Some Day I Will See You Again

Thank you to mja, Shepherds staff, for writing today's blog.

I John 3:16-21

I have had a very busy day today. I have many tasks yet to complete before the end of the workday. The phone has been ringing (it seems all day long), crisis after crisis seems to come my way. So much to do, so little time. How do I keep a smile on my face and a pleasant attitude in my voice when it seems that I just can't get everything done? I am racing against the clock, trying to accomplish as much as I can. But . . . you are standing at my office door, waiting for me to see you, with an eager look on your face and a piece of paper in your hand.

If I just keep on working and pretend not to notice you, perhaps you will just go on your way. After all, this is important work that I need to finish. Maybe I could just say, "I'm sorry, I can't talk now. I'm very busy." Or, "Come back tomorrow, and I'll see you then." Or, maybe just wave and say hi and go back to my work.

But no, I cannot do any of these. This is your home. This is where you've spent most of your adult life. I work here, but I work in your home. You are my friend. How can I turn you away? You are the reason I am here.

I put aside all of my work and come to see the piece of paper in your hand. A letter from your sister. Mama is very sick - will you pray for my mother? Will you read this letter for me? What does she say? Will Mama be OK? I'm worried about Mama. Will mama die?

As I take the time to listen to you and pray with you about your dear mother, I think what it will be like for us some day in eternity. You will have a mind and body that is perfect in every way. I will look for you when I get to Heaven - will you look for me? Will you remember the times I was too busy to stop and talk to you? Will you ask me, "Why did you treat me like that? Why didn't you treat me like one of your friends? Why didn't you have time for me?" Or will I hear you say, "Thank you for treating me with respect and love. Thank you for looking past my disability and into my heart. Thank you for loving me as your friend, just as I am."

Dear Lord, help me to love others as you love them. Help me to see past the outside and into the heart. Help me to love as I want to be loved - with respect, with genuine caring and with a listening heart.

To learn more about Shepherds, visit www.shepherdsministries.org.

Sean to the Rescue!

Thank you to Amy DeBurgh, Director of Volunteers and Guest Services, for writing today's blog.

Sean Krause is a graduate of Shepherds College and is a participant in the Shepherds Ministries Catalyst program.  I spoke with his mom recently, and she relayed an amazing story to me about him.  

Sean’s mom, Leona, and his dad, David, recently gave in to Sean’s long-time request to get an iPhone. Shortly after this purchase, he was sent back to his home and his job at Shepherds, with little or no instruction on how to use it.  He had already picked up bits and pieces of information about an iPhone, from people around him who have one.  One of Sean’s responsibilities for Shepherds Ministries is to travel on the Gospel Team with Al Pick, our Midwest field representative, visiting churches and sharing with them the Gospel using many Scripture verses.  While on the road, Sean learned how to use the Map app on his iPhone.  This would be very useful, as it turns out, to save his dad in a dangerous health emergency.

While visiting his parents over Thanksgiving, Sean decided to go play some touch football with some guys from church.  He and his dad were on their way to the game when it became evident that something wasn’t right.  After they had been gone about half an hour, Sean’s mom received a phone call from him.  “Dad pulled over, mom.  Dad, talk to my mom!”  Sean’s father was unresponsive.  He is diabetic and his blood sugar had bottomed out.  When his mom asked Sean where they were, he looked around and told her the location.  She was unsure about that information.  Sean had been learning more about using his phone, and he was able to send their location to her phone from his.  Sean and his dad indeed were where he said they were.  She sped to the location and called 911.  Sean’s awareness of his surroundings and his growing independence and confidence in using technology served to keep his father from possibly slipping into a coma.  His father made a quick recovery and was able to drive everyone home from the hospital that day.  He had taken measures to regulate his blood sugar, but it didn’t take effect as soon as he had hoped.

