By Steve Dickie, CEO

Serving Trinity Woods for the past 20 years has been one of the greatest privileges of my career.
This month I want to take the opportunity to say thank you as we pass the torch to a new leader.

What warms my heart as I say “goodbye”? I am thankful for the strong governance provided by the Board. I am grateful for the dedication and commitment of my colleagues on the leadership team. I am appreciative of all the love and support offered by the members of this great community.

As we look back on the last 20 years who could have imagined all the progress we would make as an organization? Moving to a person-centered model of healthcare, completing the development of Crestwood, promoting whole-person wellness, building the new Holliman Center, adding Memory Care Assisted Living, and completing the Community Life Center have all been major accomplishments!

Nothing is more gratifying to me than to witness the positive impact Trinity Woods has on the people and the families we serve.

Trinity Woods has an outstanding Mission: Serving the Trinity Woods family in the spirit of Christ. None of us lit the flame. That happened 68 years ago! But we are all responsible for keeping the flame of the mission of Trinity Woods burning bright.

I am pleased to share the Board voted unanimously to hire Garrett Lee as the next CEO of Trinity Woods. Next month’s issue of the Trail Mix will be devoted to introducing Garrett to the community. I look forward to seeing all that God still has in store for Trinity Woods.

Your neighbor and friend,
Steve Dickie

Please be watching for communication about events to honor Steve.

By Steve Dickie, CEO

All of us share a common debt to the many others who “prepared the way” for us by shaping our community and giving of themselves in ways which served to our benefit. Because of their kindness and
generosity our lives have been enriched and as they served the greater good. There is a collective blessing we inherit that we are now obligated to build upon and pass on to others. It is true: we stand on the shoulders of giants.

Rev. Elson Hargrove joined the staff of Trinity Woods (then Oklahoma Methodist Manor) as Assistant
Health Care Administrator in 1984. He went on to be Health Care Administrator and later Executive
Director prior to his retirement in 1996.

During his tenure he was involved in the construction of the Fleming Center, the Patio Homes, and the Health Center. Rev. Hargrove had the distinction of hiring Dennis Graham (now Chief Operating
Officer) as a contractor in 1995.

Dennis described Rev. Hargrove as a kind and compassionate leader who was always looking out for the residents and staff.

Elson and Joyce Hargrove now reside in the very Health Center he helped to build. It is an honor and a privilege for all of us to serve those who served us so well.

Legend holds that the Dogwood Tree was once very large and because its wood was strong and sturdy, it provided building material for a variety of purposes. According to the story, it was the Dogwood Tree
that provided the wood used to build the cross on which Jesus was crucified.

Because of its role in the crucifixion, it is said that God both cursed and blessed the tree. It was cursed to be small forever, so it would never grow large enough to be used again as a cross for a crucifixion. Its branches would be narrow and crooked, which makes it no good for building. At the same time, however, the tree was blessed so it would produce beautiful flowers each spring, just in time for Easter.

To remember God’s promise to the tree, it is said He gave it a few traits so that whoever looks upon it will never forget. For example, the petals form the shape of a cross. Upon close examination, the blooms of the tree always have four petals. The middle of the dogwood flower is a tight grouping that resembles a crown of thorns. And the tips of each of the petals are indented, as if they bear a nail dent. There are even colors in the petals that bring to mind the drops of blood that spilled during the crucifixion.

The Legend of the Dogwood Tree. Happy Easter!

By Weldon Tisdale, Trinity Woods Chaplain

In the Bible, Jesus is often referred to as the Passover Lamb. Let’s explore why this analogy is significant as we enter the Lenten Season in preparation for Easter:

1. ORIGINS OF THE PASSOVER:
The concept of Passover originates from the book of Exodus. During the time when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, God instructed them to celebrate the Passover as a memorial of their deliverance. In Exodus 12, God commanded the Israelites to take an unblemished one-year-old lamb and sacrifice it during the Passover feast. The blood of this lamb was to be applied to their doorposts, signifying protection from death. The Passover commemorated God’s grace in sparing the Israelites from the final plague that struck Egypt, where the firstborn of every household died. The blood on the doorposts allowed death to “pass over” their homes.

