Monday,February 6, 2012 WOW-Zine

Welcome to a beautiful, sunny morning! Days like this make me feel like it's almost summer. After all, this is warmer than it was a lot of days last June!  I just took a little saunter past my flower bed and saw the first spring bulb blooming--a bright yellow crocus. My alyssum has bloomed all winter, and I have a dianthus that is flowering now. So it sure seems like nature is ready for spring, just as I am. Keep reading to find ways to put some spring in your step during these coming weeks.

THE THURSDAY PERK meets this week at 9:30. You're going to have a guest leader this week--Heidi H. I won't be able to attend as I am involved in something that should have been finished by now, but isn't, and I really want to see it through. So Heidi has graciously agreed to fill in for me. She has my notes from what I taught at Common Grounds last week, so you should all be good to go. Remember, you'll be taking a look at The Woman at the Well, found in John 4. I don't think we have anyone signed up to bring treats for this week, so please leave a comment here if you'd like to be that special person!

I know the color clashes with the paragraph above, but I can't write about Valentine's without using red! Just a reminder about Wapato's Valentine Dinner and Concert this Saturday evening at the church. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets can still be purchased, or you can call the church office and let Becky know how many tickets you'll be buying at the door. Cost is only $10 per person, and childcare is provided for a suggested donation of $2 per child, which includes their dinner. So put on your fancy duds, and we'll see you for a wonderful time on Saturday night. 

We've got a couple of great events coming up next month, so take your calendar down from the wall and write these things in. First, we have a WOW movie night at Ashberry Lane on Friday, March 2nd. This is always just a fun, casual time of getting together for goodies and a fun movie. Show up at 7, and we'll start the movie by 7:30. 

Then on the weekend of March 16th and 17th, Wapato is presenting a video marriage seminar entitled The Art of Marriage, sponsored by FamilyLife Today. Becky will be giving you all the important info in the weekly announcements, but just know that this is something you want to take advantage of. Start planning now to let the kids have a mini-vacation with grandma and grandpa, or a favorite aunt and uncle, as you deserve to take 1-1/2 days to focus on strengthening your marriage. 

Are you putting some money aside each week so you'll be able to sign up for our SeaSide Escape as soon as registration opens on March 1st? It only takes $80 to pay for this weekend of relaxation, laughter, and sharing April 13th-15th. The first 40 women that sign up are the ones that get to go! Remember, regular attendees of Wapato can sign up during the first two weeks of March, then we open it to include those who attend any of our Bible studies, and then two weeks later it's open to your friends. Checks will need to be given to me, but made out to Wapato Valley Church, with "Retreat" written in the memo section. 

Next week COMMON GROUNDS will meet at 6:30 Wednesday evening, the 15th. We're going to jump back into the Old Testament and study The Medium of En Dor, as written about in I Samuel chapter 28. 

In case you're looking ahead, here is the schedule for our Bible studies for the rest of the year:

The Thursday Perk
February 9 and 23
March 8 and 22
April 5 and 26
May 10 and 17

Common Grounds
February 15 and 29
March 14 (only one due to Spring Break)
April 4 and 18
May 10 and 16

I'll close by including the Words for Women I wrote for this month's edition of The Family Journal, which is Wapato's monthly newsletter.   


What Did I Say?I got home from a very busy day and needed to be sure to pass an important message on to my husband. I started in on dinner and when he entered the kitchen I quickly took a moment from my work at the stove and told him what I needed to say. I expected him to make a comment in return, and when he remained silent I was slightly vexed. “Did you hear what I just said?” Then I began to laugh as I said, “Because I can’t remember what it was!” Yep, in that short of time, I had forgotten what I’d just said.

Do I ever do that to God, I wondered? Tell Him something, but immediately forget what it was? Perhaps at church I respond with upraised hands to a worship song, proclaiming I will always trust that He knows what is best for me. But by the time I get home I’m already fretting about how I can best manipulate a complicated situation. Or I tell Him that I’m going to be more disciplined in my life about what I eat and how much time I waste, but before I know it I’m cruising through Facebook while inhaling a chocolate bar.



We can make heartfelt promises to God and yet forget to take the basic steps to carrying them out. It’s as if we say these things to Him and think that’s all we have to do. But we must have a plan in place to bring about these changes we tell Him we want. Maybe it’s by surrounding ourselves with Christian friends who will encourage us and hold us accountable. Perhaps we need to turn off the TV, or go to bed earlier, in order to make time for our daily time in the Word and prayer. There are certain actions we must take to partner together with God to encourage new habits in our lives. Simply forgetting what we’ve said is not an option.

I must admit, however, that there is one verse that directs us to acquire Spiritual Alzheimer’s Disease. It’s in Philippians 3:13 where Paul says, “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal …” We are not bound by our past. Maybe we’ve not been successful in a particular area of our life before, but we’re to leave the past in the past and strain toward what we know God has in our future. It takes focus and effort. It might take you sticking Post-It notes all over your house, reminding you of what you’ve told God you would do. It may necessitate you writing out a daily schedule to make sure you include what you feel God is calling you to. It may be hard work, but God also promises to give us the strength we need to do it.

When I think back to my mind-blank in the kitchen, it makes me feel a bit dumb. But as I read on Facebook this week (who, me? wasting time?)—I’m not a complete idiot. Some parts are missing!

Okay, ladies, that's it for this week! Enjoy the sun as you walk with the Son this week!

Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com    971-285-6699