Pleasant
News from Mt Pleasant Christian Church - http://mychristianchurch.org - January 2011
A Second Glance…
by Cortney Walcott
…A Year in Review
Many of you may know that in 2004 Vernal &
Jeanette Chafin endured their fair share of
hardship when Vernal was hospitalized for
Bacterial Meningitis. We also know that God
has a plan for all of us: Quite possibly, that
health scare was the only thing that could
prepare Vernal & Jeanette for what was yet to
come. In January of 2010, Vernal was
hospitalized yet again. This time with a high
fever associated with an ear infection. What
they couldn‟t imagine, however, is that a visit to
the emergency room for a high fever would lead
to the next four months of Vernal being
hospitalized in five different hospitals.
Vernal was admitted to Bloomington Hospital
first where things went from bad to worse in a
hurry. He was put on a ventilator & a feeding
tube within a week. Due to being allergic to
several antibiotics, the infection was hard to
treat. Over the next few weeks, his condition
grew worse so he was transferred to Kindred
Hospital in Greenwood, IN. His stay at this
hospital was shortened to one week due to
stomach problems. Clay & Clarke, Vernal &
Jeanette‟s sons who remained by their side the
entire time, were very persistent with the staff
telling them something must be done about
Vernal's stomach issues. Clay arrived at the
hospital early one morning & insisted that an X-
Ray be taken of Vernal‟s stomach. Vernal was
immediately rushed to emergency surgery at St.
Francis Hospital in Southport, IN. After the
surgery the doctor. told Jeanette that if they
would have waited two more days Vernal would
have been gone. Vernal was then transferred to
St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove, IN. It was
in this hospital that Vernal finally regained
Times
consciousness. In March, he celebrated his 73rd
birthday in the hospital. He also took his first
steps: he was on his way to recovery!!
Vernal was finally ready for RHI, a rehab
facility. He received therapy around the clock
for about three weeks. He was finally taken off
the ventilator & things were beginning to look up!
On April 26th, their 41st wedding anniversary,
Vernal was finally released & was able to come
home! What a wonderful blessing!
Jeanette remained by Vernal‟s side, literally,
through the entire sickness. She slept in
hospital chairs, & was offered a room at
Bloomington Hospital, going home only to
shower & get more clothes. Vernal & Jeanette‟s
sons remained by their sides as well, taking care
of Jeanette & visiting Vernal. Clay & Clarke took
turns picking Jeanette up from RHI & taking her
into their homes. Jeanette remembers how the
grandkids would come in & pray for Vernal by
his bedside. As Jeanette remembers a year of
events that impacted her & Vernal tremendously
she says, “Without the Lord, Cortney, I don‟t
know how anyone can go through this.” The
scripture that she held close to her through this
is Mathew 18: 19, 20. (19Again I say unto you, That if
two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that
they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father
which is in heaven.
20
For where two or three are gathered together in my
name, there am I in the midst of them.)
Vernal & Jeanette were told that he had a
spinal fluid leakage after having Bacterial
Meningitis in 2004. The specialist also informed
them that they would not be successful in
plugging the hole so they chose not to have the
surgery (which entailed opening up his head).
Unfortunately, Vernal did end up with Bacterial
Meningitis again in 2010. After coming home in
April, they met with an Otolaryngologist at the
Riley Hospital. He assured them that if Vernal
did not have the surgery now to patch the hole
that he would have Bacterial Meningitis yet
again & he did not think Vernal could go through
this illness again. Jeanette says, “The surgery
was scary because of risks: Vernal's age & the
fact it could take up to 8 hours. After a lot of
prayer, he decided to go ahead & have the
surgery. October 8th, the surgery was
successful, & we thank God that this may keep
us from having to go through this again.”
Let this be an uplifting story for you in this
upcoming year. We serve an awesome God
that is capable of anything! We may face trials
in this new year but God has a plan for each of
us. May you have a wonderful, happy, healthy
New Year & remember to thank God each day
for the blessings you have.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding; In
all your ways acknowledge Him, And He
shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3: 5, 6
A Thought From Vernal:
My sickness this past year has taught me once
again how dependent we are on our Heavenly
Father for the simple things of life, such as
health, each new day, the love of family &
friends, & to have also learned to quit “playing”
church & truly be a better witness for Jesus &
not to be concerned about stuff instead of
others. I thank the Lord daily for my sons (Clay
& Clarke) & their families that love & serve Him
faithfully, & Jeanette. And also I would like to
thank Pastor Jon & my church family that have
been such a great support for me. Please pray
that I will be the elder of the church that the Lord
wants me to be & can be used of God.

