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Show Cyan Magenta Yellow Black Wednesday, January 19, 2005 Sanpete Messenger - Sanpete Messenger/Gunnison Valley Edition Ministry reaches out to students Heaven Help Us Pastor resigns from Ephraim Bible Church to focus on youth By Ben Fox By Corrie Lynne Player Staff writer Point System for adolescents Last time I described The Point System for early and middle childhood. This time, I’ll finish up with the version for adolescents and how to get started on your own program. The version for teenagers reflects standards for helping you distinguish between degrees of accomplishment: 10 Points = Couldn’t Be Better; 09 Points = Outstanding; 08 Points = Satisfactory; 07 Points = Average (OK, but nothing to brag about); 06 Points = Try a little harder; 05 Points = Lose privileges; 04 and Below = House arrest and/or confinement to room. You’ll notice that the points correlate somewhat with percentage grades given in school. But for simplicity’s sake, you may want to stay with the 10 for “Outstanding,” 5 for “OK,” and 0 for “Not OK.” As with the grade school kids, I have an explanation attached to the charts (so everybody knows the ground rules and there’s no room for, “You didn’t tell me” or “I didn’t know....”). “Good Attitude” means that you smile or at least don’t scowl. It also means that you use the niceties like “No thank you” or “ Please”, etc. You don’t argue or slam your door. In general, you do your best to be pleasant; if you are sad or depressed, you avoid making the rest of us miserable, as much as possible. You are helpful and do more than your share. You clean up other people’s messes and never say, “But I didn’t do it....” “Picking Up” means that you put trash where it belongs and hang up your clothes. You also make your bed and keep your private space neat–no moldy sandwiches on the window sill, etc. “Chores” should be self-explanatory. You complete your assignments without being nagged and you do so as quickly and as early in the day as possible. If you can’t be home for your assigned chore, you switch with a sibling or politely ask Mom or Dad to cover for you (if NO sibling is available). But you do your best to meet your obligations without argument or excuses. Some Basics In order for the System to work, you need to assign points at least once a day for older kids and twice a day for younger ones. You should sit down with your kids for the assessments, especially at first. However, you can jot numbers on the charts (or toss in a few chocolate chips) when you think about it, as long as you keep each child aware of what you are doing. After the first few days, you and your kids may feel bored or bothered and would rather just chuck the whole thing. Resist the urge! Just like any good habit, you have to think more in the beginning, until the process becomes automated. Summary for Test Drivers: (1) Have a family night to discuss the System and how you are going to implement it. Let the kids give you input on what they like to do and what they don’t like to do. (2) Stress that the purposes of the System are to improve the spirit in your home and teach your children how to be productive, happy adults. Also, stress that you, as the adult, have the final say in awarding points. (3) Change the charts to reflect your family’s preferences. (4) Post the charts on the refrigerator or other central place where your kids can see them. (5) Put up check lists where you want your kids to learn a particular activity; i.e. in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, over the washing machine, etc. (6) Set a specific time for going over the points. Just before lunch and bedtime are appropriate for preschool kids. Right after they get home from school and before bedtime are good for kids in school. Once a day at bedtime works OK for most teens, although some may need more frequent reinforcement. (7) Post points regularly and tie them to rewards. Remember, if it’s not worth earning points (i.e. you extend privileges when your kids haven’t earned “satisfactory” level points) then this system is just a bunch of numbers and will not work for you. If you think you’d like to be part of the research team and test drive The Point System, e-mail me at corrieplayer@hotmail.com, or send a letter to me at 1671 W 546 S; Cedar City, Utah 84720. If you want the materials mailed to you, please include a stamped, self-addressed 5x7 manila envelope. Young Family Dental • • • • Emergency Same-Day Service IV Sedation Available Missionary Discounts Insurance and Medicaid TOLL-FREE 1-800-794-0245 MEDICAID ACCEPTED FOR ALL AGES • Root Canals • General Dentistry • Wisdom Teeth A5 • Children’s Dentistry • Extractions and Dentures 1834 S. State, Orem 12/1-1/22GM EPHRAIM—A Christian ministry that will reach out to Snow College students is operating out of a restored Victorianera house across the street from campus. The founder of the Solid Rock College House at 96 E. Center St. is Chip Thompson, who has resigned as pastor of the Ephraim Bible Church, where he has served for 13 years, to focus on the college ministry. One of the key activities will be a Bible study group each Thursday at 7 p.m. According to Thompson, the group will study the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, as well as other key