---------------------------------------------------------------
Family
Lines Newsletter, April 20,
2003
---------------------------------------------------------------
**Cause (Again) To Evaluate**
By David Chadwell
Joyce's dad, Allen, died Wednesday morning, April 9, around
9 a.m. We immediately prepared for the trip and left. As we left,
Fort Smith had beautiful blue skies, lots of sunshine, and rising
temperatures. In an hour we were under solid overcast with a cold
wind.
About 2 p.m. we were traveling in an Interstate
construction zone with one lane [per direction] restricted driving. A rear
tire disintegrated. Traffic was heavy. The well graveled shoulder sloped
downward significantly. Instantly I pondered how to change the tire in
that circumstance. Immediately a man who worked on the local roadways
appeared, turned on flashing lights, changed our tire, and told me where to buy
and mount a new tire quickly. How blessed we were! In an hour we
were again en route.
Allen was a collector. He loved yard
sales. His passions were tools, the old and the unusual. He rarely
discarded anything. Through the years he acquired massive collections of
everything imaginable--and he could tell you what most things did.
After the funeral, our children and grandchildren
[Allen's only grandchildren and great-grandchildren] made a "supervised"
inspection of grandpa's collections. Each selected something that he or
she associated with grandpa. Joyce, Jerry [Joyce's brother], and I watched
as curious eyes and hands explored grandpa's "treasures."
Allen loved to buy, sell, trade, and give
away. He often gave things to others. Many, many times he said, "You
never know when someone might need this." Thus he bought the single crutch
at a yard sell to go with the ten pair he had [or a hammer when he had a dozen,
or one more of his countless screwdrivers, or a wrench to add to wrenches
galore].
He was not greedy. He just loved
"possibility" thinking. After he retired, two things occupied his
time--tinkering with his collections and using them to help others.
As I watched grandchildren and great-grandchildren
examine his collections, I witnessed the beginning of a progression. His
collections became their memories. Soon his collections will become merely
things to be "disposed of."
Often our valued "treasures" in life become "things
to be disposed of" when we die. Within less than six months of
our death, someone will ask, "Why did he like that?" "Why did she buy
that?" Our valued becomes meaningless. Our treasure becomes a
thing.
The only enduring treasures we leave are
relationships of love. All else become merely "things." Thanks,
Allen, for the relationships of love.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Page
2
---------------------------------------------------------------
**It's a Rap!**
By Donna Lindgren and
Michelle Boozer
Well, we made it back! One more load of
camping gear, snacks and nine excited kids back from an adventurous preteen
weekend retreat at Camp Wyldewood. This was the second retreat that we
have taken with these kids from the Way, and the last one until summer camp in
June.
The trips give us adults a great chance to learn about these
kids that we've only known for about a year. For example, we learned that
they like amphitheater devotionals and hiking. We learned that when they
think of the cross, they think of love. (We know that because we asked
them.) We saw them learn to work together during a game of volleyball
where the big green ball was bigger than most of them!
It was in those unplanned, unorganized times that
we probably learned the most about them. On the three-hour drive to the
retreat, we learned that eleven-year old Steven Franklin and his nine-year old
brother Hebron are already using their talents for God's purposes. During
the trip, they rapped a Christian rap song for us that they had written.
The rap was about making the right choices for Jesus.
It is obvious that these kids are already making
some right choices for Jesus. We are very thankful to God for giving us
the chance to be there as they make even more right choices for Him.
**60+ Potluck**
Our April potluck is Saturday,
the 19th, at 6:00 p.m. in the FLC.
**Prayers for Those In Military
Service**
Shane Bagley, By River Valley Christian
School
Thomas Blake, Grandson of Tom & Marjorie Blake
John
Campbell
Endel Casey, Step-brother of Michael Blasdel
Chris
Clements, Nephew of Lisa Broom
Doyle Crabtree
Adam Davis
John
Emory, Grandson of Edith Emory
Matt Faries, Son of Bob &
Sharon Faries
Michael Gooden, Son of Benny and Martha Gooden
Justin
Gramlish, By Stan Burkhart
John Green
Bush
Misty Griffin
Ray Hawkins, Friend of Phillip Abuzeide
Rob
Holcek, Nephew of Larry Roper
Dr. Judd Hinshaw, Great-nephew of Clayton
Amos
Gary Kerr, Nephew of Ron Lenderman
Bridget Lenderman, Niece
of Ron Lenderman
Gwen Lenderman, Sister-in-law of Ron Lenderman
Kevin
Lenderman, Nephew of Ron Lenderman
Shane Newton, Grandson of Jim
& Sarah Newton
Joel Newton, Jim & Sarah Newton
Ben
Payne, Son of Carlene Payne
John Randall
David Richardson, Son
of Fred and Janet Jackson
Veronica Robertson, Friend of Mark &
Kristin Scott
Alan Roper, Son of Larry and Donna Roper
John
Smith, Grandson-in-law of Jay & Retha Wood
Alan Todd, Brother
of Linda Russell & Larry Todd
David Vann, Brother of Linda Russell
& Larry Todd
Jennifer Walker, Granddaughter of Frances Tyler and
Shirley Walker
**Happy Birthday**
April 20: Jenny Atchison,
Chase Turpin, Robin Pratt Webber, Lauren Willis
April 21: Inez Hatfield,
Jewell Madzey
April 22: Lindsay Hines
April 23: Sarah Jane Gilley, Zachary
Jennings, Erin Mason, Mia Nelson
April 24: Gary Green, Cristy Pressley, Wes
Sawyer
April 25: Adriane Anderson, Karen Carter, Edith Marymont, Madine
Rose
---------------------------------------------------------------
Page
3
---------------------------------------------------------------
**Remember in Prayer**
* Wilma Mizell is in St.
