Historically a hospice was a house or inn where a traveler could stop and rest. The word hospice comes from the same root as the word hospitality.

Hospice Services of Lake County is the local agency that offers hospitality for those making their final rest stop.

A hospice agency assists people at the end of life to stay in their place of residence and helps the person and their loved ones address medical, emotional and spiritual issues.

The closer we get to end of life, the clearer our priorities become. There is no longer the need to compete with others. For this journey there are no best seats. What is important is the comfort, care, and service we receive during our journey.  

Hospice Services of Lake County is a professional, caring organization under local nonprofit control that cares for these travelers and their loved ones.  

As we all will travel this road at some point, it is important to gather as much information as possible and plan ahead. We are all unique and have different values and styles that are important to us.

This final journey is a great equalizer. Whether you are in a lakefront villa or an old travel trailer, you will get the same high quality hospice service.

To get this service you have to sign up. We plan ahead for most significant life events, but for our final journey, many will wait until the last minute and lose some of the peacefulness that should accompany our passing. Wanting to avoid the fear, pain, and loneliness is enough to make me want to sign up early.  

Hospice helps you live your fullest and given adequate time, Hospice allows things to take their natural course.

Most of us do not have a great deal of death experience, so the more we learn, the better it goes. By waiting until the last minute, it becomes challenging to provide the support and care the family and patient needs and deserves. This important transition is more difficult when rushed.

You can’t start too soon. If you believe you may be nearing the end of your journey, talk to your health professional or call hospice. If you meet certain criteria you can be admitted.

If you don’t die, that’s great. Hospice does not want to rush you. Take your time and prove everyone wrong.

We are happy if you get better. It’s better to have us and not need us, then to need us and not have us.

Call 707-263-6222 for a free informational evaluation today and limit your pain, fear and discomfort.

Dr. Robert Gardner heads the Lucerne Community Clinic in Lucerne, Calif., telephone 707-274-9299.

When key parts of the health care law take effect in 2014, you’ll have a new way to buy health insurance for yourself, your family, or your small business: the Health Insurance Marketplace. The Marketplace is designed to help you find health insurance that fits your budget, with less hassle.

Every health insurance plan in the new Marketplace will offer comprehensive coverage, from doctors to medications to hospital visits. You can compare all your insurance options based on price, benefits, quality, and other features that may be important to you, in plain language that makes sense.

You’ll know you’re getting a quality health plan at a reasonable price, because there’s nothing buried in the fine print.

When you shop at the Marketplace, all your costs are stated upfront. So you’ll get a clear picture of what you’re paying and what you’re getting before you make a choice.

California’s Marketplace is called Covered California ( www.CoveredCa.com ).

Under the health care law, you and your family also will have new protections. Health insurance companies can’t refuse to cover you, or charge you more just because you have a chronic or pre-existing condition. And they can’t charge more for women than for men.

Here are three things to keep in mind about the Health Insurance Marketplace:

– It’s an easier way to shop for health insurance. The Health Insurance Marketplace simplifies your search for insurance by gathering all your options in one place. One application, one time, and you and your family can explore every qualified insurance plan in your area -- including any free or low-cost insurance programs you may qualify for, such as Medi-Cal or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

– Most people will be able to get a break on costs. Programs that lower costs are available for almost everyone. You may be eligible for a free or low-cost plan, or a new kind of tax credit that lowers your monthly premiums right away. New rules and expanded programs mean that even working families can get help paying for health insurance at the Marketplace.

– Clear, apples-to-apples comparisons. All health insurance plans in the Marketplace present their price and benefit information in simple terms you can understand, so you don’t have to guess about your costs.

Starting on Oct. 1, 2013, you’ll be able to enroll in a health plan through Covered California. Detailed information will be available about all the insurance plans offered in your area.

You can sign up now at www.CoveredCa.com to get email updates that will let you know how to get ready to enroll in the plan of your choice.

If you have difficulty finding a plan that meets your needs and budget, there’ll be people available to give you personalized help with your choices. These helpers aren’t associated with any particular plan, and they don’t receive any type of commission, so the help they give you will be completely unbiased.

The Web site www.CoveredCa.com will be much more than any health insurance Web site you’ve used before. Insurance companies will compete for your business on a level and transparent playing field, with no hidden costs or misleading fine print. You’ll have more choice, more control and more clout when it comes to health insurance.

Insurance coverage offered through Covered California takes effect on Jan. 1, 2014.

David Sayen is Medicare’s regional administrator for California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Trust Territories. You can always get answers to your Medicare questions by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

The death of someone you love to suicide or murder is a shattering experience. As a result, lives are forever changed.

If you or someone you know has experienced the sudden violent death of someone they love and you want to help but aren’t sure how, here are some tips to turn cares and concerns into positive actions.

