Wednesday, May 20, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Glimpses of
Sisters
Karen Keady
Columnist
Making
Lemonade
The first time I heard the
adage, <When life gives you
lemons, make lemonade,= it
was the early 1980s during
my third year of college. We
were required to do a case
study on a patient. That fall
my clinical rotation was at a
large VA hospital, rife with
possibilities. Imagine my
dismay when I was assigned
to the mental ward, to a
patient with bi-polar disor-
der, also referred to as manic
depressive illness. I went to
my nursing instructor and
begged to be reassigned. The
patient himself was a clinical
psychologist, who had twice
attempted suicide. I was very
intimidated and felt totally
out of my league with the
assignment.
I was told to make lem-
onade. There would be no
reassignment.
I spent eight weeks with
that patient, and in the end
wrote a case study that was
eventually published in a
medical journal. Quite a
surprise, as my instructor
had, unbeknownst to me,
submitted it as a nursing
student case study. It was a
clinical study written more
like a biography. I had made
lemonade!
During this most stress-
filled time in most of our
lives as we struggle with job
loss, isolation, illness, rents
due, food shortages and
more, I wondered how some
people are making lemon-
ade. With time on my hands
10
OFF
$
I set about interviewing fam-
ily, friends, neighbors and
acquaintances. Here are a
few of the answers:
One friend laid off from
her job has been walking
every day to relieve stress.
She has had more time to
prepare healthier meals at
home rather than grabbing
meals on the run. She has
lost over 20 pounds and her
blood pressure is lower than
it has been in years. A bonus
is that for the first time since
her last child was born, she
can fit into her <skinny=
jeans.
Richard, from Richard9s
Produce says that he is mak-
ing lemonade by offering
more organic produce, fruits
and veggies at his place this
year. People want that and he
says he has never been bus-
ier. Judging by the check-out
line 4 people six feet apart
of course 4 I would say he
is right.
A neighbor on my block
who sells fresh farm eggs
and volunteers at Habitat
for Humanity says that she
is discovering new ways to
connect with friends and
family. Things are moving
at a much slower pace for us
all. Trying to stay connected
is a challenge, but she is
doing it.
A friend with school-age
children has been strug-
gling with the home school-
ing of restless kids, limited
resources, and a computer
with a mind of its own that
often is not operable. The
kids become frustrated, can-
not concentrate, and do not
want to be in school at home.
The alternative is, take this
time to teach some life skills.
Teach the kids how to make
their beds. Teach them how
to wash a load of laundry,
how to boil an egg. Give the
dog a good brushing.
My friend Diana has
taken this time to at long last
install those hardwood floors
or.
she has been yearning for.
She is doing it herself!
DOT & FAA
PHYSICALS
When I asked her how she
was making lemonade from
lemons she laughed and
said I must have been think-
ing about Judy, our nursing
instructor of so long ago.
My daughter, a preschool
teacher turned librarian, has
been using this time off to
make masks. She and her
sewing circle friends in
Georgia have made hundreds
of masks.
Each of us is finding
some joy during this hard-
ship, helping others, recon-
necting with our families,
slowing down from that fast-
paced life we have come to
accept as normal. Hopefully,
we can keep this lesson alive
and continue to appreciate
just being. We do not always
have to be doing something.
There is an art to doing
nothing.
Possibly the funniest
story I heard, when I asked
a young family member how
she was coping with being
unable to connect with and
play with her friends, said
she has been working in the
garden, trying to train a pray-
ing mantis with a toothpick.
To do what? I wondered.
To PRAY she replied. I am
certain the praying mantis
assumes that posture without
the aid of a toothpick, but
I did not want to dilute her
lemonade.
The resilience of the
human spirit and the will-
ingness to help one another
during difficult times is
amazing. When we look at
the chaos occurring in larger
cities in this country, I am
so thankful to be part of the
Sisters community. We will
keep on keeping on, we will
get through this and we will
keep on making lemonade.
Church has new name,
reflecting independence
By Cody Rheault
Correspondent
Westside Sisters Church
has adopted a new name.
The former satellite church
of Westside Bend is chang-
ing their official title to
Wellhouse Church and has
acquired the Sisters Christian
Academy preschool into
its structure with additional
plans to expand in the near
future.
The title change came
after long talks with board
members and prophetic
words about the direction
of Westside Sisters Church.
Visitors and members alike
talked about the nature of
worship and sermons, feel-
ing the church to be a living
resource and <a place that
welcomes all people home.=
<Westside is a great name,
but we have become our own
family, a new church body,=
said Jerry Kaping, lead pas-
tor at Wellhouse Church.
<Although we are thankful for
everything Westside has done
for us we are launching out
to become our own, and we
maintain a great relationship
with Westside Bend.=
The separation from
Westside Church Bend
should not be misunderstood
as a poor relationship with
them, Kaping noted. Instead,
Steve Mickel, lead pastor for
Westside Bend, expressed his
respect and blessing over the
name change.
<They really gave us a
great foundation,= Kaping
said.
We l l h o u s e C h u r c h 9s
vision remains: Live in His
Presence, Love His People,
and build His Kingdom.
Wellhouse Church will make
disciples, create community,
and train and equip saints for
works of service.
The former Bread of Life
food pantry, under the direc-
tion of Westside Sisters, will
change to Wellhouse Market,
where they will continue to
feed and provide groceries for
up to 80 families a week.
Wellhouse Church has
also adopted the preschool
program from the recently
shuttered Sisters Christian
Academy. Following an
application with the state to
offer the Preschool Promise
program 4 where finan-
cially struggling families
can receive assistance 4
Wellhouse Church is looking
to provide before- and after-
care, summer care, and holi-
day and vacation care for pre-
school aged children. Pending
approval, the program will
provide a free place for quali-
fying families as well educa-
tion for kids in Sisters.
Those familiar with teach-
ers from Sisters Christian
Academy will appreciate the
new head of the preschool
program. Mary Ryan, Head
Teacher and Director at the
See WELLHOUSE on page 14
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