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10 Celebration of Life Ideas That Bring Joy and Comfort

kurt@serenicare.com (Kurt Gentry) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 20:04:52 GMT

10 Celebration of Life Ideas That Bring Joy & Comfort

Losing a loved one is a difficult time in life. There is the pain of loss and so many uncertainties. Something that resonates the most with people is dealing with the grief of no longer spending time with that person. It can be tough to face the reality of missing your loved one. Some ways help channel that grief into something beautiful and healing. One answer that allows people to process their loss is through a celebration of life service.

What is a Celebration of Life?

A celebration of life is an event held to honor and remember the life of someone who has passed. Depending on the needs and wishes of the family members, a celebration of life service can be held in addition to a traditional burial or cremation.

The setting is typically less formal than a funeral service, with a more positive atmosphere. Friends and family celebrate their loved one's life and share memories. The goal of a celebration of life is to create a meaningful event to honor your loved one's memory and give space for grieving family and friends to share in the joy that their loved one's life brought them.

Are Celebration of Life Services Right for Your Family?

As celebration of life services aren't a traditional funeral service, you may ask yourself if they are right for your family. There are some benefits to celebrating life service to consider when deciding.

Firstly, you can set the location and tone for their celebration of life. They can be held at any venue, like a church or even a location significant to your loved one. Pick a place important to your family and helps create the atmosphere you want for the celebration.
A second benefit of celebration of life services is the ability to choose meaningful activities for the event. These can range from sharing pictures and memories to holding music or other performances in their honor.
Third is the flexibility of time. When someone first passes, there is a rush to sort out the necessary details. However, when it comes to celebrating life, you can take time to ensure that everything goes how you want. Some life celebrations are even held after the burial or cremation services.
As a final note, one of the biggest benefits of a celebration of life service is holding a space that reflects the personality and passions of the deceased. This honors their life and gives a place for family to grieve and comfort one another. These services are good for dealing with grief and finding a path to acceptance.

Of course, with all the freedom of this personalized funeral service, you may face analysis paralysis. Here are 10 ideas to help you create your celebration of life plans in Utah.

10 Celebration of Life Ideas to Bring Joy and Comfort

Make a memory table or wall: Create a photo wall or showcase keepsakes and mementos that help tell the story of your loved one's life.
Serve Favorite Food and Recipes: At the function, you can consider serving your loved one's favorite food and even some of their favorite family recipes.
Create a Memorial Garden: Plant a living tribute to your loved one with flowers and trees. To make it more significant, you can use their favorite plants.
Release Balloons, Butterflies, or Lanterns: By releasing these things into the air, they can symbolize letting go while honoring their spirit. Just ensure to follow safety guides and laws.
Share Memories & Stories: Consider setting up an open mic time at the celebration for guests to share personal stories and memories.
Make a Video Tribute: Showcase moments of their life through video, photo, and music in a slideshow or short film. You can even record and display videos of close friends and family sharing memories.
Make a Donation in Their Honor: You can encourage guests to make donations to a cause or organization, especially if it is significant to the life of your loved one.
Create Personalized Keepsakes for Guests: It's also a good idea to help people after the celebration of life. You can make small tokens such as bookmarks, candles, or other memorabilia to comfort people even after the event.
Use Their Favorite Music: You can play their favorite songs at the event or even put on a performance of a significant piece of music.
Engage in Activities They Loved: Organized the event around a theme or activity. For example, if they like the outdoors, plan a hike to Ensign Peak or spend time on the Great Salt Lake.

Planning Tips for a Celebration of Life

Ultimately, whatever you choose to do to celebrate the life of your loved one is up to you. We want to share a few tips to help you plan a celebration of life.

Anything you plan should be in accordance with your loved one's personality and wishes. Try to involve family members and friends as much as possible in the planning. Don't let the planning overwhelm you; it does not need to be perfect. A celebration of life aims to create a warm, inviting atmosphere of healing and joy.

Ready to Honor a Life with Meaning? We’re Here to Help

A celebration of life is up to you; it is up to you how you want to remember and honor your loved one. We hope these ideas helped you develop your plans for a celebration of life. If you need help planning and organizing a celebration of life or want to plan one ahead of time, SereniCare Funeral Home is here to help you with anything you need.

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

SereniCare: the Most Affordable Funeral Home in Northern Utah

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 17:50:07 GMT

SereniCare: the Most Affordable Funeral Home in Northern Utah

Thinking about and preparing for a funeral is a challenging endeavor. Losing a loved one is the most tender and challenging in anyone's life. Sometimes, the grief of losing a loved one can be compounded by the stress and cost of planning a funeral. That is why SereniCare Funeral Home is committed to providing the best affordable funeral services and care in Northern Utah.

We go above and beyond to serve those who have lost loved ones. We do all of this to make this tough time a bit lighter. Here, you will see how we provide the most affordable funerals and services in Northern Utah.

Focused On Service

We first want to outline our desire to serve. Our cost-effective funeral options benefit the deceased's family and friends. Having worked with many Northern Utah families over the years, we know the financial burden that funerals can pose. We strive to give unparalleled service at affordable costs. So whether you are looking for traditional service, cremation, veteran service, or personalization, we do not compromise on the quality of our service.