Edward Hospital, room 3416.
* Erma Beshears (Patti Anderson's mother) is very
ill.
* Lucia Lara (mother of Mickey Mendez) is in Sparks, room 570 following
a heart attack.
* Dorothy Harwell is in Sparks Hospital, room 520.
* Sally
Smith is at St. Edward Hospital in room 4521.
* Odessa Wright (Doyle's
mother) is dismissed from the hospital but still has an infection.
* Juanita
Carlon (formerly of West-Ark) is in Sparks Hospital, room 536.
* Sam and Lucy
Roberts have a newborn great-grandson who is in critical condition at Children's
Hospital in Dallas.
* Continue to pray for Sandy Berger, Kathy Bauer, Vicki
Varvel, Vernon Varner, Sandy Thurman, Bobby McLaughlin, and Elaine Jordan.
**Hispanic Ministry Update**
Iglesia de Cristo
began meeting last summer with 4 members. Last Sunday morning, there were 33 in
worship. There have been 13 baptisms so far, and we are showing the Jule Miller
films to 12 new families. One couple was recently baptized from a contact
in Thursday's Kids (West-Ark's tutoring program). The couple's daughter is
a part of the program. Sunday morning, Chad McClure was baptized. He
speaks English (but little Spanish) and his wife speaks Spanish (but little
English). We always have visitors on Sunday morning. I am excited because we are
sowing the seed and God is giving the increase in Fort Smith!
--Oscar
Nolasco
**Bereaved**
Our love and sympathy is extended
to Sheryl Gilbert in the recent death of her father, Eugene Lord, in
California.
**Note of Thanks**
Thank you for the many
expressions of love and compassion. We truly felt loved and appreciated. The
flowers, cards, and notes lifted our spirits. When death separates us from
someone we love, it is important to know we are surrounded by love.
Thank
you!
Mary Wells
Joyce and David Chadwell
**Wedding Shower**
A Shower honoring Steven Cole
and Louise Coffman is planned for Sunday, April 27th, from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. in
the home of Robin Harper, 3627 Free Ferry Road in Fort Smith. Steven and Louise
are registered at Linens and Things, Dillards, and JC Penney. Their colors are
green and blue.
**Weigh Down Workshop**
An orientation for an
advanced WD Workshop will be held Wednesday night, April 23rd at 7:00 in room
210. This session is for those who have been through the first session or have
read the book.
**LTC Announcements**
* April 18-19 -- Tulsa
Convention Center
* April 27 -- Awards presentation following evening service
in the FLC. Coaches, please make every effort to be present to hand out your
participants' awards.
**Inner City Ministry**
We need additional
workers to help serve "under the bridge" on Saturday, April 19th, at 11:30
a.m. We greatly appreciate anyone who can be there and assist in this
ministry.
**Community Outreach Day**
Mark your calendars
for Saturday, May 31st -- West-Ark's outreach day to the Fort Smith community.
**Wedding Announcement**
Together with their
parents
Rachel Rae Herndon and Robert Harris McKinzie
request the honor of
your presence at their marriage
On Saturday, the 19th of April at 2:30 in the
afternoon
Mayfair Church of Christ
2340 N.W. 50th
Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma
Reception immediately following
**Wedding Reception**
You are invited to share
in love and joy
at a reception celebrating the Marriage of
Jimmy Price
and Janelle Graves
April 19, 2003 at 1:00 p.m. in the
Family Life
Center, West-Ark Church of Christ
The couple will reside in Norwich, Kansas,
where Jimmy is a minister for Norwich Church of Christ.
Your love and
encouragement are cherished gifts. We request no other.
**David's Sermons**
Morning: The Price of
Freedom Is Blood
Evening: "Skip Over Scriptures" -- 2 Cor. 13
---------------------------------------------------------------
Page
4
---------------------------------------------------------------
**"Families in Transition"**
By Brad
Pistole
As many of you already know, and as many of us are
learning in our new class, "Parenting Teenagers for Positive Results," the family
is almost always in transition.
From the time children are born and on through
adulthood, the family is always transitioning from one stage of life to another.
There is the infant stage, the toddler stage, the elementary stage, the
adolescent stage, and the young adult stage. These different stages lead us
through periods of transition in our families.
We usually begin as couples. After time, we become
couples with children (families). Often times, our families go through changes
as a result of growth, conflict and death, and we often gain and lose family
members. These transitions often produce fear, anxiety, and stress. However, if
we let God work through these situations, He can use them to produce strength,
wisdom and character.
As I watch our church family continue to change and
transition through various stages, my personal family is also in a period of
transition. One of the facts of life that brings about change in our families
involves moving to a new place.
In the days ahead, my family will be moving to a
new location. We are moving out of town to a place that will enhance our ability
to teach and minister to the teens and families here at West-Ark. It
will also allow us to better teach and train our children. We are excited about
this move and all it has to offer our work here, yet there will also be a
period of transition that comes with so many changes.
Please pray for my family as I pray for yours. In
the days ahead, I will let each of you know more about our new address, phone
number and the vision for some of the plans we have for our family ministry in
the near future.
**Nursery Schedule**
A.M. Infants
Gail
Mason
Bo Mason
Tracy Risley
Toddlers
Flora Johnson
Missy
Blasdel
Christy Abernathy
P.M. Nursery
Linda Wear
Terri
Jones
**Schedule of Services**
Sunday Worship
(10:30).................684
Sunday Classes (9:30) ..................
507
Sunday Evening (6:00)....................306
The Way (4:00)
................................55
Wednesday Worship (7:00)............
324
Sunday Contribution ................$16,766
Laotian
Attendance............................41
Hispanic
attendance..........................33
---------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------