2A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL FEBRUARY 28, 2018
M
ost people would say they have goals and want to make
progress in life. It’s a natural desire, and there’s noth-
ing wrong with wanting promotion in various areas.
But we need to realize that anytime we ask God to promote us, or
use us in greater ways, we’re going to have to go through a time of
testing and preparation to get there.
It’s important to understand that God will never tempt us with
anything evil, but He will allow—and even sometimes arrange—
for things to happen in our lives that will challenge us and help us
develop the character we need to successfully handle greater privi-
leges and responsibilities.
James 1:2-3 (AMPC) says, “Consider it wholly joyful, my breth-
ren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort
or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the
trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfast-
ness and patience.” When we go through trials with a good attitude,
trusting God to use them for our good, then they will work things
out of us—immature behaviors and ungodly mindsets—and cause
us to grow in our faith.
There are different kinds of tests that get us to the point where we
learn how to do things God’s way. One of the most common tests is
the forgiveness test.
Forgiving people who hurt you, disappoint you, do something
you don’t like, or maybe even betray you is not easy. It’s one of
the most challenging things we have to learn to do as Christians
because it can seem so unfair to just let someone get away with the
injustice they’ve done.
I understand this very well because I felt that way when the Lord
spoke to my heart about forgiving my father for the years of abuse
that he put me through. But I came to realize that holding on to my
anger was really just continuing to hurt me. I needed to be more
concerned about myself and my relationship with God, rather than
trying to make him sorry for what he had done. The truth is when
you choose to forgive people, you’re doing yourself a favor.
In Matthew 5:8, Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for
they will see God” (NIV). And Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else,
Beverly Carlson
Feb. 20, 2018
Beverly Carlson, 90, of Dore-
na passed Feb. 20, 2018 of age
related problems. She is sur-
vived by her sons. Dana Carl-
son who lived with her, Dale
Carlson of Cottage Grove, and
Dennis Carlson of Indiana.
Rose Berggren
1946-2018
Rose Ellen Berggren, 71
of Cottage Grove, OR passed
away on February 22, 2018.
She was born on June 21, 1946
in Cottage Grove, OR to Er-
nest E. and Adela (Miculka)
Lacky. Rose graduated from
Crow High School and married
Charles G. Berggren in No-
vember 1968, Reno, NV. She
was a homemaker who enjoyed
making baskets, camping, and
spending time with her family.
Rose and Chuck have attended
Cottage Grove Bible Church
for more than 20 years. Rose is
survived by her husband, Chuck
Berggren, Cottage Grove, OR;
daughter Christine Dukes and
husband Mike, Cottage Grove,
OR; sister, Bobbie Strebe,
Dorena, OR; sister, Jeannie
Godding, Elkton, OR; brother,
Mike Lacky, Veneta, OR; sister,
Sandra Hesscock, Chiloquin,
OR; and 2 grand- children. A
Memorial service was held at
1:00 PM on Saturday, February
24, 2018 at Cottage Grove Bi-
ble Church. Private interment
at Taylor Lane Cemetery, Cot-
tage Grove, OR. Arrangements
in the care of Smith Lund Mills
Funeral Chapel.
Obituaries
available
online at
cgsentinel.
com
Francene (Gates)
Hall 1950-2018
Francene M. (Gates) Hall, 67
of Cottage Grove, OR passed
away on Feb. 20, 2018. She
was born on July 20, 1950 in
Emmetsburg, IA to Merle E.
and Suzanne (Brodigan) Gates.
Fran graduated from Cottage
Grove High School in 1967 and
attended Lane Community Col-
lege. She was the fi rst woman
deputy sheriff in Oregon, a
baker for South Lane School
District and a realtor in Cottage
Grove for many years. Fran en-
joyed crabbing, fi shing, crafts,
cooking and canning. She mar-
ried Glenn L. Hall in July 1989,
in Cottage Grove. Fran is sur-
vived by step-son, Bruce Hall
and wife Margie, Roseburg,
OR; sister, Christine Senn and
husband Ray, California; sister,
Sherri Phillips, Washington;
brothers, Pat and Chuck Gates,
Cottage Grove, OR; brother,
guard your heart, for everything you do fl ows from it.”
It’s so important for us to keep our heart right with God. When
we do, we can hear Him more clearly, be a lot more sensitive to
His presence and enjoy close fellowship with Him. And there is
nothing we need more than the presence of God in our lives! God is
the source of every good thing, and Psalm 16:11 (NKJV) says, “In
Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures
forevermore.” I love Psalm 17:15, which says, “…I shall be fully
satisfi ed, when I awake [to fi nd myself] beholding Your form [and
having sweet communion with You]” (AMPC).
If we are not pure in heart, we’re sacrifi cing an intimate rela-
tionship with God because we’d rather harbor anger, bitterness and
resentment toward others in our heart.