Understanding the Costs of Funerals

If you are not aware, a lot can go into funeral services. These items can add up and overwhelm a grief-stricken family that is already dealing with its loss. It is important to understand what services are offered and their cost so that funeral planning can go smoothly. Depending on the service chosen, these costs can include a casket, burial, cremation, or personalization requests.

Services Offered By SereniCare Funeral Home

As Northern Utah's most affordable funeral home, we offer several services that help people prepare, honor, and lay to rest their loved ones. Below are some of our service options and additional information.

Cremation Services

We offer cremation and direct cremation services if affordability is a high priority. These may differ from most people's first choice but provide the most affordable options. Simple direct cremations, in particular, start at $875. Other costs may be added for a state cremation permit and ID viewing. This price includes taking your loved one into our care, having an in-person consultation, processing paperwork, and using SereniCare's full aftercare services.

Traditional Funeral Services

A traditional funeral can be held in a chapel, a church, or other venue. We work closely with you to design services that honor your loved one's life. Our basic traditional funeral plan is $2975. This service includes transfer and care of the body, viewing, funeral ceremony in a facility of your choice, use of a funeral coach, graveside service or committal, facility and gravesite preparation, transport of flowers in the funeral car, guest registry book, and audio recordings.

Veteran Services

SereniCare proudly acknowledges the sacrifices made by those serving our country. We offer robust and flexible veteran funeral services. Our staff is committed to helping families complete the necessary forms to obtain benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for deceased veterans.

We also help coordinate military honors for funerals and memorials. This can include playing "Taps," rifle detail, color guard, and uniformed service members who fold and present the US flag to the family.

Veterans Affairs burial benefits can help cover burial, funeral, and transportation costs. Visit our veteran services and benefits page to learn more.

Personalization

With many of our services, family and friends have many ways to personalize their loved one's funeral. This can be done to remember moments spent together and highlight qualities that they are remembered for. When personalizing services, consider hobbies, interests, and meaningful places.

There are a few ways that these items can be included in a service. You can display photos and albums for visitors and family members to see. Meaningful videos can be created and displayed, even saved to a USB drive for a wonderful keepsake. Artwork can be displayed in honor of your deceased. Music can invite a lot of meaning to a funeral service. We can even help organize readings of poetry and literature that encapsulate the memory of your loved one.

We Offer Affordable Options Because We Care

As we have emphasized, our affordability comes from our desire to serve grieving families. We aim to help families through this difficult time and give them the best services they could hope for. In addition to what was listed in this article, there are even more service options and packages. We invite you to explore our webpage to see how we can help you.

SereniCare Funeral Home is here for you. Call us today, and we will help you select the right services. We promise to give you the best service and be the most affordable funeral home in Northern Utah.

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

Grief Comes in Waves, Like Contractions

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 17:34:48 GMT

Grief Comes in Waves, Like Contractions

My nephew Preston died by suicide two weeks ago. It’s been a very sad time for my family, one full of anguish and grief. We have shed many tears, and I know more will come.

My sister says she is having good days and bad days. Days when grief hits so hard it takes her to her knees again and again. But she’s working on reframing her “bad” days into necessary days. I remind her this is all part of the process.

I remember when I was having my babies, I felt a contraction coming, and I would breathe through it. The contraction was so painful, but it was part of the process of getting my beautiful babies here. I didn’t fight against its reality. I just felt all of the pain of it, breathed, accepted, and watched the wave of pain come and then subside. I never thought, “Nope, this shouldn’t be happening.”

Grief hits the same way. It’s a feeling wave, and it’s good to remember that it’s all part of the process and that it can’t hurt you.

Feelings are just vibrations in your body. And your body is equipped to handle any emotion. So instead of saying, “Nope, this shouldn’t be happening,” let go of the resistance to the grief.

Allow it. Love yourself through it.

When grief comes, there is no need to be mad at yourself or consider it a “bad” day, moment, or hour. Grief is the price of loving someone so much.

Take Care,

Melinda

Visit Melinda Welch Coaching

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

Short Guide to Keepsake Urns

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 14:54:08 GMT

Short Guide to Keepsake Urns

Keepsake urns can make a wonderful choice for many families. Let's learn more about these unique urns and if they are right for you and your family.

When shopping for your loved one’s urn , you may come across something called a keepsake urn. These urns are very popular; many families choose them for various reasons. However, if you are unfamiliar with them, you may not know if they are the best choice for you and your family. To help you decide, cremation service providers in South Salt Lake and Northern Utah, are here to help.

What is a Keepsake Urn?

Keepsake urns are urns that are much smaller in size. Their purpose is to hold just a portion of your loved one’s ashes so they can be divided among several people. With standard urns coming in at 200 cubic inches, keepsake urns are much smaller, with only 50 cubic inches of space. There are even smaller keepsake urns that have one single cubic inch of space.

What Are Keepsake Urns Made Of?

Just like standard-sized urns come in a variety of materials, keepsake urns are the same. Therefore, they can be made from materials such as glass, stone, metal, and wood.

Where Do You Keep a Keepsake Urn?

Most people keep their keepsake urns on display in their homes. This could be on a bookshelf, mantle, or other piece of furniture. It could be located in the living room, home office, bedroom, or any other room they see fit.

Keepsake Urns You Can Wear

Families who would like something a little different might consider cremation jewelry. These pieces of jewelry are very small keepsake urns. Depending on the piece of jewelry, the ashes will be located in different areas. For example, the pendant is empty in a cremation pendant and acts as a pouch where ashes will be poured into. Other pieces, such as bracelets, a tube, or a chamber, may be filled with ashes as part of the design.

