Look at this! What's my excuse for getting this blog out earlier than usual this week? Well, because I'm having some health issues and not sure how I'll be feeling later in the day, I decided to take advantage of feeling pretty good now. I just got back from the neurologist, accompanied by Karen and Kathy. (For a good time, call 555 ...!) I've been having some pretty severe torso spasms that go on for 6-7 hours. Talk about abs of steel!! (Mine are still abs of steel wool, however!) I've got an EEG first thing on Friday morning and am off my medications for now. (Be afraid, be very afraid!) Seriously, we don't know what's going on, so I'd really appreciate your prayers.
This Wednesday, December 1st, we will have Common Grounds at 6:30. You won't want to miss it! This will be your opportunity to hear Karen share what it's like going to a doctor's appointment with me. I think I'll have her act it out! Our study of Self Talk, Soul Talk will continue as we discuss the difference between self control and being controlled by God's Spirit.
Two weeks later, on the 15th, we'll have our Christmas party, which involves a cookie exchange and white elephants. It's important to note that white elephant gifts are not something you go out and buy, but some little something that you find around your house and no longer want. Maybe you never wanted it. Perhaps it was an ugly vase you inherited from your great aunt Henrietta. Might be that her ashes are still in it!! You just know that you have no intention of ever dusting it again. Well, simply wrap that baby up in festive paper and bring it with you on the 15th. We'll trade items around and see what you end up taking home! Childcare will be provided for those who need it.
Thanks to the women who showed up last Saturday to decorate the church for the Christmas season. Didn't it look nice yesterday? We've got an Undecorating Pizza Party on Wednesday, December 29th at 6:30. Bring a couple dollars to put in on pizza and visit with your girlfriends while putting the decorations away for another year.
Don't forget our Loving Well retreat the first weekend of March. If you've never been to a WOW retreat before, you don't know what you've been missing. If you have been to one, you'll know you don't want to miss it. Eighty dollars will pay for your weekend.
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2120 WOW-Zine
I'm sitting here with a mug of homemade mocha, just thinking how much more I would enjoy it if I were sipping it with you ladies! The way the weather is acting, I think we should rename this month Novemburrr! I'm not ready for cold weather yet, but guess I don't get a vote!
So how has your Monday been? I thought I'd be smart and get my Thanksgiving shopping out of the way this morning. About twenty-thousand other smart people joined me at the McMinnville Winco, which completely defeated the purpose! But my day was brightened by seeing Chrissy there. She made like a bunch of celery and stalked me! My question to you is, what is my excuse for getting this posted late afternoon this week? I've used up a couple good ones the last few weeks, and now I need your help. Please leave a comment letting me know of a good excuse to use. :-)
Most of you probably have your Thanksgiving Day menu planned by now. Pull out that piece of paper and let's go over it together, seeing if you've left anything out, okay?
Even if there is someone around your holiday table that acts like a real turkey, just offer extra grace to them. You should also think about stuffing yourself full of the Word of God before having to be around people like that. It's easy to relish those whom we naturally get along with, but some people seem to get themselves into a pickle without even trying. At times we hope they get their just desserts, even if that means we have to cream them. I hope your table is surrounded by people you love, and the rest is all gravy.
This coming Saturday, November 27, you are invited to show up at the church at 10 AM to help decorate it for Christmas. I suggest you stop by Scoggins first and pick up a mocha or some coffee and show up in the Christmas spirit. Holiday music will be playing to help put you in the mood. The beautifying of our church for the month of December is a special gift to our body, and your help is appreciated
Our next Common Grounds is December 1st. God is joining us at our meetings and we're having sweet times of fellowhip. Two weeks later will be our Common Grounds Christmas Party, and you don't want to miss it. In addition to our usually yummy snacks, we'll have a Christmas cookie exchange for those who would like to participate, and a white elephant gift exchange for all of us. If you've never participated in a white elephant exchange, you have a lot to look forward to. You just barely have time to get your passport and head to India or Africa to search for the rare white elephant. Then we all bring them to the church on December 15th and exchange them. It's very exciting! You know how people always say people don't talk about the elephant in the room?? Well, this is a time to prove them wrong! (And if you really don't know what a white elephant gift exchange is, I'll explain it for real next blog!)
