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Family Lines Newsletter,  June 19, 2008
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**Oops ... Too Late!**
By David Chadwell
 
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.  (James 4:13-17)
 
I seemed to be cursed when it comes to growing sunflowers!   It happened again!  (Yes, it has happened before.)  I planted a 16 foot long row of sunflower seeds. They all came up—were about 1½ inches high and THICK.  The way they came up, I suspected there were too many for all of them to disappear.
 
I made a plan to protect them by making a small, convenient fence around the flower bed (18 inch chicken wire).  Bill and Toka Beall stopped by to see us Thursday night.  Bill confirmed that what I planned to do would work.  My Friday project was set!  I knew where to get what I wanted—by early Friday afternoon my solution against past harm would be in place!  I saw the potential problem, in my head I solved that problem, and my reasoned out solution should work!
 
Friday morning I left for the gym about 6 a.m. (as usual).  For some reason, I decided to check my sunflower plants one more time before I bought my supplies.  You guessed it—Thursday night a critter ate the whole row (all but one—left to taunt me?).
 
Oh, well, I could be philosophical and say it happened before I bought the supplies.  However, at that moment, I did not feel philosophical.  All I felt was this: the critters won—again!  I cringe when I think of how many times “dumb” animals made me feel dumb!  Good intentions and well-made plans do not produce protection just by thinking!
 
The lessons in this silly incident are rather profound.  It is amazing what we can learn from squirrels, rabbits, or nocturnal critters in general.
  1. Never take tomorrow for granted.  It is so easy to decide whatever is will always be.  Do not assume that what should be done now will wait on you to do it later.  Simply because you see and understand the potential problem does not mean you have solved the problem.
  2. When you know enough to think the situation through, act.   Surely, there are consequences to taking action before you know what you need to know.  Surely, (also) there are consequences to procrastinating.  Rarely will there be a “perfect” time to make a difficult decision.  However, making a difficult choice is almost always better than making no choice at all, thus allowing “accident” or “random happenstance” to make the choice for you.
  3. Never ignore the “God factor.” We are not as big as we think we are!
Could we call this the parable of the sunflower plants and lessen my disappointment?
 
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**In Our Thoughts and Prayers**
• Jessica Frost is scheduled for foot surgery at Children’s Hospital in Little Rock today (June 19). The Frosts plan to return home tomorrow. Jessica has prayer pager 441-2386.
• John Davis (Harold’s brother) has now developed a staph infection in his lungs.  He remains on the respirator and sedated. The family’s prayer is that the doctors, with God’s guidance, will find the way to heal him.
• Louise Cline is at HealthSouth Rehab, Room 225B, 1401 S. “J” Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901. Cards and visits are welcome, but due to her rehab schedule, please call 785-3300 before going to visit.
 
St. Edward Hospital 
Messages may be sent online at www.stedwardmercy.com/email
•  Jean McConnell had surgery Wednesday (6/18/08). She is in room 4528 and doing well. She will be there for 2-3 days.
•  Jerry Aldridge will have shoulder replacement surgery Friday. The family requests no visitors because of extensive therapy. * Jerry would appreciate cards and notes.
•  Karen Benjamin is scheduled for surgery on  Friday, June 20. She has prayer pager 441-6639.
•  Leslie Ziegler had knee surgery on Wednesday.
•  Patty Kaiser is in room 5511. She had an infected port removed and a new mainline inserted for her treatments. She is also in pain from a torn rotator cuff. Please encourage her with a note or card.
•  Rick Wade (former West-Ark member and Fort Smith School Board member) is improving after having hip replacement surgery on 6/13/08 and then developing major complications with his heart.
 
Continued Prayers
•  Gerald Jones (Karen Carter’s friend)
•  Harry Smith
•  Inez Hatfield
•  Joel & Bertie Prigge (Louise Howard’s brother-in-law and sister)
•  John Amerise (friend of Ed Grist)
•  Lloyd Priester (Jim’s father)
•  Margaret Stone
•  Tom Drane
•  Wilma Son
 
Missionaries
•  Our missionary families in Vietnam and Laos.
•  John Paul & Ruby Lee Hundley in France and Belgium.
•  Jack & Glenda Lewis in Croatia with the “Let’s Start Talking” program.
•  Evangelists and their families with whom we work in Ethiopia and Nigeria.
 
