Today, a friend of mime, Todd Hunter, had his Doctor of Ministry oral exam at George Fox University. We went through the DMin program together. He is now officially Dr. Todd Hunter. I am proud to announce his achievement.

My friend Dr. Eric Sandras, recently from the Great Northwest now moved to Lancaster, CA has written his second book where he tells his readers that they should pack their boxes and bags, call the moving truck, give the old place a good scrubbing down, and move from “spiritual suburbia” to…

Well you will have to buy and read Plastic Jesus to find out what moving from “spiritual suburbia” is all about.

It’s well worth the read and I would recommend you purchase the book for a personal read or for a small group read. You will enjoy Eric’s humor and his turn of phrase.

Thanks for sharing Eric.

Today I heard that a friend of mine, Debbie Hunter, lost here mom last week. I sent her a copy of the following that I wrote about ten years ago.

Life must continue for individuals who remain when a loved one dies. There are many adjustments which must occur. Mourning without guilt is a goal for all who are left behind. The following are the stages of grief in which people fluctuate. There is a normal movement from the first to the last, while at the same time there is vacillation.

• Shock and Emotional Freeze-Up. When a person dies, either expectedly or unexpectedly, the ones who remain are left in shock. Their emotions temporarily freeze. In this stage it is good to weep.
• Problem Distinguishing Between Fact and Fantasy. There is an expectation that the deceased will return at any moment. Many things will remind them of their loved ones. A person will sometimes live in a life of fantasy and think it to be fact.
• Emotional Flood Gates Open at the Most Unexpected Moment. Because people often restrain their emotions, they will often break at a later stage. One should not be ashamed of this occurring regardless of the place or time. It is usually uncontrollable.
• Association. The most difficult time a person lives through after a death is the special days like Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. During these times of association, grieving people need extra care. There are many things which arouse association. It is okay to ask for special care and attention during these times.
• Acceptance. At this point fact becomes real. This does not mean that emotions will not surge or associations will not occur. It does mean that the person remaining accepts the facts and faces life accordingly.
• Facing the Future. A person never gets over sharing life without someone else. However, one must adjust to life without the presence of the loved one. Set some goals, do some things you have always wanted to do (Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth, On Death and Dying. 1969).

My friend Jim Henderson is hosting two Off-The-Map Conferences. Here is some important information for you.

The Generous Orthodoxy Conference(s) coming up in Washington DC on Oct 7-8 and in Seattle Washington Nov 4-5.

Brian McLaren, author of A Generous Orthodoxy will be presenting at the conference along with Jim Wallis (East) and Deborah Loyd (West) .

Note: If you register by September 4, you will get early bird price of $119. Group tickets (minimum of 3) brings it down to $99 (West Coast). Register Here.