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Family
Lines Newsletter, March 16,
2006
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**Who Do You Seek to Please?**
By David
Chadwell
Life is a complicated journey! At every age,
it is complicated. For a young child conflicted by a parents desire to
use her sexually, the situation is complex. For an insecure teen allured
by the seeming affections of a date who would exploit him or her, the situation
is complex. For a single adult wishing to establish his or her own home,
the situation is complex. For the adult whose boss expects him or her to
be dishonest, the situation is complex. At every stage in lifes journey,
demands are often complex.
To be a ruler in Palestine who had to maintain
allegiance to Roman control was complex. The Jewish people in the
first century hated their loss of independence. They viewed rulers
dependent on Rome as enemies. They were endlessly on the verge of defiance
through violence. They were almost impossible to appease. Ruling
first century Jewish people was a headache, not a picnic! Their anger and
volatility could make or break Roman appointed rulers! They often broke such
rulers!
There is a small but insightful statement in Acts
12:3. Herod Agrippa I mistreated the church. The verse begins this
way: And when he saw that it pleased the Jews ... Mistreating
Christians was in his political best interest as he tried to rule some very
difficult people, so he continued to mistreat Christians in order to make his
work easier.
In lifes complicated challenges, always
consciously keep service to God as a real option. When you deal with
complex situations in your family, ask yourself, Where is Gods place in my
options? When you deal with complex situations in your marriage, ask
yourself, Where is Gods place in my options? When you deal with complex
situations in your work, ask yourself, Where is Gods place in my
options? When you deal with complex situations in your training, ask
yourself, Where is Gods place in my options? And when you are tempted
to be selfish in your decisions, ask yourself, Where is Gods place in my
selfishness?
Who do you seek to please? Your wife?
Your husband? Your children? Your boss? Your clients?
Your peers? Yourself? Whose interests define who you are and what
your life is about?
Ungodly people typically cannot be pleased.
To the degree that they are ungodly, they are unappeasable. To the degree
that a person is selfish, he or she is unappeasable. Godly people can be pleased
when their focus is on God. To the degree that a situation focuses such
people on God, they are challenged to do and produce good.
Who do you seek to please? Ungodly
people? Yourself? God? The more it is your intentional aim to
please God, the more lifes journey becomes a joy and the less it becomes
drudgery. Making the reactions of anyone else the foundation of your life
is simply too complicated!
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**Remember in Prayer**
(In alphabetical order by
first name.)
Audra Bocksnick has pager 441-2290. She is going to the Mayo
Clinic in Rochester, MI, for tests beginning Monday. Please pray for her
and Shane.
Chuck Cunningham (cancer
treatment)
David Hardy (David is the son-in-law of former members,
Ken & Connie Tipton. Read Connies note in Family Update.)
Joan
Jenkinss next CAT scan is 3/20/06. Read Denas note in Family Update.
Joel
Prigge (brother-in-law of Louise Howard; cancer treatment)
John Paul
Hundley (missionary in Marceilles, France) as he continues his recovery from
heart surgery.
Myra Flippo has an appointment with a lung surgeon on March
29.
Opie Curle (brother of Barbara (Mrs. Harry) Smith, is recovering from
heart valve replacement surgery in Nashville, TN.
Patty Kaiser had gall
bladder surgery over the weekend and is now home.
Raegon Waid (6 ½ week old
niece of Patrick and Dana Pruitt) is in ICU at Childrens Hospital in Little
Rock. Raegon had heart surgery today. Her parents are John and Amy Waid.
Sharon Barker received good news from her heart cath on Wednesday morning. There
are no blockages, or dead heart tissue; everything appeared normal!
Slats
Slaton (Brian Pistoles father-in-law; cancer treatment)
Vashtie
Locklear (Judy Walkers mother)
Wendell Fenton (father of Natalie Nelson;
cancer treatment)
**Bereaved**
Our love and sympathy is extended
to Terri Jones in the death of her grandmother, Irene Neumeier. Funeral services
were March 15 in Paris, AR.
Ed Winton (former West-Ark member) died Monday in
Springdale, AR. Graveside services were March 16 at Bluff Cemetery.
**Prayer Pagers**
A 441-1648 (unassigned)
B
441-1734 Jane McGowan
C 441-2290 Audra Bocksnick
D 441-2344 Sharon
Barker
E 441-2591 John & Melody Priester
F 441-2593 Duane Walker
G
441-6639 Anita Maxwell
H 784-7490 Patty Kaiser
I 441-1791 Jeana
Belote
J 441-1792 Amanda Daws
K 441-2388 West-Ark Elders (group)
Pagers
A-J as a group:
441-2395
**Military in Prayer**
Mitchell Bryant, Shane L.
Newton, Adam Morrissun, Alan Todd, and Charlie Remaley.
**Missionaries in Prayer**
Jerry Canfield and
Thomas Teng (Lao Church) in SE Asia.
Thomas Kweekul in Thailand.
John
Paul & Ruby Lee Hundley in France.
Our missionaries in Laos and
Vietnam.
**Praise!**
Malcomb Gordey, uncle of Donna
Miller, Laura Smith, and Marilyn Selby was baptized last week at the age of 85.
Mr. Gordey is living at Fianna Hills Nursing Home.
**Note of Thanks**
I appreciate the cards you
sent, the phone calls, and the prayer pager. It buzzed non-stop! Janet and I
really appreciate it.
Fred & Janet Jackson
Jesus said, Whatever you did for one of the least
of these brothers of mine, you did for Me. You have shown your servant hearts
to us during Nashs surgery and recovery. Thanks for the many acts of
kindness.