– Accept the intensity of the feelings of grief. Survivors don’t just get over it. With support and understanding they can come to reconcile themselves to its reality. Survivors may be struggling with explosive emotions such as guilt, fear and shame. Be patient, compassionate and understanding.

– Listen with all of your heart. Your presence and desire to listen without judgment are critical helping tools. Willingness to listen is the best way to offer help to someone who needs to talk. Sometimes the story needs to be repeated again and again. This is part of the healing process. You don’t need to have the answer; just listen and understand.

– Avoid explanations and clichés. Words, particularly clichés, can be extremely painful for a suicide survivor. Comments like,” You are holding up so well,” or “Time will heal all wounds,” are not helpful.

– Be compassionate. Give permission to express feelings without fear or criticism. Don’t instruct or give explanations about how they should respond. Never say,” I know just how you feel.” You don’t. Recognize tears as a natural and appropriate expression of the pain associated with loss.

– Respect faith and spirituality. If faith is a part of their lives, let them express it in ways that seem appropriate. If they are mad at God, encourage them to talk about it. Remember, having anger toward God speaks of having a relationship with God. Don’t be a judge, be a loving friend. Your task is to listen and learn.

Remember to be patient. The process of grief takes a long time, so proceed at your and your friend’s own pace. Grief is the result of having loved.

For more information about Hospice Services of Lake County, call 707-263-6222 or visit www.lakecountyhospice.org .

Linda Laing is bereavement director for Hospice Services of Lake County, Calif.

Volunteering in one’s community is one of the most rewarding things a person can do.

As authors of this column, when we are out in the community, people often come up to us and comment on the column. They ask about the theater and events, and offer their appreciation for the column and our commitment.  

Both of us feel we get way too much credit. We know the theater runs on the commitment of many dedicated community members.  

There are dozens of volunteers who play key roles in the operation of the Soper-Reese Theatre. When you attend an event at the theater, take note of the many volunteers who make each event run so smoothly.

You will find them in the box office selling tickets, in the lobby taking tickets or selling concessions, in the theater running the sound and lights, or working back stage to assist the performers.

Behind the scenes is a crew of four to 10 that shows up at a moment’s notice to set up the theater stage, chairs, tables, tablecloths, candles and piano.  This same crew also cleans the theater, both before and after the show.

There is an individual who is the master of the ticketing system, setting up the system so tickets can be purchased online. The Webmaster makes the changes to our Web site; another volunteer puts events on the county calendars. A volunteer designs and orders posters for the marquee and playbills.

Then, after everyone else has gone home, when the show is over, a volunteer checks to be certain everything is turned off and secure.

The volunteers do these jobs for the love of community theater.  

Next time you are at the theater, please offer your thanks to the many community members who are committed to the Soper-Reese Community Theatre. They deserve the credit.

Coming events:

• The Lake County Arts Council’s annual Winter Music Fest: 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24;
• Lake County Live: Live on stage radio broadcast on KPFZ 88.1 FM, Sunday, Feb. 24, 6 p.m.;
• Professional Pianists’ Concert: A benefit for the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College, Sunday, March 10, 3 p.m., featuring Elena Casanova, Tom Ganoung, Tom Aiken, David Neft, Elizabeth MacDougal and Spencer Brewer;
• Third Friday Live, featuring “The Funky Dozen” on March 15, 7 p.m.;
• Bob Culbertson – “Celtic Waters” CD release, featuring special guests, Saturday, March 16, 7 p.m.

Tickets are available at The Travel Center in the Shoreline Shopping Center, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The theater box office is always open two hours before show time on the day of any event, and will be open again on Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. starting on June 22.

Tickets also can be purchased online at www.soperreesetheatre.com .

For all the latest in information, tickets and more go to www.soperreesetheatre.com .  

We’ll see you at the theater.

Kathy Windrem and Mike Adams are part of the large volunteer group that run the Soper-Reese Community Theatre in Lakeport, Calif.

There are six ways that Ash Wednesday is like Christmas.

They are:

1) Both are days of religious observance;
2) Both have a secular counterpart;
3) Both are rooted in scripture, but neither is named;
4) Both have been wrongly labeled as “just for Catholics;”
5) Both are a response to the sorrow of humanity;
6) UCP invites you to join us for each of these holy days.

Did any of the above surprise you? Let’s take a deeper look.

Both are days of religious observance.

I’ll start with Christmas because it is better known, at least to most of us. However, Christmas is not celebrated all over the world, as many of us may think.

A quick Web search reveals at least 33 nations (including Israel) where Christmas is not a holiday. However, what is surprising is not how many countries don’t celebrate Christmas, rather how many who do, because it is specifically a religious holy day for Christians (really just how “Christian” does the “world” feel to you?).

