Horizons magazine is published by Presbyterian Women (PW) the national women’s organization of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Issue link: http://horizons.epubxp.com/i/52581
What events helped shape your fam- ily life? Describe any family tradi- tions that you hope will be carried on and explain why. What events helped hape who you are? Who were your friends, and why did you have a close bond with them? Who strongly influenced your life, and how? What events in your life brought you great joy? What lessons have you learned in your life? Describe difficult experiences in your life and what you learned from them. What are the most important decisions you have ever had to make in your life? What would you have done differently? Do you have any regrets? Your faith stories: What did your baptism mean to you? What did you learn in Sunday school? How often did you attend church? What denomination were you raised in, and what denomination did you raise your children in? What rituals in the church are most meaningful to you? Describe the teachings, val- ues and theological concepts that move you most, and explain why. Share the times when you felt God was present in your life. When did you feel abandoned by God, and how did you get through that time? When did you cry out to God? When your faith was challenged, how did you respond? Share the d ᑁᑃᑆᑄᑇᑅᑂᑃᑆᑀ ᑆ∀ᑤᑥᑙᑗᑧᑀᑕᑥᑧᑧ!ᑃ ᑐ#∀∀ᑥᑩᑣᑀᑖᑰ# ᑔᑗᑧ#ᑡ!ᑀᑰᑩ ᑐᑗᑱᑡ ᑁ !ᑡᑙᑰᑩᑠ ᑡᑠᑥ∀ᑥᑰᑩ ᑐ(ᑀᑐᑢ##(ᑀᑔᑂᑀᑐᑢᑩ ᑦ∃ ᑑᑢᑱᑣ#ᑩᑥᑧᑦᑁᑀᑖᑉᑈᑀᑒᑢ ᑑᑢ∀!ᑁᑀᑅᑃᑃᑆ 18 ᑖᑩ ᑕ%ᑥᑂᑁᑀᑅᑃᑃᑄ ᑓᑤᑡᑀᑆ∀ᑤᑥᑙᑗᑧ ᑕᑥᑧᑧᑀᑕ ᑥ∀ᑥᑩᑣ ᑇ#ᑥᑠᑡ ᑕᑰ ᑦᑘᑰᑰᑦ ᑐ(ᑀᑐᑢ##(ᑀ ᑔᑂᑀᑐᑢᑩ ᑦ∃ ᑦᑢ∀!ᑰᑩ∃ᑈᑀᑀᑓ!∃ᑢᑣᑢᑀ ᑑᑡᑨᑡᑨᑘᑡ ᑥᑩᑣ ᑖᑰ# ᑀᑒ∀ᑰ %ᑃ ᑅ ᑡᑗ∀ᑥᑩᑣᑀᑖᑰ# ᑉ∃ᑩᑀᑒᑱᑥ ᑥ∀#ᑗᑧ ᑄ#∀ᑰᑘᑥᑰᑣ ᑗᑱᑤ% ᑐ(ᑀᑘᑩᑤᑨᑢ#ᑥ ᑕ(! ᑀᑖ!#ᑧᑢ ᑗᑢ∃ᑨ∋ᑩᑰᑰᑦᑈᑀᑡ∀∀ᑦ#ᑀᑘ!!ᑱᑁ ᑅᑃᑃᑅ ᑓᑤᑡ ᑕᑡᑗᑧ∀ᑤᑀᑰᑢ ᑖᑰ# ᑀᑈᑥᑢᑡᑃᑀᑄ ᑒ∀ᑡᑱᑂᑘ%ᑂ ᑒ∀ᑡᑱᑀᑇ#ᑥᑠᑡ ᑢᑰ ᑀᑅ ᑡᑗ∀ᑥᑩᑣᑀᑖᑰ# ᑀᑆ∀ᑤᑥᑙᑗᑧᑀᑕᑥᑧᑧ ᑐ(ᑀᑙ&∃ᑢ ᑀᑐᑂᑀᑠ&# ᑣ&ᑰᑰ ᑑᑨᑢ#ᑰ!%%ᑦᑁᑀᑗᑑᑈᑀᑙᑢᑩ % ᑐᑦ ᑦᑥᑩᑤ%ᑁᑀᑅᑃᑃᑇ greatest moments of God's grace in your life. Write down your favorite Bible passages and hymns. Your values and your beliefs: What are your favorite sayings or quotations, and why? What do you hold sacred in your life? What wis- dom have you gained that you would like to share with your loved ones? What do you think the mean- ing of life is? Where do you stand politically, and why? Describe your view of the world. What do you want your loved ones to never take for granted? What are the pitfalls you hope your loved ones will avoid in life? What beliefs do you hope your loved ones will keep as the center of their lives? Describe the skills you believe are the most necessary for living well. What is the value of edu- cation and a career? What is your definition of success? What do you value most in life? What character- istics of others do you value most? Describe the ideals that found expression in your life. For what are you most grateful? What wishes do you have for your loved ones? What would you like to suggest to your loved ones? The closing: Do you wish to seek forgiveness from, or offer forgiveness to, anyone? Include those thoughts in your ethical will. Share your ardent wishes for your loved ones. What blessings do you wish to bestow upon your loved ones? What are your prayers for your loved ones? Let your loved ones know how much you love them. Then sign your ethical will. Although an ethical will is rather easy to write, it is one of the most valuable treasures that you will ever pass on to your loved ones. I encourage you to begin writing your ethical will today. Not only will it pass on your memories and values to your loved ones, but they will always have your words to cherish. Writing an ethical will is an act of love that will enable you to continue sharing your love with your family for the rest of their lives. Désirée M. Youngblood is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Paris, Kentucky. She has been interested in older adult ministries since she visited her first nursing home as an elementary school student. She currently serves on the executive committee of the Presbyterian Older Adult Ministry *Many of the ideas in this paragraph came from Barry K. Baines' material on ethical wills: "Ethical Wills: Preserving a Legacy of Values for Your Family and Community" (Minneapolis, MN, 2001). Visit www.ethicalwill.com for more information.