SHOULD LAST BEYOND THANKSGIVING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
Taking the time to acknowledge who and what you’re grateful for is a Thanksgiving tradition far more important than turkey or football. It’s the cornerstone of the holiday and the reason we feast together in the first place. But when you really think about it, should expressing our gratitude and appreciation for others be limited to one day every year? Of course not! Why Gratitude Matters As we get older, it’s easy to succumb to negativity and pessimism— “Kids these days,” “The world isn’t what it used to be,” etc. The crabby grandparent and angry old neighbor are archetypal depictions of later life. But these fictions don’t have to be your reality. Recognizing and acknowledging gratitude will help you take stock of the positive aspects of your life and dwell less on unhappy thoughts. Being grateful has also been linked to significant health benefits. According to gratitude expert and author Dr. Robert A. Emmons, “Preliminary findings suggest that those who regularly practice grateful thinking do reap emotional, physical, and interpersonal benefits. Adults who keep gratitude journals on a regular basis exercise more regularly, report fewer illness symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole, and are more optimistic about the future.”
How to Practice Gratitude In the above quotation fromDr. Emmons, he mentions the practice of keeping a gratitude journal. This activity is a great way to start seeing the world with a more positive, appreciative eye. As often as you can, take a fewminutes to write down
BrightStar Care Partners With College Church for Their STARS Program
S E RV I NG T H E N E E D S O F AN U N D E R - R E S OU RC E D C OMMU N I T Y
2. How do you accomplish your mission? We meet with each programmember’s parents to learnmore about their specific needs. We train our volunteers tomeet individual needs and help our members feel welcome. For Sunday school, we use adaptive techniques to best help the STARS learn. We take time to get to know them, care for them, and pray for them. And they teach us too. Many of the STARS have taught us important lessons about joy, patience, and love. 3. Where does the BrightStar team come in? We have respite events once a month that involve up to 80 people. Members often have complex medical histories, so we utilize the nursing staff to provide excellent care if and when any kind of medical incident comes up. BrightStar Care has provided excellent care during these events and other respite events we hold throughout the year. The nurses are uniquely prepared to serve people with intellectual disabilities, and sometimes they recognize our STARs fromother community and social events! 4. Why is this program important to our community? For most of us, parenting eventually ends —or at least gets easier. But
when you have a child with an intellectual disability, parenting is a 24/7 job that
Our teamhelps people in the community but not just inside their homes. Our nursing staff is often called upon to assist with health needs at local schools, churches, park districts, and even the county fairgrounds. Because our vibrant community is so diverse andmedical issues are rarely accompanied by quick access to trained health professionals, BrightStar Care offers solutions where and when you need them. 1. What does the STARS program do, and who does it serve? The STARS Ministry is an outreach program through College Church’s Disability Ministries. Our desire is to welcome anyone with an intellectual or developmental disability and to remind them how indispensable they are to our community —we are incomplete without them! Everyone in our ministry is called a STAR, which stands for “Seeking to Always Reflect the Savior,” which is the model we all strive for. The STARS program also helps us avoid labels that are inappropriate for adults like “cutie” and “kiddos.” We provide stand- alone Sunday classes, inclusion buddies, respite programs throughout their lifespans, and two different music programs as well. Right now, our ministry serves people ages 3 to 62 years old.
never ends. These parents and their children also have individual needs, but they might be isolated from the community due to their circumstances. When the STARs come into College Church, they know they are valued and loved here. Our respite programs give parents a break for the evening, so they can take time to strengthen their marriages. Parents return refreshed and excited to see what their STAR did for the evening. Our music programs consist of two performances a year: a Christmas program and the Special Olympics concert in the spring. The STARS love this program and know they are valued, especially since this event gathers over 700-plus people. This year, the event is on Dec.16 at 6 p.m. You are invited to enjoy this faith celebration and tradition with our STARS. For more information, reach out to Julie Clemens, Director of Disability Ministries at College Church at 630-668-0878 ext. 115 or visit college-church.org/disabilities .
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630.260.5300
www.brightstarcare.com/wheaton
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