Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 7, 2018)
2 Wednesday, February 7, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon O P I N I O N ‘Adcheerfuldheartdisdd gooddmedicine’ By Terry Hardin Guest Columnist Editorial… HelpdcreatedthedgatewaydtodSisters Everyone in Sisters should stop by City Hall over the next couple of weeks and weigh in on what the gateway to Central Oregon will look like. Models of art installations for the Highway 20/Barclay Drive roundabout are on display in the lobby — and public comments are invited. It’s not a people’s choice vote on the art, but it’s a sure bet that public comments will weigh heavily in the ultimate city council vote on the installation. The three finalists for the project have turned in very different interpretations of the theme of a “Land of Contrasts.” If nothing else, a visit to City Hall will enhance your appreciation for the wild variations of the cre- ative mind. The artwork that ultimately graces the roundabout will represent Sisters to millions of travelers — and we’ll each see it just about every day for years to come — so it behooves us to take the opportunity to make our voices heard as to our preference for the art. The display will be up through February 16, and a decision by the art selection commit- tee and the City Council is expected by the end of the month. Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief SistersdWeatherdForecast Courtesy of the National Weather Service, Pendleton, Oregon Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Mostly Sunny Mostly Sunny Mostly Sunny Mostly Sunny Mostly Sunny Mostly Sunny 60/38 62/31 45/21 41/18 47/25 47/33 The Nugget Newspaper, LLC Website: www.nuggetnews.com 442 E. Main Ave., P.O. Box 698, Sisters, Oregon 97759 Tel: 541-549-9941 | Fax: 541-549-9940 | editor@nuggetnews.com Postmaster: Send address changes to The Nugget Newspaper, P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759. Third Class Postage Paid at Sisters, Oregon. Editor in Chief: Jim Cornelius Production Manager: Leith Easterling Classifieds & Circulation: Teresa Mahnken Graphic Design: Jess Draper Advertising: Patti Jo Beal Accounting: Erin Bordonaro Proofreader: Pete Rathbun Owner: J. Louis Mullen The Nugget is mailed to residents within the Sisters School District; subscriptions are available outside delivery area. Third-class postage: one year, $45; six months (or less), $25. First-class postage: one year, $85; six months, $55. Published Weekly. ©2018 The Nugget Newspaper, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. All advertising which appears in The Nugget is the property of The Nugget and may not be used without explicit permission. The Nugget Newspaper, Inc. assumes no liability or responsibility for information contained in advertisements, articles, stories, lists, calendar etc. within this publication. All submissions to The Nugget Newspaper will be treated as uncondition- ally assigned for publication and copyrighting purposes and subject to The Nugget Newspaper’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially, that all rights are currently available, and that the material in no way infringes upon the rights of any person. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of artwork, photos, or manuscripts. In her article “Mental illness and places of wor- ship,” (“Your story mat- ters,” The Nugget, January 31, page 7) Audry Van Houweling makes some valid points. Throughout history, the mentally ill typically have not been able to find refuge in places of wor- ship and have instead been faced with shame at their presumed lack of faith or pressure to put on a happy face despite their internal turmoil. However, I thank Ms. Van Houweling for noting that many churches now “recognize the preva- lence and impact of men- tal illness” and are doing something about it. Yes, giving each other grace is crucial. I would, however, like to explain why “there may be a hesitation to seek treatment and trust men- tal-health professionals as they may not be adhering to the teachings of a par- ticular faith, yet the same may not be true when being treated for a ruptured appendix, diabetes, or tak- ing pharmaceuticals.” As a retired nurse, I know that it is always better to men- tally prepare a patient for treatment and recovery. That being said, physical ailments have little to do with how you think — you just want the antibiotics to kill that infection! Treatment of mental ill- ness sometimes involves taking medication, but it always involves helping you to change the way you think. A professional counselor who does not share my faith will not have the same worldview as I do; they will not help me learn to trust God to take care of those things beyond my control and to work on those things that are within my control with His help. They will not help me see that the root cause of my anger might be an excessive, stubborn desire to have things go my way or that it may be due to fear of losing some- thing — like control — upon which I place inor- dinate value. They will not see that many good things (children, spouses, jobs, hobbies) can become bad things when elevated to a place where only God should reside in my heart. Learning how to think differently, how to prayer- fully “put off” selfish, destructive ways of think- ing and “put on” unselfish, constructive, loving ways of thinking is key to men- tal health for persons of faith. That is the focus of Biblical Counseling. Many churches across the country offer Biblical counseling. In Central Oregon, Grace Bible Church is not only a train- ing center for Biblical counselors, but offers Biblical counseling with- out charge from people who have had extensive training. Biblical counsel- ors do not dismiss science. They will not tell patients to stop taking their medi- cation, leaving this part of their therapy up to their medical professionals and prefer, in fact, to work with the person’s medical professional. I wholeheartedly agree with Ms. Van Houweling when she says, “there is a need for enhanced dialogue about mental illness among church leaders, congrega- tional members, and com- munity professionals.” Mental illness is more and more evident in every population — including churches. We must learn as much as we can about how to deal with it, remember- ing all the while that these people are suffering. They need our compassion and help, not our judgment. My prayer is that more and more churches are offering that compassion, help and love. “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Proverbs 17:22 Opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writer and are not necessarily shared by the Editor or The Nugget Newspaper.