Are Keepsake Urn Choices Limited?

You may think that since these types of urns are smaller and maybe not as common as standard display urns, the choices for designs may be limited. However, today, there are tons of styles, designs, and choices to choose from when it comes to keepsake urns.

Special Considerations

It is very important to take into consideration your loved one’s religious beliefs and well as thoughts when it comes to separating and diving the ashes. Some religions, while they accept cremation, believe that remains should not be separated. Consider their beliefs before dividing your loved one’s ashes into keepsake urns.

Consider A Keepsake Urn

Keepsake urns can be a wonderful option for many families. Since the ashes can be divided, allowing several family members to have a special piece of their loved one is a nice option. Just make sure the act of dividing the ashes doesn’t go against any religious or personal beliefs of your loved one.

To learn more about keepsake urns and cremation services in South Salt Lake and Northern Utah, give SereniCare Funeral Home a call or come by anytime. Our knowledgeable and compassionate staff is here to answer any questions and concerns you may have.

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away .

Embracing Loneliness: Allowing Yourself to Feel and Heal

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 01:42:22 GMT

Embracing Loneliness: Allowing Yourself to Feel and Heal

My Mother-In-Law could feel very lonely and sometimes she does.

Her spouse died 18 years ago. Her siblings are gone (she is the youngest of 11), and her friends are leaving her. At age 86, she looks around and sometimes asks, "Where did everybody go?"

We can be lonely sitting by ourselves in a room full of people. It's not the number of people around us… It's our thoughts about it that create the lonely feeling. Most days, my MIL doesn't have lonely thoughts. She has made up her mind to seek out people.

Before COVID-19, she would go many times a week to a nearby Smiths, not really to shop but to say "Hi" to people, see who she could smile at, and look for someone she knew. She still does this a little.

But now, as much as the weather allows, she sits out on her swing in front of her home, waves to cars, and says, "Hi" to passersby. Neighbors, family, and ward members know she is on her swing waiting for a friend, so she gets many visitors. And if she doesn't get the human kind, she has colored bird feeders in the nearby tree and animal sculptures scattered around that keep her entertained.

I'm impressed with her. She has let it be known that she wants visitors, so she gets them. And when she doesn't, she doesn't make it mean anything about her. She enjoys her alone time.

Loneliness is a feeling that is caused by our thoughts. Thoughts are powerful. It's easy to fall into the nobody remembers me, nobody wants to be around me, everybody has friends but me, everybody has something to do but me, nobody is lonely but me, thought trap… but why have those thoughts?

Next time you feel lonely, remind yourself, "I'm feeling lonely because of a thought I'm choosing to think." You can feel lonely if you want to. Your body can handle it. Don't avoid it or stuff it down. Just feel it.

But you can also choose something else. We are all having a human experience, and sometimes, that feels like abundance, and sometimes, it feels lonely. And it's all okay.

Take Care,

Melinda

Visit Melinda Welch Coaching

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

Honor Your Loved One With a Memorial Wall

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 14:43:55 GMT

Honor Your Loved One With a Memorial Wall

Creating a memorial wall for your loved one is a wonderful way to honor and pay tribute to them. Learn more about these special tributes and how to create one.

Some families wish to create a tribute to their loved ones after their funeral. Some may choose something big, such as donating a bench to a local park in Utah, while others may do something smaller, such as creating a scrapbook. If you want a unique way to honor and remember your loved one, consider creating a memorial wall .

What is a Memorial Wall?

If you are not familiar with a memorial wall, it is simply a wall or space dedicated to your loved one’s memory. Most often, these walls are seen in people’s living rooms or along staircases, but they can be located anywhere in the home.

They typically feature photographs of the deceased as well as other special items such as plants, candles, or personal mementos. They can be as large or as small as you wish.

What You Need

Creating a memorial wall is very easy as it does not require a lot of supplies.

What You Need:

Picture frames - for framing the photographs
Photographs - favorite images of your loved one
Ruler - to measure the space between the pictures when hanging
Nails - to secure pictures to the wall
Hammer - to drive nails into the wall
Pencil - to mark where pictures should be hung
Extras - shelves, crosses, or other wall décor you would like to include

How to Create the Wall

Creating the wall is easy. To start, place the photographs into the picture frames. Then, lay out all of the pictures on the floor. Also, include any extras in the layout you might be adding, such as shelves or crosses. Take some time and arrange everything in a pattern that you like. This will be the same pattern that will then be on the wall. Arranging everything on the floor this way first allows you to change and switch the pictures and other elements around easily without damaging the wall. This way, you can get the perfect pattern before adding nails to the wall.

When you have the pattern decided, it’s time to secure the pictures to the wall. It is easiest if you start from the center and work your way out. So, choose a center picture and secure it to the wall. You will then take the next picture and attach it to the wall. Repeat the process until all pictures and extra elements are secured.

You must hang each picture at an equal distance from one another. This will give the wall an organized and put together look rather than one that is just cluttered or looks messy. To do this, use your ruler and pencil to mark where pictures should be hung as you go along. A good rule of thumb is to have about 2 inches of space in between each item.

After your loved one’s funeral services in Utah creating a wall like this can be a lovely tribute!

