shadows: the whimpering silenced;
The crib empty; and
Our baby gone---forever.
Love grieves—with arms aching to hold you;
A heart of relentless longing; and
Tears that never stop flowing.
Love’s hope is the grace to remember;
To whisper you name; and
To cuddle you in our hearts.
Love sustains: soothing the soul
With healing to laugh and celebrate
Amid the memories.
Love transforms--- we will never be the same;
You have carved your footprints on our hearts.
You will never be forgotten.
Beverly Krueger can make a bear out of a special blanket, blankets, outfit or anything that your baby might have worn. This probably would be more for moms who had a NICU loss. Her address is 1226 Prospect Ave. Marion, WI. 54950 –phone no 715-754-2097. If this would interest you, give her a call. It is called Bears From The Heart.