Sean’s mom and dad praise God for Shepherds College and the Catalyst program.  They can’t say enough about the amazing ways they see Sean growing in confidence, ability and independence.  Leona said, “Every time he comes home to visit, he knows more and does more for himself.  I never should have doubted him.”

Ukuleles and Heaven

Thank you to Amy DeBurgh, Director of Volunteers and Guest Services, for writing today's blog.

Cindy and her husband came all the way from Washington State in their camper to volunteer for three weeks here at Shepherds this year.  Chuck is a kind man and a very hard worker.  He served our maintenance department every day they were here.   

Cindy is a character; a sweet woman with a spicy sense of humor and a joyful servant’s heart big enough for all of us.  We became fast friends. 

 

It was supposed to be considered early spring, but it was definitely still winter.  Snow was barely starting to melt and the temperature was hovering in the mid to high forties.  We really needed a little Hawaii brought to us. Cindy was happy to accommodate with a warm heart and a ukulele.  Actually, she brought nine ukuleles, donated to Shepherds by the generous people of her church in Ferndale, Washington.

This donation enabled Cindy to teach lessons to interested Shepherds College students a couple evenings a week while she was here.  The dancing tones of ten ukuleles could be heard, for better or for worse, through the halls of Shepherds College as students rose to the challenge of learning this Polynesian art of thrumming. Every class began with an “Aloha.”  This greeting made it quickly to the corridors where it was well-spent on passers-by and especially loudly when Chuck or Cindy were seen on campus anywhere.

She also took her “Uke,” as she calls it, to Day Services and strummed while they sang loud praises to the creative God who invented music, ukuleles and every wildly joyful mouth in that room. On one such occasion, one of our residents who was known to be non-verbal drew close enough for Cindy to hear him humming.  Since Chuck and Cindy’s visit, this man has moved on to a much warmer place.  Sadly, he passed away last week.  We will miss him.  He, however, might be singing full-throated songs of praise or strumming a “Uke” with brand new hands for all we know.  No matter what, we can be sure his joy is complete.

Cindy probably didn’t know what impact her unique talent would have on the joy of Shepherds Ministries.  From what she told me, the impact Shepherds had on her was equally surprising.

You may have never thought of the ukulele as a way to make friends or connect people or to worship God. Similarly, you might see your unique gift or talent as being of very little use.  If you have thought that God could never find a way to bless anyone else with your abilities, prove yourself wrong.  Step up and volunteer. Who would have thought that the ukulele could bring some warmth to Wisconsin and, as it played, foreshadow the songs of heaven.

Nothing Like Music

Thank you to Amy DeBurgh, Director of Volunteers and Guest Services, for writing today's blog.

Almost nothing can grab our attention like music.  Quietly contemplative choir songs, sung with feeling, remind us that God is a God of peace.  Rousing band music echoes the Psalmists call to shout for joy to the Lord. When youthful innervation gives way to a communication of the soul’s best longings after God, all those in the audience are moved.  Even if they can’t explain why.  We don’t have to explain it, just identify with it; allow it to draw us into worship of the God who created music, rhythm and verse.  

I was surprised at the level to which two high school groups were able to do this.  The Jazz band of Elkhart Christian Academy, from Elkhart, Indiana came and blessed clients, residents and staff with their talents.  The gospel of the saving work of Jesus Christ was clearly explained by the band director.  We enjoyed forty minutes of upbeat music.  Everyone sang along to “Amazing Grace” and a new version of “Jesus Loves Me.” 

The high school choir from Calvary Baptist School of Menomonee Falls delivered a lovely concert.  If I had heard them without knowing they were a high school choir, I wouldn’t have believed it.  The attitudes of the students were as appealing as their musical abilities. They reached out in friendship to many of us. 

We are very blessed to have such talented, Christ-centered groups come and share their gifts of music and love of Jesus with us.  We all look forward to having them back.

Dustin's Story

Thank you to Amy DeBurgh for writing today's blog, and thank you to the Dearborn family for sharing Dustin's story.