A New Year
by Pastor Jon Miller

Where does time go? Here we are already in 2011 & it seems like
just yesterday we were worried about Y2K. As many of you can testify
the older we get the quicker time seems to go. I remember when I
was a child thinking that summer vacation lasted forever & now it‟s
just a short span of time between the flowers blooming & the leaves changing. Many of us will start this
new year making plans that we like to call “resolutions.” After all we have 365 days ahead of us & what
better time to make some changes than at the beginning of a new year. Before you make your plans I
would like for us to consider what the Bible has to say about the hours & days that God will give us in
2011.
The Apostle Paul said, “Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not
be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Eph 5:16-17). This is a good passage for us to
consider as we come into a new year & make our resolutions because it helps us to put everything into a
proper perspective.
One of the first things we need to consider is the simple truth that our time on earth is limited. Paul
understood this which is why he encouraged the believers to make the best use of their time. The Bible
says that our life is like a midst, it appears for a little time & then it vanishes away. (James 4:14). The
cemetery around our church contains numerous tombstones that have a person‟s date of birth & the
date when they died. Both of those dates are divided by a short dash. That dash represents their life on
earth, a short amount of time that God graciously gave them to make an eternal difference in their
family, & community. When we consider how short life is it will help us to make New Year‟s resolutions
that will make an eternal impact rather than a superficial one.

