Home B's Plan B

Thank you to Mr. Andrus, Computer Skills Instructor, for writing today's blog.

It’s funny how plans can change so quickly.  And for whatever reason, the world doesn’t stop to let me catch up.  Anyone else ever experienced that feeling?  The faculty of Shepherds College are going to be joining Mrs. Griffis in the fun of writing blogs for the next few months, and I’m up.  

So I have the blog all planned out.  It’s going to be amazing.  The students and I are involved, and we’re planning the event that I’m going to document.  I just have to pick up a few things, drop in the photos of the event, and boom, I’m done.  

Except…

Sometimes, things don’t go as planned.  Sometimes, you forget something.  Sometimes you lose an important item.  Sometimes the weather changes.  These unforeseen changes, that God graciously puts in our lives to teach us the subtle art of flexibility, are not always received by us with as much love as they are given.

Flexibility

So here’s plan B!  

As many of you know, not only am I the computer skills instructor, but I am the head of the res life area of Home B.  This is the area for our 2nd year men that have shown enough skill to be moved up from the dorm.  (Second year women go to Home A)  During first year, our students are getting used to not living at home.  They are learning basic skills and basic chores.  A few days a week they are on clean up or meal prep duty.  They are getting used to college and getting a taste of independence.

In 2nd year, there is a dramatic leap forward in responsibility and independence.  Our 2nd years have to now learn to meal plan, organize their kitchens, clean their bathrooms and bedrooms every day, and do their laundry in a regular non-commercial washer and dryer using their own laundry detergent.  Every single day they have to help with meal prep and clean up.  Just like in “real life”, there are no days off.  If you don’t clean up or cook, then who will do it?  Our 2nd years are currently learning that life lesson.

However, they are also learning that if you work diligently to complete the task at hand, it will be done a lot quicker than you think.  We always work on our inventory and meal planning on Monday night for our Daily Living Skills lab.  We see what ingredients we have, and then meal plan based on what items are in our cupboards and fridges.  This way we will keep tabs on expiration dates and what cans are lurking in the darkness of the back of the cupboard.  At the beginning of the year, the process of organizing our cupboards and taking inventory overwhelmed the guys.  In the middle of August they would complain, “Mr. Andrus, can we please just not do this this week.  Pleeeease!”

Well, something amazing has happened with the guys.  They have become responsible.  Every single Monday since late August, including this week, the guys have come home from school, taken their stuff to their rooms, and then immediately started inventory and meal planning on their own.  I don’t even have to mention it anymore.  Two groups of four guys working together as teams.  And, where in August it would take them almost 2 hours, this week they were done in 20 minutes. No complaining.  Just learning to work diligently together for the goal of free time.

One of the things my guys love to do with free time is make a bonfire.  We have a fire pit out back, and so far this year we have had 2 or 3 bonfires a week.

 

One of our many bonfires

That being said, this week, God had different plans about how we would be spending our free time.

This picture is from today.  They asked me if we could make a bonfire last night.  “Nope!”

I think it’s safe to say that we could use some prayer on how to fill our free time, because you aren’t going to catch me sitting on one of those logs until about mid-April.



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

Wrapping Up Fall 2014

Thank you to Lauren Miles, Academic Advisor, and her Advisory Group for writing today's blog.

The first-year students: College was a new experience for all of us.  We are learning different Bible verses, like Psalm 90:2 and 1 Chronicles 16:25-26.  We get to do a bunch of activities like Special Olympics, playing games, and hanging out with the 3^rd years.  We had to learn how to overcome being homesick and missing our families.  Something they taught us at Shepherds is self-advocacy and talking to staff when there is a problem.  We are really excited to move to the Homes next year and to start our majors in cooking and Horticulture. 

Kitrina summarized the feedback from the rest of the first-year students in Miss Miles' group, Kitrina, Samantha, Karilyn, Richard, Scott, Zachary and Jon. 

The second-year students: We moved to the Homes this year which meant more responsibilities and long walks to class.  We also started our majors, which we are all in Culinary.  Culinary gives us an idea about what we will do after we graduate.  Plus, us 2^nd years have learned to taste many new types of food and learn many different ideas to cooking in our new classes.  Sometimes we have homework, probably a little more than last year, but it’s worth it to learn how to cook. 

Micah summarized the feedback from the rest of the second-year students, Joshua and Abby.

The third-year students: This year was different because we didn’t have classes on Monday through Thursday.  We go to our Field Experience and some of us have to get up at 5:30am.  Some Field Experience places are Union Grove High School, Iron Skillet, Shepherds Ministries, and Green Meadows.  At the culinary jobs, they are cooking and cleaning in the kitchen.  The horticulture jobs are involving small animal care and grounds crew.  We all really like our Field Experiences and can’t wait for graduation. 

Nikki summarized the feedback from the rest of the third-year students,  Sharon, Brandyn and Alex.