points of the Bible, including doctrines of grace, the Holy Trinity and godly living. The group is open to anyone regardless of religious affiliation. Thomspon and his wife, Jamie, purchased the Solid Rock College House with donated funds. Jamie Thompson remembers walking the block around Snow College looking for the right house for their ministry. “Every night, we would pray to find the right house and a way to buy it,” she says. The Thompsons say that they were led to the house at 96 E. Center, but it wasn’t for sale yet. Within several months after expressing an interest to the owner, the house became available, but the Thompsons didn’t have enough money to buy it. Pastor Thompson says, “We were not going to go into debt to buy the house. We figured if God wanted us to have it, somehow we would come up with the money.” The Thompsons asked for 45 days to raise funds and then went to their Christian community. Before the 45 days were up, they had raised more than $200,000. They bought the house, and BEN FOX / MESSENGER PHOTO Pastor Chip Thompson stands in front of fireplace at old Victorian house that will be used for a Christian ministry for Snow College students. with the help of Dave Thompson, Pastor Thompson’s father, remodeled it over the next six months. Jamie Thompson had the idea of opening a cafe in the house and set to work gathering the materials to do so. Other Christian organizations provided her with the tables, chairs and equipment to open a fully stocked cafe. Thompson is from Iowa and lived in Phoenix for several years before finding his way to Ephraim. He says that he chose Ephraim because of the lack of choice for worship here. He says he wants people to have a choice of churches to attend. When he first visited Ephraim, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the only religion in town. The Solid Rock College House is open for students to come in and relax, study or watch movies on the big screen television. Some students have expressed apprehension about visiting the house out of fear of receiving a preaching. But Pastor Thompson says, “Students think that when they are coming to this house they will be pressured, but you cannot force someone into heaven. We are not going to pressure anyone.” Cheerful volunteers give gift of time to Gunnison patients By Kathy Lin Eggleston Staff writer GUNNISON—Walk in the front door of Gunnison Valley Hospital and you will see a friendly smile and hear a kind greeting from a volunteer. Susan Anderson, volunteer coordinator, leads a staff of 12 volunteers who help meet the needs of the people in the Sanpete community at the hospital and with the hospice program. “There is such a need for cheerful volunteers to help,” Anderson says. “Volunteer workers give the gift of their time. They give simple acts of kindness to everyone with whom the come in contact.” Anderson says patients frustrated by the admitting process will receive neighborly guidance and parents waiting for lab or xray work will have help entertaining their children. Lonely patients will be visited and cheered. Flowers and gifts will be delivered while friends and family are directed to their loved one’s room. Volunteers will also call patients the day before their appointments and follow up on how pleased the patients are with the care given. They may also write letters and make phone calls for patients and do general office help. “There are so many areas in our hospital that need a volunteer to help in various ways,” Anderson says. “Our volunteers enhance Gunnison Valley volunteers and hospice volunteers step up to aid Sanpete residents. (Front) Dorinne Jacobs, Mayfield; Joneth Munger, Gunnison; Cindy Stuart, Manti (Back) Susan Anderson, Mayfield; Zandra Monahan, Mayfield; Anna Pearson, Manti; and Connie Rasmussen, Centerfield. the lives of others while changing their own lives for the better.” “The training is nice,” volunteer Anita Yardley of Christenburg says. “They present information I can apply into my everyday life as well as when I am volunteering. When I was raising my kids I didn’t always have time, but this is a structured way to help somebody who makes volunteering easier.” Volunteer Ann Pearson of Manti works with both the hospital and hospice. She speaks Spanish and will be available to assist expecting Hispanic moth- ers and their families with prenatal visits and the birth of their child. “Doctor Christine Jackson tells me the medical terms to use and we get along pretty well,” who has yet to help with a birth, Pearson says, “It is an exciting challenge.” Sharon Carmack of Fayette answers the phone and helps in the hospice office. “I chose to have the quality time with my mother before she died,” Carmack says, “and hospice helped me do that. The people at hospice gave so much to my mom that I feel like volunteering is a small way I can give back for all the wonderful care she received.” Volunteers will staff the new gift shop and evaluate purchases. This effort will help local vendors who provide their wares on a rotation system. “We are providing a tangible, hands-on experience for people who want to help in their community,” Anderson says. “Volunteers are needed in every setting, and there is always an opening in our hospital for more volunteers.” To volunteer call 528-3955 or 1-800-324-1801. |
