The 180 Blog

Contents
1. 180 News
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Surf Report
4. Birthdays
5. Video of The Week
6. Forgettable Fact
7. Potent Quotables
8. Parting Shot

1. 180 NEWS

Wild Weather
The snow is about to fall. So they say! With winter weather comes dangerous driving. If there happens to be snow or ice in the forecast be sure to check our web site (www.180students.com) for cancellation notices. Notices will be posted at least 2 hours before an event. Now just pray for school cancellations!

PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES
A lot has happened since our last Newsletter! Click on the links below to relive the fun!




HS Girlie Night










HS Christmas Party












MS Christmas Party













HS Winter Youth Celebration







2007 RELEASE FORMS
As of December 31st all 2006 Release Forms are no longer be valid. If you plan to join us for any events in which we leave the church property in 2007, you will need to submit a brand new Release Form. To download the new 2007 Release Form click here. Have a parent/guardian complete it, and sign it, then bring it with you to our next gathering. Your signature is also required. Once it is on file it will be in force for the entire year.

JUST FOR MOMS
Hey Moms did you know that there is a Mom's Prayer group meeting every other Wednesday evening during The Link on Wednesday nights? If not, now you do! If you would like to spend an hour praying for your children every other Wednesday night then join Pam Alexander in MC210 starting this Wednesday night at 7:15. For more information please contact Pam at 503-624-9977.

HELP A COLLEGE STUDENT, MAKE TEN BUCKS
We have been contacted by a graduate student of George Fox University who is seeking students to participate in a survey for the completion of his dissertation. The dissertation is a study of the different personality characteristics of adolescents who commit crimes versus those who do not commit crimes. The survey is a true/false questionnaire consisting of 500 questions and can be completed a hour before youth group starts on either Wednesday or Thursday evening. All surveys will be confidential. If you would be interested in participating please email Pastor Brian. All participants will receive $10 for their time.


2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

SET APART

...God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted
beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,
he will also provide a way out so that you can
stand up under it.
--Corinthians 10:13

I've always felt that I didn't fit in. I was never the prettiest, never the funniest, and no matter how hard I tried, I always fell short to somebody in just about everything. This plagued me. Sure, I had friends, and I had a family who would give the Waltons a run for their money--but still, I didn't ever really "fit in."

When I was in seventh grade, we moved to a new town. Again, no matter what I did, I just couldn't fit in. Eventually, I found a few good friends, but I still longed for and struggled to be part of a group. This became blatantly obvious to me one night.

My freshman year, four of my closest friends were seniors. None of them were bad kids. They were actually pretty good friends to me. I even thought for a while that I fit in with them.

One night after a basketball game, I went into town with them. As we were driving along, one announced that we were going to go to his older brother's house to drink. Immediately a strong, heavy feeling of conviction came over me. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was not supposed to go there that night. My feeling of conviction was at war with my desire to fit in.

I struggled to find a way out, but it was about 10:30 p.m. and I was already in the car, on the way there. Let me not forget to mention how scared I was that these friends of mine wouldn't accept me if I turned them down.

"Let's go eat first. I'm hungry," one of them suggested. Whew, momentary relief. I decided that would give me time to think of a way to get myself out of the situation.

We got to a restaurant and I asked a girl with us to go to the restroom with me. When we got there, I told her that I didn't want to drink. She sort of laughed and said she wouldn't drink that night either, just for me. It made me feel a little better, but I still wasn't satisfied.

I remembered that my parents always told me that if I were ever in a situation that I knew I shouldn't be in, I could call them anytime, and they would come get me. I wanted to, but the fear of what everyone else would think scared me out of doing it.

Then it hit me. God said that he would always provide a way out. He was my only hope. I cried out to him, "Lord, I don't know how you're going to pull it off, but you said you would provide a way out of all bad circumstances. Please, show me a way out."

I went back to the table, hoping that my prayers would be answered. Because I was so nervous that night, I didn't eat. Minutes passed and my friends' food hadn't come. As a matter of fact, it took about an hour to be served in a restaurant that was usually fairly quick. By the time they got their food and ate it, it was nearly midnight, my curfew, and I had to get home.

Of course they were aggravated to have to change their plans because of me. After taking me home, they didn't want to have to drive back to town, so they went home, too. I know without a doubt that God showed me that his promises are real, and that he really does love us and take care of us.

My four friends were still my friends after that night, up until the day they graduated and moved on in life. Yet that was the last night that I ever tried to be like them in order to please them. In the long run, I think they saw my choices and respected them.

I've always known that I didn't fit in; I haven't always known that I've been set apart. Years of looking to God for guidance has shown me that I am set apart and was created for a reason. Rather than seeking acceptance, I now trust that God likes me just the way he made me. That has taken the pressure off so that I can concentrate on living the life that God has planned for me.

That's all that matters.

Meredith Breitling, 16

Taken from "True, Vol. 1", by Irene Dunlap, copyright 2004, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.

3. SURF REPORT

~ Mission in SnowdriftLand: A fun retro-Nintendo game to kill some time

~ Dumb Laws: Find out what ridiculous laws exist across the U.S.

4. BIRTHDAYS

We have got two this week! Big HAPPY Birthday wishes go out to both John Leonard and Luke Freitag this week! We wish you two the BEST!!

5. VIDEO OF THE WEEK

If you are heading up the mountain with us next Monday this could be you if you will be tubing with us. Watch Aaron and AJ Geist race down the hill.



6. FORGETTABLE FACT

An average of 43 muscles are needed to make a frown, but only 17 are needed to smile.

7. POTENT QUOTABLES

"Do all the good you can... By all the means you can... In all the ways you can... In all the places you can... At all the times you can... To all the people you can... As long as ever you can."
- John Wesley

"If you can't feed 100 people than just feed one."
- Mother Theresa

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YOU'RE NOT ALONE

Meet some people who are on the same the journey as you, who've experienced some of the same struggles that you have--and a few people who are still struggling. People who can honestly say, "I've been there."

These stories, most by just regular teenagers, and a few by guys like Audio Adrenaline, PAX 217, Slick Shoes and rapper/actor T-Bone, cover it: from dealing with loss, addictions and unwelcome surprises, to surviving tragedies and life-threatening situations, to holding on to faith in the middle of life's messiness.

You can find "True Vol. 1" here.

Also available in your local Christian bookstore

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8. PARTING SHOT

AHHH. Donuts... What can't they do? (Homer Simpson)