Miss Miles: Each year provides students different opportunities for growth toward Appropriate Independence.  This fall, each student in my advising group grew in one way or another.  The first-years have gained confidence as they learned to transition into the life of a college student, making the Shepherds College campus their home.  The second-years have exhibited so much joy as they have started their specialty majors and feel they are discovering their purpose.  The third-years have acknowledged an appreciation for the last two years, as they work at their Field Experience, practicing all of the skills they have learned.  It is such a blessing to work with each student and to be a part of teaching them the skills that will encourage their growth toward Appropriate Independence.

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

The Office: Heavy

Thank you to Cathy Harvey, Administrative Assistant, for writing today's blog.

My supervisor gave me a copy of a book titled “Heavy.”  It’s written by a Christian couple, Kristen and Todd Neva.  Both Tracy Terrill, Executive Director of Shepherds College, and Angela Houk, Dean of Education, worked with this couple in ministry in Milwaukee, so it is a true life story near and dear to their hearts. It is a gentle weaving and unraveling of the emotions, prayers, and conversation between a husband and wife whose husband is currently journeying through ALS, known to many as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He is on a clear journey of dying.  He knows it and he and Kristen write about the heart-breaking news and how God ministered to them in this difficult task of knowing (somewhat) when one will perish from this life to enter the next.

In spite of the husband’s step-by-step journey toward death, the book offers hope and stands on solid ground.  Their conversations are searching and honest, and the wife’s journal entries and prayers are raw and human.  The way the book ever so gradually grows their faith and trust in God through this devastating disease whose end is sure, creates a fascinating, though “heavy” page turner.  Although the book ends before the worst is to come, parents of Shepherds College students will find a surprise element in it. 

If your world has gotten heavy, or if you or someone you love is facing an unimaginable loss with life divided between “before” and “after”, pick up a copy of “Heavy” and be uplifted.  But consider this:  you (and I) are on the same journey.  Every day we are all aging and dying and one day closer to eternity.  This book can help us take that reality into our hands and better prepare for it.

Here is what the authors say about the book on their blog site.

“We read to know we are not alone,” the character, C.S. Lewis, said in the movie Shadowlands. In June of 2010, Todd was diagnosed with ALS. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neuro-muscular disease that results in total paralysis and eventual death, usually in three to five years. In our grief, we were comforted by books written by others who face grief and disability. In addition to reading, we wrote of our thoughts, feelings, and experiences during the year after the diagnosis. Kristin wrote in her journal and we both blogged.

Out of character from our normally reserved, private lives, we decided to turn our writings into a book with the hope that others will know that they are not alone. The book Heavy follows the gut-wrenching first year after the diagnosis. And we continue to blog on this site with the prayer that you will be comforted.

~ Todd and Kristin Neva

 Biographies:

Todd Neva received a BS in Business and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. He worked in marketing research, finance and manufacturing for sixteen years before becoming disabled.

Kristin Neva graduated from Moody Bible Institute with a degree in youth ministry. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, she was a full-time urban youth worker at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission.

Todd and Kristin were married in 2003 and have two children, Sara and Isaac. They live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

You can also continue to follow their journey on their website at www.NevaStory.com.

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

Another Year & Another Journey

Thank you to Micah Muma, 2nd year Shepherds College student, for writing today's blog.

Another year and another journey up ahead, stored up ready to show itself. I look back, and I can see that being a 2^nd year has such a different method than the 1^st year – different struggles. Now, all the responsibilities are on us in Home B – doing the grocery list with the group, making sure we don’t stay up too late at night, getting up for class in time. I know I have more ways to prove to myself that I can do this and graduate.

 I remember when I had instantly wanted to become a 2^nd year - when I heard there was more freedom. But it was only half true. Yes, I had more privileges and such, but I wasn’t going to be totally free and be able to not do anything. As I started my 2^nd year, I knew it would be a little better and a bit more of an uphill challenge. 

Challenges came and gave me struggles – it was hard doing my chores and homework instead of playing around! - and I knew it wouldn’t be long until I was going to fail at certain areas like in relationships and trying to move on in specific areas. My parents almost pulled the plug, and I knew I had to do better or else it would’ve been a waste of time for them as well as me. 

My challenges aren’t easy nor are they a memory I’d love to keep. So I moved on, as best as I could. I thank God for all His wonders and His grace and patience with me. I throw all my problems towards God as if he’ll take them away, and I’m usually better the very next day. 

Every day, my classes roll on, and I’m starting to do well. Culinary Class so far has been my favorite. All the amazing dishes have my parents wanting me to cook for them which makes perfect sense, so it looks like I’ll be busy cooking even after my Christmas break. Our Chef, she’s amazing and has given me so many ideas. I long to one day work on a cruise ship, yet I have to work hard to achieve my dreams and goals. 

So, as I said, another year and another unexpected journey up ahead. I pray every day to stay strong to my true self and my life. I can now see myself one day graduating and saying, “I made it.”

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