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

Keep These Things in Mind When Choosing an Urn

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 14:30:16 GMT

Keep These Things in Mind When Choosing an Urn

Choosing an urn for your loved one can be a very daunting task. Let's discuss some key factors to keep in mind when making this important choice.

Purchasing an urn for your loved one’s remains can be a daunting task. After all, there are so many styles, designs, and materials to choose from. How do you know which one is right? Don’t worry, SereniCare Funeral home, located in South Salt Lake, can help you choose your loved one’s urn.

Start with the Size

Many people think urns are “one size fits all,” but that is not true. Urns come in different sizes, and choosing which one is important . This is because you want to ensure you get an urn big enough to house all your loved one’s remains.

To determine what size urn you should purchase, you need to know about how much your loved one weighed at the time of passing. This is because one cubic inch of space will be needed for each pound of body weight. If your loved one weighs 185 pounds, you must purchase an urn of 185 cubic inches or more space.

Choose the Material

The next element of the urn you will need to consider is its material. Urns can be made from stone, glass, ceramic, wood, or metal. Each material has characteristics that make it better suited for certain environments than others.

For example, wooden urns are extremely durable but can warp if exposed to sunlight over time. Metal urns are also durable but can be easily scratched, and some are prone to rusting. When you meet with your urn provider, make sure to discuss the materials and their unique qualities so that you can make the best choice .

Location of the Urn

Different urn materials may be better suited for certain environments, so you must consider where the urn will be placed. For example, if you want to place the urn in a sunny room in your home, a wooden urn may not be the best choice since, when placed in direct sunlight, it can warp and crack over time.

Another example is if you will bury the urn or keep it in a columbarium niche. Certain cemeteries and cremation gardens may have specific policies on what types of urns are allowed.

Pay Attention to the Dimensions

Nothing is worse than selecting the perfect urn for your loved one and the perfect resting space only to have the urn not fit because it’s too tall or wide. Always make sure you know the size of the resting place so that you can ensure the urn will fit safely in that space. Dimensions to note are the location’s height, width, and depth.

SereniCare Can Help You Select the Right Urn

Selecting the perfect urn for your loved one after their cremation service in Utah, can be a daunting task. Although it can be great that there are so many options , it can also make the decision very overwhelming. Keep these things in mind, take your time, and you will find the right one.

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

Grief is Praise & A Natural Way Love Honors What it Misses

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 16:28:59 GMT

Grief is Praise & A Natural Way Love Honors What it Misses

--by Martin Prechtel , syndicated from northatlanticbooks.com , Jun 01, 2019

The following is an excerpt from The Smell of Rain on Dust by Martín Prechtel. In his book, Prechtel explains that the unexpressed grief prevalent in our society today is the reason for many of the social, cultural, and individual maladies that we are currently experiencing. He goes on to show how this collective, unexpressed energy is the long-held grief of our ancestors manifesting itself, and what work can be done to liberate this energy so we can heal from the trauma of loss, war, and suffering.

-- Marina Snyder

Grief expressed out loud, whether in or out of character, un-choreographed and honest, for someone we have lost, or a country or home we have lost, is in itself the greatest praise we could ever give them. Grief is praise, because it is the natural way love honors what it misses.

I don’t know why I’m always so surprised, in this day and age, with so many possibilities and choices at their fingertips, how people, who having lived for so many generations, so distant from any semblance of the old wisdoms known to their ancestors about what the living should be doing when someone dies, will so wildly and emotionally defend the unemotional flatness and spiritual vacuum they have come to live in and accept a repressed lack of expression as a normal existence, coming to its defense with more energy than it would actually take to have a tangibly good custom of storytelling, weeping, and active grief, as if such sanity were some backwards barbarity!

One night a little while back I remember how a very Midwestern friend called me the day his old-time mother had passed quietly away. Because he had been on good terms with her, and because his father was already dead, he as the oldest son had been put in charge of the funeral proceedings, as was his family’s custom.

The entire extended family including himself had been raised to be very “stoic” Lutheran Christians, and excepting himself, all of them were still governed by that kind of “minimalist” Northern European ethos.

Nonetheless, my friend, though he loved his people, had over the years become somewhat more adventurous and called himself an “alternative person,” which translated to his relatives as “overly dedicated to diversity”!

He had listened to recordings of my talks on grief and had attended some lectures and conferences, and in keeping with what was taught there regarding the welfare of both the living and the spirit of the deceased, he wanted to make certain he was doing everything possible during that strange trancelike place that happens after someone close dies, to see that his dead mother was well grieved, mourned, and “sent on” in a good way to the “next” world.

He wanted my advice and direction to make sure he wasn’t overlooking anything. She was lying in state in a little mortuary chapel in his hometown and would be buried the following afternoon at the direction of the same Protestant minister who had always been the family’s old-time minister.

“Well,” I replied, feeling that I would probably be too overtly pagan to have any advice of mine remotely embraced by his American-born Scandinavian flatlander relatives as anything proper and real, “if it were me, the first thing I would do would be to feed the soul of the dead and to spiritually notify your mother’s last happy ancestor in the other world to get ready to receive her. The problem, I said, is that all of this generally involves the entire family, as it needs everyone and should be a group effort.

