Author: Carrie Dameron

NCFI Cares: Tangible Joy!

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Tangible Joy!

As we enjoy the advent hope and joy of the Christmas season, let’s keep in mind those who may be feeling isolated and alone. This is especially true for patients in a hospital, residents in care facilities, and/or anyone separated from their family and traditions. It is hard to find the Christmas spirit when people are grieving the death of a loved one, battling a chronic illness, or overwhelmed by distressing physical symptoms.

As health care providers we are each person’s connection to not only the joy of the season, but also the living heart of God. This holiday season reach out in tangible caring ways to bring the love of Christmas to someone in your nursing care. Maybe it is a small Christmas tree to decorate their hospital room, warm gloves and coat for a patient in your clinic, or spending time to reminisce with the older adult about their Christmas pasts.

These are just a few ideas and I am sure there are other tangible caring ways to connect with patients/families/residents during the holiday season. Please share your ideas or ways you bring the tangible joy Christmas to patients at NCFI Facebook

Merry Christmas from NCFI!

Luke 2:11 “Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord.”

 

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Memorializing Our Loved Ones

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Brooke photo

Brooke’s Hiking Group Bracelets

I was chatting with a student when I noticed she had a pink bracelet. She went on to share with me that a dear friend of hers, Brooke, had just passed away. The student had made their hiking group bracelets and then went to Brooke’s favorite hiking spot–to pray, meditate, and remember her. The group photo shows the hiking group wearing their memorial bracelets.

I am always touched and blessed by the amazing ways people honor those their deceased loved ones. Whether the loved one is friend, family, or colleague those of us who miss them want to honor them and connect with them. I have been collecting various ways that is done. I think part of the reason, is I want to find a way to memorialize my sister.

 

My SISTER bracelet & cowboy boot charm

I have included a picture of my SISTER bracelet, that is the exact match of hers. I had purchased them many years ago. When Debbie passed away, I retrieved hers to keep. I still wear mine at times.  I also have been collecting charms that remind me of her.

 

She was cowgirl and loved her cowboy boots–so when I was looking at various charms–I had to have this one.

 

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Sticker placed in Rear Car Window

 

I hope you enjoy a few ways I have discovered. I included a thoughtful way to share your love and loss with others–a memorial sticker.

 

 

Feel free share ways you honor or memorialize your loved ones

NCFI Cares: Looking for the One

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When I was new nurse working in a hospital I was shocked at the negativity that some of the nurses had towards their patients and their profession. I was excited to be a nurse and knew that the Lord had brought me through many personal trials to be able to graduate and become an RN. There were very few Christians around, so I also lacked fellow believers to guide and support me.

So, I prayed. I prayed against acquiring a bitter, complaining attitude (Eph. 4:31); and I prayed to keep the passion for nursing and a heart for patients God had given me (John 15:12). Then, one day I was reading a nursing type periodical and seen an advertisement to connect with a local Nurses Christian Fellowship in my area. I knew this was an answer to prayer. I immediately called the number and connected with other Christian nurses. This was over 22 years ago. Through my need and my prayers, as well as the group’s prayer, Jesus connected me to NCF USA. I am now part of NCFI and am connected to all of you—Nurses who love Jesus and love nursing!

I tell this story to remind all of us that there are nurses everywhere who need fellowship and support in maintaining their faith and passion for Christian nursing. They may feel discouraged and challenged to live out their love of Christ in their workplace. Jesus taught us to leave the 100 to find the 1 (Matt. 18:12). Thus we need to pray AND actively find ways to seek out those who need encouragement. Whether it is personally, locally, or nationally—seek out a sister or brother who needs YOU

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NCFI Cares: Resistant to Hope

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With burning hatred Saul traveled to Damascus seeking to imprison and destroy the radical disciples of the Way. During the journey Jesus miraculously intervenes and blinds Saul. Dazed and confused Saul spends three days in holy darkness amazed by his encounter with the Christ (Acts 9:1-9).

Biblical scholars are confident that Saul had met Jesus before. Even though scripture does not tell us, Saul knew about the labeled “trouble maker” Jesus. It is also quite possible Saul had seen Jesus perform miracles and heard his teachings. Nonetheless, Saul’s heart had remained resistant to the Messiah—Israel’s fulfilled hope. It took a drastic post-resurrection encounter with the All Powerful (Revelation 1:8) to expose Saul’s heart to the true identity of the Messiah.

We all have family, friends, and even colleagues who have closed their heart to the truth of Jesus. Like Saul they may know Jesus, but are blind to the grace and love found in our Savior (2 Corinthians 4:4). Let’s stay steadfast in prayer and love for those who need a powerful encounter to see beyond the man or the myth to experience the tangible hope found in Jesus.

Choose one person you can bring the love of Christ to.

Grace & Peace,

Carrie

When Hope Is Lost: Part 2

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In the Part 1, we loaded our backpack of hope with a various nursing interventions. In Part 2, we focus on bringing hope to our patients through spiritual care for both Christians and non-Christians. As followers of Christ, we may hesitate to provide spiritual care interventions for those of other faiths. This is where our spiritual care experts can be consulted. Whether it is a hospital chaplain or coordinator, these wonderful men and women are partners in encouraging our patients. They also have the time to sit and chat with a patient, a challenge for the busy aJCN Covercute care nurse.

Also, included with the article is Supplemental Digital Content–listing specific resources for nurses looking for additional books, websites, etc.

I would enjoy discovering other interventions in your backpack of hope–feel free to share other ways you facilitate hope for your patient.

 

Click on the JCN cover to see all the articles in Christian Nursing 101 Collection!