Most of you probably know by now that our Keisha Long gave birth on Friday to beautiful little Lila. In pictures I've seen on Facebook, both Keisha and Travis look besotted by their little girl. Congratulations to the whole family!
And speaking of babies, I got word from Kim Turin last night that she and Tony are expecting their second! She's due July 3rd! We're happy for you guys!
I wish all of you a very blessed Thanksgiving. No matter what is going on in your life, you can still find many, many things for which to be thankful. I am so thankful for all of you!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
So how has your Monday been? I thought I'd be smart and get my Thanksgiving shopping out of the way this morning. About twenty-thousand other smart people joined me at the McMinnville Winco, which completely defeated the purpose! But my day was brightened by seeing Chrissy there. She made like a bunch of celery and stalked me! My question to you is, what is my excuse for getting this posted late afternoon this week? I've used up a couple good ones the last few weeks, and now I need your help. Please leave a comment letting me know of a good excuse to use. :-)
Most of you probably have your Thanksgiving Day menu planned by now. Pull out that piece of paper and let's go over it together, seeing if you've left anything out, okay?
Even if there is someone around your holiday table that acts like a real turkey, just offer extra grace to them. You should also think about stuffing yourself full of the Word of God before having to be around people like that. It's easy to relish those whom we naturally get along with, but some people seem to get themselves into a pickle without even trying. At times we hope they get their just desserts, even if that means we have to cream them. I hope your table is surrounded by people you love, and the rest is all gravy.
This coming Saturday, November 27, you are invited to show up at the church at 10 AM to help decorate it for Christmas. I suggest you stop by Scoggins first and pick up a mocha or some coffee and show up in the Christmas spirit. Holiday music will be playing to help put you in the mood. The beautifying of our church for the month of December is a special gift to our body, and your help is appreciated
Our next Common Grounds is December 1st. God is joining us at our meetings and we're having sweet times of fellowhip. Two weeks later will be our Common Grounds Christmas Party, and you don't want to miss it. In addition to our usually yummy snacks, we'll have a Christmas cookie exchange for those who would like to participate, and a white elephant gift exchange for all of us. If you've never participated in a white elephant exchange, you have a lot to look forward to. You just barely have time to get your passport and head to India or Africa to search for the rare white elephant. Then we all bring them to the church on December 15th and exchange them. It's very exciting! You know how people always say people don't talk about the elephant in the room?? Well, this is a time to prove them wrong! (And if you really don't know what a white elephant gift exchange is, I'll explain it for real next blog!)
Most of you probably know by now that our Keisha Long gave birth on Friday to beautiful little Lila. In pictures I've seen on Facebook, both Keisha and Travis look besotted by their little girl. Congratulations to the whole family!
And speaking of babies, I got word from Kim Turin last night that she and Tony are expecting their second! She's due July 3rd! We're happy for you guys!
I wish all of you a very blessed Thanksgiving. No matter what is going on in your life, you can still find many, many things for which to be thankful. I am so thankful for all of you!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Monday, November 15, 2010
Monday, November 15. 2010 WOW-Zine
What excuse will I use this week for being so late in my posting of this blog? Last week it was my haircut. This time I think I'll say it's because of taking care of a grandchild all day while her mom was at work. Yep, that's it. Lili and I had to hang out together, make a shopping trip to McMinnville, and just generally have an awesome time. However, I will make up for the lateness of this post by including pictures from Oh, Taste and See!
On Saturday, twenty-nine of us had a wonderful time tasting good food and seeing that the Lord is good, even in the midst of sour, salty, or bitter times in our lives. It's easy to love Him when everything is sweet, but we talked of how we don't truly experience the goodness of God until we go through the rough times. Our sharing time was precious, as women opened up about some of the things they're dealing with and of their need to make a conscious decision to embrace the goodness of God in the hardness of life. It was a foretaste of what it's like at our retreats!
This Wednesday, November 17th, is our next Common Grounds. We're having a really good time at those, too. It seems that anytime you women gather together, fun and friendship ensues. You just can't help yourselves! So come to the church at 6:30 for our evening of sweets, sisters, and study!!
