October STARS Employee of the Month

Amber Crabtree, Housekeeping

Start Date: August 2022
Born and Raised: Tulsa, OK
Wanted to be as a Kid: Photographer
Favorite Sports: Football and Basketball
One Meal Forever: Street Tacos
Described by Friends: Loving and Caring
Hobbies: Spending Time with Family
First Job: McDonalds
Favorite Holiday: Halloween
Family Recipe: Homemade Dinner Rolls
First Car: Kia Optima
Collects: Angels and Crosses
Motivated By: My kids
Free Time: Swimming, Bowling, and Camping
What her supervisor says: “Amber comes in everyday with a big smile on her face. She is always willing to help wherever she is needed without hesitation. We get many compliments from the members she serves. She genuinely enjoys her job and is an asset to the housekeeping team.” – Cathy Green, Housekeeping Manager

You Are God’s Masterpiece

By Weldon Tisdale, Chaplain

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Ephesians 2:10 NLT


We all know what a masterpiece is. It’s a creator’s prized piece, his or her most valuable work. Artists are blessed if they have a single masterpiece. Few throughout history are fortunate enough to have had more. Beethoven is one of them. So are Vincent van Gogh and Michelangelo.

No artist, of course, compares to God. Imagine the most beautiful sights you’ve ever seen in creation. Maybe the snowcapped mountains, the northern lights, a field of brilliantly colored wildflowers or waves crashing into a towering cliff. Out of nothing, God brought forth these masterpieces. He saw them for what they were long before anyone else could – that’s how God sees you.

Today you may be surrounded by obstacles, and your greatest features might be hidden under layers of insecurity, fear, struggle or shame. Even as you read this, God is working to remove those layers. Just know that there is a masterpiece in you that you don’t have to prove, you just have to reveal. When
you do, the right people will recognize the masterpiece you are.

God chose you and molded you. Then He set you apart for His great purpose. The thing about a masterpiece is that it’s made to stand out. As many masterpieces as Beethoven, van Gogh and Michelangelo created, not one was the same. They each were wildly unique and were crafted to express a unique part of their creator’s heart. As are you!

You are no mistake, nor the product of some random chance. You are the outcome of God’s choosing, the result of His steady hand. Yes, you belong as you are with all your quirks and qualities, because with them, not despite them, you reflect something about God that the world needs to see. So, do not be afraid to stand out because that is what masterpieces do – “stand out.”

“You Are God’s Masterpiece!”
Partially adapted from kylewinklerministries.org.

The Seven Dimensions of Wellness

By Weldon Tisdale, Interim Director of Wellness

Many people think about “wellness” in terms of physical health only. The word invokes thoughts of nutrition, exercise, weight management, blood pressure, etc. Wellness, however, is much more
than physical health. Wellness is a full integration of not just physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing
but so much more. It is a complex interaction that leads to an enhanced quality of life when fully embraced.

Trinity Woods has adapted the seven dimensions of wellness model: Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Social, Environmental and Vocational. Each dimension contributes to our own sense of wellness or quality of life, and each affects the others. Here’s an overview of each of the seven dimensions.

Spiritual Wellness: Encompasses exploring one’s sense of purpose, meaning, and connection to someone larger than oneself. Living with meaning and purpose in life, guided by personal values, is key to feelings of well-being and connection to the larger world. Group and individual faith-based activities,
Bible study, prayer, journaling and meditation create the opportunity for spiritual growth.

Physical Wellness: Centers around maintaining a healthy body through regular exercise, proper nutrition, managing stress, getting adequate sleep, regular check-ups and following medical recommendations. These lifestyle choices help maintain or improve health and functional ability.

Intellectual Wellness: Involves engaging in lifelong learning, mental stimulation, and challenging oneself to stay mentally active. Engaging in creative pursuits and intellectually stimulating activities is a proven approach to keeping minds alert and interested.

Emotional Wellness: Focused on managing emotions, developing coping skills, and fostering a positive mental state through peer counseling, stress management, humor/laughter and personal histories. Coping with challenges and behaving in trustworthy and respectful ways signal emotional wellness.