Dash of Poetry for the Holiday

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Tick, Tock,
I can hear the clock.
The calendar pages are ripping,
Day by day,
It comes.

Grave marker w/ xmas tree

Bright, lights
I can see the trees
The season is approaching
Gift by gift,
It comes.

Beat, Beat,
I can feel my heart
The anxiety is mounting
Step by step
It comes.

Grief, grief
I can feel my loss
The sorrow is drowning
Tear by tear
It comes.

Wait, stop
Reach for Him
The prayer is lifting
Moment by moment
It is here

 

*The holiday season can be a difficult time, especially after the death of a loved one. Reach out and get the care you need.  Here are links to my “go to sites.”

  • Kara specific for death of loved ones–all ages

The link includes “Holiday Survivorship Skills”

The link includes s/sx of grief, complicated grief, etc.

NCFI Cares: Hope that Shines

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As I write this, the world news includes devastating volcano in Japan, militant wars in Syria, student protests in Hong Kong, and if that isn’t enough an ever spreading Ebola virus. It is hard not to get worried or anxious about these and other troublesome current events. Yet, fear is exactly what steals our hope and sends us in a panic. Fear or worry comes from ourselves and the Enemy (Romans 8:15; 2 Timothy 1:7). Instead, the Lord gives us strength, courage and peace (1 John 4:8). “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

No matter what is happening in our community, nation, or across the globe, God is in charge. His hand is still on the calendar and he knows exactly what is occurring (Isa 14:27; Psalm 33:11; Prov 19:21). In fact, our work for the kingdom, nor his plan never changes. It may currently look different and take place in unsafe areas, but our purpose is the same—to be the hands and heart of Jesus to our patients and colleagues.

Let’s continue to outwardly express our confidant joy in hope maintaining a steadfastness in faith while continually persisting in prayer for one another (Romans 12:12). So that, our firm faith can be a hopeful light to others during these scary times.

Grace & Peace,

Carrie

Healing is a necessary process

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What a great reminder that healing is a process and even more so for the “wounds of the heart.” I was mentioning to a fellow author writing about grief…Grief lasts a lifetime. For we (the living) continue on experiencing our life void of our loved ones.

NCFI Cares: Hope in Thankfulness

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Like love and faith our hope grows and blossoms (1 Corinthians 13:13). One of the ways we can nurture hope in our lives is through thankfulness.  Identifying the simplest things in our lives and thanking our Father God for them fosters hope, even when we are buried beneath the trials of life. This is also true for our patients struggling with illnesses and diseases.  When we struggle to find something to be thankful for, we can pause and thank the Creator for our existence and the necessities of air and water for life. No matter what our situation or our patient’s circumstances there is always something to be thankful for.

An excellent passage for thankfulness is Psalm 136. Famous for its repetitive refrain “his steadfast love endures forever” or “his loving kindness endures forever,” the psalm states “Give thanks to the Lord for…he is good…God of gods…does great wonders, etc. The psalm continues with a history lesson of the Israelite s relationship with God. This is our Lord, who has and continues to write a historical narrative in our lives.  We discover the sustained hope when we remember how the Lord has worked in our past (Lam 3:21).

 

Take time this week and read Psalm 136 and “Give thanks to the Lord for __________________ filling in the blank with how the Lord has demonstrated his “steadfast love” in recently in your life.

p.s. Want to discover how to encourage hope for your patients?  Check out three articles from the Journal of Christian Nursing. Importance of Hope; When Hope is Lost Part 1 & Part 2.  

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What does cinnamon candy & cheese slices have in common?

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One thing about memories is you can’t control when they will pop into your mind. This is especially true for memories of our departed loved ones. A recent example illustrates this point. I love all kinds of cinnamon candy and the hotter the better.  I recently discovered that my husband loves them too, as he was eating two and three cinnamon breath mints at a time. WOW! That’s even too hot for me!

We were reminiscing about the different cinnamon candy and treats that were available when we were in high school—remember the cinnamon toothpicks! As we chatted about the hottest cinnamon candy and comparing the intensities of Jolly Ranchers to cinnamon bears, red hots and hot tamales, I remembered a funny event involving Debbie and I.

About 18 or so years ago my husband and I, with our two daughters drove back to Wyoming to visit my sister. We had pulled an all-nighter, peddle-to-the ground road trip driving straight through from California. We arrived at Debbie’s house at about 4 am and immediately crashed into bed.cinnamon jolly ranchers

When I woke up a few hours later, I went looking for my purse. I found it by the front door,where upon my exhausted arrival I had dropped it. Next to my purse was Debbie’s purse similar in style. Upon closer inspection both purses contained a bag of cinnamon Jolly Ranchers.  It was hilarious! Living so far apart and not being able to “spend time”together we were both amazed by our similar tastes in styles and snacks!

As I was learning about my husband’s love for cinnamon candy, this heart-warming memory surfaced. How sisters separated by years and miles, were seemingly genetically engineered to love cinnamon Jolly Ranchers. Even now, the memory brings a smile to my face.

The sliced cheese is an even older story that my mom loves to tell. When Debbie was about 2 years old, she loved those individually wrapped American cheese slices. Maybe love is not a strong enough word—she craved those little slices. One day, she walked over to the neighbors, politely knocked on their door and asked for a slice of cheese.  My mother had visited the neighbor in the past who had kindly given my sister a slice of cheese. Well, in a 2 year old’s mind, why not go back for more!

Both of these sweet memories of my sister came into my heart and mind this week; and I feel blessed. The main reason these are joyful memories is I am at a good place in my grief, so that missing her stirs happy moments. Thank you, Lord!