March 10, 2021 Issue, Page 10 of 10

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10 March 10, 2021 Commun 1 Western Oklahoma Christian School WOCS sent 13 students to compete in the state level ACSI Math Olympics. Berlin competes in Math Olympics Back: Gus O’Hare, 5th grade; Karch Carlson, 6th Grade; Parker Felts, 5th News grade; Russell Fairchild, Berlin community build- 6th grade, Austin Zybach, 3rd grade; Cash Deal, 4th ing will have a monthly grade; Jack Redd, 5th supper on Saturday, March grade; Crosslyn Berry, 4th 13 at 6:00 pm. This month Front: Kirsey Shaw will be chicken fried steak, 4th grade, Cale Sloan, 3rd mashed potatoes, gravy and grade; Claire Carlson, 3rd green beans. Tamara Miller will be grade, Jaelyn Knutson, 4th the host for this month. grade; Kaitlyn Poole, 4th grade. Courtesy photos. About life.. Busy work By Glynda Lomax “It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?” — Henry David Thoreau 1 knew a woman many years ago who took a temporary job working at a big city bank. The bank was not in the busiest part of the city, so she was happy to accept the assignment. After several days, she still had not been given any real work, only what she called busy-work. Collection calls on past due ac- Elementary a few hours, much less one slow-moving eight hour day after an- counts, and a few letters to type. Not nearly enough to fill even other. announces At least once a day, she asked her boss, the President of the bank, for more work, but he had little to give her. A week passed and she was given less and less work to perform. It was confusing Reading toher. Why had they hired someone with her level of skill and experience for a job any clerical could have done? Why had they hired anyone at all if they did not have enough work to keep them Bookmark at least moderately busy? Again, she approached her manager and asked if maybe she was overlooking some duties she should be performing, but he Winners said she wasn’t. Seeing her confusion, he at last explained that the Bank’s Board of Directors had decided he needed an assistant Our reading themed though he protested he did not. He could type his own correspon- bookmark winners. The dence faster than he could dictate them to someone else due to bookmarks will be printed his experience with computers. There was little other work for an assistant to perform. She realized then she had only been hired to and passed out to all 1st- show them how wrong they were. 3rd graders. She felt awkward sitting at a desk in full view of the lobby and 1st- Harper Price no work to do, so, hearing some of the other employees talking, 2nd- Julian Syribouth she began to investigate the training systems on the computer. 3rd- Cale Ross and Xza- It turned out the bank subscribed to an online training sys- vier Armendariz. Courtesy tem that offered training in many of the most current software photos. programs, at no cost to the employees. Not only that, but the staffing agency she was hired through had an electronic record of every program she completed which would help her secure future positions. Andy and Renie are expecting Rather than sit idle or distract others by talking to fill her time, the woman got busy taking advantage of the free training during all the hours when there was no work to perform. oe Over the course of the three months she occupied the posi- tion, she completed as many of the training programs as she pos- sibly could, while immediately completing every assignment her covered to be a Jane, Jack and Julie all in one birth... well, sleep, boss handed her with full professionalism. extra money and relaxation time becomes only a dim memory Finally after ninety days, her boss announced the temp as- for the next few years. May God help any couple stay sane if they signment was over. He had proven his point to the Board of Di- become parents of multiples overnight. rectors and they at last had agreed he did not need an assistant. We have experienced some of this same anxiety and amaze- ‘The woman could not stop smiling as she said her goodbyes ment of multiple new births this past year. No, Renie is not ex- to the other employees and left the bank that last day. At last, With Andy & Renie Bowman she was released from trying to stay busy eight hours a day with pecting again! But we have watched as God took our simple plan for a new baby - writing for a “couple of newspapers each week” almost no work. It had been more work than if she had had piles - and gave us multiple babies within the space of a year. Coffee- ‘of work to complete each day. Recently we had the opportunity to have lunch with a young time Column now is in over eighty papers, has its own sponsored The woman had not enjoyed her assignment at the bank, but newly married friend whom we haven't seen in a few months. website and as of March 17, we will see the birth of the new Cof- she had made the best of it in her time there and had left the job After the usual banter and light gossip about the lives of mutual feetime: Hosted by Andy and Renie Bowman. with a stronger skill set than she began with. She had found some friends, we asked about his life now that he had been a husband When you log on to our website Coffeetimecolumn.com, you of the training to be