Military List
•  James & Megan Johnson
•  Jered Goddard
•  Jeremy Grist
•  John Clark
•  John Lemley
•  Lance Hurst
•  Michael Priester
•  Mitchell Bryant
•  Ron Wheat
•  Ryan Almond
•  Will Domer
 
Military Addresses
Recently we received addresses for Ryan Almond and Nathan Davis.  Cards and notes from home are always welcomed by those in service!
 
PV2 Ryan Almond
2/153RD INF CO
Al Asad Air Base Iraq
APO AE 09333
 
Pvt Davis, Nathaniel
BTRY D 1st BN 40th FA
5611 NE Rothwell Street
Unit D-2
Ft. Sill, OK 73503-8027
 
**Prayer Pagers**
Jean McConnell, 441-2379
Jessica Frost, 441-2386
Karen Benjamin, 441-6639
Family of Ashton Stein, 784-7490
 
**Prayer Pager Updates**
• James & Debbie Stein will take their son Ashton to St. Jude’s Hospital this week for his last treatment.  If the report is good, the plan is for his port to be removed the week of July 4. They ask for continued prayers. The family’s pager number is 784-7490.
• Donna  Wheeler will travel to OU Medical in Oklahoma City in mid-July for further testing.  She has improved but is still having some critical problems. Tammy Cypert says, “Our prayers have been answered as she is still with us and some better.”  Donna’s prayer pager has been returned.
 
**Birth Announcements**
Paul & Coleen Shirley have a new grandchild (number 15)!  Malachi Zane was born to Mark & Carrie Scates on June 12 in Fayetteville.  Malachi weighed 8 lbs. 15 ozs. and is 21 inches long. Congratulations to all!
 
Congratulations also to Bryan & Nancy Beneux on the birth of a daughter, Caroline Marie.  She was born June 17th and weighed 7 lbs., 10 ozs. and was 19 1/2 inches long.  The happy grandparents are Donna & David Beneux, and Eleanor Casey is the great-grandmother!
 
**Baby Bottle Campaign**
There are two more Sundays to return filled baby bottles for the Heart-to-Heart Pregnancy Center.  So far, we’re having great participation!  A baby bassinet has been placed in the foyer for your donations!
 
**Fellowship Time on June 29**
Our brethren from Iglesia de Cristo (Hispanic church) will join us (and cook for us) on June 29th for our 5th Sunday family meeting and fellowship meal.  Get ready for great fajitas!  Please bring a dessert!
 
**Note of Thanks**
West-Ark Family,
Thank you for your gift. I am sure it will be very useful in the coming year. I appreciate your thinking of me.
 Love,
 Lindsey Smith
 
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**VBS Thank You!!**
A huge “thank you!” to all who worked and participated in any way with VBS 2008!   Thanks to you, over 200 children (and many grown-ups) learned more about God and His love in sending Jesus -  and had a great time doing it!  It would be nearly impossible to list all who helped, but we do want to thank the following groups:
•  All of the teenagers who helped set-up in record time and did an awesome job in ALL their roles!!
•  Marketplace Workers
•  Family Workers
•  Preschool Team
•  Nursery Workers
•  Adult Outreach Team
•  Kitchen Staff
•  Registration Team
•  Drama Team
•  Bread Makers
•  Office Staff
•  Enrichment Class Team
•  Transportation Team
•  All who donated or loaned items!
 
As you can see, it takes a HUGE team effort to make this event happen.  (Nearly 200 people this year!) 
Most of all, we want to thank our God and Father for allowing us the opportunity and for giving us safety, health, and serving hearts all week. To Him be all the glory!  ~~Dena Jenkins
 
**Green Valley Bible Camp Info**
Attention all Campers & Parents!
We still need drivers for the day camp vans.  Please call Rochelle Brown as soon as possible if you can serve in this way.
We also need ALL campers (day and night) to sign the list on the bulletin board in the foyer so we can make sure we have transportation arranged.
 
**GVBC Meeting Sunday Morning**
There will be a meeting for all campers and their parents immediately after services on Sunday morning in the front of the auditorium.  We will answer any questions and discuss last minute details, including transportation. Please try to be there.
 
**Congratulations, New Graduate!**
Katie Russell graduated from Savannah College of Art & Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design, with a major in Product Design.  She is currently interning in Charlotte, NC.  Katie is the daughter of Harold & Linda Davis.
 
