A publication of Sheridan House Family Ministries1 7 0 0 S o u t h F l a m i n g o R o a d • D a v i e , F L 3 3 3 2 5 • ( 9 5 4 ) 5 8 3 - 1 5 5 2 • w w w. s h f m . o r g

April 2010

Honoring Christ by serving the needs of children and families

For over 40 years, Sheridan House has provided Christ centered residential care for children in South Florida. We offer assistance to families with a child

who is struggling with extremely disruptive behavior problems, defiance, academic failure, coping issues,

and other dysfunctional behaviors.

Our chief objective is to provide a caring environment in which the child develops essential

life skills and returns home to their parents who have been educated and fully equipped to care for them.

Won’t you consider joining us in this life changing endeavor? Scholarships are needed

for children today. To learn more, please visit:

Spring Break can be a wonderful time to accomplish things as a family, but that doesn’t always have to mean completing all those projects that have gone neglected around the house. In almost every household, there’s usually one member of the family who is ready to conquer the “To Do” list. Yet, the best “to do” to accomplish is to re-connect the family as a unit. Take time to play games, visit local sites, spend a day at the beach, and entertain each other; rather than allowing the TV to entertain us.

www.shfm.org/restorealife

On April 23rd, we will be holding our 30th Annual Spring

Auction at First Baptist of Fort Lauderdale’s beautiful

Global Event Center. It will be an evening that you don’t

want to miss. Not only will there be exciting items up for

bid in both the Silent and the Live Auctions, but I’ll be

dressed up as a waiter and passing out hors d’ oeuvres all

evening! Everyone ought to want to see that!

As you know, there are lots of auctions around town for

lots of great causes. So, the cool items the committee

has acquired on our behalf isn’t what sets this event

apart…even though, they really are cool - like the

professional pool table and Masters Flag signed by past

Masters Champions, as well as, many other great items.

What makes this event truly special is the reason we are

all really there.

There are hundreds of children who need our help. They

are making poor choices, spinning out of control, and in

need of someone to step in and show them a new way of

doing things – God’s way! There are also families that

are overwhelmed and turning on each other in frustration

rather than turning to Christ for direction. They need our

help.

Today, more than ever, Sheridan House is needed by the

South Florida community. So, we need you, our friends

and partners, to join us in making a difference. The

Spring Auction will allow us to unite in purpose and

have fun. I hope you will hop online today and register

at www.shfm.org/auction. I look forward to seeing you

there and serving you some delicious food.

Serving Him,

A Note From Bob -

Ever received one of those phone calls that remind you that you’re making a difference? We received one of those calls this week from a former resident in the boys program. What’s most amazing about this is that Braxton was one of the kids that didn’t make it through to graduation for our residential program. He was dismissed!

One of our goals is to see that every child learns to make the behavioral modifications necessary for him/her to more effectively navigate life, and thus, “graduate” from Sheridan House. Graduation from Sheridan House means we believe that the teen has grown in maturity and has acquired the ability to effectively manage his/her emotions and communication skills. Graduation also indicates that we believe the child understands that consequences (whether good or bad) are based on the decisions and actions one makes. Consequences in life are not typically just things that happen to someone.

Braxton was a child who just couldn’t seem to make progress in those areas and had to be dismissed from the program. In effect, he

experienced the most significant consequence we have at Sheridan House – dismissal from the residential program. Initially, Braxton thought by leaving Sheridan House he was getting to leave the responsibility of doing chores and experiencing daily consequences. To his surprise, the bigger consequence for Braxton was realizing that there were several people he would no longer have in his daily life - his house parents, behavior specialist, and the director of the program - who all poured their lives and their love into him.

Several years after Braxton’s dismissal from Sheridan House, he called us to say he finally understood what we had

been teaching him. He had recently prayed to receive Christ. His previous training all came together to the point where he was now making great grades in school, working at a part-time job, and dreaming of big plans for his future. His life is no longer someone else’s fault. The call to us was unexpected and cherished. Braxton’s words

resonated as a confirmation of the quality care, Christian love, and fond memories he experienced at

Sheridan House because of the residential team.

Although Braxton didn’t graduate from Sheridan House, he left equipped with far more Truth than anyone around him realized at the time. This call and this young man are a great example of Romans 8:28 “… that God does cause all things to work together for good for those who love Him …” even when we don’t always understand what’s going on at the time.

Unexpected Blessing

An additional way to make your spring break special is to give back by helping those in need in your community. Consider spending a day doing a mini missions trip as a family. Many churches use breaks to offer international missions trips, but a family missions trip doesn’t have to leave the city around you. There are many opportunities to teach your kids to be selfless right in your backyard.

As a family, volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. Nursing home facilities are also a wonderful place to give of your time. Elderly people love to see children and many of them don’t have family nearby. Your church can be another great resource for volunteer projects. Check with them to see if there are any church members who need a meal delivered to them or need their house cleaned or yard work done.

Creating this experience with your family may take some time to plan, but it is a lesson worth teaching

and time well spent. Involve your children in the process of planning the week to get them even more excited. Spend some time around the table tonight bouncing ideas off each other. You may be surprised at how creative they can be. Remember, excitement is contagious; so if you want your kids to be excited about helping others you must communicate your excitement!

It’s important to have a break in your family’s routine, but the goal should be to finish the week with everyone thinking, “That was a great time we spent as a family.”

ParentingToday.org is a blog developed by Sheridan House

Family Ministries dedicating to helping families on parenting

in today’s world. Visit it today at www.parentingtoday.org

for additional practical parenting tips.

Your contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling toll-free (1-800-435-7352) within the state. Registration does not

imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state. Sheridan House Family Ministries registration number is CH24786.

Celebrating 40 Years of M

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Sheridan House Family Ministries1700 S. Flamingo Road, Davie, FL 33325(954) 583-1552 • shfm.org

First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale (Global Event Center)301 East Broward Boulevard Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Silent Auction begins at 7:00 pmLive Auction begins at 8:00 pm

Assorted hors d’oeuvres, beverages, and dessert will be served. Casual chic attire suggested.

Appraise, donate, or exchange unwanted gold and jewelry on-site with a Master Jeweler! For more information, visit shfm.org/auction.

You’re Invited to our 30th Annual Sheridan House Spring Auction on Friday April 23, 2010

All proceeds benefit Sheridan House Family Ministries

Register Online Today @ www.shfm.org/auction$15.00 donation per person. Space is limited.

Incredible Live AuctionPlus Silent Auction