Monday, December 1, 2014

Musings on a Monday Morning

I live in the Tampa Bay area of Central Florida. Yesterday was another Sunday with another loss by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If you live in the Cincinnati area, you are pleased with the win even if it was by a point. The papers and, especially the comment section of the papers, as well as the independent bloggers online are saying the same thing ... the modern game of football in the NFL has passed Coach Lovie Smith and he is but an "old school fossil." That is quite a damning statement considering the Coach spent one year out of the NFL (last year). Is this coded language to indicate that he perhaps is too set in his ways to accept change or too stubborn about how he manages the team? I really don't know, but my point is this... Can a Chaplain or Chaplain Manager/Supervisor come to the point when he or she is so set in their ways that new ideas of ministry or management can find only resistance? Can a Chaplain or Chaplain Manager/Supervisor be so old school that methodologies that really help a patient are simply missed. I have no problem with sticking by the tried and true, but I always want to be open to new ideas and perhaps even develop one myself so that the ministry of hospice spiritual care can go forward with greater effectiveness. In these current days, Chaplains will be looked to for providing guidance to their IDTs in how to respond to current cultural crises ... Ebola and the aftermath of Ferguson. Chaplains' pride and prejudices will have to be worked through to provide a coherent message for reconciliation, hope, and inner healing. I would like to wish those of other faith persuasions the best and most joyous of holy day celebrations: Ashura (Muslim); Bodhi Day (Buddhist); Hannukah (Jewish); Boxing Day (Canadian); Kwanzaa (African-American). To my Christian community, Merry Christmas. Bless you, Chaplains, as you carry out God's good work.

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