There's a change on the calendar for women's ministry. We had planned an evening party for Dec. 3rd, but that will NOT be happening then. We've moved that event to the last Common Grounds before Christmas, which is Wednesday, December 15th. Instead of our usual study, we'll do a cookie exchange and lots of other fun things. So plan ahead and bring 3 dozen cookies that evening. (They do not have to be homemade.) Bring along an extra platter to take cookies home with you. This is a wonderful way to get a sampling of many kinds of cookies to enjoy throughout the holiday with your family. Or, you can hide them in your underwear drawer so no one else will get into them! There may be some women who don't like doing a cookie exchange, and that's fine. Please still come and join us for all the rest of the festivities! Child care will be available that night for a nominal cost.
Don't forget the Loving Well retreat coming up the first weekend of March. To check out pictures of the house (if you haven't already) got to http://www.vrbo.com/ and look at # 309670. The cost is only $80, so start saving. The first forty that pay are the ones that get to attend. Make sure you're one of them!
Remember I give out little prizes at Common Grounds. Your name is entered in a drawing if you leave a comment here. Plus, the interaction can be quite entertaining!
Enjoy these pictures from Saturday. And a disclaimer: if I happened to snap the shutter and caught you in an unflattering pose, I'm sorry, but that's just what happens sometimes. (And believe me, I know that from experience!) It's the camera's fault--not yours! If I somehow missed getting a picture of you, it was probably because there was so much moving around that I missed you. I'll be sure to take a close-up of you next time!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
971-285-6699 sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com
On Saturday, twenty-nine of us had a wonderful time tasting good food and seeing that the Lord is good, even in the midst of sour, salty, or bitter times in our lives. It's easy to love Him when everything is sweet, but we talked of how we don't truly experience the goodness of God until we go through the rough times. Our sharing time was precious, as women opened up about some of the things they're dealing with and of their need to make a conscious decision to embrace the goodness of God in the hardness of life. It was a foretaste of what it's like at our retreats!
This Wednesday, November 17th, is our next Common Grounds. We're having a really good time at those, too. It seems that anytime you women gather together, fun and friendship ensues. You just can't help yourselves! So come to the church at 6:30 for our evening of sweets, sisters, and study!!
There's a change on the calendar for women's ministry. We had planned an evening party for Dec. 3rd, but that will NOT be happening then. We've moved that event to the last Common Grounds before Christmas, which is Wednesday, December 15th. Instead of our usual study, we'll do a cookie exchange and lots of other fun things. So plan ahead and bring 3 dozen cookies that evening. (They do not have to be homemade.) Bring along an extra platter to take cookies home with you. This is a wonderful way to get a sampling of many kinds of cookies to enjoy throughout the holiday with your family. Or, you can hide them in your underwear drawer so no one else will get into them! There may be some women who don't like doing a cookie exchange, and that's fine. Please still come and join us for all the rest of the festivities! Child care will be available that night for a nominal cost.
Don't forget the Loving Well retreat coming up the first weekend of March. To check out pictures of the house (if you haven't already) got to http://www.vrbo.com/ and look at # 309670. The cost is only $80, so start saving. The first forty that pay are the ones that get to attend. Make sure you're one of them!
Remember I give out little prizes at Common Grounds. Your name is entered in a drawing if you leave a comment here. Plus, the interaction can be quite entertaining!
Enjoy these pictures from Saturday. And a disclaimer: if I happened to snap the shutter and caught you in an unflattering pose, I'm sorry, but that's just what happens sometimes. (And believe me, I know that from experience!) It's the camera's fault--not yours! If I somehow missed getting a picture of you, it was probably because there was so much moving around that I missed you. I'll be sure to take a close-up of you next time!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
971-285-6699 sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com
Monday, November 8, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010 WOW-Zine
Welcome to the "happenin' place to be" on a Monday afternoon. I know I'm a bit later than usual in posting this week's blog, but I have a good excuse. Really, I do! I went and got my hair cut this afternoon, and now I can't keep from looking at myself in the mirror! My hair is still long, but it's layered and kinda flirty and sassy. Just what I wanted.
It's always nice when things turn out the way we want, but that often doesn't happen, does it? Whether it's how your kids behave, how your date-night plans work out, or even something as simple as finding the right ingredients for a new recipe, we're sometimes disappointed. How thankful I am for a God who never disappoints! He doesn't always do what I was expecting, but in the long run I have never been disappointed. Instead, I've been able to look back and see that His idea was so much better than anything I could have planned.
