LeTourneau NOW, Volume 25, Number 9, September 1971 Page: 1
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: LeTourneau University Archives and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the LeTourneau University Margaret Estes Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
LToURNEAU
BEPictured in the front row with the BLUE ANGELS are the members of
the Lambda Alpha Sigma Society, the LeTourneau Aviation Society.
The Society consists of students in aviation technology and aero-space
engineering.
The BLUE ANGELS, a demonstration team of the Department of theNavy, performed at the Annual Gregg County Air Show at the Gregg
County Airport at Longview, Texas on September 5, 1971.
The aviation program at LeTourneau College constitutes just one of
the less common programs available in colleges and is one that
captures the interest of many young men.Bitter or Better --
Which Shall It Be?
BY W. F. WIDEN, M.D.
Some years ago I read a statement
that "where there are no trials in
life, there are no triumphs." The
more one thinks of that, the more
one realizes the truth of it. The tri-
umph is in overcoming difficulties,
trials or troubles.
If life goes along "like a song" and
there is never anything to overcome,
there is actually no real triumph.
Everyone in life, at some time or an-
other, has some trial, difficulty and
disappointment. That is true of every
phase of life and I have certainly
found it true in my own.
For example, in my tennis playing,
when I have had an especially diffi-
cult match and real opposition to
overcome, then I have felt that when
I have finally won, it is a real tri-
umph. If the opposition is mediocre
and offers little resistance, then
there is not much to it. You win the
match and that is that, but there is
no real triumph.Difficulty in life can do one of two
things to one; it can make one bitter
or it can make one better. Now bitter
and better are words that have the
same number of letters and all the
letters are exactly the same except
for the second letter in each word.
In bitter, the letter "i" stands out.
And the more one lets his "I, my-
self" stand out and be the uppermost
in his life, the more bitter he be-
comes when trials and disappoint-
ments come in life.
The letter in better is "e." That
stands for Emmanuel, which means
God in us. When one becomes a
Christian and is born again, then
Christ comes in to make His abode
in one's life. Emmanuel is in us.
But there is a constant struggle be-
tween the old man of the first birth
and the new man of the second birth.
In the measure that we allow the
new man, God in us, the Holy Spirit,
to take over and direct our lives, the
better we become and the less bitter.
That is why at times God permits
chastisement to come into one's life.
The Scriptures say, "Whom the Lordloveth, He chasteneth." At the time
one is going through a chastisement,
there is a certain amount of hard-
ship to endure in order to be refined.
There is all the difference in the
world between chastisement and pun-
ishment, because punishment actual-
ly always leaves one bitter, but chas-
tisement is a refining process and al-
ways leaves one better. As one goes
through the trial, he has to endure
some things which are not easy to
endure, but if he endures and the vic-
tory comes through the Spirit of the
living God, he becomes better.
So one of the great blessings of
life, as viewed in the light of eternal
values, is chastisement. Instead of
making one bitter, trials and troubles
should make one better.
Dr. W. F. Widen knows whereof
he writes in his article "Bitter or
Better-Which Will It Be?" for he
has gone through severe trial in the
serious illness of his wife since De-
cember 1961.
By Permission
"THE STANDARD"
Evanston, Illinois
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
LeTourneau College. LeTourneau NOW, Volume 25, Number 9, September 1971, periodical, September 1971; Longview, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1527177/m1/1/?q=%22Religion%22: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting LeTourneau University Margaret Estes Library.