One year ago, I moved to Las Cruces. A new (now dear) friend, Carol, opened her home to me as I prepared to start a new job. My family did not move until June, and finding a hospice job happened quickly. For almost three months, I came to Cruces on Sunday nights and went home to Belen on Fridays to pack and prepare our home to move. In the latter part of my temporary move, another new friend from our new church, Kathy, opened her home to me. To say I was blessed with places to stay is an understatement. I didn’t have the pressure of renting a place to stay, and I can never repay Carol and Kathy for their hospitality.
The night before my first day of work on April 7, 2025, I drove by the office to make sure I knew where to go the next morning.
The hospice office is across the street from the church where my husband would assume the role of Senior Pastor in June.
Yes, I believe the Spirit was affirming my new job and impending move for my husband’s new church appointment and our family. I felt a sense of peace overwhelm me that night, and it calmed my heart as I prepared to start my new position as a chaplain with High Desert Hospice.
It is amazing how much can happen in a year. I am so grateful to be part of this hospice team. My colleague (and friend) Cera is a joy to work with. She has a tremendous spirit and understanding of hospice care. I have learned a lot from her and look forward to each day. The nurses, social workers, CNAs, volunteer coordinator, and liaison care deeply for their patients. I am so glad to be part of the team.
As one year has passed, I look forward to another. There are hundreds of patients yet to meet, funerals to officiate, hands to hold, and stories to hear, and with God’s love and grace, I have the gift of showing up in those moments when people need comfort and compassion. Being involved in chaplaincy is a gift I didn’t know I needed.
May you be blessed with wonderful people surrounding you.
May your work be meaningful and purposeful.
And may you find joy in the middle of the yuck, because work isn’t always fun.
Peace be with you in your work, your relationships, and your encounters in the world.
