West Main

Weather works differently when you’re high in the mountains.  Altitude plays all kinds of tricks on the environment.  One second you can be outside enjoying the sun under blue and warm skies.  Within minutes you could be staring at a grey, cloud filled sky, watching a violent snow storm swirl through the icy air.   I have seen it happen, and experienced it myself.  I’ve read stories of mountaineers who’ve seen it change literally in seconds.

It can be dangerous.  This is why it is so important for people in these situations to be prepared.  How?  By paying attention to the weather, reading and listening to reports, having the proper supplies, tools and food to survive.  They need water.  If one is prepared, they can wait out even the worst storms, and come out just fine.

Life seems to work the same way.  There are seasons of beautiful weather, with blue skies and sunny days.  But we also know there are days of dark clouds and crazy storms.  And just like on the mountain, they can change at any time.  So, we too must be prepared.

We have been given the ultimate “survival kit” if you will.  When you belong to the Lord there is no storm you will ever face alone.  There is no season you’ll ever spend by yourself.  We can be prepared!  We’ve been given all the reports in His word.  We have tools and supplies in the Bible, our churches and friends and relationships.  And we’ve been given the living water of Jesus Christ.

Are you prepared?  Are you ready for the winter?  If you belong to Jesus, then I say you are.

– Pannell

Self-Control and Muscles

I recently read a psychology research paper on self-control (insert joke here). The authors survey the scientific research on self-control as a limited resource within human capacity. In short, the authors use a  strength model  to study self-control as a type of muscle. Like a muscle, self-control if not worked out consistently tends to weaken, and like a muscle that is worked out, self-control tends to increase.

Here is one interesting finding that came out of this study: Self-control exerted in one area for an extended duration will tend to weaken self-control in other unrelated areas. For instance, individuals trying to quit smoking exerted self-control in refraining from smoking while at work, but then if they were subjected to a stress event after work, then their resource for emotional self-control was seemingly depleted and they lost their composure more quickly. In another test on self-control, dieters exercised self-control in not eating certain foods, but lacked sufficient self-control when dealing with frustrating situations, and thus grew impatient more quickly. A number of other laboratory tests were conducted demonstrating the same effect. Like a muscle that is worked out, self-control it seems needs a rest period to recover strength and build-up for the next exercise in self-control.

There are a number of interesting thoughts and/or implications we can draw from this study. One, if self-control is a limited resource, then what preoccupies our mind and thoughts is critical in terms of how much mental and psychological resources we will have available. If you are stressed out and spending all your self-control efforts on just maintaining composure, then what will you have left for resisting temptation in other areas? For instance, Psalm 10:4 comes to mind,  In all his thoughts there is no room for God.  We are limited human beings with limited mental capacities, therefore we need to choose carefully what, how much, and where we exercise our thoughts of self-control.

Two, the discipline of fasting is another good way to workout our self-control muscles, so that after we break-fast, we will most likely have increased strength of self-control in resisting temptations. The self-control in resisting the urge to eat is an excellent practice in the art and discipline of self-control.

Three, we need to practice the spiritual discipline of Sabbath rest. Without regular Sabbath rest, our mental muscles of self-control might atrophy and we might sin more readily. The truth is, we cannot just keep going and going, and believing we will always have the necessary energy for self-control.

Four, and finally, if self-control is a part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:23), then can we actually deplete the resource of self-control? While the Spirit of God is unlimited in self-control, we are not  Perhaps one reason God permits us to experience situations that are beyond us is so that we will deplete our own resources and turn to him (1 Cor 10:13; 2 Cor 12:1-10). However, since the Holy Spirit is unlimited in the fruit of self-control, then should we not be able to say that Christians are renowned for their extraordinary self-control? If we find ourselves lacking self-control, then what is the reason for this shortfall?

– Terry

FIREPROOF YOUR MARRIAGE

SESSION THREE  -  LOVE FOR A LIFETIME
November 17, 6-8:00 p.m.

SESSION FOUR  -  BREAKING FREE
December 1, 6-8:00 p.m.

SESSION FIVE  -  FORGIVENESS
December 8, 6-8:00 p.m.

SESSION SIX  -  A BETTER WAY OF LOVING
December 15, 6-8:00 p.m.

Safe Harbor

Anyone who is interested in helping with our Safe Harbor program is invited to come to our planning meeting in the Fireside Room this Friday, November 12, at 6:00 p.m.  A simple dinner will be served.   For more information please contact Lance or Betty Lake.




Anniversary Sunday and Potluck Luncheon is scheduled for November 14.  Invite your friends and former members to come celebrate sixty years with us.  Bring lots of your favorite potluck dishes.


Men's Retreat

Men - please reserve January 28-29, 2011, for the Men’s Retreat at Little River Christian Camp.

Prayer Requests . . .

Our sympathy is extended to the family of Jean Sutton, a former member who passed away this past Saturday - no word yet on a memorial service ... For Cooper Albright - prayers for a negative blood test so he doesn’t have to have chemo treatments again ... Dawn Lake’s cousin, Ren Espinoza and family, need prayers for comfort following the sudden loss of her son, Bengi, this past week ... Diane Whittemore is in RVMC recovering from pneumonia and a light heart attack ... Betty Butler as she recovers from having a stent put in on Tuesday ... For Teresa Bostwick, on the passing of her aunt this past week ... For our President and all of our military men, women and families.



The Memorial Service for Barbara Garlitz is scheduled for this Saturday, November 13, at 1:00 p.m. at the building.

Harvest Craft Fair: Calling all crafters – now is the time to get all of your craft creations together and ready to sell.  We will be holding a Craft Fair at West Main on November 19 & 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.   We still have a booth space available.  Call Debra Burchett for booth space or more information.  Please invite  your friends and neighbors to come do their holiday shopping with us and to support our members.




Our Annual West Main Thanksgiving Dinner will be held at 2:00 p.m. on November 25th.  Please invite your friends and neighbors to come join us for a wonderful afternoon of fellowship.  For more information, please contact Betty Lake.  








CALENDAR OF EVENTS

                            
November 13 Memorial Service for Barbara Garlitz; Bldg.; 1:00 p.m.

November 14 Anniversary Sunday and Potluck Luncheon

November 19-20  Harvest Craft Fair; Bldg.;9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

November 25 Thanksgiving Dinner at the Bldg.; 2:00 p.m.