Teacher Tuesday: On Food & Gratitude

As a child, I was always surprised when I heard people say that Thanksgiving was their favorite holiday. “But there aren’t any presents!” I would say with bemusement to my siblings, and we would wonder at the oddness of adults.

Now I get it. 

I love the anticipation leading up to Thanksgiving. My kids start texting their travel plans early in the month. I begin my list making – Family Favorite Recipes to Make, New Recipes to Try, Grocery Shopping for the 1^st Week of November, Grocery Shopping for the 2^nd Week, Grocery Shopping for the 3^rd Week, Cooking Plans for the three days leading up to Thanksgiving, and Chores that Need to Get Done Before the Family Arrives. 

Every picture of a golden brown and glistening turkey makes my stomach rumble.  The aisles of the grocery stores are filled with amazing food items I want to try and incorporate into my Thanksgiving recipes.  Memories of the savory smells of sage, thyme, melted butter, and caramelized onions tantalize my mind as I try to stay focused on my daily responsibilities.

 My husband and I spend our evenings leading up to the family’s homecoming freshening up bedrooms and bathrooms, and shopping for new movies to watch late into the night with the kids. Prayers fill our quiet times – “God, please let all our loved ones stay healthy. Keep their cars running smoothly, and keep them safe as they’re driving home. Bless our time together with love and laughter and fun new memories. Teach us to be mindful of all Your blessings and let gratitude fill our home and hearts. Amen. And please don’t let the oven break down. Amen… again.”

A lot of the staff and students at Shepherds College share my love for this holiday, for all the delicious food shared with family & friends, and for a time set aside for purposeful gratitude.  

“Although I love the traditional turkey, stuffing, etc., the food I most look forward to is my wife Emilie’s sweet potato casserole. Her recipe isn’t topped with marshmallows, but is instead made with mashed sweet potatoes and a crunchy pecan and brown sugar topping. Yum!”  ~  Mr. Gaschke

 

“I’m so thankful for all the people at Shepherds College, the staff and students.”  ~ Kati, student

“I love a good stuffing. My father-in-law makes stuffing with Italian sausage and it is phenomenal. I also love gravy over everything!”  ~ Mr. DeCiccio

"My favorite food at Thanksgiving is green bean casserole. The thing I am thankful about at Shepherds College is that I am able to have the opportunity to grow in maturity and social skills. This school has made a huge positive impact on my life."  ~ Suzanne, student

“My FAVORITE food for Thanksgiving is my Grandma’s green bean casserole!! It’s a secret family recipe so I can’t share it… all I can tell you is that it is amazing!

I am thankful for the growth I have seen in the students this semester. They have worked very hard!”  ~ Mrs. Kolkman

 

“I love the devil’s food cake and apple cider. I’m thankful for all the friends and staff members who love me at Shepherds College.”  ~ Anthony, student

“My favorite Thanksgiving food is turkey, crock-pot stuffing and my aunt’s sweet potato casserole.

I have so much to be thankful for – my hard-working and creative staff, the opportunity to teach On and For a Purpose, and the students’ growth toward Appropriate Independence.”  ~ Miss Houk

 

“I love French Silk Pie! I’m thankful for the Academic Advisors.”  ~ Megan, student

 “The foods I look forward to the most on Thanksgiving – turkey, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs and pumpkin pie! I am so thankful that my students make me laugh!”  ~ Mrs. Luchterhand

 

“My favorite Thanksgiving food is homemade rolls. I am thankful for my friends.”  ~ Katherine, student

 

“I love mashed potatoes! I think they’re delicious!

I’m thankful for the great conversations I’ve had with the students while driving this semester. I love when they open up and feel comfortable sharing what is going on in their lives with me!”  ~ Mrs. Patton

 

“My favorite food is sweet potatoes. I’m thankful for friends who love me so much.”  ~ Andrew, student

 “I’m thankful for the students’ enthusiasm. It’s a great feeling to be greeted with so much joy and energy!”  ~ Mrs. Konopasek

“My favorite food is green bean casserole and I’m thankful for all the fun outings we go on at Shepherds College.”  ~ Krista, student

 

 “I’m looking forward to Elegant Farmer’s brown bag, caramel apple pie.

“I’m thankful that I work with such a high caliber, creative, passionate and caring group of people, and I’m thankful for the impact the students have made in my life.”  ~ Mr. Canright

"My favorite food is Pumpkin Cheesecake. I'm thankful for my Academic Advisor, Miss Pollard. She has helped steer me in the right direction of how I'm supposed to be acting and following the rules."  ~ Jonathan, student

“I am thankful for all my students and the joy, diversity, and energy they bring into my life!! They are all wonderful, and I’m thankful to have a small part in their lives.”  ~ Miss Pollard

 

“Turkey and pumpkin pie! I’m thankful I can be at Shepherds College.”  ~ Alex, student

“I love plain sweet potatoes without brown sugar or marshmallows on top. I think they are so delicious just the way they are. I like to savor the flavor, with maybe just a little butter, but it’s not required to enjoy!

I’m thankful coming in on Sunday evenings to be with the first-year ladies as the overnight person. It is so refreshing to see them outside of the academic arena and have time to just talk to them.”  ~ Mrs. Harvey

“My parents are coming for Thanksgiving so I’m hosting for the first time! I’m most looking forward to potatoes – mashed and sweet! My husband Matt is looking forward to the HUGE turkey my parents are lugging all the way from New York, and pumpkin cheesecake!

