for Sabbath June 18th 2022 at OCC

The lesson group discussion begins the morning at OCC.

Come and join in at 10 a.m. 

This was the second last study about Joseph.  What great lessons they have been.

After the lesson study comes the Praise Time and it was so nice to see Alex up front singing this time along with Beverly. 

Jerrie Lou tells the Children's story... 

She has so many good stories in her memory... this one was about a pet chicken that had a broken leg. 

Someone came to Jerrie Lou with this chicken with a broken leg for her to fix and so she got out the tape and wooden sticks and tried to help that bird. 

It worked and with Jesus healing the chicken's leg healed nicely. 

Bonnie shared another health nugget and this time it was about thought health.  Lets put healthy good thoughts in our brains each day. Thought health.  It is controlled by the nervous system.  We need to overcome negative thoughts.  

Write them down and learn to recognize them. Categorize them.  Then find an opposite Bible verse for each one and write it on an index card.

Pray over the cared and choose to believe. 

Read them out loud. 

Philippians 4:8 tell us... Philippians 4:8

The Voice

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy.

The special music video was of the Reflections Team singing Take My Hand Precious Lord. 

It was very meaningful. 

Jill S came to share the sermon with us this Sabbath.  The title of her talk was " Elusive Joy".

James 1:2 was the Bible verse to go along with the talk.  She used The VOICE translation. 

James 1:2-4

The Voice

2-4 Don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to complete the long journey and cross the finish line—mature, complete, and wanting nothing.

While reading this bedtime story to her little granddaughter she thought... is it right to tell this to a children... does God always keep us safe?  

Someone gave Jill this mug once with Happy Thoughts and Happy words written on it. 

Are we always happy?

Does it make us happy to have someone tell us to be happy when we are sad or worried?

"Joy is the most vulnerable emotion we experience," Brown says. "And if you cannot tolerate joy, what you do is you start dress rehearsing tragedy."

Jill talked about her realization that a person does not need to have an opinion on everything.  Which brings rest from some stresses. 

She shared about Jane "Nightbirde" Marczewski and her happiness and sadness... having breast cancer that came out of remission and also being able to write and sing her music... joy and grief side by side. 

We watched the short video of From a Distance. 

Life can be excruciating and so beautiful. 

Watching from a distance as your kids grow older and you just want to fix things for them but you can't.

The more  you lose things on this earth the more we long for Heaven,

God longs to come and get His children.  Us. 

Diane Sawyer shared a story of a young boy all alone in Africa.

His face grinned all the time on the news story interview. 

A lady saw the interview and her heart was touched by this young boy. 

She just wanted to go and get this boy and give him a home and love that he wanted so much. 

Finally things worked out for her to make it a reality and she met the boy and told him of her plans and wishes. 

The boy was so excited once her understood that she wanted to bring him back to America and have him make his home with her. 

He said very sincerely that he would do everything he could to be the very best servant for her. 

The lady was shocked and then tried to tell me no no no... not my servant, I want you to come and be my son!

God love for us is so much greater. 

(  a brief summation so not exactly her wording) 

Father's Day cookies brought by Erinn.  

Milk and cookies for Dad's and those who love him...

The killdeer keeping the eggs safe. 

Cropped closer then taken.

Some important Father's at OCC.  So thankful for them.