Weekly Thought:  Moments of Delight

Photo:  Orcas Landing
by Pastor Jerremy

I’ve waited for over two years to take this photo.  From the ferry, I have often watched these colorful Orcas fade into the distance as the boat churns toward Shaw Island.  Sometimes I’ve tried to zoom in on them, other times I’ve just included them as part of the Orcas Landing panorama.  Somehow, though, they never get a decent showing.  From the car deck, they have visual obstructions and from the balcony, they are too far away to capture well.  So, I have been waiting for the right moment to give them a proper debut.

On occasion, I’ve asked ferry walk-ons to snap a picture of them for me, while these good people have always been friends and family, they still look at me weird and even if they oblige my request, their interest in the photo shoot just isn’t the same as mine.

On November 7, I walked onto the ferry for the first time.  It was 5:19 PM and I was crossing the water to get my Chevy Traverse from a repair shop.  As I waited to board, a restless sports team enveloped me.  I looked at them and knew that when the time came to walk on the ferry, there would be a tidal wave of movement that would sweep me along and I would have to fight for any viewing I wanted of the whales.  Furthermore, if I managed to resist this crowd, I would be met by the annoyed gaze of the ferry worker doing crowd control.

My muscles were tense, my camera poised for action.  As the crowd rushed aboard, I was ready and spun to face the orcas.  In a fluid motion I snapped a photo as the human current funneled me onto the ferry.

It was an imperfect moment.  The lighting was dark and the crowd impatient, yet, in that brief second, I captured what my heart desired.

Life’s blessings don’t usually come to us in tidy packages.  Photos can be slightly fuzzy and the lighting too dim.  Furthermore, blessings may even need a little photoshop to make them pop and come to life.  

Gratitude chooses to ignore mishaps and imperfections and instead delights in the experience of living.  While being aware of life’s realities, it moves to embrace and cherish what has been given and not dwell on what is missing.

Gratitude begins with being thankful for the elements of life that God has provided for us.  Learning to be delighted in what we have been given is the pathway to being delighted in the one who gives to us.  As we delight in the one who sustained us, we will gradually find that we are also receiving the desires of our heart, though they are often disguised in humble circumstances.

Delighting in God is a life altering experience. It creates resilience, joy and peace.  This Thanksgiving, let delight and gratitude over run the darkness and drudgery that you may feel that you live in.

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”  

Psalm 37:4

Prayer Requests:  Email your prayer requests to Mike Parnell by Friday evening and a list will be compiled for Sabbath morning's prayer time.
 

Lopez Bible Study will meet each Wednesday in December at 7:00 PM at Sam Aufderhar's home.
 

Tuesday Night Meal & Study at the Friday Harbor Church begins at 6:00 PM.  We are discussing the book "The Prodigal God" by Timothy Keller. Everyone welcome.

Orcas Women's Bible Study each Wednesday at 4:00-5:30 PM in the OCS Cafe.

 

 

News in the Washington Conference 
 

 

News from North Pacific Union Conference

 

 

 

Mission Story from Dillingham, Alaska: "Eternal Buddy System"    
The 4th Quarter 2024 supports the North American Division 

 

 

Fall Ferry Schedule is in effect September 22 - December 28, 2024

 

5 handwashing tips

 

Nobody likes getting sick, especially during the holidays. One way to avoid catching a bah-humbug? Practice proper handwashing.

You may think you know how to wash your hands, but there's a right way to do it—and most people get it wrong. Discover how to wash your hands to avoid catching and spreading germs this holiday season.

It's easy and it works
 

Handwashing is a surprisingly effective way to avoid getting sick. It works by creating a friction that removes germs from your skin, including many germs that cause illness. We're talking cold germs, flu bugs and more.

But if washing your hands is so good at killing germs, why do so many of us get sick year after year? It turns out, we aren't spending enough time at the sink.

In one study, researchers surveyed people outside public restrooms. They found that only 64% to 75% of women and 30% to 51% of men washed their hands after using the toilet.

And of those who did wash their hands, only 5% did it for the recommended amount of time—20 seconds.

How to wash your hands
 

To rid your hands of the most germs, you need to use proper handwashing technique. Experts recommend these five steps:

1. Wet your hands. You can use hot or cold water. Turn off the tap to save water during the next few steps.
2. Lather up. Apply soap and rub your hands together to make a lather. Scrub all over your hands, including the backs or your hands and under your nails.
3. Scrub for 20 seconds. Lathering with soap for at least 20 seconds helps you remove more germs from your hands. Anything less than that kills fewer germs. Don't want to count to 20? Humming the "Happy Birthday" song twice is the right amount of time.
4. Rinse your hands well under the faucet.
5. Dry your hands with a clean towel, or air dry them.

When to turn to hand sanitizer
 

Using soap and water is the best way to clean your hands. But it's not always easy to get to a sink—like while you're out doing your holiday shopping. In those cases, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, or hand gel. Keep some in your purse or your car's glovebox.

When buying a hand sanitizer, check the product label to make sure it contains at least 60% alcohol. It takes that amount of alcohol to help kill germs. Put some of the gel on your hands and rub them together until they're dry, which should also take about 20 seconds.

More ways to avoid getting sick this winter
 

Washing your hands is a good place to start, but there are other steps you can take to avoid getting and giving illnesses this season. 

 

THE WEEKLY NEWS WELCOMES YOUR NEWS!

PLEASE EMAIL IT TO ROCHELLE OR PASTOR JERREMY BY MONDAY NOON.