THE CHAPLAIN'S LIFE

" We love stories, narratives, gaggles, and tidbits.
The Chaplain's life is buried in the

musty pages of manuscripts, images, memories, handshakes,

bedside visits, birthdays, weddings, and funerals:

Our Past Future is always Present. "

DEDICATION

This site is dedicated to my son

Jeffery Andrew Lackney

who at 48 years of age died from a 7 year battle with a cancer.

http://tributetojeff.blogspot.com/2009/08/tribute-to-dr-jeff-lackney.html

...

The site also honors all those who minister in the helping professions.

These are memories, stories, prayers carried to the sick beds

over the past 30 years: Moments of Presence in homes, prisions, hospitals, nursing homes,workshops,birthdays, weddings, funerals and

to the grave sites in my life.

BENEDICTION: THE KIND WORD

A kind word in the time of need

I have often been asked after a visit to the sick bed:
 “ Robert, I can never do what you do … how do you know what to say or do to someone who is dying?”
.

Well, we do not need to say much … if anything, it is your actions that ‘speak’ in the end.
If there is a death and you must ‘speak’ bring a cup of coffee, and sit with your friend.
Maybe reading a story or singing or holding a hand will say something special.
.
Let your actions be your words.
During these times of trial we may be called to console to family, friend, and maybe strangers.
.
The most profound thing we can ‘say’ maybe found in a simple act of kindness.
.
Compassion heals the most serious wounds.
.
There are those that run from sickness, sorrow when seeing the pain in others.

Running away multiplies sadness.
Kindness and compassion heals and has the power to cut misery in half.
We heal one another is acts of kindness offered in love.
Confront the sorrow that you see …’speak’ a word of kindness.

Pax et Bonieum
robert

THE PURPOSE OF LIFE: r.r.lackney, architect/chaplain

r.r.lackney, architect:  When will we see God?
 FLIGHT: 2010.08

What does it mean to live the Good Life and Live it well?

...I shall be satisfied when your glory, Lord, is seen ...

LIFE PURPOSE

Death is the end of all our desires, dreams, and deeds.

Eternal Life, the word that coincides with the words that close the Creed: " Life Everlasting, Amen."

Eternal Life means that we have been united to God.

God is the reward we receive for the work we do in this life.

.

At our Death, we close our eyes that have enjoyed the images of this world  both its goodness and sadnesses, and when they open we stare into the eyes of God.

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You and me, and those that came before us and who will come after us at present, see only a confused reflection in the mirror
... but, at our Death we shall come face-to-face with God.

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Death does another thing.

Eternal Life consists of complete satisfaction of desire, wants, and needs.

Some say this is "wishful" thinking, irrational, an evasion of reality. A "silly" prayer.

It is Faith, Our Faith in the Love of God: Love that flows freely out of  Creation and nourishes all living things
... that makes Eterrnal Life the ultimate Reality.

.

Well, our prayer teaches that those that are blessed will be given, more than they could hoped.

.

In this life, no creature, no thing, no event, no philosphy, no theory can fullfill that endless longing,  hunger,and thrist that is ever present within the human spirit and which seems to drive us thoroughout our short lives.

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Nor can any person, prayer, priest, or pastor, or "pat on the back" satisfy these cravings.

Only God satisfies the hungry heart.

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We do not rest until we rest in God.

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Augustine taught:

" Lord, you have made us for yourself ... and, our hearts cannot rest until it rests in you."

.

These things mean:

For those who enter into joy of the Lord all things are given.

... the fullness of joy will not enter into those who rejoice

but, those who rejoice will enter into the True Joy

And be filled with only the Good Things.

.

rv. mr. robert r. lackney, chaplain

JAILHOUSE ROCK: SEARCH FOR LOST LOVE

LOVE IS FREEDOM

WE CHOOSE OUR OWN JAIL

Prison. Jail. Incarceration. Loss of personal Freedom. Isolation. Confinement. Detention. Imprisonment.

The experience of being indicted, found guilty, sentenced, and “locked away”,

… The process of “being caught “magnifies our sense of unworthiness and guilt as a person of value.

.

We are to believe being in jail is to be:

Unworthy. Unwanted. Discarded. Abandoned.

Who cares about us?

Well, to be honest … no one really cares.

Why should they?
.

That is, unless you care about yourself.

Your past, present, and future.

The process of caring about yourself begins when “you” turn away from those things that have distracted you and made a total mess of your life.

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Addictions to drugs, sex, selfness, destructive behaviors, and some would include that Fear, Anger, Self Hate, aggressive forces are the root cause of our journeys into personal destruction.

Why is this?

Well,

.… The loss of love.

.

To not find love within us for others, or worse, that sense of “lost love” of those who once loved us is the most terrible experience we can have as persons.

How do we find love?

The secret?

Our first love is to be found within ourselves.

Found in the heart? Yes.

. 

Where do we begin our journey to discover our lost love?

JAILHOUSE ROCK: THE DISCOVERY OF LOVE

LORD I HAVE LOST MY WAY
I asked, the young man in a white "T" shirt,
short pants and woolen socks pulled up to his knees,
"Jem what got you here?"
.
He replied, "Well, chaplain, you know I needed that "fast buck" for a fix.
That progressed into my arrest.
And, then the struggle that
continues taking place within myself ... the loss.
You know what I mean?"
.
"Maybe," I said, " I can only imagine that disappointment in yourself, that feeling of failure."
.
"Yeh, chaplain Robert, that is only the beginning
then comes the disappointment that turns into
discouragement that becomes anger followed by despair."
" Chaplain, I am lost ... will you help me?"