We also need to take advantage of every

opportunity. Paul said “Make the best use of
our time.” This means do the best we can with
every moment that God gives us this
upcoming year. It may mean taking the time
to invite a friend to church or speaking to your
neighbor about Christ or giving a hand up to a
person in need. No doubt in the upcoming
365 days, if the Lord tarries, there will be
opportunities for us to do good. The Word of
God says, “As we have therefore opportunity,
let us do good unto all men, especially unto
them who are of the household of faith.” (Gal
6:10).
One time when Jesus came into a village
to visit with his friends Mary & Martha, Mary
came out of the house & sat at Jesus‟ feet
while Martha stayed inside fixing the meal. Martha became more & more upset that Mary wasn‟t helping
her until she finally rebuked Jesus for not sending her sister back into the house to help her. Jesus told
her, “Mary has chosen the good part.” (Luke 10:38-42). Many of us have the misconception that if our
schedules are busy & our calendars are full that we are making the best use of our time. We need to be
reminded that taking advantage of every opportunity does not mean just staying busy, but it means
doing the right thing. For young parents the right thing might be spending more time developing a Godly
character in their children or time in prayer as a family. It may mean spending less time making sure the
house is spotless. For a devoted believer the right thing may be paying someone a visit in the hospital or
nursing home rather than worrying about whether the chores around the house are done.
Finally, we need to know the will of God. When Paul said that we are to make the best use of our time
he finished that statement by saying, “Understand the will of God.” (Eph 5:17). As we make plans for the
new year we need to remember that we are bought with a price & we have been crucified with Christ.
This is what James was referring to when he said that we should say, “If the Lord wills we will live & do
this or that.” (James 4:15). Since we belong to Christ, the 365 days that we have ahead of us this year
belong to Him. Instead of making plans for ourselves we need to ask the question “What would Jesus
have me do with my time?” This will not only help us to keep everything in a proper perspective, but the
only way for a Christian to have joy & a fulfilled life is by walking in the will of God.
In conclusion, as we embark on this new year keep in mind that we can choose to spend the next
days & months doing something of value or something for self. The things of value have eternal rewards
& are the things that make us the light of the world & the salt of the earth that Jesus talked about. They
are also the things that make life worth the living. So whether you are a teenager or a senior, God has
given us another year for a specific plan & purpose to bring us to where he wants us to be. Let‟s go &
make the best of it by living for Him!
Birthdays
Melinda Davis- January 1st
Finn Ludlow- January 8th
Rhonda Kale- January 10th
Gary Peach- January 11th
J.R. Ludlow- January 11th
Ashley Miller- January 12th
Kim Brown- January 14th
Marla McClary- January 16th
Wayne Lutes- January 18th
Geraldine Brown- January 18th
Matthew Brown- January 22nd
Blane Long- January 23rd
Paul Turner- January 28th
Jeanette Chafin- January 29th
Kathy Jones- January 29th
Anniversaries
Charles & Jean Hawkins- January 1st
Walter & Sandi Wampler- January 19th
Some New Year‟s Traditions & Superstitions
* Kissing at midnight: We kiss those dearest
to us at midnight not only to share a moment of
celebration with our favorite people, but also to
ensure those affections & ties will continue
throughout the next twelve months. To fail to
smooch our significant others at the stroke of
twelve would be to set the stage for a year of
coldness.
* Stocking Up: The new year must not be
seen in with bare cupboards, lest that be the
way of things for the year. Larders must be
topped up & plenty of money must be placed in
every wallet in the home to guarantee
prosperity.
* Paying Off Bills: The new year should not
be begun with the household in debt, so checks
should be written & mailed off prior to January
1st. Likewise, personal debts should be settled
before the New Year arrives.
* First Footing: The first person to enter your
home after the stroke of midnight will influence
the year you're about to have.
* Nothing Goes Out: Nothing — absolutely
nothing, not even garbage — is to leave the
house on the first day of the year. If you've
presents to deliver on New Year's Day, leave
them in the car overnight. Don't so much as
shake out a rug or take the empties to the
recycle bin.
* Food: A tradition common to the southern
states of the USA dictates that the eating of
black-eyed peas on New Year's Day will attract
both general good luck & financial good fortune
in particular to the one doing the dining. Some
choose to add other Southern fare (such as ham
hocks, collard greens, or cabbage) to this
tradition, but the black-eyed peas are key.
*Clothes: Do not do the laundry on New
Year's Day, lest a member of the family be
'washed away' (die) in the upcoming months.
The more cautious eschew even washing
dishes.
* Money: Do not pay back loans or lend
money or other precious items on New Year's
Day. To do so is to guarantee you'll be paying
out all year.
* Breakage: Avoid breaking things on that
first day lest wreckage be part of your year.
Also, avoid crying on the first day of the year lest
that activity set the tone for the next twelve
months.
Other superstitions attaching to the beginning of
the new year are:
* Letting the Old Year Out: At midnight, all
the doors of a house must be opened to let the
old year escape unimpeded. He must leave
before the New Year can come in, says popular
wisdom, so doors are flung open to assist him in
finding his way out.