Social Wellness: Involves nurturing relationships, building social connections, and contributing to the community. Social interactions with family, friends, neighbors and chosen peer groups can be valuable for maintaining health.

Environmental Wellness: Incorporates being mindful of one’s impact on the natural world, conserving resources, recycling and promoting sustainability. Good environmental stewardship means respecting, protecting and caring for our God-given resources.

Vocational Wellness: Focuses on finding purpose and fulfillment in one’s work, maintaining a healthy work-life balance, and developing a sense of accomplishment. Leisure-time vocations in the arts and through hobbies as well as mentoring and volunteering help maintain vocational skills.

Embracing wellness means shifting your mindset to prevention and employing proactive strategies to thrive, rather than just survive. Wellness is a conscious and self-directed process with the goal of achieving your full potential. The Trinity Woods community desires to see all reach their full potential by embracing the seven dimensions of wellness. This will help drive Trinity Woods towards achieving its vision of “redefining aging.” For more information on ways you can get more involved in wellness programming reach out to any member of the Trinity Woods Wellness team.

September STARS Employee of the Month

Adrienne Rider, Weekend Concierge

» Start Date: February 2024
» Born: Purcell, OK
» Raised: Oklahoma and Texas
» Education: San Angelo, TX
» Wanted to be as a Kid: A Teacher
» Favorite Sport: Softball
» One Meal Forever: Steak and Potatoes
» Described by Friends: Outgoing, Friendly, Helpful and Direct
» Hobbies: Reading!
» First Job: Babysitting
» Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving
» Favorite Quote: This too shall pass.
» Family Car: 1976 Pinto – Orange and White
» Family Recipe: Mom’s Chocolate Cake
» Favorite Book: Goodnight Moon
» Free Time: Reading and playing with granddaughter
» Family: Two-time Cancer Survivor of 20 years!
» What her supervisor says: “Adrienne is a fantastic employee who not only shows up but also steps
up, solving problems with creativity, kindness, and dedication. She is a blessing to everyone she comes
in contact with, including our Members, visitors to campus and employees.” – Carri Matheson, Director of
Member Services

Health Aging Month

By Alison McMillian, Wellness Manager

As we enter the final quarter of 2024, sometimes we are feeling the need for a refresh, rejuvenation, or a renewal. After all, September is a time of transition from Summer to Fall, and it also kicks off Healthy Aging Month.

Healthy Aging Month, recognized officially by the Senate in 2021, sprouted from the Healthy Aging Organization’s National Healthy Aging Campaign started in 1992 by the President of Healthy Aging.
This campaign is intended to focus on positive aspects of growing older to draw attention to healthy active lifestyles at any age. It also has been helping to chip away myths of aging.

According to a Harris Poll of over 900 adults over the age of 50, there has been a dramatic shift in the way that aging is defined and perceived, with almost 80% of those adults reporting being more active and almost 60% of them reporting being more open minded and curious about aging. The poll reports more modern older adults feeling happier, freer, and less anxiety ridden than before.

As they say at the Healthy Aging Organization, it’s never too late to take charge of your wellness! So take time this month to prioritize your wellness and refresh yourself going into Fall. Here’s some tips
from the Healthy Aging Organization to get you started:

Move more, sit less! It’s recommended to get about 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week. That’s only 20 minutes a day!

Watch your salt intake and eat more fiber. Adding fiber into the diet will help maintain good digestive health. Things like whole grains, broccoli, legumes, nuts, and more.

Be proactive with your social life. Set up lunch dates, outings, or meet-ups with new and old friends to combat loneliness.

Plan for your Next. Take up a new hobby, plan travels, forge new goals to accomplish.

Trinity Woods is celebrating Healthy Aging Month with Active Aging Week at the end of the month. Be on the lookout for fun activities, challenges, tips and tricks, and more from the Wellness Team.

Welcoming the New Vice President of Health Services

By Garrett Lee, Trinity Woods CEO

I am pleased to welcome Emilie Creswell to Trinity Woods as the new Vice President of Health Services. I have had the pleasure of knowing Emilie for several years and have been impacted by her passion for serving older adults, their families as well as the employees who care for them. Emilie comes to Trinity Woods with a wealth of experience in aging services. She has been a licensed long-term care Administrator for over 26 years!