challenging, but she had persisted until she for a while. His bride, his new house, their plans for the future- will see a link that will connect you to our Coffeetime Podcast. passed each course and learned new skills rather than sitting idle you know the drill. Click on any title and you will hear us laughing together as we dis- waiting for an assignment, trying to look busy. Oh my, the sparkle that came into his eyes as he told us that cuss the real stories behind some of the Coffeetime Columns we As she started her vehicle and pulled out of the parking lot, she they were discussing the planning for their first child! Seems she smiled, thinking that bank had never looked so good as it did in was ready to have a newborn in her arms as of yesterday, and have written. You will also very likely hear us relive some embar- her rear view mirror. She pulled out headed for home looking for- though he was agreeable to the idea of becoming a daddy, he rassing and painful times in our life together. Or the true reasons ward to a new and more challenging assignment using her newly wanted to carefully lay out their future...plan for a perfect time Renie recorded her last musical CD, that reflect the struggle she acquired skills. to have a baby. endured, fighting hidden physical illnesses that threatened her Years later, looking back over four decades of work experience, We exchanged amused looks when he then wryly admitted, life and the resulting debilitating depression she tried to hide. the woman said she was amazed at all the skills she had picked up “But there probably never is a perfect time for a new baby in the Parenting - the scriptural way according to us Bowmans? Yep, in the many jobs she had worked. Though each job we encounter picture, is there?” it’s there. Marital clashes fought fairly? We each have opinions on may not keep us busy, we can always get busy learning whatever He is correct, as every parent already knows. Babies bring with that too. You may not agree with us on everything - or anything skills that job has to offer us. them financial burdens we cannot predict, years of lost sleep - but you will hear a couple have fun together, talk openly about never to be recovered, and anxiety levels that could dwarf Mt doing life together, and trying to live in a way that pleases God. “Take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves.” Everest. And if the expected Little Miss Baby Jane is instead dis- New Bowman Baby on the way! W Earl of Chesterfield Camp Invention returns to It canbe FUN to fear again. Stafford Air & Space Museum In partnership with the Na- and Space Museum is located robotic crickets and apply to explore, create and build tional Inventors Hall of Fame® at 3000 Logan Road, Weath- empathy to build customized confidence as they bring (NIHE), Stafford Air and Space erford, OK. The 2021 pro- habitats and protective gear their biggest ideas to life. Museum is pleased to of- gram lineup is the best yet, so for their solar-powered bots. ‘This year, you have the op- fer the nationally acclaimed whether your child is a new + Reverse engineer their own Camp Invention® program to or returning camper, they are wireless microphone to dis- tion to participate virtually if children entering kindergar- in for an amazing week full of cover sound waves, then use you don’t want to participate ten through sixth grade. This new discoveries and a-ha mo- their unique voice to create in person. Activity kits will be exciting, weeklong summer ments! delivered directly to you and and promote an extraordinary adventure provides opportu- During this energizing pro- invention. daily virtual sessions will be nities for open-ended explo- gram, young innovators (aka Given the challenges pre- led by a local educator. Your ration of science, technology, campers) will: sented by the pandemic, we engineering and more! Chil- + Design morphing vehicles are planning to run the 2021 child will have everything they dren rotate through a variety to travel across land, then find Camp Invention need for an amazing week of of hands-on activities each inspiration in nature to add program in person and vir- STEM fun. day while collaborating with prototype elements for mov- tually, so you can choose the Early registration discounts friends to think creatively and ing through air and water. format that works best for available! Register using invent their own solutions to real-world challenges. + Experiment with fun phys- ics concepts like trajectory and your child. Even better, you have the option to change SUM40 by March 31 to save $40 off the $245 registration ‘The two camp sessions will velocity as they build, test and your format selection up to fee, Availability is limited, (@ARING - HEARING AID SERVICES be held June 21-25 and July modify a device to launch rub- six weeks before the program (Insided Family Medical Practice) 19-23 from 9:00 am to 3:30 ber ducks to reach internation- start date. Local educators fa- Visit invent.org/mylocalcamp 601 W. 3rd Street, Elk City p.m. with John Fowler serv- al landmarks. cilitate the program and give or call 800-968-4332 to secure 580-821-2299 + Lowest Prices ing as Director. Stafford Air + Make and adopt their own participants the opportunity your child’s spot today!