“The next main thing is a fire has to be kept going gently, nonstop, without ever flagging. If a fire can’t be had, then burn seven candles in front of her body. When one gets low, add another to it. The soul of the dead needs the people to care about them, out loud, but in such a way as to make sure their spirit doesn’t linger about. Your mother’s soul needs to start to travel to her new ‘home’ away from here. To do this the spirit needs to ‘ride’ the story of her people’s origins back to their spiritual origination place ancestrally. She will get to that place of origin by someone singing or speaking the story of their origins from the beginning all night long from sundown to sunup. This is called paddling home. The sun should rise just as the story of her passing is added on to the old story.

“Typically this story is told as two people prepare the body, by meticulously binding up the midriff and groin of the dead with a continuous hand-spun cotton thread which is wound around and around as the story of origins, her life, and death are told—ending at sunup. This thread is the story, and the deceased is ‘bound’ into it to carry the soul home.”

“Martín?” he interrupted.

“Yes,” I said.

“I can tell you right now, I’m pretty darn sure they’re not going to go for any of that.”

“Well, just see what they say and call me if you need any help.”

Two hours later he called me:

“No one will help with the story, forget the thread—and after an hour of arguing, my mother’s sister said one candle might be alright. What do I do now?”

“Then, you’re going to have to tell the whole story by yourself. Get a beautiful bead, tie a string through it like a fishing weight. Call the bead the ‘belly button of time,’ light the candle at sundown, and begin to slowly wind the thread around the bead like a ball of yarn as you begin to tell the tale of all your mother came from: the whole story. Don’t worry if you forget anything, just keep going. If you get stuck just begin to sing her favorite songs, best as you can, then go ahead with the story—always winding the ball of thread with the bead as the core. If you begin to cry, let her loose, don’t hold back the tears; then when you’re ready as soon as you can, begin to sing, then go ahead and keep on telling the tale. Keep the one candle burning all night. When the Father Sun begins to crown onto the horizon, commend your mother’s spirit to him and add on the story of her passing. At that point stop winding the ball of string, put your breath on this ball and hide it in a pocket. Before the burial takes place that afternoon, put the ball into the coffin before they close it. When you all get to the grave and they start piling on the earth then begin your real heartfelt weeping, and sing. Sing and weep with honor. Sing your mother on home.”

“Alright, Martín, I’ll do my best, since its only me.”

I gave him my blessing and that was that. I didn’t hear any more that night or the next day or the next, but three days later I got a call.

“Well, how was it then for you and your mother?” I asked.

“My relatives thought it mighty barbaric to have a candle there; it had never been done they said, but all in all the night part went pretty much like you said. That went okay.

“But the next day, during the funeral, when I threw in my ball of string before they closed the lid, things started heating up. But nothing as hot as when we got to the cemetery and I began weeping as they began to throw dirt on the coffin and fill the grave.

“I tried to step up for my mom, Martín; I think you’d have been proud of me. I kept on weeping, and shaking then singing as they buried her away, and as the earth began to cover her, my people wanted to leave, but I didn’t want to. I couldn’t stop crying; it just came right out of me like a broken dam and was flowing so well I dropped to my knees and shook and wept and sang some more. People were running around and kept asking my relatives what was wrong with me, and my aunties kept asking me if I was alright, and this all went on of course until the ambulance arrived. I didn’t know who it was for, but it turned out it was for me!

“They tried to haul me away, convinced I’d lost my marbles and needed some drugs, but I just kept on weeping. The minister had called the ambulance; he thought I was sick and had gone overboard.

“Finally I let them take me to the local clinic. I didn’t really care because it felt so good to weep, and in the end they just let me go when I cooled off.

“I asked my relatives why an ambulance was called. They said, ‘You were crying and shaking and singing. You looked like you were in terrible distress!’

“‘That wasn’t going to bring your mother back,’ they said.

“I wasn’t crying to bring her back. I was weeping to help her get where she was going faster and easier. Then I told them how you had advised that grief was a good thing for both the dead and the living. You could’ve heard an ant sneeze it got so silent.

“Then my auntie spoke up and said, ‘Well, you can’t blame us, no one ever wept at a funeral, much less a man. We didn’t know what you were doing.’

“Well, Martín, I feel good about it and thank you but that’s what grief gets you in the Midwest: an expensive ride in an ambulance!”

Grief is praise of those we have lost. Our own souls who have loved and are now heartbroken would turn to stone and hate us if we did not show such praise when we lose whom we love. A non-fake grieving is how we praise the dead, by praising that which has left us feeling cold and left behind. By the event of our uncontrolled grief, wail, and rap, we are also simultaneously praising with all our hearts the life we have been awarded to live, the life that gave us the health and opportunity of having lived fully enough to love deep enough to feel the loss we now grieve. To not grieve is a violence to the Divine and our own hearts and especially to the dead. If we do not grieve what we miss, we are not praising what we love. We are not praising the life we have been given in order to love. If we do not praise whom we miss, we are ourselves in some way dead. So grief and praise make us alive.

Steps for Planning a Funeral

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 14:14:09 GMT

Steps for Planning a Funeral

Planning a funeral for your loved one can feel overwhelming. Let's break down the steps to help make the funeral planning process in Utah more manageable.

When a loved one passes away, you may be left having to handle many things. One of these things is planning their arrangements with a funeral home in Utah. This can be a very difficult time, and planning such services can feel overwhelming.

Here are some steps to follow when planning the services .