A Converation with Tem. Robert R. Lackney, chaplain
......................................................................................................................................................

PS: After Tem was released from prison I received a note from him, it read:
' ...No matter how much I have changed these past 5 years, I still had to pay the price for the things that I have done. I have a lot more work to do and it may take the rest of my life to make amends  to those who loved me."
......................................................................................................................................................

The CHAPLAIN'S MODEL; includes three general areas of support:

ONE: Preparation of the “LIFE HISTORY”

TWO: Identification of alternative future “PATHWAYS”

THREE: Preparation of the “LIFE PLAN”

ONE: Assist in the preparation of the individual’s “Life History” as an outline to aide legal counsel.

LIFE REVIEW AND HISTORY

Sheet #1/ List each event of your life

(i.e From Birth to year 2011, should have at least 50 events)

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Sheet #2/ Identify those events that made you a better person (i.e. 8-12 events described in some detail)

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Sheet #3/ List 10 people who changed your life (include those who had a “positive” effect on your well- being)

(i.e. Describe lessons learned from teachers, mentors, parents, clergy, adult friendships and the like).

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Sheet #4/ List 10 people who have had a “negative” effect on your life.
I.e. Describe each person who influenced you to enter into drugs, and destructive behaviors and there relationship to you.)
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Sheet #5/ List each event that you have found yourself in conflict with others:

a/ Start at 9th grade: Key conflicts

b/High school years (11-18 years of age) Key conflicts

c/ Early adult 20-25 years of age. Key conflicts

d/ Adult 25-30, 30-35,35-40 Key conflicts

(I.e. Conflict events are important to know in order to find an alternate response and behavior that is will transform your life – be honest and forthcoming).
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Sheet #6/ List all the encounters with school authorities/ law enforcement authorities include: arrests, DWI charges, drug encounters ,robbery, traffic stops, family conflicts and the like)

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Sheet #7/ Describe how you ended up in the County Detention Center.

This exercise must be done in detail without “justifying” your position.

rv. mr. robert r. lackney, chaplain

BENEDICTION: WHAT HAPPENS TO US AT DEATH?

 SINGULARITY 2010.55 / design study byrobert

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DO PERSONS HAVE SOULS?  . WHAT HAPPENS TO US AFTER DEATH?  . DOES SOME FORM OF CONSCIOUNESS CONTINUE?      (This idea is suggested by:  Plato, Socrates, electromagnetic energy, Gaia, & Galatic Consciouness)  . IS THE SOUL ABSORBED INTO THE UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUNESS?   (This idea is proposed by Roman Spirituality, Celtic Mythology, and concepts found in Dark Energy) . DOES THE PERSON REALLY HAVE A SOUL?   (This idea if found in Christian concepts of the Inner Impulse, Divine Spirit within, The "Spark") .  Few  discuss  these  subjects ... most of us do not confront death. . Many teach: Death is the final end. ... nothing happens .  Death destroys the entire person, ... personality, imagination, essence, and identity(s) . Some ask: Does the Angel Azreal come (as promised) to gather ... the spirit of those we have loved, including ours and Then when the time is right carry the soul though ... the Gates of Paradise?  . My story: Fred had a stroke while we were at lunch. He died in the hospital 3days later, ... I was the only one there, and I saw him draw the last breath.   Without knowing what took place. What I was seeing, ... I saw a small change to the human body an instant after death occurs.   only the good robert r. lackney, chaplain   PS:It has taken me  ... 21 years to understand it and ... 10 years of research to prove it.   But I finally know what happened to my friend ... the second after he died.

BENEDICTION: DIVINE PRESENCE

It is blessing to realize just how precious
... a few conversations with a person can be,
as well as,
... the power of a friendship
even at the end of someone’s life.

These past two years I have wrestled with the
... Three Great Problems
That we are unable to solve,
... even with the work of a long life,
... with our science, or with our medicines:

Evil, Disease, and Death
.... continue to be our challenge.

Some, as mentioned above (Teresa T), have been given
...The great gift of bringing: Hope to the sick bed.

Hope, the tool, designed for each individual
... the strength to “push-back”,
at least for a while,

so that we might develop an
understanding and the self knowledge
to prepare for our own end to life.

Which is certain.

There is a growing sadness in me
... knowing that a good life is ending.
Yet, for me, the world is in constant communication with us,
... including me.

There is a “presence” in the world,
Visitors, friends, strangers or memories
... some might say: that is holy and sacred.
... others confess that they are constant dialogue with this "presence"
as we live through the events of our day.

A few will sense this
... "presence of the sacred",
especially coming away from
... hospital rooms and the sick beds
where they may have "connected"
with a man or woman at a critical juncture in their lives.

Our purpose or meaning may be
... in the end
Become an instrument, somehow.

We give but at the same time receive
... something very special at death.

Only the Good Things

rv. mr. robert r. lackney, chaplain

BENEDICTION:WHY?

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You have everything: family children a successful career if that is not enough … What is? . Everybody has what Paschal called : “…the hole in the human heart …” .I do not care if you are ... rich or you are poor, ... a prisoner or in jail, eventually everyone asks three questions: .Why am I here? . Why is there so much suffering and evil in the world? ... Is there no way out of this? . What is the purpose of my life? . The fundamental Why’s of the human mind … Asked by every generation   since the dawn of humankind.

Only the good

robert r. lackney

BENEDICTION:

BENEDICTION:

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