Five years ago, the Dearborn family made the trek north to Union Grove, Wisconsin from Indiana.  They needed to satisfy their curiosity about Shepherds Ministries.  They had heard about us and wondered if this could be the place for their son, Dustin, to find friends and the freedom every young man longs for.  What they found was both exciting and emotionally difficult.  We learned how it all came about in a letter from Dustin’s parents.

"It was May of 2009 as we sat in our living room having a discussion with Dustin about the possibility of him going to Shepherd’s for a two week trial visit. We had prayed beforehand that God would be in the middle of our conversation and that His will would be done. After about an hour of explaining everything to Dustin and answering all of his questions, he looked at us and said “I’m OK with going and trying it.”  The “drop off” day was both exciting and very hard with some separation anxiety that seemed to hit us more than it did him. He was immediately surrounded by supporting staff and a lot of new friends; we cried most of the four hour trip home. Little did we know that God was opening a wonderful new door in Dustin’s life! He would call every night excited, telling all about what he was doing and all of the new friends he was making."

After Dustin’s visit to Shepherds went so well, his parents had a feeling this was it.  The cloudy view of the road, as seen through the tears of Greg and Paula, and the expressions of joy from Dustin, seemed to verify a big change was coming.  Kids grow up.  They want their independence. 

Sure enough, Dustin’s time had come.  Shepherds was the answer for him. Dustin moved in August of 2009.  He is a Catalyst client, who lives nearby and works at Shepherds Enterprises.  Dustin is a big-hearted guy who is always looking out for his friends and asking about the well-being of others’ family members.  He keeps a mental record of those who are struggling, prays for them and wants updates on those people. When he asks about those for whom he has prayed, it is as if he expects to hear a good report. “Is there any change with Ryan?”  “How is Steve?  Is he better yet?”  It is the kind of question that marks Dustin as a man of strong faith, the kind of person I want praying for me and my family.

Lately, Dustin has given us reason to pray for him.  He was diagnosed with DFSP (Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans) which is a rare sarcoma cancer.  I asked Dustin’s parents if they wouldn’t mind telling me a little about receiving this news and how God has shown his faithfulness.  This was their answer:

"You can imagine how it feels to hear that your child has cancer, it’s devastating. Of course you ask why, but we never blamed God, He was our source of strength and comfort through this. It could have gotten much worse at many turns, but it seemed to us at each step of the way when it looked like it would, God brought about the best possible solution under the circumstances. We are so grateful to Him for His graciousness to Dustin and us!"

Even through the poking, prodding and other intrusions associated with responsible medical practices from caring professionals, Dustin has maintained a positive attitude and a caring spirit.  While in his hospital bed, after surgery, he asked one visitor how her son was doing and said that he had been praying for him.  No one, but the Spirit of God, influences Dustin to do that.  He is showing himself to be the kind of man who is independent and strong enough to care about others, while he himself is hurting.  It’s hard to find a guy like that.  He has taken his independence and used it for the good of others. 

  

Dustin’s mom and dad agree that since Dustin has moved to Shepherds, “(He) has grown into a much more independent person, his life skills have improved dramatically, and we have seen him grow spiritually which is awesome.  Dustin has been baptized since coming to Shepherds and regularly attends the men's Bible study; we also hear more “God talk” in our conversations with him. Dustin has turned into a wonderful, caring young man and part of that is due to Shepherd’s influence in his life.”  

You might want to hear about the end diagnosis?  Mr. and Mrs. Dearborn were happy to report:

Dustin had surgery on Tuesday, February 17, 2015 to remove the cancerous tumor in his upper chest...and had plastic surgery on Friday, February 20^th.  They tell us he is now cancer free, that all margins around his tumor were clear. There is a chance it can return, but we are praying and trusting God every day that never happens!

The outcome for Dustin looks good.  The future is bright, and it looks like his cancer is gone too.