Christmas celebrates the birthday of Jesus of Nazareth, whom Christians accept as the Messiah. In a majority of nations Christmas is observed on Dec. 25, but there are a significant number which observe it on Jan. 7 (e.g., nations where Orthodox Christianity is more prevalent such as Russia, Greece and the Middle East).

Like Christmas, Ash Wednesday is a religious holy day. Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, a 40-day (plus Sundays) period of reflection, repentance and prayer in preparation for Easter.

There are many significant uses of the number 40 in the Bible, but this 40 day period relates directly to the 40 days of trial and temptation Jesus faced after his baptism before he began his public ministry.

Both have a secular counterpart.

The secular counterpart to Christmas is, well … Christmas! This season has taken on a secular life of its own.

If you are a glass half-full kind of person you might say that the season is marked by good will and gift giving regardless of one’s religious beliefs. If you are more pessimistic you may describe it as rampant consumerism.

The secular counterpart to Ash Wednesday is Mardis Gras. Mardis Gras means “Fat Tuesday” and is observed in a variety of ways around the world, but only in places where Ash Wednesday is also observed.

Because Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of a season of fasting and repentance, the Tuesday before has become a kind of celebration in its own right where the idea was to use up all the party foods and spirit before the solemnity of Ash Wednesday and Lent.

Both are rooted in scripture, but neither is named.

While there are plenty of commands to observe special days in the Bible (like Passover and Pentecost), Christmas and Ash Wednesday both fail to make the list.

Does that make them unbiblical? Not all at all, both are based upon events recorded in scripture and both teach us about the uniqueness and importance of Jesus.

While we have no idea the exact date Jesus was born, we do know that the angels invited the shepherds to experience the new born Christ and that they responded and were moved to tell others. (Luke 2)

At their best that is exactly what a Christmas Service does. We come together to celebrate his birth and hopefully are then inspired to tell others.

We also know that after his 40 days in the wilderness Jesus began to preach. His first recorded sermon can be found in Matthew 4:17. “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’”

Repentance in the time of Christ was certainly an invitation for one’s heart to change – but it was most often accomplished through a ritual of repentance and mourning using, you guessed it, ashes.

The individual (whether in repentance or mourning) would heap ashes upon their head (Lam 2:10) and sit in the dust (Job 2:8).

Why the ashes and dust? Sitting in the dust and ashes pointed to the fragility of human life and to the inevitable end of all life – a return to the dust (Gen 3:19; Ps 103:14). Repent, the kingdom of heaven is near!

An Ash Wednesday service invites us to repent as individuals, enables us to mourn our calamity as a community, and to celebrate the promise of Christ to exchange our ashes for beauty (see Luke 4:18-19 & Isaiah 61:3).

Both have been wrongly labeled as “just for Catholics.”

While the Puritans had always looked down upon the celebration of Christmas, believing it was just for superstitious people (by which they prejudicially meant Catholics), it may surprise you to know that they successfully made it illegal to observe Christmas in the colonies.

From 1659 to 1681 you could be fined for even saying St. Nicholas, taking Dec. 25 off of work or decorating in any manner for Christmas. It was not a legal holiday in America until 1870. That’s only 143 years ago and it’s been 400 years since the English started the colonies here.

Likewise, Ash Wednesday has also been incorrectly considered only for Catholics. Yet many Christians from a variety of denominations observe Ash Wednesday.

While there are far too many different traditions to list, I will at least say that if you buy a church calendar from the Disciples, Methodists, Presbyterians, UCC, Lutherans and so on, each will show the appropriate date to observe this holy day.

Like Christmas, it’s not just for Catholics, though we are thankful to our Catholic brothers and sisters for keeping those traditions alive during the Puritan years when they may have been otherwise lost.

Both are a response to the sorrow of humanity.

Christ wasn’t born because the world was such a great place. He was born because it is such a broken place. He was born because it was a dark place and he came to be our Light. Christmas reminds us that in the darkest of times there is yet HOPE.

The Bible does not say that God never gives us more than we can handle. What it does say is that even the gates of hell will not prevail against Christ’s church (Matthew 16:15-20).

In this broken world isn’t it good to know there is a place we are welcome to come and be with others who are willing to acknowledge the brokenness, the ash, so that in repentance we might prayer for a brighter, made whole once again future? Ash Wednesday gives us an experience of grace in community.

UCP invites you to join us for each of these holy days.

Well, we actually aren’t prepared to invite you over for Christmas. We spend that with our families. But you are welcome any Christmas Eve at 7 p.m.

Our Ash Wednesday Service will be at 6 p.m. This year Ash Wednesday falls on Feb. 13.

Hope to see you at United Christian Parish.

