Before you roll your eyes, stop and think about what I’m saying: making funeral arrangements is a lot like hosting a social gathering (I hate to call it a party, but I will) and you have to do it when you’re feeling your worst. It’s almost inevitable some mistakes are going to be made, both in funeral planning and the follow-through. Unlike the aforementioned concept of a ‘party ’, the event you’re planning isn’t one where people mill about without direction, talking about themselves. It’s a … [Read more...] about How to Avoid Mistakes When Planning a Funeral Service
funeral planning
No Funeral, No Flowers: What I Learned Planning a Memorial Service
We recently had a death in the family. Our family matriarch. Grandmother. She lived a long, rich life and had made a list of specific wishes before she died. Cremation was preferred over burial. No funeral. No flowers. Have a party at the boat house at the lake. She had two songs that she wanted sung at the service. The Healing Power of Flowers at the Funeral We carried out her wishes, but had to bend the rules on funeral flowers. Flowers are so healing and we knew that a wreath … [Read more...] about No Funeral, No Flowers: What I Learned Planning a Memorial Service
Ashes in the Ink
Back in the day, cutting edge technology allowed our families to pose with the dear departed and record the moment for posterity. That idea faded and seems creepy now, but what about the background noise I heard this weekend? Snippets of reality tv with the Jackson Family Show trying to coordinate a very public gold- plated memorial service. Or the bit of a tattoo road show, featuring a gentleman who mixed a trace of his loved one's ashes into the ink and had a portrait style memorial … [Read more...] about Ashes in the Ink