2. SYMBOLISM OF THE PASSOVER LAMB:
The lamb sacrificed during the Passover served as a substitute. Its innocent blood protected the Israelites
from death. This sacrificial provision pointed forward to the coming of Jesus Christ, who would be the ultimate and perfect Lamb of God. Just as the Passover lamb’s blood shielded the Israelites, Jesus’ blood would provide salvation for all humanity.

3. JESUS AS THE LAMB OF GOD:
John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God. In John 1:29, he declared, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Isaiah 53:7 also prophesied about Jesus: “He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter.” Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself on the cross, shedding His innocent blood. His death became the ultimate Passover sacrifice. By accepting Jesus as the Lamb of God, we can be saved from spiritual death. His sacrifice offers redemption and eternal life.

4. NEW CREATION AND SPIRITUAL LIFE:
Jesus’ sacrifice goes beyond physical deliverance. He is the Passover Lamb who brings about the true exodus. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus initiates a spiritual new creation. He raises His people from spiritual death to spiritual life. As the Lamb of God, Jesus fulfills the symbolism of the Passover lamb, providing salvation for all who believe in Him.

In summary, Jesus’ role as the Passover Lamb signifies His sacrificial love, redemption, and the opportunity for humanity to escape spiritual death through faith in Him.

By: Bonnie Polak, VP of Philanthropy and Community Engagement and Editor

Meet Elizabeth Bartlett or, as many people call her, “Mama Bear.” Elizabeth has taken a small gesture, a teddy bear and an encouraging note, and made a profound impact. If you have never heard of the Trinity Bears (or the Manor Bears, as they used to be called) it is a great ministry and service brought about by the passion and heart of one very special lady.

When Elizabeth moved to Trinity Woods in 2009, she was inspired by a group of women who also lived here that made quilts for people who were sick. “This group of ladies were so impressive. Some of them had trouble with their eyesight, some couldn’t sew but they all found a way to be part of the effort.”

In 2010 Elizabeth started making special little bears for the people living at Trinity Woods. She
originally started making them for the birthdays of residents of the Holliman Center and now she focuses her efforts on residents who are in the Trinity Woods Health Center.

When asked why she spends her free time making stuffed bears, she says, “When someone moves to the Health Center, their life really changes and I think people tend to do better when they know other people care about them.”

When Elizabeth first started her passion project, it was just a team of two – she and her late husband Lynn. Now, nearly 15 years later, there is a team of 20 helpers who cut, draw, stuff, sew and deliver the bears to Health Center residents.

Elizabeth says that over 5,000 Trinity Bears have been given out to residents since they started. The bears mean so much to recipients that, even after they leave the Health Center, they or their families often keep their bears as mementoes of the care that was shown to them. She has even shared her pattern and program with people across the country. “A Health Center family member from Alaska once asked if she could start making bears in her community,” said Elizabeth. “I happily gave her the pattern and told her how I did it.”

Each bear is made by hand with a handwritten scripture and note of encouragement. Elizabeth hopes the Trinity Bears legacy goes beyond just individual interactions and contributes to a stronger, more connected community.

If you are interested in getting involved with this group of volunteers, please contact Irene Brown, Trinity Woods Life Enrichment Coordinator, at ibrown@trinitywoodstulsa.com or 918.346.6614.

By Weldon Tisdale, Chaplain

February is the month most often associated with love. We start seeing cupids and hearts in the stores and begin thinking of what to give the one we love. Valentines become available in January for sending to loved ones in February. This is a good month to think about what real love is. There are three kinds of love.

*Eros – This is erotic love. It is the first stage of a romantic relationship. It can be felt when you don’t even know the person who is the object of this love. It is a physical love centered on self.
*Philos – This love is based on a friendship between two or more people. It is based on give and take. It is a love that is centered on self but also others. This is “brotherly” love.
*Agape – This is totally selfless and unconditional love. It is love given without expectation of receiving any benefit in return. This is Spiritual love, and it is the highest form of love.

