My time here has been nothing short of a great experience. I have been blessed to become part of the New Beginnings family and cannot thank everyone here for helping me get my foot in the door of what I want to do for the rest of my life. I was able to work with some pretty amazing people who some days I don’t think give themselves enough credit and realize how much of a difference they are making. I hope to be like them during my journey in the social services world, so from the bottom of my heart thank you for pointing me in the right direction and working with me.  I have made some great relationships with the residents here and I am so grateful for that. I look up to them so much for persevering and really trying to start a new life for them and their beautiful little babies. I pray that they find strength and peace in this crazy world we live in and I hope they know they always have people in their corner who are cheering them on. I really am going to miss this place. I have learned so much during my summer here and am so excited to get out into the world and try and make a difference like this agency is doing and the staff who work here!  Holly Holm is a Resident Assistant as well as the Intern here at New Beginnings. She is pursuing her BS degree in human social services and will be graduating this December.
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 How can we correctly install and use car and booster seats to keep our kids safe? Did you know that studies show that car seat use reduces the risk of death to infants by 71% and to toddlers (1-4 yrs.) by 54% in passenger vehicles? Booster seats reduce the risk for serious injury by 45% for children aged 4-8 yrs. when compared to seat belts alone.
As far as rear-facing vs. front- facing car seats go, each car seat has its own height and weight requirements – so you will need to check, however, most car seats allow children to sit rear-facing up to 40 lbs. The height limit for most rear- facing seats is that there must be a least 1 inch of room between the top of the child’s head and top of the car seat. When your child reaches the height or weight limit it is time to switch from a rear-facing to forward-facing car seat.
Car seats expire, and when they do, they are no longer safe. Most manufacturers place an expiration date of 6 years on their car seats. Since car seats are expensive, people often pass them on or donate them without realizing this. Always check the expiration date before using them, and realize that if a car seat has even been in a minor accident it is no longer usable, and should be replaced. Don’t accept a donated car seat if you are not 100% sure of its history. I heard someone say, “You take your child to the doctor and dentist for preventative care. Well, meeting the requirements and new guidelines for car seats is preventative care too.”  A car seat is one of the most important purchases you will make for your child. For parents that are concerned that they haven’t installed their child’s car seat correctly go to www.seatcheck.org then, click onto Parents Central | Keeping Kids Safe| NHTSA. Under EXPLORE (on the bottom of the page), go onto Inspection Station Locator, put your zip code in and it will show you on a map where to go for help to install or check your car seat.  Karen O'Leary is an Assistant Home Manager at New Beginnings. She has her BA in Bible Theology and her Masters of Divinity. She has 8-years of experience as a Social Director at a non-profit organization helping those in crisis with financial assistance, brief supportive counseling, and being a spiritual presence in their time of need. In her free time Karen enjoys reading, cooking and traveling.
“This just doesn’t make any sense!” Have you ever used this statement? I recently said this when faced with the new of violence and riots happening in Milwaukee. The situation at face value simply did not make sense. It doesn’t make sense that society members would vandalize, loot, and burn down their own communities. It doesn’t make sense that our officers have to risk their lives to handle the riots. It doesn’t make sense that family members have to fear for the lives of their loved ones. It simply doesn’t make sense…
The concept of using the why questions to bring us closer to God applies in situations ranging from failed math homework to a death in the family. God is always working for our good and using situations to bring us back to His plan for our lives. I recently heard a sermon during Friendship Sunday with the residents in which the Pastor spoke about the "Butterfly Effect.” The premise of the Butterfly Effect rests on the idea that all of our choices and actions have larger, long-lasting consequences. In other words, what we do today will affect our tomorrow in either a positive or negative way. The Butterfly Effect is constantly redirecting us towards God’s plan for our lives. The result of the violence in Milwaukee, although hard to understand, will ultimately serve the Lord’s purpose (even if we are unaware of that purpose right now).  Rather than asking the wrong why questions, let us gather together and know that Christ is bringing us back to Him every step of the way. May we learn from every situation, and feel peace in knowing that, “my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). With this in mind I encourage you to, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).   Brianne Kluge is the Home Manager at New Beginnings. She grew up in Marshall, WI and graduated from Lakeside Lutheran High School. Brianne has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. In her free time, she enjoys singing, camping, refurbishing furniture and spending time with her fiancé, Daniel.
There are so many bible passages that speak to this: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Psalm 46:1-2 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever – present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea…” John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” The list could go on and on but those are some good ones to keep in mind. The passages above, really point to when you are having a stretch of bad luck, but there is another situation that can’t be forgotten either, which is what to remember when we are having the best luck in the world: Psalm 7:17 “I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High.” Psalm 28:7 “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” 1 Chronicles 16:35 “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” I think most can agree with me when I say life is not easy. There are many obstacles to get around and we all know Satan won’t pass up a chance to get us to fall away in those hard times. Remembering that what you may be going through at this particular time, it will pass good or bad. Having faith and trusting in God that the events happening in your life is for your good and he already knows what will happen in the long run. So if you should remember any passage from this remember the following and stay close to Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  Picture found at http://www.thankgodforjesus.org/thanksgiving-thanking-god-always/  Holly Holm is a Resident Assistant as well as the Intern here at New Beginnings. She is pursuing her BS degree in human social services and will be graduating this December.
Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that God’s mercy stretches into our inner struggles as well. No matter how badly we mess up, or the number of mistakes we’ve made, God’s mercy provides for us, lifts us up, and carries us through. May God grant you a glimpse into the immensity of his mercy and love for you, and may it fill you and carry you through whatever life throws at you!  Above photo from http://inhabitat.com/kentucky-noahs-ark-encounter-opens-amidst-severe-flooding/ “Take the world, but give me Jesus! All its joys are but a name. But his love abides forever, Through eternal years the same. Oh, the height and depth of mercy; Oh, the length and breadth of love! Oh, the fullness of redemption, Pledge of endless life above!” (CW, 355)  Lezlie España is a summer RA who recently graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College with a BS in Psychology and Computer Science. She is currently working at the Medical College of Wisconsin in the Brain Injury Research Program.
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