“I am excited to develop meaningful relationships with and serve alongside the remarkable team at Trinity Woods as we continuously improve both personalized quality of care and the employee experience,” said Emilie.

Emilie is a highly knowledgeable senior living professional. Her balance of operational insight and relational style is a perfect fit for advancing and sustaining our health services.

When asked about what she wants people to know about her first and foremost, Emilie says “I am honored and blessed to be a part of an organization whose mission is to serve others in the spirit of Christ. I believe the secret to a meaningful and fulfilled life is simple: love God and love people.”

Emilie began her new role at Trinity Woods on August 28th. She is looking forward to getting to know the residents and their families and the Trinity Woods team. She will office in the health services administration hallway just across from the Therapy gym. Please stop by and introduce yourself in the coming days and weeks.

Thank you all for your prayerful involvement as we searched this summer for the new VP of Health Services. The future continues to be bright for Trinity Woods!

Being a Good Samaritan

By Garrett Lee, Trinity Woods CEO

Most people long for peace of mind, security, and belonging. When the mission of Trinity Woods is successfully carried out, these are all gifts that residents can experience. I can think of no better demonstration of living out our mission to serve others in the spirit of Christ than what is modeled through our Good Samaritan Fund.

I’ve heard it said that it is more of a blessing to give than to receive. Clearly Trinity Woods recognized that all those years ago. They noticed that not only did we have an opportunity to serve and love each other in the spirit of Christ by the giving of our money and time but also, we have an opportunity to receive tremendous blessings by creating and giving to this Fund.

The need for benevolent care hasn’t changed, nor has the opportunity to be a part of something marked by generosity and kindness. Every year, we have the honor to serve people from all walks of life and every year, some of our precious neighbors through no fault of their own, experience something that can be traumatic; that is, they outlive their financial resources. Support comes to them through donors to the Good Samaritan Fund.

Each person who gives to this Fund is showing up for those who need help, and through this, we get the blessing of living out our promise at Trinity Woods to care for people for the remainder of their lives – allowing them to experience the amazing gift of peace of mind, security, and belonging.

Please join us as we carry out the responsibility of the Golden Rule and care for our neighbors. We ask you to prayerfully consider what your involvement in the Good Samaritan Fund could be this year, and I invite you to experience the blessing of generosity, as outlined to us through the life and ministry of Jesus. Click here to donate. For more information on how you can help, please call 918.346.6639.

Honoring Trinity Woods’ Longest Reigning Resident!

By Bonnie Polak, VP of Philanthropy and Community Engagement

This month, I took time to sit down with someone who needs no introduction to most people in the Trinity
Woods community – Philelle McBrayer. Philelle holds the honor and distinction of being the person who has lived here the longest – 29 years! In fact, the home she currently resides in is the place she has lived in the longest throughout her life.

Philelle’s ties to Trinity Woods, and Oklahoma Methodist Manor, are strong. Her parents built a villa on Sandusky back in 1979 that is still in use. She remembers them moving in on her birthday.

When asked about all the changes since then she will tell you, that the feeling of community has never changed. “The people are great and it is has been a wonderful place to live then and now.”

She remembers every time there has been a new building project on campus wondering how it would change things, and appreciating how it has always added something that was needed and important, making things better.

This year Philelle will turn 99 and she credits her long life to being blessed with good health. She has helped that along by being active – she walks and exercises, she still teaches piano, and is active in campus programs, as well as in her church community.

Looking back at her 29 years in the community, Philelle mentions her love of playing the piano with her most beloved friend Ann Dorff. Most people probably don’t know that this community is what brought this dynamic piano duo together. They have played over 25 programs together throughout the years.

Perhaps my favorite part about my time with Philelle was her words of wisdom…“Be active and accumulate friends.” And to that I say, well done, Philelle!

The Unforced Rhythms of Grace

By Weldon Tisdale, Chaplain

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and
you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28–30 MSG

Do you feel as though you are trapped on a never-ending treadmill based on your own efforts to try to earn God’s forgiveness, approval and acceptance? If you are trying to earn your own forgiveness and thinking that God is constantly mad at you, I am here to tell you that is not the heart of God.

