2A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL February 24, 2016
B ENCH HONORS LOCAL ATTORNEY
Russ Kaleese of Cot-
tage Grove Public Works
recently supervised a
crew that installed a new
park bench at Dorena
Reservoir's Harms Park on
Wednesday, Feb. 10. The
installation was part of a
community service project
of the Cottage Grove Ro-
tary Club. The bench was
donated by the city for use
as a memorial to attorney
Donald K. Armstrong, a
long-time Rotarian and
resident of Cottage Grove
who passed away last
June of pancreatic cancer.
Let go of the old
stuff in your life
H
ave you ever hired a pro-
fessional to prune a tree
in your yard? Dave and I hire
someone to do that for us, and
there are times when he cuts the
branches back so far that I’ve
said to him, “There is nothing
left. You have totally destroyed
our tree!” But he says, “You
just watch and see.” And sure
enough, before long the tree is
much better looking than it was
before.
Just like trees need pruning
from time to time to remove
dead branches or areas where
there is overgrowth, you and I
need to be pruned or reshaped at
different times in different areas
of our lives. We may not enjoy
the pruning process, but when
it’s over, we’re much better off
than we were before.
You see, God wants us to be
at our very best—spiritually,
emotionally and physically.
John 15:2 (AMPC) says, “Any
branch in Me that does not bear
fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts
away (trims off, takes away);
and He cleanses and repeatedly
prunes every branch that con-
tinues to bear fruit, to make it
bear more and richer and more
excellent fruit.”
It’s good for us to stop and
evaluate our lives sometimes
and ask God to show us if there
are things that need to be cut off
because they are hindering our
growth in our relationship with
Him. Ask yourself: Am I drag-
ging around “dead branches” in
my life? Maybe it’s a bad rela-
tionship, an old wound from
your past, or a negative attitude
that keeps you from enjoying
life to the fullest.
It would be nice if we could
see what God sees and say,
“Yes, God. Let’s get rid of that
dead branch.” But many times
we’re too afraid to give up what
we know for something new that
we just can’t see or understand.
The truth is you can be miser-
able dragging those dead things
around or you can go through
the pain of letting God “prune”
them away. Even though it’s un-
comfortable, the best thing you
can do is let God prune you, be-
cause after the hard part is over,
you will see some amazing re-
sults!
God doesn’t want to see you
struggle. He loves you so much
that He will never give up on
you. As we allow Him to speak
into our lives, He teaches and
trains us to be kind and gentle,
peaceful and patient, loving and
forgiving like him. But we can-
not develop that “fruit” on our
own.
John 15:4 (AMPC) says,
“Just as no branch can bear fruit
of itself without abiding in (be-
ing vitally united to) the vine,
neither can you bear fruit unless
you abide in Me.”
In other words, we need to
spend time with God.
Our relationship with God is
about much more than going to
church on Sunday and reading
the Word as a religious duty. He
wants a personal relationship
with each of us.
When we stay connected to
God through meaningful Bible
study and prayer, we’re abiding
in Jesus. God wants us to be so
It’s not like her.
Mom has always
been so patient,
but now when I
ask her questions
she gets angry.
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rooted and grounded in His love
that nothing can shake us—so
we’re able to bear good fruit in
even the hardest, most diffi cult
seasons of life.
God has a good plan for your
life. He wants to take you to the
next level in your relationship
with Him, but there are some
things that He wants you to
leave behind—past hurts, inse-
curities, or anything you look to
for a sense of security other than
God Himself.
Don’t ever be afraid to sur-
render to God so He can prune
the things that are hurting and
hindering you from moving for-
ward in your relationship with
Him.
The apostle Paul said, “One
thing I do [it is my one aspira-
tion]: forgetting what lies behind
and straining forward to what
lies ahead, I press on toward the
goal to win the [supreme and
heavenly] prize to which God
in Christ Jesus is calling us up-
ward” (Philippians 3:13-14).
Make a determined decision
to let go of the past and press
on to experience a fuller, richer,
more abundant life in Christ.
Pray today: “God, I’m tired of
dragging this heavy load around
with me. I’m ready to let it go
so I can get on with my life and
experience a new level of rela-
tionship with You. Help me to
know that You love me and that
You will work everything out
for my good.”
If we will totally give our-
selves to God, He will give us
His best for us. It may not be
what we thought we wanted, but
it will be exactly what we need.
And it will be greater than any-
thing we could have asked for.
Joyce Meyer is a New York
Times bestselling author and
founder of Joyce Meyer Minis-
tries, Inc.
IN MEMORIAM
IN MEMORIAM
Albert F. Palmer
1923-2016
Albert F. Palmer, 92, died
Feb. 15, 2016.