Love in Him,
Mike, Mary, Kate & Nash Burkett
**Family Update**
Let us begin by saying how
very grateful we are for all of the prayers that are being lifted up to the
father on behalf of Joan. God has answered those prayers in that Joans
symptoms have diminished somewhat. Although she still has reduced
sensation, vision and hearing on her left side, the horrible pain is gone for
now praise God! They are back at home now. She had her first of 10
radiation treatments today. She will have 5 this week and will repeat the
process next week. Please continue to pray for Joans comfort and strength
as she begins the third round of her battle with this horrific disease. We
also continue to pray for her complete healing since we know that the Divine
Healer can do what science may say is impossible! To Him be all the glory
and praise!
Dena Jenkins (edited for
length)
3/14/06
Dear family and friends,
I am writing to request
your special prayers in behalf of our son-in-law, David Hardy. David has
been having some pain in his left side. He had two cat scans very recently
and they indicated a meaty mass on the top of his kidney and several spots in
his lungs. Until today, they were not saying it was cancer but are now
more convinced that may be the case. They do feel the cancer has either spread
from the lungs to the kidney or the kidney to the lungs but of course without
the biopsy and other information, it is hard to know specifics at this
time. We do know God hears our prayers and He is in control. David just
turned 31 years old last Wednesday. Kenna and David believe strongly in God's
will in their lives. They are going through some very difficult hours now
as they learn what must be done. Please, please lift them up in prayer often to
our heavenly Father that everything will be done to help rid him of this evil
disease, cancer.
With all our love,
Ken and Connie Tipton
(3/15/06, edited for length)
If you would like to send a card to David and
Kenna Hardy, their address is 4169 Anderton Blvd., Horn Lake, MS 38736.
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**Changes of Address**
Chris and Dorian Belt
2210 Dow Jones
Road
Alma, AR 72921
Stephen and Jamie Richardson have moved to Waco,
Texas. Jamie has family in that area.
**Baby Shower**
A shower is planned for Kim Bice and baby daughter, Harper, on Sunday, April 2, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. in the Annex. They are registered at Toys R Us. Harper was born January 26 to Josh and Kim.
**Bible on CD**
If you would like to purchase
the complete Bible on CD, we have one set (NIV, dramatized version) available
for $99. Please see Lynn Dickey if you are interested.
**Joy Bunch!**
Come and join us Saturday, March
18 at 6:00 p.m. in the FLC for our potluck PLUS a style show see the latest
fashions!
**LTC Rehearsals**
NO REHEARSALS MARCH 19
There will be rehearsals for all performance groups (chorus, puppets, and drama)
on Friday, April 7. It will last from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Pizza will be
provided!
**LTC Art**
All Art must be turned in to Shanna
Davis by Sunday, April 2nd. If you need criteria sheets, they are on the LTC
table in the foyer.
**Were Getting Ready for Community Outreach
Day**
We need workers at The Hope Chest to get everything ready for Community
Outreach Day on April 1st. The work schedule is listed below. There is much to
do; there is work on every hand. Come and help us! Call Kathy Rosalez at
home or The Hope Chest (479 784-9715) if you have questions.
The Hope Chest, 717 North 4th & H Streets, Fort
Smith, AR
Workers Needed Monday, March 20
9:30 - open
bags, boxes, sort clothes
12:00 - lunch
12:45 - sort and
hang clothing
3:00 break
3:30 - open bags boxes, sort, hang
clothing
6:00 - close
Workers Needed Tuesday, March 21
9:30 - open
bags, boxes, sort clothes
12:00 lunch
12:30 sort, hang clothing,
tables
3:00 - close
**Workers Needed Friday, March 24**
9:30 -
open bags, boxes, sort clothes
12:00 lunch
12:30 stock tables,
sort, hang clothing
3:00 finish straightening tables, etc.
6:00 -
close
**Happy Birthday**
March 12
Alex Tomlin
March 13
Carol Green
Sarah Miller
Richard
Nelson
John Richards
March 14
Vicki Anderson
John Berger
Maxine
Yates
March 15
Matthew Hines
Hayley
Sanchez
Janie Wyatt
March 17
Marie Lile
March 18
Caitlin Kleman
Linda
Shank
Suzette Todd
Brad Walker
March 19
Marie Arnold
David Berger
Shirley
Bullard
Meg Canfield
March 20
Blake Frost
March 21
Courtney Griffin
March 22
Linda Allen
Debra Gail
Hatfield
Donna Roper
Chuck Rothwell
Helen Walker
Greg
Wewers
March 23
Diane Arnold
Garrett
Keller
Kimberly Layman
Troy Sweeten
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**Family Life Ministry**
By Brad
Pistole
Coming Spring Events
March 20-24
Fort Smith Area Spring Break
March 23-25
Tulsa Workshop
April 14-15
LTC in Tulsa
April 14-15
Spring Sing at Harding
University
May 21st
Senior Graduation Services
West-Ark
Church
**A.M. Nursery**
Jennifer Jennen
Flora
Johnson
Kristy Abernathy
**P.M. Nursery**
Sheila Vaught
**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Sunday AM
Worship 667
Bible Classes 454
Sunday Evening 304
Wednesday
Evening 324
Contribution $18,273
Childrens Home
$263
Laotian Attendance 23
Laotian Contribution $125
Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance 58
Contribution $221
Office Phone (479) 452-1240
Fax (479)
452-5767
office@westarkchurchofchrist.org
www.westark.org
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"Making
disciples for Jesus who are eager to serve
others."
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