-------------------------------------------------------
Family Lines
Newsletter, May 19,
2002
-------------------------------------------------------
**Just How Important Is That?**
By David
Chadwell
Who can exaggerate the importance of high school senior year
experiences? So much happens "for the last time." The senior has
been in school two-thirds of life with his or her life evolving around
school. If that experience occurred at one place in one school system, he
or she spent two-thirds of life (to that point) associating with a core group of
acquaintances and friends. Graduation "destroys" that association by
sending people in all directions. Every event of the senior year is a
"bigger than life last time occurrence."
Eons ago, when I was a senior in a small high school (with
less than 20 graduating seniors), an event of enormous importance involved class
rings. Many families faced stressed finances. Only seniors ordered
rings. The school placed those orders. The rings' arrival was a
moment of enormous importance! No senior should be denied the
"right" to have a class ring! This "forever" possession was an essential
"right of passage" to be worn a lifetime. I suspect some families made big
financial sacrifices to purchase a ring.
I wonder how long most people wore their rings? For
years mine slumbers somewhere out-of-sight. Have you seen anyone older than 30
wearing a high school class ring? Perhaps, but it is not common.
Was that ring truly important? That depends on when you
ask the question. If you ask a senior (at least when I was 18), yes, it
was. At that age, it was life's essential possession. Decades later,
it was not life's essential possession--no way!
For many years, with me (and I suspect for many others), it
has been an unimportant possession. In the past forty plus years, my life
(and yours) has faced many "new" realities. "New" realities diminished the
importance of the ring's reality. The value of the ring did not
change. New realities changed my perception. The ring's significance
diminished because its place on the list of life's realities
changed.
This understanding does not focus on the possessions and
events of high school seniors. It focuses on total life events and
possessions at every age. The ultimate event will be meeting God "face to
face." When this occurs, how many "urgent" and "extremely important"
physical matters instantly will become insignificant?
By the way, have you looked at your high school yearbook
lately? Congratulations to our seniors! Seniors, for you, life is
beginning, not ending!
-------------------------------------------------------
Page
2
-------------------------------------------------------
**Excursions in Education**
By Ted Edwards
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Phil.
4:6).
Prayer is one of the unlimited resources available to all of
us. Even though this is true -- it seems like prayer may be a lost art. We
usually have a prayer before a meal or when things are too difficult for us to
handle ... but does our lifestyle reflect prayer?
Prayer is always the starting point when we move towards God.
In prayer, we set aside our agendas letting God's priorities become our
priorities and we receive His resources.
Prayer helps us know God more intimately. When our hunger to
know God leads us to our knees it is only a matter of time before we draw closer
and closer to Him.
Prayer helps us sharpen our ears so that we will be able to
hear what God has to say to us in our daily walk. This, in turn, builds godly
character.
Every Tuesday morning at 7:00 a.m. a group of men meet at IHOP
for breakfast and Bible Study. The current topic of study is Prayer as it
effects our life.
Men, start your Tuesday Mornings with a healthy dose of
encouragement and a good breakfast as we meet together and not only talk about
prayer ... but we are actually praying together. Will you join us this Tuesday
at 7:00 a.m.?
**ATTENTION 3rd - 12th Graders**
Signup for LTC 2003
continues through May. Information can be found at the stoplight in the foyer.
The theme for LTC 2003, "GO!"
**Peak of the Week**
Every Wednesday Night at 7:00 p.m. in
the FLC you're invited to put some "PEAK in your WEEK." This week's lesson is
"Becoming More Relevant." There is room for you at the PEAK! See you this
Wednesday.
**Inner City Ministry**
Our next luncheon and devotional is
Saturday, May 18th. Lunch workers will meet at 11:15 a.m. across from Fort Smith
Beverage. Those who sack food and sort clothes will meet at 10:30 a.m. at the
CURE Building on Windsor Drive. Come make a new friend from the inner
city. This is a great opportunity for you to share Christ with
someone.
**Banana Split #2**
Attention KFC 1 and 2. Sunday evening,
May 19, we will celebrate the end of classes with the 2nd Annual World's Largest
(as far as we know) Banana Split Extravaganza. Everyone come to the FLC and
bring your appetite!
**Happy Birthday**
May 26
Bonnie Marrs
Rachelle Pratt
May 27
Landon Aubzeide
May 28
Norma Graf
Carl Nichols
Greg Null
Hannah
Null
Lenora Word
May 29
Jerry Canfield
Billy Hines
May 30
Britney Beard
May 31
Elizabeth Harper
Cole Wakefield
Bailey
Williams
*Birthday Tea**
All widows having birthdays in
May,
June, July or August
are invited to a Tea
at the home of Ann Selig
on
Thursday, May 23rd
from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Transportation from the
church building is provided.
Please call Ann at 452-7024
if you plan
to attend.
**Curriculum Available**
Age 2 through Kindergarten
curriculum for Summer is in! Pick it up at the downstairs Teacher Resource
Room.
**Teachers Needed**
Teachers are needed for the Summer
Quarter. See Ted Edwards for more information.
**Nursery Schedule**
Infants: Gail Mason, Erin Mason, Tracy
Risley
Toddlers: Flora Johnson, Missy Blasdel, Kristy Abernathy
Evening:
Linda Wear, Terri Jones
**Sunday in Worship**
Morning: "Memories"
Brad Pistole,
Speaker
Brad will present our High School Graduates.
Parents, please be
seated in the section reserved for you at the front of the auditorium.