I am thankful for two things – the support of my supervisors and the way that God continually uses Shepherds College to sanctify me, to make me more like Him. I think I often forget that God has me here to accomplish His own will within me, not just so I can serve.”  ~ Mrs. Cyr

Mr. Wright's favorite Thanksgiving dishes.

From the Shepherds College family to yours –

We pray that you find love reflected in each face seated around your table, that you find joy in the memory of each precious face that is no longer there, and that each morsel of delicious food, each beloved family tradition, and each moment of shared happiness ultimately serves to bring you closer to the One who provided it all.

Have a Blessed & Happy Thanksgiving!

 



Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

Teacher Tuesday: Guess Who?

Right now, we’re in the middle of another snow storm in our corner of Wisconsin. 

It’s beautiful - but I’m at work, and eventually I’ll have to drive home in it, and I’m a bit on edge thinking about the “very hazardous or impossible” driving conditions they posted on the National Weather Service this morning.

So today – because extreme nervousness is not conducive to clear thinking or great writing – I’m going to keep it light and fluffy.

During the T.E.A.M. retreat, the students played a game called “Guess the Staff.”  They had to figure out who the staff are from childhood or teenage pictures. I’m not convinced that all of these pictures are of the “younger years,” but the students had fun getting to know their teachers and res life staff better, and the game was successful.

Below, I’ve posted the youthful pictures of several of our staff members. They’ve all had pictures posted in previous blogs so everyone has a chance at guessing correctly even if you’ve never been on campus. I have a gift pack of Seroogy’s candy bars for the first person to guess all eleven pictures correctly. To be fair, teachers and students shouldn’t submit answers, because they know them all already.

Please post your guesses in the comments. Have fun!

1.

It's the guy on the right.

2. 

3.

4.

5.

It's the clog-wearing cutie on the left.

6.

7.

Who is the runner?

8.

This one got a bit distorted, but you're trying to guess the woman in the middle.

9.

This is a tricky one! Check out the pitcher!

 10.

Back row - 5th person from the left.

11.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

Teacher Tuesday: Quotes for the Workday

Day 16 of the 31 for 21 Challenge

There are days when work is hard.

Like the days when I feel guilty for being a working mom. Days when my husband has a day off and I want to be home with him. Days when it’s too cold or too wet or too cloudy and I want to stay under a blanket all morning.

Or those days when my responsibilities at work outlast my energy.  The days when I’m not sure what I’m doing. And days when my concentration is lacking because my entire mind is filled with thoughts, worries, hopes and prayers about the well-being of my kids.

But on these days, I work anyway. Not because the weather suddenly improved, or my workload lightened, or my worries lifted, but because I reminded myself of why I work at Shepherds College.

A simple verse from the book of Colossians keeps me going:

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”  Colossians 3:23-24

I work because God has a purpose for me here and the quote is a potent reminder. Even on days when my mind is filled with analytics, media coverage and board reports - like soft background music in a movie, I can hear in my head, “work as to the Lord, work as to the Lord, work as to the Lord…”

The teachers at Shepherds College have jobs so different from my own. Their work directly impacts the days, the minds and the lives of our students. On the scale of jobs ranging in importance from mannequin modeling to brain surgeon, I’d put teachers right next to the guys wielding the scalpels and IVs. 

I wondered, “What types of quotes influence the teachers’ thoughts or actions each day?”

 

“My mom always says, ‘God answers prayers in one of three ways: Yes, No, or Wait.’ This quote reminds me that He is in control.”  Kim Pechous, Residential Life Faculty

 

“’Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.’ Proverbs 3:5-6” Erin Luchterhand, Instructor

Laura Pollard, Instructor, has two quotes that are important to her, “I have a picture of my favorite Bible verse hanging up in my office  - 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10, ‘But he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.’ It’s a reminder to me daily that His grace is ALL I need, and Jesus is going to use my weaknesses and frailties to minister to my students and those around me because I am strong – not because of anything I have done, but because of who HE is and what HE has done!!

 

Another fabulous quote that I turn to when I’m faced with a situation where I just want to bang my head against a wall, reminds me to just laugh! Mark Twain said it best, ‘Against the onslaught of laughter nothing can stand.’”

Daniel Gaschke, Residential Life Faculty, offered several quotes that help him as he’s working with the students, “Often times people – in an attempt to be helpful, loving and caring – do things for people with disabilities rather than training them how to do it for themselves. At Shepherds College, we seek to teach our students ‘how to fish’ rather than simply ‘giving them a fish.’ Training them – not doing for them – is what will ultimately be most helpful to our students. This quote was attributed to Abraham Lincoln, ‘You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.’

Encouragement that God always is and always does what is ultimately good – even ‘dis’abilities are a part of God’s good design:

‘The Lord said to Moses, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who made him mute, or deaf , or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?” ‘Exodus 4:11

“As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’” John 9:1-3”

Quotes can be powerful. They come from people who have gone through something similar to what you’re going through. They put situations in context and help you find perspective. They can teach, they can guide, and they can remind.

They also say, “I can relate,” so they’re meant to be shared.

Please share your favorite quote with us. It may be just what we need to impact our day as we teach students with intellectual disabilities at Shepherds College.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.