Final Paperwork
Posted on Jul 29, 2026 by Pastor Jealaine Marple
There is so much paperwork involved with dying. I know so many of you know this already, but since my dad passed, I am constantly amazed by the amount of paperwork. It’s ironic: we receive one piece of paper when we’re born. Upon death, the paperwork never ceases. Dad’s cancer didn’t give us a lot of gifts. But it did give us time. We had time to plan, talk about end-of-life wishes, dad’s funeral desires, and future medical decisions. I understand that not all families receive this.
We lost Chris’ mom when she was 49. It was sudden and unexpected. Since then (long before I became a pastor) I have been a huge advocate of pre-planning. I am not a financial planner or a lawyer, so when I speak of pre-planning, I mainly am speaking about your end-of-life care and funeral. The other items are important, but as your pastor, my main focus is how to care for you best in the end of your life. Here are some questions to ask of yourself, your family, and your loved ones.
- Do you have a medical advanced directive? If not, have you had conversations surrounding your end-of-life care with whomever might make those decisions? Do you want CPR? Do you want a feeding tube? Do you want to be an organ donor? Remember, organs also can include your skin and eyeballs. These conversations aren’t comfortable, but it’s easier to have them now. A medical advanced directive is a legally binding document that can help guide your wishes. A medical power of attorney would also suffice.
- Do you have a preferred funeral home? Would you like to be buried or cremated? No matter your preferred method, have you picked out your burial vessel (casket or urn)? If you are being embalmed, do you have a preferred outfit? Do you have a final resting place picked out? If you can afford it, I highly recommend pre-paying for your funeral as much as you can. Funerals don’t have to be super expensive. Unfortunately, in grief, I have seen too many families make costly decisions.
- What kind of funeral would you like? This is my expertise! Do you have scripture picked out? What about hymns? Would you like to have communion? Do you want a visitation the day before or immediately before? Do you want family members to speak? Would you like flowers or financial gifts? Or both?
I know this may seem like a lot to think about, but making these decisions and having these conversations are actually a gift to the people that love you. I am happy to help you have these conversations. I’d love to talk to you about your funeral and get that planned as much as you would like. It’s never too early (or too late) to plan for your final days. We are resurrection hope people. We take comfort in the promise of Christ. But we can also be practical people! Let me know how I can help!
Peace,
Pastor J