So, it's the last day of a short month, but I imagine all of us are glad to see it come. It means one more month of winter is behind us! Maybe we can start giving in to the spring fever that seems to strike around this time of year. Spring through fall is my favorite time of year, which I guess gives you a pretty good clue as to how I feel about winter. I don't mind the rain, but I really dislike the cold. Wish I could access my hot flashes on demand! They're never there when I need them!
Do you have some good ideas to share of how to make the most of the last month of winter? Do you have some soul talk you say to give yourself as much of a positive outlook as possible? Or do you find yourself spiraling into a this-cold-and-rain-will-never end frame of mind? Why don't you take a minute to give a friend a call and invite her over for coffee or tea? Better yet, think of someone you don't know well but would love to get to know better. Invite them over. It honestly doesn't matter if your house isn't perfect or you have no homemade goodies to go along with the coffee. What's important is that we make time for each other.
Many of us will get to spend a lot of quality time with each other this weekend. RETREAT IS FINALLY HERE! By Friday evening, a whole heartbeat of women will be gathered in Lincoln City to relax, rejuvenate, and renew our committment to love well. I've previewed Beth Moore's video called Loving Well and I'm excited for the rest of you to see it too. There will be wonderful little gifts awaiting you on your arrival, lots of good food, and best of all, each other! I'll be sending out a final retreat letter (Retreat Report #3) on Tuesday, with last-minute items. Driving directions will be included. Coming soon to an inbox near you!
Now to those of you who are unable to attend next weekend, stop crying! You have a chance to have a retreat of your own at Ashberry Lane the weekend of May 13th and 14th. While the house is not as luxurious as the retreat rental (there's no elevator at Ashberry Lane) there is still plenty of space to enjoy. I haven't figured out all the particulars yet, but we'll have one session on Friday night, and on Saturday a session in the morning and two in the afternoon. There will be time for viewing of the video in the home theater, as well as relaxing in the hot tub, surrounded by trees and no neighbors in sight. I've already heard from a couple ladies who would like to attend, so I need to get an "I'll be there!" from a few more of you to be able to pull it off. I think I can do it for only $20 per person. So please check your calendar and get in touch with me. You know who you are!
We have a Women's Ministry Team meeting tonight, so by next week I'll be able to share more information with you about the Mother/Daughter event scheduled for Saturday, April 9th. In the meantime, keep that date open. You won't want to miss out.
This Wednesday we'll be meeting for Common Grounds at 6:30 at the church. It doesn't matter if you've never attended before--now is the perfect time to join us. I had already prepared the lesson on Saturday night, and when I sat under Pastor Pete's preaching this Sunday I was amazed at how well they connected. We've looked at how to tell our soul to Awake each morning. The last two times we delved into Look Up. This week we'll discuss Calm Down. It has to do with anger and peace and what place they have in our lives. We'll look at how to choose peace in the midst of difficult times. I think it's something we can all identify with, so I hope to see you there.
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Monday, February 28, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011--WOW-Zine
I hope you've all been able to take advantage of Presidents' Day and maybe sleep in a little. It's always nice not to have to live by an alarm clock, isn't it?
There's no cause for alarm this week, as it's rather quiet on the Women's Ministry front. I know a lot of you are gearing up for our retreat, which is in just under two weeks. Those of you attending should have got an email from me last night. If you didn't, please let me know. We're going to have such a fantastic time!
But there are some of you who aren't able to go in March, so I have a special deal for you. How about we get together at Ashberry Lane (assuming we still live here then) the weekend of May 13th & 14th? I know we have a WOW Movie Night scheduled during that time, but we can easily change the date for that. We can use the same Beth Moore DVD series that we'll be using at the retreat and enjoy the same teaching. I'd like to have at least 5 women do it in order to pull it off, so please let me know if you're interested. If I don't hear from you directly, I may contact you any way! It would cost much less than the retreat at the beach, and you could either sleep on air mattresses here or go home for the night. Please let me know your thoughts on this.
Don't forget to keep the date of April 9th open for our Mother/Daughter event. We're still in the planning stage on that, so I will get more details to you and soon as we figure them out!
So, until next week, I think this is all. I appreciate hearing from those of you who leave comments to each other. Feel free to jump in at any time!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
There's no cause for alarm this week, as it's rather quiet on the Women's Ministry front. I know a lot of you are gearing up for our retreat, which is in just under two weeks. Those of you attending should have got an email from me last night. If you didn't, please let me know. We're going to have such a fantastic time!
But there are some of you who aren't able to go in March, so I have a special deal for you. How about we get together at Ashberry Lane (assuming we still live here then) the weekend of May 13th & 14th? I know we have a WOW Movie Night scheduled during that time, but we can easily change the date for that. We can use the same Beth Moore DVD series that we'll be using at the retreat and enjoy the same teaching. I'd like to have at least 5 women do it in order to pull it off, so please let me know if you're interested. If I don't hear from you directly, I may contact you any way! It would cost much less than the retreat at the beach, and you could either sleep on air mattresses here or go home for the night. Please let me know your thoughts on this.