**CURE Linen Packing Party**
Sunday, June 22, 2:00 p.m.
CURE Warehouse
2400 Vicksburg, Fort Smith, AR
(Corner of Vicksburg and 24th Street)
We can use everyone -- adult men, women, and teens. This is a great opportunity for a family work project. Our purpose is to prepare medical linen for shipment into 3rd world countries (Ukraine, Honduras, Zambia, Tajikistan, Sudan, Kenya and others).
Contact Mat Griffin if you have any questions.
 
**CURE News**
In the past few weeks CURE has picked up and delivered 371,000 doses of antibiotics from local and NW Arkansas hospitals.  This medication has been sent to Ron Brown with Chinese Agape Foundation in China, March for Christ in cyclone-hit area of Myanmar (Burma), Kenya and Sierra Leone, Africa.  The majority of the medication was flown free of charge to the destinations by FedEx.
 
**Our Work in Guyana Bearing Fruit**
Dear Brother Cole,
    This is Narine Khublall, formerly of Stewartville Church of Christ.  Remember that you all [West-Ark] have supported me prayerfully and financially at the Bible School in Georgetown, during 1995 - 1996. 
    Greetings to you, your family, and all the saints at West-Ark.  The Church of Christ here at Sophia started in June, 1997.  From 1997 - 2007, the Lord has blessed a lot as we look back. Now the church has a membership of 144 Christians and 87 children in our Sunday School Department, having 8 teachers. Now we are enjoying good roads, electricity, and telephone services.
    This area is ripe for evangelism and one of the reasons is that over 65% of the population here in Sophia lives below the poverty line. As we visit homes, there are many sad stories about the lives of people. Living and working here then we can see the demands for Christians in action for Christ.
    My family is doing well. During my years of preaching and teaching, it was difficult, working under severe pressure, but thanks to God we have been taken care of and we have enjoyed it.  I want to say thanks and keep praying for the work here that it continues to prosper!
    With all my Love,
    Narine & Family 
    narinekhublall [at] yahoo.com
    [6/11/08, edited for length & clarity]
 
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**Youth Group // News**
Thank you for helping with VBS!
A big thank you goes out to all of those that helped setup for VBS last week! Originally we had scheduled four days for the setup. However, because everyone was working so hard we were able to finish it in only a day and a half. Thanks for all of your hard work! We appreciate you!
 
Don't forget about the Pool Party this Friday!!!! 
Please join us for a pool party. It's going to be a great way to kick off the summer!  It is at the home of DeAnne and Randy Hankins. They have a fun pool with a diving board and big slide!
We will leave the church at 6:00 PM on Friday and return around 9:00 PM.
 
Dinner and snacks will be provided! Don't forget to bring a towel!
 
We are asking that you dress modestly. We know that term can be interpreted differently. Therefore we are adopting the same dress code as Splashdown. That means that both the guys and the girls will need to wear colored shirts and colored shorts. We appreciate your support with this decision.
It's going to be fun! We hope you are able to come.
 
*Don’t forget about Green Valley Bible Camp! See the small bulletin board in the foyer for more information.*
   Clarksville Week: Sunday, June 29 – Saturday, July 5
 
**Library Memorials**
In loving memory of Estelle Phillips (mother of Kay Pressley)
from West-Ark Church of Christ
•  20 Compelling Reasons That God Exists by Bowman
 
In loving memory of Ona Dickens
from West-Ark Church of Christ
•  Safe in the Arms of Jesus by Lightner
 
**Happy Birthday**
 
June 22
Hayden Evans
Shelly Perkins
 
June 23
Nash Burkett
Doris Karr
Rebecca Myers
 
June 24
Trish Carson
 
June 25
Debbie Hendrix
John Kamp
Betty Porter
 
June 26
David Gates
 
June 27
Patrick Murphy
Cami Stancil
 
June 28
Jean Dicks
 
**Morning Nursery**
Sharon Faries
Berniece Rogers
Kristin Smith
 
**Evening Nursery**
Angela Dunavant
Denise Lusby
 
**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Sunday AM Worship  592
Bible Classes  419   
Contribution  $19,745
Children’s Homes  $245
Wednesday Classes  259
 
VBS
Sunday  414
Monday  404
Tuesday  418
Wednesday  441 
 
Lao Worship
Attendance  40
Contribution  $200
 
Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance   51
Contribution  $255
 
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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