When Jesus spoke of “the unforced rhythms of grace,” He means that there is an ease and enjoyment when you walk in His grace. This contrasts with the struggle and strain found in self-effort. There is rest when you know there is nothing you can do to earn His forgiveness. It is freely given. Receive His forgiveness and stop punishing yourself, because your sins have already been punished on the body of another—His name is Jesus. No wonder the Gospel is called the Good News.

When you understand God’s grace and forgiveness, you will understand the difference between religious obligation and relationship. Under the old covenant of the law, right-living is done out of religious obligation. Under the new covenant of grace, everything we do today is birthed out of an inward
motivation that flows directly from a love relationship with Jesus.

God is not a legalist. He doesn’t want you to read His Word just because He said so, as a religious obligation. He wants you to experience His love and spend time in His Word because you want to enjoy His sweet presence. The reality is, when you don’t read the Bible, you should not feel guilty; you should feel hungry.

Jesus invites you to walk, work and watch in rhythmic timing as He does, and experience “the unforced rhythms of grace.” Keep company and in sync with Him and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly!

Ordinary Times

By Weldon Tisdale, Chaplain

The Christian year includes two central cycles focused on major events in the life of Christ: the Christmas cycle (Advent-Christmas-Epiphany) and the Easter cycle (Lent-Easter-Pentecost).

Each of these seasons begins with a time of preparation and anticipation followed by a time of celebration. A season designated as “Ordinary Time” follows each cycle. The word “ordinary” here does not mean “routine” or “not special.” Instead, it refers to the “ordinal numbers” (first, second, third,
etc.) used to name and count the Sundays (such as the third Sunday after Epiphany).

The first period of Ordinary Time, the Season after Epiphany, begins on Epiphany Day and ends on the day before Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent). The central theme of this season is the calling of disciples and the early ministry of Jesus.

The second period of Ordinary Time, the Season after Pentecost, follows the Easter cycle. It begins the day after Pentecost and continues to Advent. The purpose of this season is to support new disciples and the whole congregation in living out the gifts and callings discerned during the Easter Season and commissioned on the Day of Pentecost.

Every year, Christians experience the contrast between the central seasons of Christmas and Easter, where we see God in the events around the coming of Christ, and the in-between times, where we see, speak about and join God’s ongoing work in the world.

It is our human tendency to get excited about Christmas and Easter and for our attention and enthusiasm to wane in between. Yet, we should not confuse “ordinary” with “commonplace.” One writer, Bo McAllister tells us that “Ordinary Time is extraordinary because it reminds us that God is with us even in the day-to-day ordinariness of our lives. God wants to be in our everyday lives, even the parts we view as ordinary and mundane.”

We thus experience two regular cycles of preparation, celebration and action in ministry each year, with the Ordinary Times as the primary periods of action. Ordinary Times should be a call to action during the in-between times. We are in an “Ordinary Times” season. What actions will you take to advance the Kingdom of God? Let us enjoy the relaxed nature of summer but let us do so in a way that also celebrates the sacredness of “Ordinary Time

Trinity Woods Named Senior Care’s Best Places to Work!

Trinity Woods has been named as one of Senior Care’s Best Places to Work for 2024 under a new program from WeCare Connect – the industry leader in senior care surveys. We are delighted to announce we have met the rigorous benchmarks that signal excellence in care.

“We are so excited to receive this distinction. We pride ourselves on not just serving Tulsa seniors but also the people who choose to work in this industry. We love our employees and couldn’t be prouder to be named Senior Care’s Best!” says Garrett Lee, Trinity Woods CEO.

Why Senior Care’s Best?
For a long time, it has been difficult to measure and rank the qualitative benefits such as satisfaction and engagement that are critical to senior care. WeCare Connect uses the largest third-party survey data set in senior care from which to assess, certify and rank organizations as Senior Care’s Best.

About WeCare Connect
WeCare Connect is the industry leader in senior care surveys. They enable senior care organizations to act on what their employees, patients and residents care about most, ultimately helping them increase retention, satisfaction and organizational stability.