* Loud Noise: Make as much noise as
possible at midnight. You're not just celebrating;
you're scaring away evil spirits, so do a darned
good job of it!
* The Weather: Examine the weather in the
early hours of New Year's Day. If the wind blows
from the south, there will be fine weather &
prosperous times in the year ahead. If it comes
from the north, it will be a year of bad weather.
The wind blowing from the east brings famine &
calamities. Strangest of all, if the wind blows
from the west, the year will witness plentiful
supplies of milk & fish but will also see the death
of a very important person. If there's no wind at
all, a joyful & prosperous year may be expected
by all.
Bubbly Jell-O Parfait
From FamilyFun Magazine
Grab a spoon and
toast the New Year
with a cool, sparkly
dessert that
wiggles.
1. Make bubbly
Jell-O according to
the directions on a
box of Sparkling
White Grape Jell-
O. Be sure to use
club soda, seltzer, or ginger ale and follow the
tips on the box for getting the gelatin to sparkle.
2. Chill the Jell-O in champagne flutes or parfait
glasses. We suggest making these the day of
the party, since they might lose some bubbliness
if they're made further ahead. Wind a metallic
multicolored star garland (available at party
stores) up the stem of the glass for pizzazz.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook to get
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Sermon Series: The Second Coming of Christ
January 2nd- "Why Christ Must Return"
January 9th- "Is Christ Coming Soon?"
January 16th- "Birth Pangs"
January 23rd- "The Great Tribulation"
January 30th- "Signs in the Sky"
February 6th- "Does Anyone Know When?"
The Race
"Quit!" "Give up, you're beaten," they shout &
plead there's just too much against you now, this
time you can't succeed. And as I start to hang
my head in front of failure's face, my downward
fall is broken by the memory of a race. And hope
refills my weakened will as I recall that scene,
for just the thought of that short race rejuvenates
my being. A children's race, young boys, young
men; how I remember well, excitement sure, but
also fear, it wasn't hard to tell. They all lined up
so full of hope, each thought to win that race or
tie for first, or if not that, at least take second
place. Their fathers watched from off the side,
each cheering for his son, & each boy hoped to
show his dad that he would be the one.
The whistle blew & off they went, young hearts &
hopes of fire, to win, to be the hero there, was
each young boy's desire. One boy in particular,
his dad was in the crowd, was running near the
lead & thought, „My dad will be so proud.‟ But as
he speeded down the field across a shallow dip,
the little boy who thought to win, lost his step &
slipped. Trying hard to catch himself, his hands,
flew out to brace, & mid the laughter of the
crowd he fell flat on his face. So, down he fell &
with him hope, he couldn't win it now.
Embarrassed, sad, he only wished to disappear
somehow. But as he fell his dad stood up &
showed his anxious face, which to the boy so
clearly said, "Get up & win that race!" He quickly
rose, no damage done, behind a bit that's all, &
ran with all his mind & might to make up for his
fall. So anxious to restore himself, to catch up &
to win, his mind went faster than his legs, he
slipped & fell again. He wished that he had quit
before with one disgrace. "I'm hopeless as a
runner now, I shouldn't try to race." But, in the
laughing crowd he searched & found his father's
face, that steady look that said again, "Get up &
win that race!" So he jumped up to try again, ten
yards behind the last, if I'm going to gain those
yards, he thought, „I've got to run real fast.‟
Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight
or ten, but trying so hard to catch the lead, he
slipped & fell again.
Defeat! He lay there silently, a tear dropped from
his eye, there's no sense running anymore --
three strikes I'm out -- why try? The will to rise
had disappeared; all hope had fled away, so far
behind, so error prone, closer all the way. I've
lost, so what's the use," he thought, "I'll live with
my disgrace." But then he thought about his dad,
who soon he'd have to face.
gave him the greater cheer for finishing the race.
And even though he came in last with head
bowed low, unproud, you would have thought
he'd won the race, to listen to the crowd.
And to his dad he sadly said, "I didn't do so
well."

"Get up," an echo sounded low. "Get up & take
your place. You were not meant for failure here,
get up & win that race." With borrowed will, "Get
up," it said, "you haven't lost at all, for winning is
not more than this; to rise each time you fall."
So, up he rose to run once more, & with a new
commit, he resolved that win or lose, at least he
wouldn't quit. So far behind the others now, the
most he'd ever been, still he gave it all he had &
ran as though to win. Three times he'd fallen
stumbling, three times he rose again. Too far
behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.
They cheered the winning runner as he crossed,
first place; head high & proud & happy -- no
falling, no disgrace. but, when the fallen
youngster crossed the line, last place, the crowd
"To me, you won," his father said. "You rose
each time you fell."
And now when things seem dark & hard &
difficult to face, the memory of that little boy
helps me in my own race. For all of life is like
that race, with ups & downs & all. And all you
have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
"Quit!" "Give up, you're beaten," they still shout
in my face, but another voice within me says,
"Get up & win that race."
Source: Family Times &
http://pastorjimswitwisdom.blogspot.com

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Mt. Pleasant Christian Church
3191 W. Burma Rd.
Gosport, IN 47433
812-876-9149

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