Monday, September 10, 2012 WOW-Zine

Hello, my dear ladies! I'm writing this late Sunday night, as I'll be getting up early in the morning and will be gone all day, but wanted to make sure you get this! I think I'll keep this fairly short and to the point, though I do have several things to remind you of.

The first is that I still have one ticket available for the Women of Faith conference the first weekend of October. (You can still purchase tickets on your own after this one gets snatched up, but there's no guarantee you'd be able to get a seat with the rest of us.) So, for only ONE monthly payment of $91, you can be the proud owner of a ticket to WOF! Don't let this limited-time offer pass you by!! Be the envy of all your friends as you say, "Yes, I am. I'm going to Women of Faith." Hurry--this opportunity won't last forever!!! Call Sherrie at 971-285-6699 to order your ticket NOW!!!! (Some restrictions may apply.) No, not really, but I just needed to make this ad sound official!!

This Wednesday evening at 6 PM, our Common Grounds Bible study will kick off with a potluck dinner and just a relaxed time of hanging out together and getting caught up on what's been going on in our lives during the summer. You won't want to miss the start of our fall sessions. Our new Bible study for the start of this year is ... hmmn, I'm going to make you wait and hear about it Wednesday night. Let me just say I'm excited about it and think we're in for a good time of studying together. (Please note that we're meeting a half-hour earlier than usual this week because of eating dinner together. The other weeks we meet at 6:30.)

On Thursday morning, at our usual time of 9:30, The Perk will begin their new year with a brunch, potluck style. You can bring any yummy goodness of a breakfast-type persuasion for us to all enjoy. This is a great way to start your day off every Thursday, as we all apply God's word to our lives and support each other in any difficulties we're going through. Our women's Bible studies are places where deep friendships are formed, so I really encourage you to attend whichever study best works with your schedule.

Don't forget that this Wednesday is the first meeting of a new group for women that is starting up in McMinnville. The Yamhill County Christian Women's Fellowship is an opportunity for women from various churches to get together around lunch and a speaker. It's always nice to find we're a part of a bigger picture, even in our local area. And guess what? They've asked me to be their speaker at this inaugural meeting. (After all, it is an election year.) So join me at noon at Jake's Deli, on Baker St. right by Linfield College for a no-host lunch and give me the support of your smiling faces as I share on the "Different Flavors of Goodness". No reservations are necessary.

Why you can’t “get over it” right away Posted: 05 Sep 2012 06:04 AM PDT photo thanks to donjd2 An upsetting email slams my inbox. A driver cuts me off on the highway. A friend and I unintentionally say hurtful words to each other. I can click delete, pull into the driveway, hug my friend and know all is well. But hours later my mind can still be running in circles, my heart racing. “I’ve dealt with this,” I tell myself, “I know what’s true. Why in the world can I not just ‘get over it’ right away?” It turns out there’s a very good reason why. God made us with a fight or flight system. When we encounter a threat or a stressful situation, our body releases chemicals that flood our system. So while our brain and heart may have decided all is well, it takes our body time to catch up. Stress is like having a bucket of water thrown over your head. Even if you deal with it right away, it still takes time to dry off. So if you can’t “get over it” instantly it’s time you know this–you’re normal. Then try these four things… 1) Go easy on yourself. When we can’t “get over it” right away we often are tough on ourselves–which only causes more stress and more chemicals to be released so it takes even longer to “dry off.” 2) Do something physically relaxing. Laugh hard. Take a walk. Hop in the bathtub. Help your body settle down. 3) Don’t take it out on someone else. It can seem like hollering at the next person who crosses your path is a good idea but, again, that only gets you more drenched. 4) Be careful with shortcuts to drying off that mess with your physical system. It’s tempting to grab that gallon of ice cream or bottle of wine but sugar hypes up your system and alcohol is a depressant. Moderation is your body’s friend. 3) Sleep on it. If you wake up the next morning (or a few days later if it was a lot of stress) and you’re still upset, ask God if there’s something lingering that might still need to be dealt with after all. Over time, you’ll learn to recognize how long it takes you to “dry off” emotionally and what you need to do so. {Note: I’m talking here about the everyday stresses, conflicts and irritations we face. Bigger issues or hurts are a whole different story. And usually we need someone else, like a counselor, to help us “dry off” plus a lot more time}. Life is going to toss a bucket of water over our heads sometimes. It’s not about getting over it…it’s about getting through it. And that takes a little patience and a lot of grace {for ourselves and each other}. p.s. This applies to other people in your life too–especially kiddos. Someone who seems really grouchy may actually just be super soggy. (Written by Holley Gerth, of Heart to Heart with Holley) And with that, I'll leave you for this week, until I see you Wednesday or Thursday! Blessings, my friends. Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com   971-285-6699