Don't forget to keep the date of April 9th open for our Mother/Daughter event. We're still in the planning stage on that, so I will get more details to you and soon as we figure them out!
So, until next week, I think this is all. I appreciate hearing from those of you who leave comments to each other. Feel free to jump in at any time!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Monday, February 14, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011--WOW-Zine
Happy Valentine's Day, all you lovely women! I hope someone makes this a special day for you whatever your love status. And while it's not the same as being taken out for a romantic dinner, or finding a sweet card next to your pillow when you wake up (as I did), knowing that God loves us so much He gave His only Son for us should certainly make us feel adored and cherished.
If Valentine's Day is not really your thing, I've got some suggestions of other things you may want to celebrate. Did you know that this is Internation Flirting Week? So that means you can not flirt at home, in your community, or even your state. You must dust off that passport and head overseas in order to wink at a good-lookin' guy.
It's also Love A Mench week. Now with that, I think you have your work cut out for you! In the first place, you have to know what a mench is. Is is simply a male version of "wench" or is there more to it? And is it/are they easy to love? Please let me know what you think about this important matter.
Before leaving the world of love, may I bring to your attention another important point? This is the last day of Love Makes The World Go Round, But Laughter Keeps Us From Getting Dizzy week. I've not seen any public service announcements for this holiday, so it may have slipped right by you. This is your last chance to celebrate this event. Share with us how you've brought the joy of LMTWGRBLKUFGD to your friends and family.
On a more practical note, it is also National Secondhand Wardrobe week. We can probably identify with this one more easily. I know a lot of us that like to find great buys at Salvation Army, Goodwill, or a resale shop. Maybe you can combine all these special days and you and the mench of your life can fly to some other country to buy secondhand wardrobes while flirting with a foreigner. It's a thought!
This Wednesday at 6:30 we will meet at the church for Common Grounds. We'll be taking a look at the last three legs of the "table" of our life--the emotional, mental, and spiritual supports we need in our lives. I'm looking forward to some good discussion as we see what God has to say about those. So bring a friend and enjoy delicious desserts and the sweetness of the Word.
Just a reminder that this Saturday Christina and I will be speaking on The Great Romance in McMinnville at 10 AM. We'll be at True Vine Christian Fellowship with a group of ladies who have invited us back several years in a row. We'd love to have a few of "our" ladies come with us, so if you're interested, let me know. You would just need to bring a breakfast item along with you. We need to let the host know ahead of time how many of us are coming, so please tell me by Wednesday night if you'd like to join us.
We don't have any special event planned for the month of March, as our retreat that first weekend is a major time together. But mark your calendar for a Mother/Daughter event on Saturday, April 9th. More info will be available after our next planning meeting.
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
If Valentine's Day is not really your thing, I've got some suggestions of other things you may want to celebrate. Did you know that this is Internation Flirting Week? So that means you can not flirt at home, in your community, or even your state. You must dust off that passport and head overseas in order to wink at a good-lookin' guy.
It's also Love A Mench week. Now with that, I think you have your work cut out for you! In the first place, you have to know what a mench is. Is is simply a male version of "wench" or is there more to it? And is it/are they easy to love? Please let me know what you think about this important matter.
Before leaving the world of love, may I bring to your attention another important point? This is the last day of Love Makes The World Go Round, But Laughter Keeps Us From Getting Dizzy week. I've not seen any public service announcements for this holiday, so it may have slipped right by you. This is your last chance to celebrate this event. Share with us how you've brought the joy of LMTWGRBLKUFGD to your friends and family.
On a more practical note, it is also National Secondhand Wardrobe week. We can probably identify with this one more easily. I know a lot of us that like to find great buys at Salvation Army, Goodwill, or a resale shop. Maybe you can combine all these special days and you and the mench of your life can fly to some other country to buy secondhand wardrobes while flirting with a foreigner. It's a thought!
This Wednesday at 6:30 we will meet at the church for Common Grounds. We'll be taking a look at the last three legs of the "table" of our life--the emotional, mental, and spiritual supports we need in our lives. I'm looking forward to some good discussion as we see what God has to say about those. So bring a friend and enjoy delicious desserts and the sweetness of the Word.
Just a reminder that this Saturday Christina and I will be speaking on The Great Romance in McMinnville at 10 AM. We'll be at True Vine Christian Fellowship with a group of ladies who have invited us back several years in a row. We'd love to have a few of "our" ladies come with us, so if you're interested, let me know. You would just need to bring a breakfast item along with you. We need to let the host know ahead of time how many of us are coming, so please tell me by Wednesday night if you'd like to join us.