He was born on June 21, 1923
in
Ingle-
wood, Calif.
to Charles
and Mary
( R o s s )
Palmer.
Albert
graduated
from Yon-
calla High
School. He served in the U.S.
Navy as a gunner on the De-
stroyer Escort. During WW II
he worked in the commission
of two ships, the USS Jaccard
(DE355) and the USS Koiner
(DE331).
On Oct. 9, 1943 in Corpus
Christi, Texas, he and Josephine
Buxkemper were married.
He worked as a head rigger
and high climber, logger, and
choker setter for over 20 years
for Patton and Thompson Log-
ging.
He loved his family and al-
ways thought of his wife as spe-
cial. Albert enjoyed traveling up
and down the Coast, Hawaii and
England. He was an avid Duck
fan, especially for football and
track, until the day he died. He
liked being outdoors. He was a
kind, thoughtful, generous and
humble man. He was a member
of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Catholic Church in Cottage
Grove and of the Cottage Grove
VFW.
Albert is survived by wife,
Josie of Lebanon, Ore.; son,
Robert (Patricia) Palmer of
Houston, Tex.; son, James Palm-
er of Eugene, Ore.; son, Father
William Palmer of Newport,
Ore.; daughter, Patricia (Mat-
thew) Rouse of Phoenix, Ariz.;
daughter, Jeanne Gibson of Eu-
gene, Ore.; son, Joseph Palmer
of Plano, Tex.; brother, Linzy
Palmer of Illinois; sister, Mary
Cook of Eugene, Ore.; brother,
Richard Palmer of Eugene,
Ore.; brother, David (Mary)
Palmer of Oregon; brother, Tom
(Norma) Palmer of Salem, Ore.;
eight grandkids, and several
great-grandkids.
Visitation was held on Friday,
Feb. 19 at Smith-Lund-Mills Fu-
neral Chapel in Cottage Grove.
A Funeral Mass was held Satur-
day, Feb. 20 at Our Lady of Per-
petual Help Catholic Church in
Cottage Grove. Burial was at Fir
Grove Cemetery, Cottage Grove,
on Sunday, Feb. 21. Memorial
contributions may be made to
the Cottage Grove VFW.
LORANE COUNTRY NEWS
BY LIL THOMPSON
For the Sentinel
C
ongratulations to Teac
J., who placed second in
District Wrestling held at Crow
Middle/High School. This past
weekend, he competed at State.
The Lorane Grange spaghetti
dinner and bingo evening is this
Saturday, Feb. 27. The dinner
begins at 5:30 p.m. and bingo at
6:30 pm. Spread the word; the
progressive blackout at the end
of the evening has continued
to grow. The 50/50 raffl e adds
to the excitement. Great des-
serts are also a part of the meal.
Those who come only for bingo
z
pay a nominal fee to enjoy des-
serts and beverages while play-
ing.
One more reminder to
seniors: get your scholarships
in soon and try for everything,
especially the local ones.
Two Crow-Applegate-Lorane
School Board budget members
are still needed. There are only
a few meetings, and it is a very
important voice from the com-
munity. Those interested can
call 1-541-935-2100 and fi ll an
important position.
It looks like an exercise group
is forming at Lorane Grange.
Pam Kersgaard can be contacted
for days and times.
Lorane Grange meets next on
Thursday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m.
The next school half-day is
Friday, March 4. Students can
come out and learn drama im-
provisation games and skits from
Marti Byers, former Crow High
School Drama Teacher, now
with ART, Inc. You and your
students will gain a vast in-
sight into drama. Scholarships
are available. Contact Alyssa
Shepherd at 541-556-8151 or
malyssa2@yahoo for more in-
formation.
Lorane Christian
Church will host an inspiring,
emotional live “Last Supper”
on Sunday, March 6 at the 11
a.m. service. I have seen it for
the last two years and it is so
wonderful, you won’t want to
miss it.
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Please Celebrate the 4th of July Safely!
123 South 7th,
Cottage Grove, Oregon
th
123
South
7
,
Cottage
Grove, Oregon
541-942-0185 •www.smithlundmills.com
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www.smithlundmills.com
Grant Gording, BC-HIS
Jenna Buetow
Board Certifi ed in
Hearing Instrument Sciences
Hearing Consultant
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F a m n i l e y d
Ow
Keep your
heart happy
Who do you love with all your heart? Turns out the
same people who warm your heart can help keep it
healthy too. They inspire us to stay heart healthy. If
you need more support in your pursuit of heart health,
PeaceHealth is here with screenings, nutrition advice
and teams of specialists who never miss a beat.
Learn more about local heart health
events sponsored by PeaceHealth at
peacehealth.org/heart.
#hearthappy
OREGON DEPARTMENT OF
HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM