------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Family Lines Newsletter, March 2, 2006
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
**What Would You Do If …
What Would You Do …
What Will You Do When …**
By David Chadwell

We live in a world of transition.  Like it or not, the one “certain” thing we can depend on is “my life is going to change.”  We can count on two things as we physically live: (1) “My life will change;” (2) “I likely cannot anticipate the most significant changes.”  Our biggest adjustments in life commonly are never anticipated. The biggest adjustments usually are the “you must be kidding me” variety.  People often say, “I did not see that coming,” for a reason.  Though the unexpected seems to be normal, we still do not expect life to be unpredictable.  Yet, it is constantly unpredictable.
 
The young adult says, “What would you do if 'such and such' happened?”  That is a hypothetical question.  “It could occur, but not to me.”  Why?  “The way I live (or use my life) prevents that from ever happening to me.”
 
As we staunchly set our feet in mid-life, we revise the statement a little.  This situation becomes your situation. “What would you do?”  With time and life passing, we often see situations happen to people we know well.  As we quietly, internally realize “that could happen to me, too,” we keep a little distance between us and the undesirable.  It is as if it could not happen to us if I do not talk about it.  However, we all see enough of life to realize it does happen.  It happens to those who truly seek to prevent it, and to those who never try to “prevent” anything. 
 
However, in this period, we get very serious about prevention.  We eat right.  We make regular visits for checkups.  We change our diets.  We try to get enough exercise and sleep.  “Pass me the blueberries, please.”  “Can I give you a ride to the gym?”  “How far did you jog today?”  “What is your cholesterol count (or blood pressure, or heart rate, or ...)?”
 
Then we reach the age that the undesirable happens all around us.  It happens to those who take care of their health and those who do not, to those who exercise and those who do not, to those who eat right and those who do not, to those who use life well and those who do not.  We hear the professionals change their minds about what is healthy and what is not--every two to five years.
 
Then, at last, we finally admit what we hid from for years:  “Nobody lives forever” (physically).  The longer we live, the more physical death we see.  Like it or not, we know we will die, too.  That is okay as a hypothetical.  Yet, the more likely it becomes, the more sobering it becomes.
 
Good news for those in Christ!  Though this physical life is shorter than the prefix “pre,” 
“. . . Godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.”  1Timothy 4:8-10
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 2 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
**Remember in Prayer**
(In alphabetical order by first name.)
• Carl Choate is in St. Edward Hospital long term care, Room 3.
• Chuck Cunningham (prayers for healing)
• Dan Ogden is in St. Edward Hospital, Room 4321.
• Earl Flood is having some health issues and appreciates your prayers. He’ll be having a test on Monday.
• Fred Jackson
• Joan Jenkins (Kerry’s mother) will be having her next CAT scan on March 20th.
• Joel Prigge (brother-in-law of Louise Howard)
• John Paul Hundley (missionary in Marceilles, France) went to a clinic on Monday with shortness of breath and chest pain. John Paul is stable and resting now. Surgery for a triple by-pass is scheduled for Thursday (3/2/06) at 7:00 a.m. (their time).
• Mary Broyles is home from the hospital, but still recovering from the flu.
• Myra Flippo will have a PET scan on Friday to help identify a lung nodule.
• Nash Burkett is having surgery on Monday (3/6/06) to remove his tonsils and adenoids, and he’ll have tubes put in his ears. Nash has prayer pager A.
• Niketa Stinchcomb’s father, Bob Saegert, is at Washington Regional Hospital in Fayetteville having heart tests.
• Sharon Barker (recovering from flu and having tests)
• Slats Slaton (Brian Pistole’s father-in-law)
• Wendell Fenton (father of Natalie Nelson)
 
**Bereaved**
Our love and sympathy is extended to the following families in the loss of their loved one.
• Curtis McDonald’s brother-in-law died last Friday. Curtis appreciates your prayers for his sister, Ruth Wilson, in the loss of her husband and for her health. She was dismissed from the hospital last weekend.
• Mildred Stillwell in the death of her husband, Maxwell on Tuesday. Mildred has been attending here for some time, and many at West-Ark know her. Funeral services are Friday at First Baptist Church in Barling.
• Carolyn Johnson in the unexpected death of her mother (on Wednesday). Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.
 
**Prayer Pagers**
Anita Maxwell G 441-6639
Duane Walker F 441-2593
Fred Jackson H 784-7490
Jane McGowan B 441-1734
Jeana Belote I 441-1791
Miranda Graham E 441-2591
Myra Flippo J 441-1792
Nash Burkett A 441-1648
Sharon Barker D 441-2344
 
**Military in Prayer**
Good news! Jackie Luong has returned home. Continue to pray for Mitchell Bryant, Shane L. Newton, Adam Morrissun, Alan Todd, and Charlie Remaley.
 
**Missionaries in Prayer**
• Thomas Kweekul in Thailand.
• John Paul & Ruby Lee Hundley in France.
• Our missionaries in Laos and Vietnam.
 