We don't have any special event planned for the month of March, as our retreat that first weekend is a major time together. But mark your calendar for a Mother/Daughter event on Saturday, April 9th. More info will be available after our next planning meeting.
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Monday, February 7, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011--WOW-Zine
While my intention is to post this blog by around noon on Mondays, something has been happening! Each week I have a different excuse, but this time it's a combination of "the dog ate my homework" and "I was hungry." Today went down like this: I thought I'd get the blog written first thing in the morning, but my computer decided to turn against me--it wouldn't accept my key strokes. There were all kinds of things on Facebook that I wanted to comment on, but couldn't. Tried to write the WOW-Zine, but nothing showed up when I hit a key. (And I do mean hit!) So I had to give up. I finally restarted the computer a few minutes ago and things are suddenly working, so I'm thankful for that. The other part of my excuse for this week is that Chrissy took care of Lili while Christina and I went wedding cake tasting. Of course, we had to visit with Chrissy when we came back, and she was so sweet that she invited us to stay for a delicious lunch. And who am I to say "no" to food?! So I'm blaming my lateness today on the computer and Chrissy. And that's my story!
On to more important things, such as the Valentine Dinner and Concert at the church this Saturday at 6:30 PM. If you haven't got tickets yet, don't worry, you can purchase them at the door. But do call the church office (503-985-3351) and let Becky know you're coming. Tickets are only $10 each for adults, and a suggested price of $2 per child for their meal, crafts, etc. I can promise you it will be a lovely evening that you won't want to miss. Besides, you can free the girlie-girl in you and wear something dressy if you'd like. We don't get many opportunities to do that in Gaston!
Common Grounds doesn't meet until next week, but put it on your calendar now so you don't forget. We'll be continuing our discussion on the importance of hope. Last week we focused on the verse in Psalms 42:5 where the psalmist asks, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His Countenance." There are certainly times that we feel downcast and as if it's too hard to slog through life. But Hebrews 6:19 tells us "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast ..." Christ gives us reason to hope. He is our anchor. We likened our life to being like a table, which needs four legs to be steady and strong. (Ever feel like you've had a leg kicked out from under you?) We only had time to delve into our "emotional leg". Next week we'll talk about the other three.
For those of you who are going to the retreat the first weekend of March, the time is getting close, isn't it?! We have so much great stuff in store for you, and I'm sure the Lord has even greater stuff awaiting each of us! I'll be sending out a special email to the retreaters, giving you more information about what to expect and to bring with you. We are only allowed to park nine cars on the premises, and street parking is not allowed, so we need volunteers with large cars, vans, etc. to drive. Please let me know if you're willing to provide rides for people, and how many people you would be able to carry. I'll need to keep a list of who is riding with whom, and how many cars are going so that we don't exceed our limit.We will ask people to contribute money to pay for your gas, so that it shouldn't be a burden for any one person.
So, that's it for this week. I hope to see many of you Saturday evening. You won't want to miss that special time.
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
On to more important things, such as the Valentine Dinner and Concert at the church this Saturday at 6:30 PM. If you haven't got tickets yet, don't worry, you can purchase them at the door. But do call the church office (503-985-3351) and let Becky know you're coming. Tickets are only $10 each for adults, and a suggested price of $2 per child for their meal, crafts, etc. I can promise you it will be a lovely evening that you won't want to miss. Besides, you can free the girlie-girl in you and wear something dressy if you'd like. We don't get many opportunities to do that in Gaston!
Common Grounds doesn't meet until next week, but put it on your calendar now so you don't forget. We'll be continuing our discussion on the importance of hope. Last week we focused on the verse in Psalms 42:5 where the psalmist asks, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His Countenance." There are certainly times that we feel downcast and as if it's too hard to slog through life. But Hebrews 6:19 tells us "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast ..." Christ gives us reason to hope. He is our anchor. We likened our life to being like a table, which needs four legs to be steady and strong. (Ever feel like you've had a leg kicked out from under you?) We only had time to delve into our "emotional leg". Next week we'll talk about the other three.
For those of you who are going to the retreat the first weekend of March, the time is getting close, isn't it?! We have so much great stuff in store for you, and I'm sure the Lord has even greater stuff awaiting each of us! I'll be sending out a special email to the retreaters, giving you more information about what to expect and to bring with you. We are only allowed to park nine cars on the premises, and street parking is not allowed, so we need volunteers with large cars, vans, etc. to drive. Please let me know if you're willing to provide rides for people, and how many people you would be able to carry. I'll need to keep a list of who is riding with whom, and how many cars are going so that we don't exceed our limit.We will ask people to contribute money to pay for your gas, so that it shouldn't be a burden for any one person.
So, that's it for this week. I hope to see many of you Saturday evening. You won't want to miss that special time.
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
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