2A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL October 28, 2015
IN MEMORIAM
Dennis Cooper
1944-2015
Dennis "Denny" Cooper, 71, of
Cottage Grove died Sept. 22, 2015.
He was born in Florence, Ore. on
June 17, 1944 to Henry Harold and
Nellie (Frasieur) Cooper.
He served
in the U.S.
Navy during
the Vietnam
War.
Denny
worked as a
Clipper Op-
erator at Bald
Knob Mill in
Creswell.
Denny loved
his two dogs, animals, reading, the
outdoors, and video games. He was
an exceptional grandfather.
He is survived by his wife, Jean
Cooper; son and daughter-in-law,
Russell D. and Marsha Cooper of
Cloverdale, Ore.; daughter, Brenda
D. Cooper of Thurston, Ore.; step-
daughter, Janice Louallen; step-
daughter, Jennifer Brown; brother
and sister-in-law, Harold and Judy
Cooper of Ohio; brother, Darryl Coo-
per of Cottage Grove; sister, Jeanine
Morrow of W. Va.; brother and sis-
ter-in-law, Alan and Jacquie Cooper
of Bandon, Ore.; brother and sister-
in-law, Kevin and Glenna Cooper of
Cottage Grove; three grandchildren;
seven step-grandchildren; and three
step-great grandchildren.
A private service will be held. Ar-
rangements under the care of Smith-
Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel, Cottage
Grove.
Open-burning ban
ended Monday
South Lane County Fire and Rescue
announced this week that, effective
Monday, Oct. 26, open burning is now
allowed within the boundaries of the Fire
District.
The District adds, however, that local
residents should check with the Lane
Regional Air Protection Authority to en-
sure that open burning is allowed on any
particular day. Their open burning line
can be reached at 541-726-3976.
Elks Lodge collecting Coats
(and blankets) for Kids
F
rom Oct. 1 through Nov. 15, the
Cottage Grove Elk's Lodge is in
need of used coats in sizes infant to
adult. The Lodge is also accepting
blankets, sleeping bags, bed rolls,
tents and any other warm clothing in
good, clean shape that will be distrib-
uted to the local Community Sharing
and the Adventist Community Center.
These items will then be distributed
BIRTHS
Oct. 16, 2015
Oct. 17, 2015
Oct. 17, 2015
Oct. 24, 2015
To Shayna Dunbar and Philip
Makinson of Cottage Grove,
a son.
To Amanda and Christopher
Maher of Cottage Grove, a
daughter.
To Megan and Craig Seekins
of Drain, a daughter.
To Elizabeth and Blaine Tay-
lor of Creswell, a son.
Finding total restoration
G
od is in the business of
restoration, and as be-
lievers in Christ, He wants to
make us whole in every area of
our lives. This process trans-
forms us into the new creation
that 2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMPC)
describes as “(a new creature
altogether); the old [previous
moral and spiritual condition]
has passed away….”
I remember when I desper-
ately needed to recover from the
abuse in my past. I had thought
that when I was old enough to
leave home, I would leave the
pain behind, but the problem
was in my soul—my thinking
and emotions. I needed healing
and restoration so I wouldn’t
continue to be poisoned by
things that had happened to me
all those years growing up.
I came to this realization after
a woman came to speak at our
church and shared her testimony
of how she had been abused and
God had healed her. My hus-
band, Dave, bought her book for
me, and when I started to read
it, it was so painful that I threw
it across the room and refused
to pick it up. But then I clearly
heard the Holy Spirit speak to
my heart, “It’s time, Joyce.”
God had a much better life for
me than what I had known up
to that point, and He wanted to
restore my soul so I could expe-
rience it.
Isaiah 61:7 (AMPC) says,
“Instead of your [former] shame
you shall have a twofold recom-
pense; instead of dishonor and
reproach [your people] shall
rejoice in their portion. There-
fore in their land they shall pos-
sess double [what they had for-
feited]; everlasting joy shall be
theirs.”