-------------------------------------------------------
Page
3
-------------------------------------------------------
**In Our
Thoughts and Prayers**
Continue to remember Elizabeth Evans in your prayers as she
prepares for surgery in the near future.
Robin Harper is at M.D. Anderson in Houston this week for a
checkup.
Erma Beshears (mother of Patti Anderson) had a chemotherapy
treatment on Tuesday.
Wilma Mizell is in St. Edward, room 5219.
Roger Ransom (husband of Betty) is in Sparks Hospital, room
634.
Julie Vanderpool is in Sparks, room 492.
Madine Rose had knee replacement surgery. She is in Health
South Rehab, room 210A.
Jewell Madzey has been dismissed from the
hospital.
Nicki Benincosa requests continued prayers for her teacher's
(Jim Cook) recovery.
Inez Hatfield will have surgery Monday morning at Sparks
Hospital to remove "hardware" from her ankle.
**Bereaved**
Our love and sympathy is extended to Norma
Jean Breedlove and Steve Breedlove in the death of Cloy Evans (brother and
uncle). Funeral services were Monday in Little Rock.
Our love and sympathy is also extended to George Thompson in
the death of his sister, Mary Browning, of Fort Worth, Texas. Funeral services
are Sat., May 18th, in Texas.
**60+ Potluck**
Our next 60+ event is a potluck supper on
Saturday, May 18th at 6:00 in the FLC.
**Correction**
We inadvertently failed to list James and
Marge Mason as Luke Mason's grandparents when we printed his graduation last
week. Our apologies to the Mason Family.
**Notes of Thanks**
Dear Quilters,
Thank you for the
beautiful quilt. We absolutely love it and will always cherish it. It is such a
wonderful gift and it will help to make our house a home. Thank you again for
your thoughtfulness. We love every stitch. Love, Lindsay Barton & Dale
Lusby
**Weddings**
Desiring God's will for their lives
and believing that
includes each other
Coleen Cowan and Paul Shirley
together with their
children
invite you to share their joy
as they are united in marriage
on
June 1, 2002, two o'clock in the afternoon
Center Street Church of
Christ
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Reception to follow at
Ozark Mountain
Smokehouse
215 W. Dickson Street, Fayetteville
RSVP by May 23,
2002
Call 474-5100 or (479) 632-4458
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Barton
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter,
Lindsay Renee Barton to
Dale
Dewayne Lusby II
son of Mr. & Mrs. Dale Lusby
on Saturday, the eight
of June
at half past six o'clock in the evening
Roseland
Plantation
2601 State Highway 64
Ben Wheeler, Texas
Reception
immediately following
**Congratulations High School Graduates!**
Susan Berryhill, SHS
Kristin Cowan, Sallisaw
Jennifer Davidson,
SHS
Michael Jones, SHS
Ellen Kamp, SHS
Kara Lankford, SHS
Eric
Lively, SHS
Chase Pressley, SHS
Vila Teng, SHS
Gina Vongkhamchanh,
NHS
Jordan Wade, NHS
Lindsay Trotter, Harding Academy, Searcy,
Arkansas
Luke Mason, Nixa High School, Nixa, Missouri
**Congratulations College Graduates!**
Ben Dye graduated May 11th Magna Cum Laude from the University of Arkansas
with a degree in Industrial Engineering.
Dale Lusby II graduated May 11th from the University of Arkansas with a
degree in Finance.
Paul Flippo recently graduated from Arkansas Tech with a degree in Computer
Science.
Paula Beall received her Ph.D. in Psychology from North Texas State
University and will be doing research at the University of Denver.
**23rd Annual Fish Fry**
Mulberry Church of Christ
Saturday, May 25,
6:30 p.m. Rain or shine!!
Fish, fries and hushpuppies are provided.
Please bring drinks, salads and desserts, if you wish, to the John Callahan
Home, 6620 Slate Hill Road, Mulberry, AR (501) 997-1198.
-------------------------------------------------------
Page
4
-------------------------------------------------------
**Living Images
of God's Healing Truth**
By Brad Pistole
In light of the past two articles regarding "sex and its influence on
society today," I have decided to share the following words from scripture.
Please give prayerful attention to Gods word and how it should be applied to
your life.
"Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the
Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds
publicly declare her praise" (Proverbs 30:30-31).
"Your godly lives will speak to them better than any words. They will be
won by watching your pure, godly behavior. Dont be concerned about the outward
beauty that depends on fancy hair styles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful
clothes. You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading
beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious to God. That is the way
the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted
the authority of their husbands" (I Peter 3:1-5).
"Never cut your bodies in mourning for the dead or mark your skin
with tattoos, for I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:28).
"Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love
the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the
world offers the lust only for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we
see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from
this evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves.
But if you do the will of God, you will live forever" (I John 2:15-17).
As Gods chosen people, may we all make better decisions in the future to
honor Him with our words, our dress, our decisions, and all aspects of our daily
lives!
**Special News**
This Sunday, May 19th, we will be honoring the Senior
class of 2002. Please know that the first few rows of the center section will be
reserved for Seniors and their family members. Please join me in appreciation
for this group of young people, and may we all be in prayer for the decisions
they will make in the coming months.
**Schedule of Services**
Sunday Worship (10:30).............709
Sunday Classes (9:30)
...............403
Evening Worship (6:00)..............360
Wednesday Worship (7:00)........ 357
Sunday Contribution
............$15,720
-------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------