I hope you will be able to join the festivities this Saturday, 10 AM at the church, when we celebrate Oh, Taste and See! This is a WOW-sponsored event, which always means friends, food, and fun! If you haven't yet responded to your evite, please do so right away so we know how to plan. There's also the very real possibility that I somehow unintentionally skipped over your name and didn't send you one. If that's the case, it doesn't mean we don't want you to come. Instead, it means I was in charge! Please email me if you didn't get the invite. A couple Red Cross-trained sixth graders will be available in the nurseries to care for your children if you're unable to leave them home. (Or at the supermarket, park, etc.) These girls are earning money for the Mexico mission trip, so those who use their service are asked to pay them. We will also have a basket available for donations from the rest of us. WOW is providing ham and cinnamon rolls--please bring a breakfast food to fill in the gaps. We'll be done by noon.
Our next Common Grounds will be next week, Wednesday the 17th. What a great time we've been having! Around twenty-five women gather for these times of socializing, sharing, and study. There's always room for more. We begin at 6:30 and are done promptly at 8. Last week we talked a lot about wisdom, as it should be the source of what we speak to ourselves in Self Talk, Soul Talk. Instead of a verse to memorize for next week, we are reminding ourselves of three very important ways to deal with our thoughts.
1. Refuse things that are inaccurate.
2. Replace them with what is good.
3. Repeat the process for as long as it takes to bring our thoughts under control.
If you have one of the beautiful bookmarks that Amy made with a list of all our activities for the year, you'll need to make note of a change. Instead of having our WOW Christmas party and cookie exchange on Friday, Dec. 3rd, it will become a part of Common Grounds on Wednesday, Dec. 15th. Be planning ahead for what delicious holiday treat you'd like to share with the rest of us. If you're not interested in a cookie exchange, come anyway, as there's lots of other things we'll be doing.
As always, I'm including a reminder about our spring retreat, Loving Well, which is the first weekend of March. You've heard me talk about it a lot, and several have already paid their $80. I think this is the highlight of the year for lots of us, at least as far as church activities go. You've never had fun until you've had it with this group of women! You've never felt the freedom to share and be yourself as you will with this group of women! You've never stayed in such a gorgeous house for a retreat. Beth Moore's video series will speak to the heart of each of us, I believe. If you need to make payments toward the $80, you can give them to me. You won't earn any interest, but neither will you spend the money!
So, don't forget this Saturday morning, don't forget next Wednesday evening, and don't forget God loves you!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
It's always nice when things turn out the way we want, but that often doesn't happen, does it? Whether it's how your kids behave, how your date-night plans work out, or even something as simple as finding the right ingredients for a new recipe, we're sometimes disappointed. How thankful I am for a God who never disappoints! He doesn't always do what I was expecting, but in the long run I have never been disappointed. Instead, I've been able to look back and see that His idea was so much better than anything I could have planned.
I hope you will be able to join the festivities this Saturday, 10 AM at the church, when we celebrate Oh, Taste and See! This is a WOW-sponsored event, which always means friends, food, and fun! If you haven't yet responded to your evite, please do so right away so we know how to plan. There's also the very real possibility that I somehow unintentionally skipped over your name and didn't send you one. If that's the case, it doesn't mean we don't want you to come. Instead, it means I was in charge! Please email me if you didn't get the invite. A couple Red Cross-trained sixth graders will be available in the nurseries to care for your children if you're unable to leave them home. (Or at the supermarket, park, etc.) These girls are earning money for the Mexico mission trip, so those who use their service are asked to pay them. We will also have a basket available for donations from the rest of us. WOW is providing ham and cinnamon rolls--please bring a breakfast food to fill in the gaps. We'll be done by noon.
Our next Common Grounds will be next week, Wednesday the 17th. What a great time we've been having! Around twenty-five women gather for these times of socializing, sharing, and study. There's always room for more. We begin at 6:30 and are done promptly at 8. Last week we talked a lot about wisdom, as it should be the source of what we speak to ourselves in Self Talk, Soul Talk. Instead of a verse to memorize for next week, we are reminding ourselves of three very important ways to deal with our thoughts.