Everyone experiences offenses at times, and when we do, we have
to be determined to do something about it with God’s help. The Bi-
ble says in Proverbs 4:23 that YOU need to guard your heart…not
that He’ll send an angel to miraculously do it for you. So when you
recognize that you’re offended by something, you need to quickly
take action, doing what God tells you to do to overcome it.
Mark 11:25 says, “Whenever you stand praying, if you have any-
thing against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go),
in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you
your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop” (AMPC).
This verse is saying that if we choose to hold on to unforgiveness,
then God can’t forgive us of our sins, and our intimacy with Him
will suffer.
The best thing we can do when we need to forgive someone is
pray for them, make the decision to forgive and “let it drop (leave
it, let it go).” That means you stop talking about what they did, stop
thinking about it and rehearsing it over and over and over in your
mind.
The quicker you decide to let offenses go, the easier it will be;
however, if there is a hurt that has been in your heart for a long time,
it may take some time for you to get totally free of it. But you can
do it—by God’s grace—if you won’t give up!
Jesus gave His life so we can have relationship with God, not
religion. I want to encourage you to choose a pure heart, free of un-
forgiveness, so you can have a personal, intimate relationship with
God that will fi ll you with His joy and prepare you to fulfi ll His
good plan for your life!
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author and founder
of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. For more information, visit www.
joycemeyer.org.
Mike Gates and wife Judy, Eu-
gene, OR; sister, Jeanne Gates,
Cottage Grove, OR; 7 grand-
children and 13 great-grand-
children. Fran was preceded in
death by her daughter, Darla;
step-daughter, Glenda; step-son,
Gordon and husband, Glenn
Hall and sister, Kathy. No ser-
vice is planned. Arrangements
in the care of Smith Lund Mills
Funeral Chapel.
Gary L Funk
1935-2018
A covered bridge. Lush green trees.
An azalea shrub, heavy with magen-
ta blossoms. Narrow trails through
fragrant woods and dark mud next to
the river. The creamy brown and gray
hues of river stones. Images of Cot-
tage Grove paint the picture of Gary
Funk’s life, which began in that ver-
dant town on May 11, 1935.
26 years later, two days after his birthday in 1961, he married
the great love of his life, Alice. Together, they built a life full
of family and friends, of camping and fi shing and hunting and
gardening. Their house was full of kids, and once the kids were
grown, they returned at every holiday to fi ll the house with their
own children. Gary loved to watch the grandkids play, and when
they weren’t climbing all over him, the children marveled at
Grandpa’s ability to fall asleep in his recliner despite the noise.
A talented craftsman, Gary built a thriving masonry business
and taught the trade to his sons, Terry and Steve. His work was
featured in Sunset magazine, and a drive through the Eugene/
Springfi eld area reveals the fruits of his labor and artistry: gor-
geous edifi ces, each stone placed lovingly by hand. He excelled
at the utilitarian aspect of his art as well—he invented, patent-
ed, and manufactured exterior air vents for masonry. When he
wasn’t working, he was in his woodshop, creating furniture and
birdhouses and lawn art and anything the kids asked for.
Gary was a longtime member of the Elks BPOE 2145, spending
many weekends at Elks events and even serving a term as Exalt-
ed Ruler in the 1990’s. The Elks’ lodge was like a second home
to Gary and Alice, and their shining faces in the photos of those
events attest to the great joy they found in the Elks brotherhood.
Throughout his long life, Gary relished putting his rough ma-
son’s hands into the rich brown earth and nurturing a dazzling
garden into bloom every year. He loved sharing the bounty of
his garden with his family—it was impossible to visit in the
summer months and not come away with a bag full of fresh-
picked vegetables and fruits. He grew magnifi cent fl owers, and
his yard was worthy of the Birds & Blooms magazines he loved
to read.
After a long battle with prostate cancer, Gary passed away on
February 12, 2018. He is survived by his wife, Alice; children
Terry Toffl emoyer (Cindy), Steve Toffl emoyer (Sheri), Rhonda
Jellison, Cheryl Pitkin, Kathy McBride (Bryan), Joan Trombo,
and Teri Moore; 13 grandchildren, and 17 great grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held at the Springfi eld Elks Lodge,
1701 Centennial Blvd. at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 3 rd .
The family asks that donations be made to Cascade Hospice or
the Springfi eld Elks in lieu of fl owers. Gary would approve if
you wanted to plant some instead.
Cottage Grove
Sentinel
www.cgsentinel.com
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å
BIRTHS
Kristi Reigard and Zachary
Maddess of Cottage Grove wel-
comed a baby girl on Feb. 13 at
PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Med-
ical Center-RiverBend.
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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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Light
theWay
to a Cure
Luminary Ceremony
Saturday, 10pm, June 23rd
Bohemia Park, CG
Give the gift to the American Cancer Society & keep the
light burning with a luminaria in memory of someone lost to cancer,
in honor of someone still fi ghting, or in special recognition
of someone who has beat the disease.
Please complete and return this form to the address below.
(Note: to order more than one Luminaria, please photocopy this form.)
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