Rev. Shannon Kimbell-Auth is pastor of United Christian Parish, located at 745 N. Brush St in Lakeport, Calif.

Sun, my sail and moon, my rudder,
As I ply the starry sea,
Leaning over the edge in wonder,
Casting questions into the deep.
Drifting here with my ship's companions,
All we kindred pilgrim souls,
Making our way by the lights of the heavens,
In our beautiful blue boat home.
– Peter Mayer, Blue Boat home

For many years now, I have shared a dream.  

The dream is one of an entire people collectively working to renew and restore our local vitality – the land, the waters, our communities and our economy.

As a local leader in this time and place, I am mindful that many decision-makers struggle when faced with a choice between helping the economy and allowing no environmental impact at all.  

This has been at issue for generations. In fact, the quality of our lives here today is directly related to the decisions made by those who came before us.  

The sad truth is that we have inherited decades of actions that have degraded our watershed and land base.  

Loosely translated, “environmental impact” means that habitat is degraded or destroyed and the watershed is negatively affected by a decision, even a little bit.  

To make it even tougher, these decisions aren’t really noticed until one adds up all the hundreds of small decisions from the vantage point of history – taking the view of the generations to come.   

Further, these decisions are not made any easier by our system of jurisprudence and the byzantine nature of environmental law, nor by the fact that the natural world holds no rights at all in our human system of law.  

Degradation is inevitable in these circumstances, and we now stagger under both the weight of the laws meant to stop it and the consequences of past decisions.  

I believe is possible to have a both strong economy and environmental stewardship, and I have come to believe that while laws can only slow destruction, they are not well-suited to renewal and restoration.  

Renewal can only come through people who care about their home enough to invest their time, talent and treasure and through responsible entrepreneurs who create an economy of which we can all be proud. (We could also use some outside funding from federal and state governments, who permitted economic interests areas outside our region to exploit the resources of our county for generations.)

Imagine working together to renew, restore and reimagine what it means to be alive at this time and in this place.  

To achieve such an ambitious dream, we must start with the things to which we agree and then seek common ground on the things that we don’t.

We agree:

• that good local food is not only nutritious and healthy, but good for our economy;
• that our homes and communities must be protected from wildfire;
• that buying from local businesses, keeping resources here in our community serves us all;
• that investment and jobs that bring resources to our economy without exploiting the people or environment benefit everyone;
• that a healthy Lake and watershed is vital to our economy and the well-being of our citizenry.

Here is one example of seeking common ground: we came within 4 percent of passing Measure E – a local tax measure that would invest in the long term health of Clear Lake. Sixty two percent of the voting public wasn’t enough to adopt this measure. Those who voted against it wanted a better long term plan.

So as leaders, it is our job to come up with a better long term plan and then try again. The next election cycle is in 2014. Hopefully, anyone who cares about Clear Lake will work to pass a successor to Measure E and it will be one that we can all support.

It is my intention to once again personally campaign for the successor to Measure E during that time.  I believe it is vital to turning around our economy and our environmental future.

The year 2014 is also the year that I would be seeking a third term in office if I chose to do so. Those who know me know that I had never intended to become a career politician.

After much thought I realize that I need to make an announcement at this time to give others time to plan. I have decided that I will not be seeking reelection in 2014 for the new term of office that begins in 2015.

It is my hope that thoughtful, engaged and energetic people will discern whether they are called to step into the role of District 3 supervisor and choose to run for office in the coming election cycle. I hope that the best people choose to run and the voting public encourages leaders to step forward.

While the work of creating a vital local community is not over, I feel that I have done what I came to do in local government – change the conversation and introduce a new approach, engage and encourage citizen leaders, and work to “plug the economic leaks” in our economy, starting with energy use.  

I’m proud that this board has adopted a general plan of land use, preserved Mt. Konocti for future generations, invested in 3.2 megawatts of solar energy and hundreds of kilowatts in energy efficiency, brought higher education to our community and kept a balanced county budget during the most difficult economy in our lifetime.   

I will never stop working on my vision and dream for our community (you can access this vision at http://www.deniserushing.net/vision ). Beginning in 2015, it is my intention to serve the community by doing what I do best – creating jobs as an entrepreneur and helping local entrepreneurs create and grow environmentally and socially responsible businesses.

I will continue to work hard in my remaining term of office for the citizens of Lake County and intend to focus my remaining time in office on the economy, the lake and associated environmental issues, and the business of managing county government through lean economic times.  

…The wide universe is the ocean I travel,
And the Earth is my blue boat home.

Denise Rushing has been empowering organizational and cultural transformation for more than 30 years as an author, environmental engineer, entrepreneur, elected official and ecological designer. She lives in Upper Lake, Calif. Visit her on the Web at www.DeniseRushing.net .