God is love. Here are examples of God’s Agape love:
*God demonstrated His agape love. Even though we were not worthy of His unconditional love, He sent His Son to die as a sacrifice for our unworthiness. We do not deserve His love, but He loves us anyway. Romans 5:8

*Jesus loves me in the same way that God the Father loves Him. He wants me to feel secure in that love. Jesus wants me to love others in the same way He loved me. John 15:9-13

*I am certain that nothing will ever tear me away from God’s love. Nothing in this life or the next, nothing seen or unseen, not even my own fears or worries, absolutely nothing can separate me from God’s love. That’s indescribable love.
Romans 8:38-39

*God is love. The Bible says that when I live in this love, I live in God and God lives in me. I have seen the ability to love others grow in me. Because I love God, I can love other people. I love because God loved me first. 1 John 4:16,19

*Allow the love of God to overwhelm your life this month and the rest of 2024 and then watch how your love for God and self will extend to loving others.

True love, that is deep, abiding love that is impervious to emotional whims or fancy, a choice. It’s a constant commitment to a person regardless of the present circumstances.
Mark Manson

By Lupina Fry, Wellness Nurse

The month of February is famous for the celebration of Love. It’s a time to celebrate relationships with family, friends, spouses, and connections that make life worthwhile. We spend time finding the right gift to show our appreciation of those relationships. However, we often forget one of the most important relationships—the one we have with ourselves. If we don’t take care of ourselves, we can’t serve those we love.

Love Your Heart month is an opportunity to care for yourself. One of the first and easiest ways to do this is to be aware of what you eat. Food is, after all, important medicine. Eating well-balanced meals with an eye toward fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and whole grains, avoiding red meats in favor of fish and
chicken, is essential to protecting your heart. Avoid excessive sweets as well as fatty and fried foods. Choose healthy oils for cooking and in your salads and avoid using butter and excess salt.

Getting enough exercise may be a bit more of a challenge but easy to achieve simply by walking. The American Heart Association suggests you participate in 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. A good test of whether the activity is moderate, is to try the “walkie-talkie” test. If you can talk while exercising but are unable to sing, that’s considered a moderate activity. A good 30–40-minute moderate intensity workout a few times a week can include a brisk walk, dancing, swimming, or yoga. If exercise
isn’t already part of your routine, start slowly and work steadily towards that 150-minute goal.

Sufficient sleep, exercise, healthy food, friendship, and peace of mind are necessities, not luxuries.” Mark Halperin

Lastly, make sure you know your numbers. It’s important to be aware of your cholesterol levels, your weight, and your blood pressure. Make sure your blood pressure is under control. High blood pressure is known as the “silent killer” because it can exhibit no symptoms and still damage your heart, arteries,
and other organs. Check your blood pressure often and work with your doctor to make improvements. When armed with knowledge about your health, you can make the improvements needed to love your heart and enjoy a healthier you.

Trinity Woods is a Mission Driven Organization and has one purpose. Our reason for being is clear – we serve the Trinity Woods family in the spirit of Christ. Every year we search for people who are willing to dedicate themselves to advancing our mission by serving on the Board of Directors.

Board members are expected to commit their time, talent, and treasure:
*The time commitment involves committing to prepare and participate in a monthly meeting of the full board.
*The talents of the board member are called upon as they offer their expertise through involvement in committee work.
*The treasure acknowledges the responsibility of board members to include Trinity
Woods as they make decisions about their charitable giving.

We encourage the Trinity Woods community to submit nominations to the Governance Committee. If you wish to nominate someone, you must fill out the Nomination Form and submit by Friday, February 19, 2024. Every nominee that is submitted will be reviewed, if they are not selected for this year, the committee maintains a list of prospective board members for future consideration. To receive a Nomination Form, contact Heidi Garrett, at 918-346-6671 or hgarrett@trinitywoodstulsa.com.