July STARS Employee of the Month

Nick Terrell, Dining Team Health Center
» Start Date: September 2020
» Born and Raised: Tulsa, OK
» Wanted to be as a Kid: Storm Chaser
» One Meal Forever: Red Hot Applesauce
» Described by Friends: Sensitive and Caring
» Hobbies: Crafts, Painting, Sewing and Embroidery
» First Job: Clerk for Reasor’s
» Favorite Quote: “Smile for the people in the grocery store.” – Allie Jensen
» First Car: 2008 Jeep Wagoner
» Favorite Movie: The Whale
» Favorite Book: Billions & Billions by Carl Sagan
» Collects: Uranium Glass
» Free Time: Hiking and Spending time with Family
» Fun Fact: Parents were professional clowns.
» What his supervisor says: “Nick is a pleasure to work with. He is very kind and compassionate when
dealing with the members. He always goes out of his way to make sure they have what they need.” – Liz
Misak, Dietary Manager

Announcing A More Secure Campus

By Bonnie Polak, VP of Philanthropy and Community Engagement

Trinity Woods is pleased to announce that we have started the process of gating the community. Over the past several months, informational meetings were held for residents to learn more about securing the campus by adding a gated entry system.

Gated communities are increasingly popular among seniors seeking a secure, serene, and sociable living environment. Some of the key features and benefits of a gated entry:

Enhanced Security and Privacy: By limiting access to residents and approved guests only, the gated entry system will significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized individuals entering our neighborhood.

Controlled Access: Residents will have the convenience of accessing the neighborhood seamlessly through the gated entry system, while guests will require approval from residents to enter.

Community Cohesion: The implementation of a gated entry system encourages a greater sense of community by fostering a shared commitment to safety and security among residents.

“This is a great opportunity for our community,” said Garrett Lee, Trinity Woods CEO. “I am even more excited to announce that this project has been fully funded with donations and pledges. It speaks volumes that we have such support for this project and how it will add to the community.”

We thank the people who supported this effort with their prayers and contributions. The project is already under way, and we expect to break ground in the coming months. The estimated completion date of the project is the end of the year, weather permitting.

Why Making Your Wishes Known is Important.

It’s a difficult conversation to have. While no one knows when that time will be, as we grow older, the question comes with more urgency. Making your wishes known is crucial for several reasons, as it helps ensure that your preferences and values are respected, particularly in situations where you might not be
able to communicate them yourself. Here are some key points highlighting the importance of this practice:

1. Personal Autonomy: Clearly articulating your wishes helps maintain your autonomy by ensuring your decisions are honored.

2. Peace of Mind: Knowing that your desires will be respected can provide significant peace of mind. This applies to both you and your loved ones.

3. Avoiding Conflicts: When your wishes are explicitly known, it reduces the potential for conflicts among family members and friends.

4. Legal Considerations: Specifying your wishes in legally binding documents like living wills, advance directives, or powers of attorney ensures that your instructions are followed in accordance with the law.

5. End-of-Life Decisions: Making your end-of-life preferences known is particularly important to ensure that your dignity is maintained, and your end-of-life care aligns with your values.

6. Financial Management: By making your financial wishes known, you can ensure that your assets are managed and distributed according to your desires.

7. Organ Donation and Funeral Preferences: Indicating your preferences for organ donation and funeral arrangements can relieve your family of making difficult decisions during a time of grief and ensure your wishes are honored.

8. Communicating Values and Legacy: Beyond practical considerations, making your wishes known allows you to communicate your values, beliefs, and legacy. This can provide guidance and inspiration to your loved ones and ensure your personal and family values are upheld.

July Issue of The Trail Mix

In This Issue: Gating The Trinity Woods Community!

Trinity Woods is pleased to announce that we have started the process of gating the community. Over the past several months, informational meetings were held for
residents to learn more about securing the campus by adding a gated entry system.
Gated communities are increasingly popular among seniors seeking a secure, serene, and sociable living environment.

We thank the people who supported this effort with their prayers and contributions. The project is already under way, and we expect to break ground in the coming months. The estimated completion date of the project is the end of the year, weather permitting.