Decide the Type of Service

The first decision you must make is determining the type of services you want to hold. If your loved one had a preference that they made known, this step will be easier. However, you will need to choose if they do not voice their wishes. Remember their preferences, such as if they have any religious affiliations that require certain services, such as funerals. Also, other services such as wakes, visitations, viewings, and graveside services should be considered. You might also wish to hold a funeral reception after the service.

Select the Location

After you know what service you would like to hold, you must decide on the location. Most funerals are held at the funeral home like SereniCare Funeral Home in South Salt Lake or a church, but you can host this service wherever you wish. Some families hold it at a family member’s home, local park, school, or garden.

Appoint an Officiant and Speakers

The service will need an officiant or “master of ceremonies.” If the service is religious, this officiant is often a religious leader. In the case of a more secular service, this could be a family member or close friend. Whoever you decide, the person in this role will keep the service moving along and give remarks such as a welcome, introduction, and closing remarks.

Besides the officiant, you must consider who will be speaking at the service. Most often time, the speakers are family and will be responsible for things such as:

Delivering the eulogy
Reciting any special readings
Reading the official obituary

Decide the Details of the Service

Once the main elements of the service have been planned, it is time to think about the details and extra elements of the service.

These things include:

Choosing the flowers
Selecting a guestbook
Gathering photos and personal items for a memorial table
Deciding on funeral favors for the guests
Designing and printing the memorial program
Selecting any music selections

Let SereniCare Funeral Home Help

This is going to be an extremely difficult time . Don’t try to do this all alone. Make sure you enlist others to help you plan these and all services. You can have certain family members in charge of certain tasks so you can be confident everything is getting handled.

Also, know that SereniCare Funeral Home, located in South Salt Lake, Utah, is here to help you in this process. Our number one goal is to ensure that your needs are met with care and compassion as you try to meet the needs of your loved one.

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

Why Choose A Cremation?

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 14:53:35 GMT

Why Choose A Cremation?

SereniCare Funeral Home talks about cremation in Northern Utah, and some advantages it can offer families over a traditional ground burial.

Many families choose cremation services in South Salt Lake and around Northern Utah for themselves or a loved one for various reasons. Some of these reasons include having more options for their remains, having more time to plan services, and having a more budget-friendly option.

If you are considering cremation, let’s examine it more in-depth and see if this service might be right for you or your family.

What is Cremation?

First, let’s talk briefly about cremation. Cremation is a form of body disposition that is an alternative to a ground burial. In the past, cremations were not as popular or widely accepted. However, in recent times, cremation services have become very popular and are often now chosen over more traditional ground burials .

The cremation process begins when the body is taken to the crematory. Here, all the paperwork is filled out and signed. Then, the body is placed into a cremation container, which is like a casket. The body and the cremation container are then placed in the cremation chamber and, with the use of very high heat, reduced to minerals and bones. These remains are the ashes that are then returned to the family.

Why Choose Cremation?

As stated above, there are many aspects to cremation that families are drawn to. These include:

Having more options for the remains : With ground burials, families have a limited number of locations and options to place their loved ones. However, with cremation, there are plenty of options. Some of the resting places families can choose from are columbarium niches, a family member’s home, a cremation garden, and even a burial. If the family wishes to scatter the ashes, there are even more options, as they can be planted with a tree, sent into space, made into a living coral reef, or even turned into a diamond. You can see that with cremation, the options are endless.
Having more time to plan services : When the body is cremated, there is no worry about decomposing. Because of this, families have as much time as they need to plan services afterward. This can be very beneficial to those who want time to save more money for a bigger service or those who have family who live far away and need additional travel time to be able to attend a service.
Having a budget-friendly option : Cremation is the least expensive option for families. This makes it a wonderful option for those families on a smaller or limited budget. It can also be helpful if the family wishes to spend more money on other aspects, such as a memorial service.

Consider if a Cremation Is Right For You

Although ground burials will always be a common choice, cremation services in South Salt Lake and Northern Utah., are being chosen more and more by individuals and families. With advantages such as more options for the remains, more time to plan services , and a less expensive option, it is no wonder why they are becoming more commonly chosen.

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away .

Preplanning: Don’t Make These 3 Big Mistakes

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 14:42:25 GMT

Preplanning: Don’t Make These 3 Big Mistakes

Make sure you preplan your final arrangements the right way and avoid these commonly made mistakes. Let's learn what they are and how to avoid them.

If you are preplanning your funeral arrangements with a funeral home in Utah, know that you're doing something wonderful for your family. Although preplanning your final arrangements may be uncomfortable to some, it is one of the most loving acts you can show towards those around you.

Since we do not tend to arrange these plans every day, many people make mistakes along the way, which can make the preplanning less effective. Luckily, with a little attention, these mistakes can be avoided. Let’s look at what these are now to ensure you do not make them.

1. Not Knowing All the Options

One great advantage of preplanning your arrangements is that you can have everything the way you want it. You can decide on what type of service you would like, any personal elements, last wishes, casket design , you name it. However, many people make arrangements without knowing or considering all their options.

For example, if you are going to be buried, you may automatically think of a typical burial plot in the ground. But there are other options above ground, such as a crypt. Or maybe you assume a funeral service is the way to go, but have you heard about or considered a celebration of life event?

Make sure you take the time now to research and learn about your options so that you can make the best decision for your needs.

2. Not Considering Family Needs

This may seem odd since by preplanning, you are already considering your family’s needs, so stay with us. Many times, when people preplan, they are making decisions based on their own needs. While this is completely understandable since it is their last wish, they may miss an opportunity to provide their family with something they may truly need once they are gone.