By Welden Tisdale, Chaplain

As we embark on a new year, may we each take time to examine our lives in full – physical, mental, social, financial and probably most importantly, spiritual. It is the spiritual aspect of our existence that has the tendency and ability to strengthen and bring purpose to every other dimension of our existence. Without a firm grasp of who we are as spiritual beings our lives will bounce along with no true direction.

For Trinity Woods, spirituality and wellness are woven deeply throughout the fabric of the community, connecting residents with a sense of “belonging.” The common ground and relationships fostered help heal broken hearts, soothe the mind, bring warmth and caring relationships, and even have an impact on individual health. We call this aspect of the dimensions of wellness – Spiritual Wellness.

Spiritual Wellness, simply defined, is being connected to something greater than yourself and having a set of values, principles, morals, and beliefs that provide a sense of purpose and meaning to life, then
using those principles to guide your actions.

Different stages of life bring different needs, and things we did not have time for while managing careers and family can become more important. Many times, we may have put off spiritual wellness not realizing its importance to an overall healthy lifestyle.

At Trinity Woods there is a strong focus every day for community members and employees to practice the seven dimensions of wellness. Putting spiritual practices into place as we embark on a new year will go a long way toward helping you age well in mind, body and spirit.

Finding meaning and purpose may be a lifelong process that evolves based on unique circumstances, individual experiences and global events. Along with the other dimensions of wellness, a person’s
level of spiritual wellness often fluctuates throughout their life. It is natural to experience a variety of emotions along the path to spiritual wellness – both positive (hope, forgiveness, acceptance, joy) and negative (doubt, fear, disappointment, conflict).

Spiritual wellness has the power and capability to make our decisions and choices easier, ground us during periods of change and give us the resiliency to survive with grace and inner peace in the face of
adversity. Having a spiritual element in our lives may even help us heal when suffering from a physical or mental condition. Again, take time to examine your spiritual wellness and prepare for a totally healthy 2024.

by Alison McMillan, Wellness Director

As we ring in 2024, and reflect on our experiences and what we leaned int he previous year, me might find things we want to change moving forward. Whatever it is, you’re not alone in this desire for change!

According to a Forbes survey in October this year, almost 62% of respondents feel pressure or the desire to set a resolution. However, if you’ve ever set a resolution, you may know that they don’t always pan out. Research suggests that 23% of people quit their resolution within the first week and 43% quit by the end of January, with a whopping 9% of people following them through to completion.

However, I’m here to keep you from letting the numbers scare you away from trying a resolution this year! There are a lot of good ways to make positive and constructive resolutions to grow yourself this year and to ensure that you have the best success in achieving your goals.

First, evaluate the reason for setting a resolution. Is it something you are doing out of actual desire and is there a need for change, or is it something you feel obligated and pressured to do? By ensuring that this is a genuine desire and need for change, you are more likely to stick with it rather than give up due to lack of motivation to meet your true goals.

Next, set a S.M.A.R.T. goal – S: Specific, M: Measurable, A: Attainable, R: Relevant, and T: Time-Bound. By following this formula, you are setting yourself up for success. Having a vague immeasurable goal makes it harder to see your progress and be motivated and celebrate wins. You want to ensure the goal is not too ambitious; setting an unattainable resolution is only setting yourself up for failure. Like my father always says, “How do you eat an elephant?… One bite at a time!” Break the resolution up into attainable achievable pieces and take it one step at a time. Also make sure the resolution has an end goal. Having a timeline gives you the chance to look at your successes and reevaluate areas if needed.

Then write it down! Put it on paper, on a calendar or in a planner, and share it with your friends and family. Writing it down help make it more tangible than letting it float in the back of your head, and sharing your goals with your friends and family helps set up an accountability network of support.

Finally, allow yourself to be imperfect. You are only human! You are bound to fall off a wagon or miss a step but get back up and keep trying. There is no ‘failure’ here, there is only opportunity to learn from the moment and try again.

And remember, the purpose of a resolution is personal growth and change for the better. Enjoy the journey, celebrate each win along the way, and keep positive and keep going!

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C.S. Lewis