OLT announces cast for ‘The Fantasticks’

The Grace Of Forgiveness

An exemplary statement regarding forgiveness is this one: “deciding to live with the consequences of another’s sin, or mistake.” Christ forgave us while we were yet sinning (Romans 5:8) and continues to forgive us. He expects us to repent of our sin or our action and does not wait for sinners to be good enough for His Grace and Mercy. The moment we confess our sin is the moment of forgiveness

It is not perfection that makes relationships work. Not even close. None have even come close to reaching that blissful state. We all make mistakes, mistakes of all sorts. Some worse than others, but we all do it. Some mistakes are simply thoughtlessness; some are actually sinful. Some hurt a little bit, some hurt a great deal ... but they all hurt. To err is human, to forgive divine.”

We all need it from time to time, even devout Christians, We all slip, and sometimes our slips hurt someone... sometimes big time. Can it be fixed? Yes. First, remember how God has dealt with us. We have all sinned and done things that are offensive in His sight. If He dealt with us out of what we deserve we would be lost to Him for all of eternity. If He refused to forgive us there would be no Heaven, no washing by the blood that was shed on Calvary.

Submitted by Julie Ulmer

On the successful heels of “Little Shop of Horrors” this spring, Ouachita Little Theatre is producing another summer musical. “The Fantasticks”, music by Harvey Schmidt with book and lyrics by Tom Jones, is a 1960’s musical that has retained its popularity through the decades. The plot revolves around two neighboring fathers who hope to

“trick” their children into falling in love by pretending to be in a feud with each other.

Rehearsals are underway, and the cast and crew are excited to bring this popular and revered musical to audiences in our community.

Director April Renée Burt announces her cast for this show. They include Jonah Rogan (The Narrator, El Gallo), Miranda Burt (The Girl, Luisa), Eric Decker (The Boy, Matt), Tommy Myers (The Girl’s Father, Bellomy), Tom McClanahan (The Boy’s Father, Hucklebee), Linda G. Johnson (The Old Actor, Henrietta), Joey Decker (The Man Who Dies, Mortimer) and Alex Night (The Mute.)

Performances will run July 28, 29, 30, and Aug. 4, 5, and 6. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are now available online at oltmena.com.

When the apostles of Jesus asked Him to teach them to pray, a part of that prayer goes like this “and forgive us our debt AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS” (Mt. 6:12). True forgiveness from God is not earned, it is given on the singular basis of the price Jesus paid on the cross. And it is the example the Jesus set that is to guide us in our relationships to others; no other example will do.

The word for Grace in the New Testament is the exact same as the word for gift. A gift is something that requires no repayment; it is just given, never earned. So it is with God’s love; “For God so loved the world that He gave...” God’s giving is of Grace; so must ours be to others.

And remember that Jesus said “For if you do not forgive men their offenses God will not forgive yours.” This is so serious that our relationship to God is hindered if the Grace of forgiveness does not characterize our dealings with those who offend us. And nothing could be worse for a Christian than to have his fellowship with God broken. But, according to Jesus it is just that serious a matter

As He has forgiven us, means that we are to extend that same quality to those who may offend us, be it sin or simple mistake. That is a major part of what it means to be a Christian ... And this is a major test of our faith, perhaps more than any other single thing. And it can be done! Philippians 4:13 says “...all things through Christ.” All things.

This ad is paid for by the Friends of Jesus

Sterling Machinery is proud to announce they have partnered with Komatsu. (l-r) Justin Payton, Charles Youngblood, Austin Warren, Toby Koprovic, Erick Martin, Jason Restine (Komatsu) and Kevin Dye

Six Chinook helicopters stopped at the Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport Monday afternoon for a scheduled fuel stop. Each iconic Boeing bird has a fuel capacity around 1,034 gallons. The Chinook prototype YCH-1B first flew on Sept. 21, 1961. The newer H-47s look very similar to the prototype on the exterior, but a lot has changed everywhere else. (Photo by Linda Davis)

By Richie Lawry

The older Chevy van pulled into my driveway as I installed a windshield. The van’s owner, Tom, climbed out of the van and came over to talk with me. He had a problem with the windshield and wanted to see what we could do. We discussed the issue and scheduled a time to work on the van. Tom was very friendly, and we visited for a few minutes after scheduling the work. As we talked, Tom told me he had spent 30 years as a conductor on the Southern Pacific and the Union Pacific railroads. When he spoke about his job as a conductor, it was apparent that he loved it. When he was ready to leave, I told Tom I had a gift for him. I gave him a copy of my latest book. The book’s cover features a photo by Whitley Lind Photography of a Kansas City Southern train traveling on the tracks at the Mena depot just before sundown. I thought that he would like the photo, and he did. As he left, Tom thanked me and said he would see me for his appointment in a few days.

Tom drove the Chevy van to my shop for his appointment two days later. It was a dreary, drizzly day, and had rained most of the morning. I told Tom that because of the rain, I would be unable to seal the windshield on his van, and we would have to reschedule. Even though I could not work on his van, Tom stayed and visited. He said he enjoyed my book and had a gift for me. Tom gave me a DVD of a song titled “The Conductor,” written and performed by Sherry Lovan. The song came about from Tom’s writing while he was on the railroad. Sherry wove his words and story into a beautiful song. While visiting, I asked Tom about his duties as a conductor. As a kid, I always