We are also excited to announce Summer School classes. For the eighth year in a row, we are proud to offer Trinity Woods Summer School with a plethora of classes, all taught by Trinity Woods community members! There are 12 different classes this year, some with multiple sessions. Since classes are held right on campus and at different times, you can easily take part in every single class if you wish. We are very grateful to the instructors who are sharing their time and wealth of knowledge with their neighbors.

Don’t miss wellness feature articles: Rev. Weldon Tisdale and Making Your Wishes Known.

July STAR Employees of the Month announced – Sarah and Nick!

July Wellness Events

This month’s featured events include a the Annual Independence Day Parade and Ice Cream Social with special Grand Marshall WWII Veteran Dick Willhour. We also have Joshua Taylor in the Young Talent Discovery Concert. And don’t forget Supper and A Show with Preservation Barber Show Quartet. There’s never a dull moment in the neighborhood!

New Neighbors
Meet John and Donna, and Rhonda!

June STARS Employee of the Month

Leslie Sones, CMA, Health Center

Start Date: July 2022
Education: Edison High School and Tulsa Community College
Wanted to be as a Kid: Nurse
Favorite Sport: Football
One Meal Forever: Tacos!
Described by Friends: That she looks serious but is funny.
Hobbies: Reading and Writing Poetry
First Job: Kentucky Fried Chicken
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Favorite Bible Verse: “When a man’s ways please the
LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Proverbs 16:7
Family Recipe: Sweet Potato Pie
Favorite Movie: Waiting to Exhale
Favorite Book: The Babysitters Club series by Ann M. Martin
Collects: Coffee Mugs
Free Time: Spending time with grandkids
Fun Fact: She has a fear of mermaids
Family: Mother of four children
What her supervisor says: “Lesile is very caring to elders and staff. Is always willing to help out.” – Harriett Zavala, Household Manager

Balance Through Yoga

By Wellness Manager, Alison McMillan

While it may be the end of spring, it’s always a good time to think about fall. No, not fall the season where the leaves change and the weather cools, but rather tumbles, stumbles, trips, and spills. One in four Americans over the age of 65 fall each year and almost 40% of those who fall suffer injury from it. While there’s a variety of factors that can cause an increased risk of falling, such as medications, loss of strength and balance, increased trip hazards at home, and lack of sufficient nutrition, there are also ways to mitigate and reduce your fall risk.

One of those ways is Yoga! Yoga has been growing in popularity in senior Americans. In fact, participation has doubled in the last 10 years; no wonder since yoga can be practiced by virtually everyone!

By practicing slow movements with holding poses, yoga helps to build strength throughout the body – legs, arms, and most importantly the core. It also helps to improve flexibility in stiff muscles and joints. Many poses enhance stability and balance and teach the body how to adjust to changes in its position.
It requires the participant to practice focus and concentration on their body.

Yoga poses improve the mind-body connection through coordination and mindfulness exercises. It requires the body and the brain to speak to and understand each other, which builds stronger neurological connections. The nature of the weight bearing yoga poses help to strengthen bones therefore helping reduce the risk of a fracture should you fall.

To celebrate International Yoga Day, Trinity Woods is offering yoga classes twice-a-week by Julie Clemons! Julie is certified through YogaFit and has been teaching yoga for 18 years. Julie says, “If you want to get out of bed a little easier in the morning and who doesn’t – try yoga!”

Father’s Day

By Weldon Tisdale, Chaplain

Psalm 68: 5 – “He is a father to the fatherless…” (Living Bible)

The campaign to celebrate the nation’s fathers did not meet with the same enthusiasm as the nation’s campaign to celebrate mothers – perhaps because, as one florist explained, “fathers haven’t the same sentimental appeal that mothers have.”

On July 5, 1908, a West Virginia church sponsored the nation’s first event explicitly in honor of fathers, a Sunday sermon in memory of the 362 men who had died in the previous December’s explosions at the Fairmont Coal Company mines in Monongah, WV, but it was a one-time commemoration and not an annual holiday.

