West-Ark Newsletter, 5 February 2009

Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land your are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:14-16)

I once lived in an area where, if you looked up, you were surrounded with beauty, but, if you looked down, you were equally surrounded with filth. A person was constantly challenged to make a choice—look up or look down.

If the person looked up, he saw endless green trees, blue skies that stretched forever, mountains that took his breath away, and sunrises and sunsets that were too magnificent to describe. If the person looked down, he saw rotten mud, waste beyond description, and the breeding ground of diseases he did not know.

Hanging between were people who had the choice of focusing life on the “up” or the “down,” but often had been taught to see only the “down.” It is difficult to escape the smells, the waste, or the diseases and look up. The “down” powerfully captures a person’s focus. It seems it is always easier for humans to look down instead of up.

Last week was a challenging week for many. It was so easy to complain! The ice and the weather robbed so many of convenience and of too many things we all take for granted—until those things are removed. A person had so many reasons to look down and see destruction, misery, inconvenience, and tragedy. However, the person could also look up and recognize countable blessings. What the person saw often had more to do with the person than the circumstances. It had to do with focus.

Physical life is not perfect and never will be. Certainly, the “down” is real, but so is the “up.” The physical reality of both is constant. Daily, one is challenged to look down and to look up. Daily, every person is reminded that he or she is suspended between a focus that looks down and a focus that looks up. Daily, a choice must be made.

What forms your physical reality? Do you constantly look down as you live in grief, fear, and misery? Do you force yourself to look up and count blessings? Do you only “see” what seems natural for the moment? Do you spend life feeling sorry for yourself?

Your focus is your choice! “Down” always will be there no matter how much you focus on it. “Up” always will be there no matter how much you ignore it. What you see is not dependent on your circumstances, but on your choice to look up or down. You can focus your gaze down and live in misery, or you can use life to teach people to look up and see blessings. One is perpetual misery, the other perpetual hope. It is not the challenge to ignore the real, but to see all that is real, and to see it in perspective!

**Sparks Hospital**
Send an online greeting -- http://www.sparks.org/ecard
•Betty Wakefield is in room 474. Betty is a member of 46th Street Church of Christ and has several friends at West-Ark.
•Glenanna O’Mara (sister of Shanna Davis and daughter of Larry & Janice Prater) is in Sparks Hospital, room 415 receiving IV antibiotic treatments for pneumonia. She may go home this weekend.

**Remember in Prayer**
• Alice Rogers fell Friday and injured her shoulder. She is in Health South, room 208B.
• Billy Jack McGehee (brother of Michelle Lovelace)
• Terry Robertson requests prayers for his friend, Chris Hovis (age 30). Chris is at home recovering from heart surgery.
• Connie Hixson
• Greg & Nancy Dockery
• Inez Hatfield
• Joel Prigge (Louise Howard’s brother-in-law)
• Prayers were requested last Friday for a young man named Joshua Levi Jones who was in a diabetic coma at St. Edward hospital. Joshua is improving and may be released soon.
• Johnny Dehm (father-in-law of Polly Shirley Dehm) had a second surgery on 2/3/09 to check the repair of an aortic aneurysm. His doctors are very pleased with his recovery.
• Kathleen Taranto
• Kelly Bailey (nephew of Barbara Aldridge and cousin of Gina Williams)
• Larry Treat
• Lloyd Priester (Jim’s father)
• Louise Cline
• Margaret Stone
• Sue Grantham (Jennifer Dotson’s sister)
• Tom Ed Gooden (Benny’s brother)
• Wilma Son

• Justin Williams (a friend and classmate of Azia Blasdel) died Wednesday night (Feb. 4) as a result of complications with salmonella. Justin was a junior at Pocola High School. Prayers for his family and classmates are needed.

**Pray for Our Missionaries**
• Our missionary families in Vietnam and Laos.
• John Paul & Ruby Lee Hundley in France and Belgium.
• Evangelists and their families with whom we work in Ethiopia and Nigeria.

**Notes of Thanks**
Thank you for the flower arrangement, cards, calls, and words of sympathy after the death of my sister. Our family is grateful that we were able to use the Family Life Center after her funeral service for a meal together and an opportunity to visit with out-of-town relatives and friends before their return home. A special thanks to those who helped.
Eleanor Casey

Dear Church family,
Thank you so much for the plant, the prayers, the cards, and the phone calls during my brother Bob’s illness and death. Your support helped us through a very difficult time.
In Christian love,
Kathy Glidewell & Family

**Sweetheart Luncheon for 60+**
If you are 60 or older, you are invited to a Sweetheart Luncheon hosted by the Youth Group on Sunday, February 15, following morning services. We want to honor you and your contribution to West-Ark. We hope you can make it!

**JOY Bunch Membership Drive**
Please consider this a special invitation to attend JOY Bunch during the month(s) of February, March, or April. We would be honored to have you as a part of our monthly fun and fellowship. We meet the third Saturday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Mark your calendar for February 21 -- “Chocolate on the Brain.” Hope to see you then!!

**Car Clinic -- 8 to 11 AM (weather permitting)**
February 7 will be the first Car Clinic of 2009 at the Annex. If you are 60+, or a single female of any age, let the guys check out your auto. They do light maintenance and repairs such as changing oil and filter, checking and airing tires, changing air filters, replacing brakes, etc. All they ask is that you bring your supplies. If you have a question about what they can do, call Jack Lowry, Mike Burkett or Marvin Hughes and they can advise you.

**Widows/Widowers Luncheon**
We have been invited to dine with Paul & Coleen Shirley on February 7. The van will leave the Annex at 11:30 AM. Call Bobbie or Mary or Janice if you need transportation to the Annex. Don’t miss this opportunity for a lovely meal and wonderful fellowship.

**February 20-21, West-Ark Ladies’ Retreat**
Lake Point Conference Center, Russellville, AR
The price has been reduced to $50 for a double-occupancy room, $75 for a private room.
Please sign the “Roommate List” that is posted in the foyer.

**Leadership Training for Christ, February 8**
Elem. Drama 2 PM
JH Chorus 2 PM
JH Puppets 3 PM
SH Puppets No practice
Elem Chorus 3 PM
Bible Quiz 4 PM
Elem. Puppets 5 PM
JH Drama 5 PM
Signing 1 No practice
Signing 2 No practice

**youth group // news**

PARENT MEETING & YOUTH GROUP FAMILY DEVOTIONAL
This Sunday, February 8 // Family Life Center // 6:00 - 8:00
We will take this opportunity to look over this year’s calendar. We will give parents a chance to sign up to help with events. Remember to bring your planners, calendars, Blackberry phones, etc.
We will also sing, have a devotional thought and play games. Please eat before you come, but we will have drinks and snacks.
Girls – Bring drinks Guys – Bring chips or desserts

CHRISTeens YOUTH RALLY
February 20 – 22 // West Side Church of Christ, Russellville
(The deadline to sign up has passed.)
We are leaving the church at 4 PM on Friday and will return around 1 PM on Sunday.

SWEETHEART LUNCHEON
Sunday, February 15 // Family Life Center // After AM Service
This luncheon will be a great opportunity to honor the elderly members in our congregation. More details to come; just make sure you are there!

**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Bible Classes...………...…..410
Sunday AM Worship.………613
Sunday PM Worship……….140
Contribution……….…...$22,029
Children’s Homes……..….$250
Wednesday Classes……….313