An example of this could be if you are preplanning and feel that a visitation service is not necessary. You may feel it is just an added expense that you could do without. However, at the time of your passing, a visitation service could be extremely beneficial to those left behind. These services can help people come together for support, accept the death, and start to heal. Don’t overlook the importance of such services to your family.

3. Not Informing Your Family of the Plans

While this seems like a no-brainer, you need to make sure you let your family know about the plans you have made. Some people may have the best intentions of informing their family but get busy or put it off too long and forget. Even if you make wonderfully detailed plans, if your family is not aware of them, it won’t do any good at the time of your passing; make sure you let your family know what plans you made as well as with who and where all contracts and other important documents are located.

If you would like more information on preplanning your arrangements with SereniCare Funeral Home, located in South Salt Lake, please let us know know. We're always here to help.

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

Is a Celebration of Life Service Right for Your Loved One?

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 14:34:20 GMT

Is a Celebration of Life Service Right for Your Loved One?

Many families are choosing to hold a celebration of life service after their loved one’s cremation in Utah. Let's talk more about your funeral options in Utah.

After your loved one’s cremation services in Salt Lake City, UT , you may decide to hold a service in their honor. One of the most common services is a memorial service. This is much like a funeral service, only that it is held after the cremation, and the ashes of the deceased may or may not be present.

While memorial services are wonderful options for many families, a new type of service is gaining in popularity called a celebration of life. Like memorial services, these celebration of life events are typically held after the cremation, but the tone and way they are held can differ greatly from a funeral or memorial service. Today, we are going to dive deeper into these services and see what makes them so unique.

Overall Mood

The biggest difference between a celebration of life event and another more traditional type of service is the overall mood and atmosphere of the service. While funeral and memorial services tend to be more solemn in nature, celebrations of life events are more like parties.

The mood of these events is more happy and celebratory. Instead of seeing faces with tears and sadness, such as at a funeral, you may see faces with smiles and hear laughter. This is because these events are a celebration of the deceased and their life. They are meant to be a joyous occasion.

Location

Another noticeable difference with a celebration of life event is the location in which it might be held. While they can certainly be hosted in locations where funerals and memorial services take place, such as churches and funeral homes, celebrations of life events also have the freedom to be held at more unconventional locations. Some of these may include a favorite restaurant of the deceased, a bar or pub, a sports stadium, a coffee shop, the lake, or a beach where you can have a party and celebrate a life event.

Order of Service

While funerals and memorial services tend to have a very formatted order of service, celebrations of life events can be more organic in nature. That being said, some families may still choose to have a formatted order of service. What is so nice about these services is that they are so flexible in how they can be held.

For example, some families may hold them as a memorial service with elements such as the welcome/introduction, readings, music selections, eulogy given, etc. Other families may choose to have just one or two of these elements, while other families may choose not to have any.

Final Thoughts

While funerals and memorial services will always be popular, it is nice to know that families now have another choice. Although celebration of life events may not be right for some families, for other families, it may be the absolute perfect choice. Once your plans have been arranged , you and your family can rest easy knowing at the time of death, final decisions have been made.

If you would like to learn more about the services available after your loved one’s cremation services in Salt Lake City, UT., please feel free to reach out anytime, as we are always here and available to help .

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

Our Relationships Can Live On & Grow Stronger

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 16:26:54 GMT

Our Relationships Can Live On & Grow Stronger

This weekend is my nephew Hayden’s wedding.

His mom (my sister) passed away 7 years ago, along with my dad. My mom went to heaven 9 years ago. It’s easy to approach events like this wedding, wishing my sister and my parents could be there, and feeling sad that they aren’t. But then I decided to believe they are with us.

I don’t need anyone’s permission to believe this; there is no downside. I feel connected when I think about my sister and my parents being with us. It’s a little bittersweet but far more sweet than bitter. And they come with us when we go to our Bear Lake reunion in August. Of course they do. I hope you’ll borrow my thinking if this feels good to you.

Even death can’t take away our ability to choose the way we think about our loved ones. Our relationships can continue to grow stronger. It’s a choice.

Take Care,

Melinda

Visit Melinda Welch Coaching

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

Losing a Spouse: Online Grief Support That Can Help

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 14:17:22 GMT

Losing a Spouse: Online Grief Support That Can Help

Losing a spouse can be devastating. Don’t try to work through your grief alone. Visit SereniCare Funeral Home to learn where you can find support online.

Losing a loved one can be one of the hardest things we ever have to endure. When that loved one is a spouse, the loss can feel devastating. Feelings of sadness, anger, and even fear can take over and overwhelm us. It's at this time that finding support can be so important. With the right support, you can learn how to work through and process your grief and begin to learn how to navigate this new way of life. Let's share where you can find support.

Social Media

Turning to social media for your grief support may not be your first thought, but you can find some solid support on some social media platforms. One of these is Facebook groups. Other users of Facebook create Facebook groups and range from various topics. They serve as a place where users can come together, share comments, post thoughts, and help each other.

While there are many general grief Facebook groups, there are also hundreds that are specially for the loss of a spouse. Joining one of these groups can connect you with others feeling what you are.

Blogs

Another resource that may be helpful is finding blogs related to losing a spouse. Most of these blogs have been created by other people talking about their own journey with losing their spouse, counselors, and others offering grief support.