1. Refuse things that are inaccurate.
2. Replace them with what is good.
3. Repeat the process for as long as it takes to bring our thoughts under control.
If you have one of the beautiful bookmarks that Amy made with a list of all our activities for the year, you'll need to make note of a change. Instead of having our WOW Christmas party and cookie exchange on Friday, Dec. 3rd, it will become a part of Common Grounds on Wednesday, Dec. 15th. Be planning ahead for what delicious holiday treat you'd like to share with the rest of us. If you're not interested in a cookie exchange, come anyway, as there's lots of other things we'll be doing.
As always, I'm including a reminder about our spring retreat, Loving Well, which is the first weekend of March. You've heard me talk about it a lot, and several have already paid their $80. I think this is the highlight of the year for lots of us, at least as far as church activities go. You've never had fun until you've had it with this group of women! You've never felt the freedom to share and be yourself as you will with this group of women! You've never stayed in such a gorgeous house for a retreat. Beth Moore's video series will speak to the heart of each of us, I believe. If you need to make payments toward the $80, you can give them to me. You won't earn any interest, but neither will you spend the money!
So, don't forget this Saturday morning, don't forget next Wednesday evening, and don't forget God loves you!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Monday, November 1, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010 WOW-Zine
Okay, ladies, have you done it yet? Turned over a new leaf? (On your calendar.) It's hard to believe it's already November and the holidays will be coming at us faster than we can duck. So let's make up our minds to truly enjoy the opportunities to get together in a meaningful way with family and friends during these next couple of months. (And hopefully you have people who fit in both categories!) Instead of begrudging the extra work and activities, let's savor them.
Common Grounds meets this Wednesday at 6:30. I noticed on one of Chrissy's comments she promised she was bringing something really good to eat. That's reason enough to come! But wait, there's even more! For an additional monthly payment of "just showing up" you will also get tons of laughter and great conversation, plus practical ways to apply God's word to your life. I'll see you there!
Saturday morning, November 13th, we'll have a wonderful time at Oh, Taste and See! Join your women friends at the church at 10 AM for a special experience together as we have breakfast and discover some of the tastes the Lord brings into our lives. Childcare will be available (at a slight cost) for those who need it, but you'll have to let me know ahead of time.
For this Wednesday, we're memorizing Galatians 5:22--"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." Don't worry, you don't have to repeat it on your own like they do at AWANA. We'll say it together as a group.
Women are already giving me their $80 for our Spring Retreat entitled Loving Well. This is a video series by speaker and author Beth Moore. I'll have the brochures and registration forms available at Common Grounds. Full payment will hold your spot. This will be open to only Wapato and Common Grounds women until the middle of January, at which time you will be free to invite friends from other places if we still have openings. A couple of people have already asked to have friends put on the waiting list. Again, that will be on a first-paid basis. If you haven't checked out the pictures of our retreat house yet, you can see them at http://www.VRBO.com and type in #309670. It's incredible!
Speaking of incredible, that's what you gals are!! I feel SO blessed to be a part of such caring, open, fun-loving Christian women. I hope you all feel the same.
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Common Grounds meets this Wednesday at 6:30. I noticed on one of Chrissy's comments she promised she was bringing something really good to eat. That's reason enough to come! But wait, there's even more! For an additional monthly payment of "just showing up" you will also get tons of laughter and great conversation, plus practical ways to apply God's word to your life. I'll see you there!
Saturday morning, November 13th, we'll have a wonderful time at Oh, Taste and See! Join your women friends at the church at 10 AM for a special experience together as we have breakfast and discover some of the tastes the Lord brings into our lives. Childcare will be available (at a slight cost) for those who need it, but you'll have to let me know ahead of time.
For this Wednesday, we're memorizing Galatians 5:22--"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." Don't worry, you don't have to repeat it on your own like they do at AWANA. We'll say it together as a group.
Women are already giving me their $80 for our Spring Retreat entitled Loving Well. This is a video series by speaker and author Beth Moore. I'll have the brochures and registration forms available at Common Grounds. Full payment will hold your spot. This will be open to only Wapato and Common Grounds women until the middle of January, at which time you will be free to invite friends from other places if we still have openings. A couple of people have already asked to have friends put on the waiting list. Again, that will be on a first-paid basis. If you haven't checked out the pictures of our retreat house yet, you can see them at http://www.VRBO.com and type in #309670. It's incredible!
Speaking of incredible, that's what you gals are!! I feel SO blessed to be a part of such caring, open, fun-loving Christian women. I hope you all feel the same.
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
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