The next year a Spokane, WA woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by a widower, tried to establish an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. She went to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers, and government officials to drum up support for her idea, and she was successful: Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day on June 19, 1910.

Slowly, the holiday spread. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson honored the day by using telegraph signals to unfurl a flag in Spokane when he pressed a button in Washington, D.C. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged state governments to observe Father’s Day.

In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed that the third Sunday in June would be officially known as Father’s Day, saying that we look to fathers to “provide the strength and stability which characterize the successful family.” In 1972, President Richard Nixon made the day a national holiday.

On this Father’s Day, June 16, 2024, our nation will pause to celebrate our fathers. But it might be difficult for some of you to celebrate because your father is no longer around. Or maybe your relationship with your father is broken, or not what you hoped it would be.

Even if you can’t celebrate with your earthly father on Father’s Day, you can still celebrate with your Heavenly Father. King David writes in Psalm 68:5 that God, our Heavenly Father, is “Father to
the fatherless…”

If you belong to God, then you have a great Father. And because you are His, you can never be called fatherless. The Lord even have you His name to wear. Wear it with pride. You are a treasured member of His family.

Embracing the Journey: The Wisdom of Age and Living Life to the Fullest!

n a world where youth often takes center stage, there’s an invaluable treasure trove waiting to be discovered in the wisdom of age. Life is a journey, with its peaks and valleys, its triumphs and
tribulations.

One of the most profound lessons we learn from the wisdom of age is the art of resilience. Life is
rarely a smooth sail; it’s the storms that teach us to adjust our sails. Through the lived experiences
shared in these pages, we discover that change does not mean roadblocks but opportunities for growth. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a career setback, or a health challenge, the wisdom of age teaches us to weather the storms with fortitude and emerge stronger on the other side.

Moreover, wisdom underscores the importance of relationships in shaping our lives. From the bonds forged with family members to the friendships cultivated, it’s the connections we nurture that sustain us through life’s ups and downs. Through the lens of age, we come to realize that it’s not the quantity but the quality of our relationships that truly enrich our lives. Investing time and energy in building meaningful connections at all ages becomes paramount, reminding us that love and companionship are the true currencies of life.

Perhaps the most profound lesson gleaned from aging is the importance of living with intention and purpose. The wisdom of age implores us to seize each moment, to savor the simple pleasures, and to pursue our passions with unwavering zeal. Whether it’s pursuing a long-held dream, giving back to the community, or simply finding joy in everyday moments, living life to the fullest means embracing each day as a gift and making the most of the time we have.

Even the Bible tells us that a long life brings wisdom and understanding. Leaning into what we learn over the years is a valuable key to enjoying your life and aging gracefully—something the residents of Trinity Woods excel at. As you will see in this issue, a few members have shared their insights on what makes life satisfying and sweet at any age.

Thank you for the Opportunity to Serve

By Garrett Lee, New Trinity Woods CEO

One thing we know for sure is that everything changes, right? Ecclesiastes (and the Byrds, circa 1967) inform us that there is a time for everything under the sun and a time to embrace. We have the privilege of embracing change together with the transition in leadership from Steve to myself.

I’m grateful for the divine timing of this transition and the symbolism that the Spring season sheds over this period; that is, we get to honor and remember yesterday, and experience the new growth and beauty that is possible because of a rich, cultivated foundation. Too deep for my first message to you? Oh, the fun we are going to have!

I cannot tell you how excited I am to join the Trinity Woods family and help continue the good work that has gone on here for many years, making it the amazing place it is today. Perhaps what I am most looking forward to is getting to know and building meaningful relationships with each of YOU.

We each bring a uniquely gifted set of personality, skills and perspective to this community which results in what I’ve experienced so far: a warm, welcoming, friendly and active environment at Trinity Woods. So, my message to you today as we start this new journey is simply thank you!

Thank you, Trinity Woods, for this opportunity to come alongside and serve with you. Thank you for sticking it out this last year through the CEO search and, thank you in advance for everything you are doing and will do to help make this leadership transition a seamless and successful one for everybody. I look forward to meeting each of you!

Blessings,
Garrett Lee
Trinity Woods, CEO

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