This scripture shows us that
God can completely restore
us—no matter what we’ve done
or been through. And He wants
to bring us to a position that’s
better than we would have been
in if we had never gone through
the messes in our lives. He
wants to give us double for our
trouble!
Notice the phrase “instead
of your former shame.” Do
you know what it’s like to have
shame in your life? I had a
shame-based nature for many
years because of the abuse I
experienced from my father. It
made me feel like something
must be wrong with me for him
to do the things he had done to
me.
But the fi rst thing Jesus gives
us through our relationship with
Him is righteousness, or right
standing with God (2 Corin-
thians 5:21). It’s so important
for us to get this, because the
enemy wants us to think about
to needy kids and families who need
help keeping warm this winter. Those
interested in donating can look for the
donation drop barrels at these local
businesses: BPOE #1904 Cottage
Grove Elks Lodge, Brad's Cottage
Grove Chevrolet, Umpqua Bank and
KNND 1400 Radio. For more infor-
mation, call John Silva at 541-942-
4415 or 541-914-5099.
everything that’s wrong with us
so we’ll focus on our faults. And
when we do this, it just gives
our problems more strength
over us.
We need to learn how to
“walk and live [habitually] in
the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to
and controlled and guided by
the Spirit],” because then we
“will certainly not gratify the
cravings and desires of the fl esh
(of human nature without God)”
(Galatians 5:16 AMPC). This is
what it means to be transformed
into the image of Christ. And
while it’s not an easy process,
we can do it with God’s help.
Think about it like this: When
a person restores a used-up,
beat-up piece of furniture, the
fi rst thing they do is strip off
the old layers of paint or var-
nish. We all have things that
need to be stripped away in our
lives. Maybe it’s old attitudes
and mindsets that don’t line up
with the way God thinks and
acts…or unhealthy relation-
ships that are holding you back
from God’s purpose and plans
for you. Whatever it is, you can
pray, “Lord, strip me of every-
thing that’s not good for me,
and everything that’s hindering
my walk with You. Do what You
need to do to get it out of my
life.”
Sanding is another step in the
process. Is there anyone in your
life whose personality just grates
on you? They’re like sandpaper,
and God uses them to get the
rough edges off of us so the
good things He has put in us can
be developed and demonstrated
in the way we live. And after the
sanding, there is sealing. For us,
that means we’re sealed with the
Holy Spirit, “marked, branded
as God’s own, secured” (Ephe-
sians 4:30 AMPC).
After all this, the furniture
must be dusted and polished
from time to time. I feel like God
is always polishing my life in
some area. Our walk with Christ
is a lifelong journey that brings
us closer to Him and makes us
more like Him. That’s why we
should be thankful when the
Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, or
the mistakes we make; it’s how
He’s polishing us to help us stay
in God’s will for our lives.
Wherever you are in the res-
toration process, I want to en-
courage you to set your mind
today that God is healing you,
and stay focused on following
the leadership of the Holy Spir-
it. Trust God to lead you in the
way that’s right for you, bring-
ing you to wholeness in Christ
in every area of your life!
Joyce Meyer is a New York
Times bestselling author and
founder of Joyce Meyer Minis-
tries, Inc.
Michael D. Lester
Michael D. Lester, age 63,
passed away on October 15, 2015 at
his home in Cottage Grove. He was
born on the 5 th of November, in the
year 1951. Mike enjoyed the outdoors
and companionship of his loyal dogs,
but mostly loved spending time with
his family and those close to him. He
was a generous caring husband, son,
brother, uncle, and friend and will be dearly miss ed. The family
will be having a private celebration of life.
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123 South 7th,
Cottage Grove, Oregon
th
123
South
7
,
Cottage
Grove, Oregon
541-942-0185 •www.smithlundmills.com
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Cottage Grove
1498 E. Main Street
541-942-8444
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