Gift-giving is a common topic as each year comes to a close. As people prepare to see loved ones or friends throughout the holidays, they often look for something special to give. It's more than a habit ingrained by corporate commercialism and marketing, though, and many seniors likely have fond memories of both giving and receiving presents during this festive season. Still, it's important for people of faith to remember the reason behind the season and why we give gifts to begin with.
Seniors of faith may have experienced one or more spiritual retreats in their lives. These often take place over a couple of days or a week. They bring together people of faith for fellowship, spiritual study, prayer and other activities designed to grow a person's relationship with God. While no one is ever too old to enjoy such a retreat, the expense and physical requirements for traveling to and participating in these activities may be prohibitive for some older adults.
Life-long people of faith might remember learning the Christmas story in Sunday school, hearing it via Advent calendars or performing it in countless plays and nativity reenactments. Even people who came to faith later in life have probably heard this story many times. It's easy to gloss over the talking points of the Christmas story because we know them so well and miss out on some of the most meaningful messages in these passages of Scripture.
Our faith-based senior living communities offer plenty of opportunities to engage with God in corporate worship. Church, devotionals and other activities are scheduled regularly for residents that want to participate, and many of our Bethesda Senior Living Communities have chaplains available for seniors who want to talk one-on-one about faith or growing with God. But older adults can also continue their faith journey in individual ways, including meditative prayer.
Almost everyone has experienced a bout of depression at some point in their life. The Bible holds answers to many questions, including ones about depression. There are several passages in the Bible that provide truths about depression that can help you through it.
The last Thursday in November is Thanksgiving. This is the day we reflect on our blessings and thank God for everything good in our lives. With problems and challenges, it's easy to get caught up in what we don't have and what we wish we could have instead of focus on what we do, but there are plenty of daily blessings we often forget to be thankful for.
For many, the holidays — including birthdays and anniversaries as well as the calendar and religious occurrences — can be a time of sadness. The staff at the Bethesda Senior Living Communities across the country work hard to keep the spirits of each community's residents upbeat and hopeful. You can help alleviate the struggles your loved ones go through during the holidays.
"Always be rejoicing. Give thanks for everything." 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18.Gratitude refers to the ability to show thanks for the things you have and the things you're grateful for. It helps you get closer to God by recognizing all the blessings in your life and makes it easier to focus on the positive.
Fall officially starts on September 22 this year, and it won't be long before we start to see the signs of its coming around our senior living communities. The days will shorten, the tree leaves will turn and autumn-themed events and decorations will flavor our daily lives.
Evening hours are always something special in Loveland, Colorado. As the sun slowly sets, the nearby mountain peaks gradually disappear into the twilight. Activities for the day are winding down, and residents head back to their apartments or suites. Perhaps you have the bed invitingly turned down and are looking forward to the evening news or a good book.