These blogs typically have articles covering the grieving topic and a place for visitors to leave comments so they can connect. Some blogs have a forum, like a chat room, so you can connect with other visitors on a deeper level.

YouTube

YouTube is the most popular search engine after Google. It has become this way because there is a myriad of videos available. By searching for grief support , you can find many videos from professionals offering tips and advice and other users sharing their stories. Typically, the video post will allow visitors to comment so that you can connect with other users and the person who posted the video.

Online Support Groups

If you are looking for more professional support, many online support groups are available. These can be offered by churches, professional counselors, and other counseling providers. Pre-planning will eliminate unnecessary stress brought on by a loved one’s passing.

These groups could be set up like Facebook groups, where you post and comment when you wish, or they could be held at a set time and date over video conferencing software such as Zoom.

After your spouse's funeral service, it will take a while to learn how to work through this new reality. Finding support during this time can help immensely with processing everything you are feeling in a healthy way.

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

Yes, Grief Fog is Real & Looks Different for Everyone

Sun, 08 May 2022 16:26:00 GMT

Yes, Grief Fog is Real & Looks Different for Everyone

And while it shows up differently for each of us, its presence is universal. Perhaps you never misplaced your car keys, but now they appear in strange places. Or you are in the middle of a conversation and can't remember what you were even saying. Or you were able to organize tasks in your mind, but now you have to write everything down.

You've missed appointments.

Forgotten important date.

Had to pay late fees on a bill you thought you had paid.

Yes, these things happened a little bit before your person died, but now it's your new normal.

Essentially, the executive functioning part of your brain (the prefrontal cortex) is overwhelmed and unable to perform at its usual capacity. Thankfully, this is all normal.

Don't try to think your way out of it when you notice yourself in a state of Grief Fog. This uses more bandwidth in the already overloaded part of your brain and worsens things.

Instead… relax. Take a walk. Do something unrelated to the problem you're trying to solve. Have a little laugh and speak kindly to yourself.

And if you're noticing emotions & feelings and wanting to stop them… don't. Instead, name the emotion and let it be there. It can't hurt you. It's just a vibration caused by a cascade of neurochemicals, and it will pass.

While the timeline on Grief Fog varies, don't worry about this part of grief. Laugh about it as much as possible… You will recover from this loss and so will your brain.

Take Care,

Melinda

Visit Melinda Welch Coaching

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

Never Stop Loving: Tears and Joy 28 Years Later

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 20:20:54 GMT

Never Stop Loving: Tears and Joy 28 Years Later

Grief can be awesome, beautiful, and holy. It means you've successfully loved so deeply that you now get to grieve this person who has passed. We are often afraid to expose our grief, so we hold back the inner emotions within us. Instead of running from tears, we should allow them to surface. It's natural, healing, and a sign of healthy affections.

How do you grieve in the best way?

Don't put a timeline on it. Don't wrap it in a box and hope it looks a certain way. Grief is very individualized.

2. Relax into grief. Relax into the emotion. Your body can handle this emotion and likely needs to process it. You don't have to react, resist, or push against it. It's not intolerable, so surrender into the feelings grief exposes.

3. Remember that the people around you want to help because they love you. Decide that these people are coming from a place of love. However, they don't know what to do to help unless you tell them. They likely haven't often dealt with this situation either. Tell them what you need and how best to support you.

This experience at the gravesite of Alex's brother was beautiful and sweet as we stood in that cemetery in São Paulo. I'm grateful to be able to sing a teary Happy Birthday in Portuguese with Alex and his parents as they reflected on their love. Their love and grief were palpable even 28 years later, and remarkably, sadness once felt turned to joy.

If you need help with grieving for a loved one you're missing or with something else in your life, please reach out.

Take Care,

Melinda

Visit Melinda Welch Coaching

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.

Mother's Day: Surrender and Relax into the Pain

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 16:39:57 GMT

Mother's Day: Surrender and Relax into the Pain

Hey friend,

My thoughts drift to my mom very easily. Between Mother’s Day, my mom’s birth and death, you’ll find me watching old family videos, scanning photos, and reading and remembering her history. Much of this brings on tender tears.

It’s been eight years since my mom passed, and in these years, I have learned a few things about grief.

Feel all of your feelings. Don’t run from, avoid, push down, distract, fight against, or be mad about feelings. Just feel them. Our bodies are created to do this and can handle it, so surrender and relax into the pain.
Stay in the clean pain. There’s clean pain and dirty pain. Clean pain comes from thoughts like, "I love her, I miss hugging her, I wish she were here so I could speak with her."
It’s called clean pain because it’s helpful and necessary when dealing with a loss.
The problem is when we move into dirty pain. That would look something like, "This thing happened, so my life will never be good again." Or, "This happened, and it’s not fair." It’s the difference between feeling pain from love and feeling pain coming from resistance or injustice.
This is all part of the human experience.

Once I relaxed into grief and made it my companion, my days got better. I wasn’t running from it, or hoping it would end soon. I wasn’t waiting to get through it or over it. It just was. Grief over a person or any loss in your life can feel pretty crappy….and guess what? That’s how it’s supposed to feel. It’s the price we pay for loving so much.

Take Care,

Melinda

Visit Melinda Welch Coaching

SereniCare Funeral Home: Honoring life and supporting families - just a call away.