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Shelton-Mason County Journal
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By GORDON WEEKS A support group offers "an at- challenges." and third Tuesday of each month days in the Ellinor Room at Mason
gordon@masoneounty.com mosphere of ~nderstanding and Not all the support groups gath- at First Baptist Church in Shel- General Hospital.
acceptance," said a man who has er to deal with disease. Fiercely ton. Founded in 1953, Narcotics
attended Narcotics AnonymousIndependent Elders (FIE) bond Anonymous members host more
Support groups in Mason Coun- meetings in Shelton for 20 years, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. the NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS than 58,000 meetings weekly in
ty gather to offer moral support "People learn that they're not first Friday of each month in the 131 countries. The group offers re-
between peers and educational in it by themselves," said Debra Washington Room at Mason Gen- "I hid all my life from who I am covery from the effects of addiction
tools to address drug and alcohol Jamerson, who facilitates an A1- eral Hospital. Members of Moth- ... Narcotics Anonymous got me through the working of a 12-step
addiction, Alzheimer's disease, zheimer's support group thaters of Preschoolers (MOPS)share clean," said a man who attends program.
eating disorders, the loss of loved meets Wednesdays in Allyn. "The the joys and challenges of parent- weekly meetings of the group at
ones and other challenges, challenges they have are common hood from 9:30-11 a.m. the first 8 p.m. Fridays, and 7 p.m. Satur- See Support on page B-2
[]
Shelton resident
explores her
spirituality in
new book
By NATALIE JOHNSON
natalie@ma,~o~county.com
Longtime Shelton resi-
dent Michelle Merrin said
she felt called to write a
book after her many years
of experience leading Bible
studies and her own ex-
periences with religious
faith.
The book, called "A
Faith of a Different Col-
or Honest Lessons on
Trusting God in Real Life,"
was published this year by
Cross Books, and will be
available online as well as
at Sage Book Store in Shel-
ton.
The inspiration for the
title came from the say-
ing "a horse of a different
color," Merrin said.
"Faith is still faith re-
gardless of what it looks
like," she said. "Each chap-
ter is a different aspect of
trusting God."
Merrin, ,who was a full
time morn.and homemak-
er for 23 years, has been
a private piano teacher
and attended the same
church for 38 years in
Shelton, said her faith,
though strong, faced
challenges.
"I felt like my experienc-
es with faith - I had been a
believer since I was a small
child went through sev-
eral struggles," she said.
"I felt like God was telling
me to share some of those
stories."
Merrin is a 20-year can-
cer survivor and her hus-
band has diabetes. Togeth-
er, the couple has experi-
enced unemployment and
other hardhips. She said
having faith doesn't mean
bad things don't happen to
you.
"It doesn't take away all
of life's challenges.., it just
gives you a lens to look at
life's challenges," she said.
"I think real faith involves
questions as well as an-
swers."
In order to write the
book, Merrin drew on her
experiences teaching Bible
studies. The book contains
in-depth Bible study com-
bined, with personal sto-
ries.
"I felt like Christians
need to be real and honest
about what faith is," she
said.
Merrin said she hopes
this won't be the only book
she writes.
"I've go~ a couple other
ideas," she said. "Sev-
eral years ago I felt like I
was going to write a book
sometime m the future.
Durnal pno[o By Natalie Johnson
Michelle Merrin plans to appear at a book signing for her new book, "A Faith of a
Different Color -- Honest Lessons on Trusting God in Real Life" from 11 a.m. to 2
p.m. on Sept. 25 at Sage Book Store.
NO :S~ar: added::SW~t and.. sour c~cken
Ingredients
~1/2 Cups :8plenda
Pour::mixtUre Of Splenda, cornstarch,
dish:
~titsp 10w:s0di~ Soy sauce ................ Bake at 350 degrees Fahre~eit for 40
Tb Pi
e~ed: ~Pine~pple
This isn't the book I wanted
to write ... it seemed to be the
one I was supposed to write
first."
Although Merrin now lives
in Olympia, she said she still
feels a connection to Shel- it's a good place to start," she
ton, and is excited to see old said.
friends at her book signing For more information
from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Sept. on Merrin's writing, visit
25 at Sage Book Store. Michellemerrin'weebly'c°m ox
I feel hke this is my town - "bookdafly.com.
Thursday, Seot. 6,
.o you
the
There is just something about
driving across the bridge either
coming or going. Judy and I al-
ways cut short any conversation we
are having as we cross and just enjoy
the view. There is a feeling of tranquil-
ity that comes over us. The b~idge is
like the front door to our home, so that
must mean the whole island feels like
home. Now, we've taken grandkids
across the bridge with us many-a-time.
As most know, grandkids can keep
up a rowdy conversation no matter
what is going on. To stem the rowdi-
ness, we started challenging the kids
to hold their breath all the way across
the bridge. To our surprise, it worked.
Over the years, the kids now stop
themselves from talking and demand
that Jude and I hold our breaths. It
was a pleasant surprise when our
19-year-old granddaughter, without
thinking about it, kept up the tradi-
tion. I know some of you count the
seagulls and some lift their feet offthe
floorboard. So, I'm
wondering -- are
there any bridge
crossing traditions in
your families?
Three weeks ago,
Josie Beaudoin sent
us a column about
the Pioneer Robot-
By MIKE ics Club. You might
CALLAGttAN remember she wrote
about the club going
into space. The Space
Elevator Competition was held on Aug.
25 at the Museum of Flight and they
went. Now remember our Pioneer
School is a K-8 school. Most all the
competitors in this competition were
from high schools where they have
a little more funding, more research
materials and obviously older kids. We
need to send out a big shout-out be-
cause team Nerdy and Proud won the
whole competition -- congratulations!
For more information, go to: www.
spaceelevatorconference.org.
With that thought in mind, school
is starting. Superintendent Marty
Brewer has been working hard with
the staff to be ready for the new year.
If you missed Pioneer's Open House on
Sept. 4, check with the school because
they have a couple more chances for
community members to tour and
visit. If the students are excited about
school, wouldn't it be nice to see our
whole community get involved with
that excitement? One way you can is
to volunteer. I know they always need
adults to read with the primary kids. I
also think they have a greenhouse that
is waiting for a few adults to take over
and show the students how to grow
a vegetable or two.
Senior Lunch - yesterday you had
some baked ham. In two weeks, they
will be serving up a salmon loaf with
dill sauce along with wild rice, green
beans and lemon cake. As always, re-
member if you are over 50 and have $3
to spare, you can get a great meal in
the community hall starting at noon.
I can't believe I've been writing
this column for five years now with-
out a break. So, I'm going to take two
weeks off starting Sept. 5. Daniel
Frishman has accepted the job as my
replacement. So for the articles due on
mation to Daniel@windermere.com.
2012 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page B-1