A good ending : a compassionate guide to funerals, pastoral care, and life celebrations

pt. 1. The cause of all arguments, conflicts, feuds, and estrangements -- 1. How it all begins -- 2. The conflict recipe -- 3. The psychology at play -- -- pt. 2. The solutions to all arguments, conflicts, feuds, and estrangements -- with real-world, real-life examples and scenarios -- Section I. Keeping sparks from becoming flames : put out the fire before it even begins by handling difficult people, conversations, and situations the best way, right away -- 4. Resolve any personality conflict in minutes -- 5. How to ignore someone's advice without causing hurt feelings -- 6. In business, turn any complaint into a plus -- 7. When asked for your opinion : what to say when there's nothing nice to say -- 8. Handle annoying nonsense criticism smoothly and simply -- 9. The psychological secret to criticizing anyone about anything, without ever offending -- 10. Passive aggression : the thirty-second technique to deal with people who won't deal -- 11. The secret to handling the person who is (amazingly) never wrong -- 12. Special techniques for special people : from neurotic to psychotic, getting along with people who are emotionally unwell -- Section II. Putting out small fires : resolve simple disagreements and arguments in your favor when you can get anyone to see the situation from your point of view -- 13. Get anyone to do or not do something, happily and without an argument -- 14. When you both want what's best but disagree over how to proceed, get your way, right away -- 15. "Two for me, and none for you" : the best method to divide anything fairly and equitably to avoid a conflict -- Section III. When you mess up a little : the psychological secrets to quickly and easily gain forgiveness -- 16. "You called me a what?" : when you say the wrong thing, make it okay in less than one minute -- 17. Gain forgiveness : when you do the wrong thing and it can be corrected, and when you do the wrong thing and it cannot be corrected -- Section IV. When you mess up a lot : learn the complete psychological strategy to get anyone to forgive you for anything : when you lied, cheated, or stole, you can make things right again, fast -- 18. Get anyone to forgive you for anything : reestablish any friendship or relationship when you are clearly in the wrong : there's some interaction but no real communication -- 19. Be forgiven when you do something clearly and objectively wrong and this person wants nothing to do with you -- Section V. "There's no reason we shouldn't be talking" : the situation just got out of hand and now you want to make things good again -- 20. "This is silly!" : when a recent conversation or situation gets blown out of proportion, smooth things over fast and easy -- 21. When time has passed and nobody's talking, a simple yet fast technique to bring back the good old days -- Section VI. You can be the great peacemaker : end any estrangement, conflict, or feud : when nobody's talking -- whether it's been twenty minutes or twenty years -- put the past in the past and bring people together -- 22. In any situation, personal or professional, bring people closer together who have either grown apart or who just don't get along very well -- 23. The rift : "Let's end this nonsense" : when they drifted apart over something minor or now irrelevant -- 24. The estranged relationship : "It's nothing you did. I just don't like you and what you stand for" : resolving conflicts over beliefs, values, and lifestyle -- 25. Facts and fairness : what created the rift is still relevant : when it's everybody for himself, learn the keys to settling any deadlock in a mediation, arbitration, or negotiation -- 26. The family feud over $$$ : end it now -- 27. Help anyone gain forgiveness : the psychological strategy to get one person to simply listen to the other -- 28. In case of emergency : seven advanced psychological tactics for the most stubborn, difficult, and trying people and situations -- 29. Bonus! The nine rules to drastically improve any relationship of any kind.;Provides a comprehensive guide to interpersonal relationships, filled with practical strategies and techniques, to effectively put an end to anything from a simple disagreement to a decades-long estrangement. Wow, that was a good funeral. Comments like this are not an accident, but the result of care and planning, contends David Sparks in A Good Ending. This practical book gives advice and ideas for every step along the way, from supporting the dying person, to planning a funeral, life celebration, or memorial, and to being with those left to mourn. Whether you're a new or seasoned worship leader looking for fresh insights or ideas or someone looking for guidance to support a dying loved one, you'll find this an indispensable resource. Practical helps include suggested prayers, sample meditations and service outlines, and detailed check lists also available as downloadable file. Also available as an e-book.