**Welcome New Members!**
Daniel Tignor
5200 South U Street, Apt. 110
Fort Smith, AR 72903
(479) 719-8198
 
Bill & Marilyn Coffelt
Graham
3315 Glen Flora Way
Fort Smith, AR 72908
(479) 649-9169
 
**Note of Thanks**
I want to thank all the friends and family that have sent many prayers out for Miranda. She is recovering wonderfully and is in great spirits. In her doctor's words "she is doing fantastic!" Thanks be to God for his wonderful blessings. Your prayers have been such a blessing for Miranda and our entire family. It was so encouraging to know that many prayers were being sent.   The prayer pager was quite the talk of the hospital. You wouldn't believe how many people thought it was such a great idea!
Thank you and God Bless!
Chad & Kim Graham & Family
 
Dear West-Ark Family,
Your cards, kind words and expressions of sympathy in the death of my sister, Mary Ann White, were very comforting and greatly appreciated.
 Lewis Livesay
 
**Celebrating an Anniversary**
Robert & Loretta Loudermilk
60 Years
March 2, 1946 - March 2, 2006
Congratulations!
 
**Car Clinic**
Saturday, March 4
8 – 11 a.m., weather permitting
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 3
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
**Widows/Widowers**
We’ll have a luncheon in the home of Jack & Janice Lowry on Saturday, March 4. Vans will leave the Annex at 11:30 a.m.  Call Bobbie Hughes, Mary Burkett or Janice Lowry if you need transportation to the Annex.
 
**Note to Elementary Parents**
The 7th-12th graders have a new Youth Student Center in the upstairs of the FLC that has just been completed. Parents: please help us out by making sure elementary students know the FLC upstairs classroom and Youth Student Center are “off limits” for now.  Help them understand this is something they can look forward to when they reach junior high! We have about 65 active 7th-12th graders who are using this room. It will comfortably hold only about 20 people – so they fill it up. Thanks for your understanding and help.
 
**News from the FLOCK**
Thank you so much for all of the shoe boxes.  Thanks to you, all of our kids will have their own Moses Box, and we have some boxes to spare!
 
**Current Opportunities for Service in the FLOCK**
• Folks who are willing and able to help with the “odd jobs” of The FLOCK (cutting, organizing, painting (items for lessons, not rooms), etc. This will really help us to have more time for planning lessons and would be GREATLY appreciated.  There will be a sign-up sheet for specific jobs on The FLOCK table by the elevator.
• Wednesday Night Teachers (minimum 5 week commitment.  All lessons and supplies are prepared for you!)
 
**Free Non-Fasting Diabetic Screening**
Wednesday, March 8
4:30 – 7:00 p.m. in Room 106
Blood sugar and blood pressures will be checked with educational material available. This is preferably for those with previously diagnosed diabetes.  Call Kathy Monk for more information.
 
**Quilting Ministry**
Our quilting ladies are working very diligently in the Lord’s service. Here is a “snapshot” of their good works!
 
Southern Christian Home
• 12 quilts
• 18 pillows
• 80 clothing items
• 31 throws
 
Children’s Shelter
• 476 bags
• 19 pillows
• 41 throws
 
Brownwood Nursing Home
• 8 lap robes
• 13 bibs
 
Van Buren Nursing Home
• 20 lap robes
• 17 bibs
 
Beverly Rehab
• 14 lap robes
 
Methodist Nursing Home
• 12 lap robes
 
Arkoma Rest Home
• 26 bibs
• 18 bed jackets
 
Medi-Home
• 12 lap robes
 
Inner City Ministry
• 9 quilts
• 8 pajamas
 
City of Children
• 82 clothing items
 
5 Bride’s quilts
• 26 bags for bridal quilts
 
Morrilton Children’s Home
• 10 pillows
• 2 clothing items
 
Melody Priester’s class
• 12 throws
(Continued next week.)
 
**Faith Comes by Hearing **
Week 7; Days 43-49
The complete 60, 90-day schedules are online at http://www.westark.org/library/schedule.htm
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
**Family Life Ministry**
By Brad Pistole    
 
BIG THANKS to everyone who has helped with the new Youth Student Center in the Family Life Center. We are getting close to completing it.
 
Several people have made donations that have helped make this possible and we REALLY appreciate it! We are still in need of a few items, but things are looking really good and our teens are excited about having a place to call their own.
 
The student center will be open on Wednesday nights before and after services and on Sunday evenings before and after services, so feel free to come on up and bring your friends. Then take them with you to Bible class!
 
This coming Sunday night, March 5th, there will be a JR. HIGH DEVOTIONAL after the evening services at the home of Meredith Brown. We will be taking a church van, so please sign up on the list so we can know how many to expect.
 
A meal will be provided, Gary will lead us in a devotional and we will return to the building by 8:45 p.m. This will be a great time to get to know other members of the youth group better, so plan to go with us.
 
The following Sunday night, March 12th, we will be taking the Sr. High to the Sunday Night Live in Joplin, MO. There is limited space available for this trip. We will leave at 3:00 p.m. and we won’t return until 10:30 p.m. Please check the sign-up board upstairs for more details.
 
Finally, we are updating the youth website weekly with coming youth events and information. Go to www.westark.org/youth/calendar.htm and click on calendar of events to learn more about our plans for this summer.
 
**A.M. Nursery**
Melissa Walker
Suzi Jennemann
Dena Jenkins
 
**P.M. Nursery**
Dixie Burkhart
Gina Williams
 
**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Sunday AM Worship 725
Bible Classes  441
Sunday Evening 330
 Wednesday Evening 323
Contribution   $18,339
Children’s Home $267
Laotian Attendance 34
Laotian Contribution $194
Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance 43
Contribution $181
 
Office Phone (479) 452-1240
Fax  (479) 452-5767
office@westarkchurchofchrist.org
www.westark.org
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Making disciples for Jesus who are eager to serve others."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------